My 1962 Triumph TR4

Archive for October, 2009

Finally was able to bring the car home from storage. With some help from my son and his best buddy the Triumph is now happily snug in the garage.

Hmmm…. think I may name this car “Lydia”!

Rolling down off the flatbed.

Nice and snug. Actually a little too snug – we can’t open the door to the back room in the garage.

Thanks to my son and his friend Elliott for helping with the move.

I just love this Triumph TR4 artwork I found on-line at deviantART. It is a photograph that has had much work done to it.

Some cars I have had have been without a doubt either male or female. And now, for those dirty minded among you, it didn’t matter whether the car had a stick shift or not. Basically, by the way the car behaved, how it treated you, and how much attention it required you could figure out whether it was a lady or a gent.

Case in point, the 2002 MINI Cooper S I had was most certainly male. While it was one of the best cars I have ever had and I loved it dearly, it did have a decidedly brutish quality about it. From the bulldog cut of its jaw to the squat handling around corners, it was simply male.

The 1975 BMW 2002 I drove for a while was without a doubt female. In fact, she became the first car I or anyone in my family has ever had that got a name. Her name was Roxy – due to the surfing apparel sticker on her window when I bought her. Beyond that though, she was light on her wheels, dainty in the way she handled, and quite pleasing to look at. Most certainly feminine.

That leaves me with a quandary; is a TR4 male or female? Now a lot will depend on the specific car. One example of a model may feel totally different from another due to condition, suspension, tuning, etc… But in general, when they all left the factory, they were similar enough to be of one gender. If we are to believe the period ad to the right, we would assume the cars are probably male. And on the prowl.

So that is my inane thought process for the evening, and I would like your input. Please let me know what you think a TR4 is and why. And while you are at it, what about the rest of your cars? Any others that stand out in terms of name or gender?

Another interesting diversion. This is a 1/32 model of the TR4/TR4A as produced by Airfix. It was originally made back in the ’60s, but they have reissued it in this all-inclusive kit.

And while I am talking about toys and models, take a look at this rather extensive list of models and diecast TR4s. What a collection!