A Year in the Life of a Triumph

As told to Colleen Elzy, by a 1964 Triumph TR4 from Union, Illinois, formerly of Roanoke, Virginia

My story actually starts in October 1992. I was sitting out on a grassy lawn in Waynesboro, Virginia, with a lot of my brothers and sisters surrounding me. I had a sign on me that said "FOR SALE". I really didn’t know what that meant, but it was such a beautiful day I didn’t care. There were people all over and once in a while someone would stop and admire my looks. I may be a little rough but I still know how to turn the ladies heads! Anyway, some guy came to look at me and stayed for a long time. Then he left and brought back a pretty lady with him. They stood there for what seemed like forever, whispering and glancing my way. Then my driver came over and they talked some more. Finally they shook hands and the sign was removed from my windscreen. Pretty soon I was loaded on a trailer and taken to a town called Roanoke. I was driven off the trailer and into the garage of Ed Elzy, my new driver. I have to admit I had it made. A nice warm garage, two nice people to take care of me and drive me to all sorts of places. The only negative was a little competition from a ’59 TR3A. I don’t know what Ed sees in that rust bucket, but luckily I’m the one that drives so he always comes back to me. My life was great, a car show here, a weekend drive there, vacationing in Florida. What a life!, or so I thought - which brings me to the reason for this tale.

1996 started like any other year. Ed was smart enough to leave me at home the day of the January car club breakfast at Shoney’s. That was the start of a major winter snowstorm. I spent most of the winter snug and warm in the garage, with an occasional drive on a seasonably warm day.

In April there seemed to be a lot of commotion in my driver’s house. There were all kinds of boxes and containers being filled and sealed. The highpoint was seeing the ‘59 being loaded onto a trailer and driven away by my driver. I hoped he was taking it to the dump, what an eyesore! It was funny but I remember not being driven very often. I guess Ed was too busy with those boxes.

Then in May he took me out for a drive and I ended up in the back of some guys garage with a blue tarp over me. What’s going on here! Whatever it is I don’t like it. I think I was stuck under that tarp for a month or two - it seemed like years. Then one day the tarp was removed and my driver was back, and he brought along that pretty lady!! He gave me a bath and cleared out that mouse that had taken up residence in my boot.

The next day we left on a drive with some of my old buddies. We even got to cross a river on a boat. I think I could have crossed that river on my own but my driver was too chicken to try. After a few days of lounging around my driver woke me up early and we took off for another drive, this one lasted 16 hours. Man, was I beat! I don’t know why my driver looked so tired. I did all the work, he was just along for the ride. When we finally stopped it was dark so I couldn’t see where we were. But on thing was for sure, we weren’t in Roanoke anymore.

When I woke the next morning I didn’t see a mountain in sight. Nothing but flat land and lots of corn. I soon settled into a routine of lots of sleep and rest, with an occasional drive to break the monotony. It wasn’t a bad life except for having to stay outdoors all the time and sitting next to those lowly domestic models. What he sees in them I’ll never know.

Life went on like this until the weather started getting colder. Then we went out for drives less often. One afternoon we went for a drive and ended up out in this cornfield. He parked me near this big yellow vehicle, named John Deere, and left me there. I didn’t know what was going on but at least he didn’t cover me up. I hate it when I can’t see anything! He didn’t drive me again for a long time but I did see him almost everyday. Sometimes he would drive John around and dig holes in the dirt. There were a lot of other men and women around me everyday working on the big hole in the ground. I couldn’t understand why they dug all that dirt out of the ground and then filled up the hole with concrete. The building took shape slowly and pretty soon I could see they were building me a 4 car garage. WOW, I can sleep in a different space every other night. There was also a smaller building attached. I guess that’s where my driver and that pretty lady will stay to take care of me. Hey, I might like this Union, Illinois after all.

I guess there’s more to building a garage then I know about because even after it looked like it was finished outside there were all kinds of people going in and out, working inside. Sometimes I couldn’t see too well because of all the snow covering me. But I heard about what was going on from John, he sticks out above the snow and has a pretty good view of things. We got to be pretty good buddies even if he wasn’t British.

Then one day, in the middle of winter, people started bringing in all kinds of boxes and packages and furniture and tools in the house and garage. Boy, do these people have a lot of stuff - I hope they leave some room for me!

Finally my driver came over to me and cleaned me off and started my engine. Oohh, that feels good after all those months of just sitting. We drove around a little bit and then he directed me to one of the stalls in the garage. Of course I got the nicest stall - right next to his workshop.

Hey, wait a minute! What’s that over in the corner? It’s that hunk of junk, TR3A. I thought my driver got rid of it. He probably took pity on it. He’s such a softy. Well, if the ’59 is going to be staying around awhile it won’t hurt me to be nice to him. After all, he is family.

Well, this brings me to the end of my story for now. From a 2 car garage in Roanoke, Virginia to a 4 car garage in Union, Illinois in one year. Not bad for a poor boy from England!

Colleen Elzy
April 1999