THE HOLE TRUTH
The PI’s nether regions aren’t quite as solid as Mike thought – time to make some big decisions…
1976 TRIUMPH 2500 PI
Standing there in the semi-gloom beneath my Triumph 2500 PI, I was reminded of the James Herriot novel, It Shouldn’t Happen to a
Vet. Only, in this case, the occupation in question was ‘production editor’.
I was at my longstanding classic fettler of choice, Hall’s Garage. The Triumph was up on a four-post lift. And I was in its considerable shadow, along with two mechanics and Steve Hall himself. The mood, it has to be said, was grim. I’d booked the big barge in for a couple of routine jobs – a service, a new set of tyres and a carburettor tweak – but what I was now facing was anything but routine. In short, what I had thought was a cosmetically tatty, but fundamentally solid car wasn’t, er, quite so solid underneath after all. My immediate knee-jerk reaction – after kicking a few walls (not to mention myself, for not having stuck it on to the self-same lift before parting with my hardearned cash) – was to cut my losses and run for the hills. After all, who spends a fortune on fixing a car that’s worth ten shillings and sixpence at most? Well, I do, actually; long-standing readers will know that I have form in this respect.
The thing is, though, I had owned my MG Midget for eight years and driven it extensively when I discovered the extent of its corrosion in 2011. By comparison, I’ve owned the Triumph for five minutes and driven it twice. Sure, I like it, but have yet to fall in love with it. In fact, I was giving serious thought to recreating that scene from Shallow Grave – you know, the one where Keith Allen’s Opel Manta ends up in a flooded quarry.
I began to think more rationally once I’d calmed down, but couldn’t seem to come up with an appealing plan of action. If I got rid of it, I’d have no car to enjoy, but would still be paying off the purchase price. If I kept it, I could be facing a big bill come MoT time. It would be no exaggeration to say that the dilemma was costing me sleep.
The problem is, the old stager has wormed its way into my affections. I’m a big fan of the Michelotti styling and spacious cabin and – worst scabs aside – am perfectly happy to live with the scruffy body as long as there’s T-Cut and wax in the garage.
At the finish, I did what any sensible chap would do in my situation – I compromised. Having realised that, for once, I didn’t have to make a snap decision, I elected to run the car until its MoT expires in August, and hopefully come up with a Plan C in the meantime.
And it looks like one might just have presented itself. Could my dreams of taking my family to classic events in it this year come true after all?
Watch this space.
OWNED SINCE December 2017 MILEAGE SINCE LAST REPORT 14 TOTAL MILEAGE 69,157 LATEST COSTS £500