Anonymous

Intresting Gent

The all purpose forum for any TR7/8 related topics.
Post Reply
john 215
TRemendous
Posts: 6867
Joined: 03 Dec 2006 17:12
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Intresting Gent

Postby john 215 » 23 Jul 2015 07:23

Hi,

Was at a local show yesterday afternoon / evening, Harpenden Classics On The Common a huge 1200+ midweek show ( will post some pictures later If anyone interested ? )

Anyway I digress, a elder gent asked about my car, David, sorry to say forgot his surname but foreign sounding and we got chatting. He attended L.A. school of art and design stateside after which he moved over here where he got a job with Triumph / BMC in the design offices. It turned out to have worked on the early design team for our cars :shock: worked around the wings, bonnet and front panel area. He knew of the vacuum head lights etc. without me saying a word and have no reason to doubt him, obviously knew Harris so had a chat about him. He left BL in the early 70's and went to work at Vauxhall doing the Cavalier, from there to IAD where he could remember the early TRX conversations once again no prompting, final work was a concept for Aston Martin, he had a small picture of it in his wallet of it, that looks very much like the Vantage, DB 7 and 9.

Best part of it is he has over 400 concept drawings at home and a lot of them early TR7 prototype stuff, possibly never seen as his own personal thoughts at the time, homework if you like. Hopefully he is true to his word and will give me a call regarding them.

Always worth chatting to anyone at a show..... you never know who they may be. Oh and got him to sign the inside of my boot lid below Harris signature !

Cheers John
ImageImageImage Image

LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME !

OLD SCHOOL MECHANIC - STUPID ENOUGH TO TAKE A CAR APART.. BUT ... SKILLED ENOUGH TO PUT IT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN !

1976 Speke FHC BEAUTY FITTED WITH OVERDRIVE GEARBOX

1979 3.5 FHC CURRENTLY GARDEN ART !

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6, BUILT NOT BROUGHT !!!!

seven
Swagester
Posts: 906
Joined: 01 Jun 2010 17:21
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Intresting Gent

Postby seven » 23 Jul 2015 09:01

Great story John, I had a chap call to visit me after being informed that I had a TR7. His main goal was to take a few measurements of the car to reproduce a small model he had promised some body. (he made small models at special requests) After he took some measurements he drew some quick drawings which I thought was 'unusually not your average sketcher'.
After chatting with him for quite a while it turns out that he worked in the design shop at BL, he also made the clay models at the factory.
He also did some front and rear design work on one of the cars too. However when the clay models were fast becoming a thing of the past he went on to work for another car maker as a free lance designer, I think it was Rolls Royce (or the company who bought Rolls?) in Germany. Martin is now older and retired and doing models cars as a hobby.........Hmm which reminds me, he still has one of my TR7 models, must get in touch, he don't live to far from me :|
Dodge Dakota 4x4 '05
Triumph TR7 DHC '81
Triumph 2.5 Estate '73
Triumph 2.5PI Saloon '69
Triumph Herald 12/50 '65
Mercedes SLK250 '14
Mercedes SL55 AMG '02
Mercedes E320 '05
Mitsubishi Canter '01
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow '76
Volvo 262c '78
Fiat Ducato Motorhome '03
Kawasaki GPZ '93
Kawasaki GPZ '92
The car is unable to handle my driving capabilities

birminghamtr7
Wedgista
Posts: 1020
Joined: 22 Mar 2005 17:27
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Intresting Gent

Postby birminghamtr7 » 23 Jul 2015 10:07

great story id love to see more concept drawings
if you factor in the earth's rotation, we are all speeding

FI Spyder
TRemendous
Posts: 8917
Joined: 03 Jul 2006 19:54
Location: Canada

Re: Intresting Gent

Postby FI Spyder » 23 Jul 2015 15:05

Must get that stuff on record before it gets thrown out after passing by some family member who unknowingly things it's just doodlings.

Always interested in seeing pictures of the stuff you get over there in general car shows as a lot of stuff never made it over here.
- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 2013 Volt - Yellow TCT

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 320 guests