A Glint of Spring

I saw spring today. The first sign of spring isn't something that offers itself freely. It's a gift only for those with the sense to perceive it. It's a fleeting glimpse, an echo on the wind, a shadow in passing. An apparition that the drudgery of winter is nearing the beginning of its end. This winter has been exceptional with just as many 60 degree days as 6 inch snow storms, but it has still been winter. A 60 degree winter day may be a much appreciated break from the icy claws of cold and dark, but it is just that - a break. A few hours in the afternoon of pleasant temps that will submit to an early chill and encroaching darkness. The first sign of spring isn't as simple as a 60 degree day. No, it's not that tangible. It's the cumulative sum of many subtle clues. Things like the color temperature of the sun as it arcs higher across the sky or faint thermals with just enough strength to block the onslaught of winter winds or the slight darkening of a hawk's wings from summer plumage taking root. These are a foreshadowing that relief is coming. That winter's icy claws are getting soft. Not melting yet just getting soft.

I saw it today, ironically in the reflection of the sun on Colorado's Never Summer Mountain Range. Today was the beginning of the end. We will have more snow, more cold, and more wind, but the grasp of old man winter is weakening. It will suffer death by a thousand cuts, a thousand seconds of extra daylight a few seconds per day. Spring is coming, be forewarned, spring is coming...

The Never Summer Mountain Range

Searching for Coffee Photos - Idaho Falls

Idaho Falls is the 3rd largest city in Idaho which isn't much in a state ranked 44 out of 50 in least population density. The morning I spent there was cold and dreary with a light snow falling on the many wonders I stumbled across during my search for coffee. If you haven't read my other Searching for Coffee Photo posts, they are about how the details of what ever town I happen to be in are much more interesting before caffeine then after. My quest in IDA took me across the Snake River and through the remnants of a once prosperous downtown to a strip of newer economic growth that was home to Starbucks. I searched for a Ma / Pop coffee shop downtown, but all I found was vacant store fronts, restaurants, old theaters, and pawn shops. That's not to say the downtown was without charm. In fact I thought the mix of old and new business was way more eclectic than the manufactured eclectivity that exists inside Starbucks.

TR6 Trade Part 1

It all started in San Francisco International Airport back in October. I was on what we in the industry call an "airport appreciation break", a three hour unpaid sit between flights where I ran into my old friend Phillip. We have known each other since flight school and have shared many good times together. I even lived with him and his wife Jacque for a few years in Salt Lake City. In passing, Phillip asked if I wanted to buy his 1974 Triumph TR6. He bought the car the same month I bought my original '74 TR6. My response was typical; "Yes, but I don't have any money." Phillip was selling it to fund home repairs for his house before leaving the country. We have done home repair projects together before and the light bulb went off for both of us simultaneously. The conversation went like this; "I'll fix your house for the car." "Why don't you fix the house for the car." "Yeah, I'm serious!" "I know so am I!" "No really, I'm serious!" And on and on... A trip to San Diego to look at the house and the car and a plan was put in motion. I would spend some time avoiding winter in sunny San Diego, Phillip would get his home repairs done, and I would get a TR6 back in the fleet.

Phillip and Jacque's house is a fixer upper to put euphemistically, but they have done an amazing job of making it right. Maybe it is the combined experience they have of fixing up a ton of properties over the years. The house in question is a duplex which as been added onto over and over. It reminded me of the house Homer Simpson built. They live in a two story unit with an upstairs main room, office, bedroom, and bathroom. Downstairs is an unfinished kitchen, main room, bedroom, bathroom, and common area. For the first trip would be helping finish the upstairs bathroom and installing most of the main room trim.

Upstairs Bathroom - Toilet Room

Upstairs Bathroom - Vanity

Upstairs Bathroom - Shower

And of Course Lots of Trimwork

On my second trip I got to work on tiling the stairs. Like most construction, jobs I grossly underestimated the time it would take to level, backer-board, tile, and trim the stairs. Jacque will be grouting and sealing which will save time on my end. The stairway consists of a lower elevated landing, two upper landings connected by a decreasing radius curve, and an upper set of stairs. The curves and angles involved in the landings made for very time consuming work as almost every cut had to be custom in order for the puzzle to fit together in a visually consistent way. The trim job will be similarly methodic on a future trip. A 24 hour stomach flu robbed me of a work day, but Jacque took good care of me. She drove me to the ER in the morning and made sure I was okay when I got discharged as I slept off the bug.

Leveling, Backer-Boarding, & Tiling the Stairs

As the mud was drying we turned our focus to the downstairs bathroom. The existing bathroom was comprised of a very wide “swingers” tub surrounded by a funky seventies-esque brown tile surround. The fiberglass vanity, framed underneath by 2x4’s, was piss yellow with hand painted butterflies in the sink. It was a sight to behold! An ominous dip in the floor foreshadowed the inevitable rot and mildew caused by the previous builder’s shoddy construction techniques. Jacque, her Dad, and I made short work of gutting the bathroom, leaving only the a lone toilet, for now.

Demo-ing the Downstairs Bathroom

The rot was as expected, a combination of termite and water damage along the tub surround and under the sink. It will need to be completely cutout and re-framed. I’ll get started on that on the next trip.

On to the car. It’s a French Blue 1974 Triumph TR6. Growing up with a father who favored British Sports cars I've always had a love for the TR6. Its long hood, tall wheel arches, and boxy rear end gave it a more masculine and substancal presence than the MGB’s it competed against. It nicely bridged the gap between the entry-level cars of that era and the higher dollar Austin Healey’s and Jaguars. My dream of TR6 ownership came true in 2001 when I found a green ’74 model for an affordable price in Salt Lake City. I road-tripped it back to my home in California without a mechanical hiccup. The TR6’s inline six cylinder engine is based off a tractor engine and is reliable, relatively speaking. Like all British offerings of the 60’s and ‘70’s it does suffer from the “prince of darkness” Lucas electronics and dubious British build quality.

Phillip's TR6

Phillip bought his TR6 about two weeks before I bought mine. The timing of our purchases facilitated a few TR6 rallies on the windy roads in Oakland’s foothills before I moved my car back to Utah. Phillip’s car is far from a perfect example, but will make a good driver with some TLC. The paint has a lot of superficial scratching that will need to be wet sanded out. The panel gaps are large and inconsistent which could either be from a poor job of re-aligning after a frame-off restoration or accident damage (hopefully not the latter). Getting it running is the first order of business. It has been sitting for eighteen months and not run much before that. I started by changing the oil, flushing the fuel, and cleaning the carbs. One brake was seized, but it unfroze with some motivation. After oiling in the cylinders the engine turned over with a light push from behind in 4^th gear. I put the spark plugs back in, held my breath and turned the key. The engine rotated freely and the starter sounded strong, but nothing. A blast of starter fluid in each cylinder didn't help either. The carbs appeared to be unclogged and fuel was flowing, so it must be a spark issue. I started with the coil, which tested bad. After replacing that the points tested bad. Out of time and money I left shelved hope of getting running this trip. I’ll order some parts for the next trip and continue the troubleshooting process. Patience is a must when it comes to British mechanics.

Getting to Work

Why bother getting running in San Diego you might ask? Why not just tow it home to my own garage? Because I plan on road tripping it home, top down and without touching a highway, but that’s a future post!

There is a lot of work to be done on both the house and car, but lucky for me I still have a few months of winter left in which to accomplish them. Stay tuned, I’ll post my progress as it happens.