dirk’s story
Classic movie line: “I’ll be back.” Cue the music fade the light.
Well… we are back.
Our last participation in the RBRR (Round Britain Reliability Run) was in 2018 — and it ended in failure.
We are Team Broom: Hans, Shaun, Alain, and myself. We hold the record for completing the RBRR in the oldest car — twice.
Our “secret weapon” back then was my 1950 Triumph Renown: a comfy saloon with plenty of space. Two of us up front driving and navigating, the third snoozing in the back. Easy work.
In 2018, Hans and I decided to up the ante and take my 1936 Triumph Southern Cross. We all know how that ended…
We reached Edinburgh before the radiator clogged and the engine overheated. The head gasket finally gave up.
But now, we’re back. And we have a score to settle.
The radiator has been re-cored, the head gasket replaced, the gearbox reconditioned, and — not exactly period-correct — we’ve given her longer legs by installing an overdrive. Should be doable now. October will tell.
Lessons learned from our first attempt: a Southern Cross is nowhere near as comfortable as the Renown. No heater. Side screens that don’t fit snugly. Rain creeping around the windscreen and dripping onto our legs. Cramped seats.
So, a few modest upgrades this time: a heater, better-fitting side screens, a rainproof blanket for our legs, and — the pinnacle — electric seat heating.
Madness? Certainly. But we’re proud of it. Doable? We think so. After all, if it was good enough for Donald Healey on the Monte Carlo and Alpine Trials, it’s good enough for us. And Donald didn’t have the luxury of ordering heated seat mats from China on eBay.
So please, support our 2,000-mile journey around Britain in a pre-war car. Parkinson’s disease needs your help. Sponsor our madness. Help beat Parkinson’s
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