Wednesday, June 1, 2005
1960 Triumph TR-3A
Shows/events • Weekly Cruise Nights
BY BRIAN BEAULIEU
Journal Staff Writer
"There's nothing like the feeling of driving 'al fresco' in one of
these LBCs [Little British Cars]," says Bob Stahlbush of Warwick. Not
that he has a choice. His Triumph TR-3A has no top.
Even on cold days, until the snow flies, Stahlbush, president of The British
Motorcars of New England club, dons a hoodie and gloves, cranks up the heater
and the 90-horsepower four-banger and heads for the open road in his Signal
Red two-seater.
He acquired the car in a trade for an MGB coupe with a friend nine years ago
and spent eight years restoring it. But first he scoured the swap meets and
salvage yards to replace the rusted doors and body panels.
This was a real ground-up restoration that began with a donor frame. "I
rebuilt all the mechanicals: the suspension, brakes and axle," Stahlbush
says. This past winter he replaced the engine and transmission, opting for
a hydraulic overdrive, which could be ordered with the four-speed. "I'm
a stickler for stock," he says.
Stahlbush, an engineer, did all the welding, rebuilt the seats and re-covered
the dash. Although he did most of the body work, he left the painting to others.
The wire wheels were a birthday gift from his wife, Fran.
The car is listed as being worth $16,500 in top condition, but as with any
collectible, it's really worth what someone will pay.
American cars are fine, Stahlbush says, but British cars "make you really
feel like you're part of the car. You tend to sit closer to the ground with
your feet almost straight out." He also likes the "hands-on feel" and
notes that the instruction manuals are geared to the backyard mechanic.
He has another sports car, a 1966 MGB, properly adorned in British Racing
Green. About what you'd expect from a self-proclaimed "British car nut."
Engine/transmission: 130-cubic-inch four cylinder; 4-speed manual with overdrive.
Color: Signal red.
Mileage: 200 on rebuild.
Plate: IR18.
Can be seen: Oakland Beach, Warwick, on Tuesdays, Scituate Village Green on
Fridays.
Condition: Pristine restoration.
If you have a classic car you wish to be considered
for this feature, please e-mail bbeaulie@projo.com with
details.
Shows/events • Weekly Cruise
Nights
The Main Street, Woonsocket, cruise kicks in tonight at 5:30 and will be held
every week until Aug. 17. Tomorrow night begins a new cruise night at Inside
Scoop on Scituate Avenue, Cranston, an event that will be held every other
Thursday. Pontiac fans will gather Sunday at Fiore Pontiac on Route 2, West
Warwick, for the 13th annual show sponsored by the Little Rhody Chapter of
the Pontiac-Oakland Club of America.
Cruise nights that are not held weekly are listed by date
in our shows/events listing.
MAY
May 26 -- Regional High School, Route 106, South Easton, Mass., 6-9.
May 28 -- Elks Lodge, Route 152, Attleboro, Mass., 4-9.
May 29 -- Bristol Stomp rally, driving events, Elks Lodge, Route 152, Attleboro,
Mass., 9-3.
May 29 -- Show and swap meet, Washington County Fairgrounds, Route
112, Richmond, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Postponed from April 24.
May 29 -- Riverside show, Fred's Service Center, 3730 Pawtucket Ave., East
Providence, 9-2:30.
May 30 -- Johnston Memorial Park, Route 6, Johnston, 9-3.
May 31 -- Brooks Pharmacy plaza, Washington Street, Canton, Mass., 5-dusk.
JUNE
June 1 -- American Legion post, Route 79, south of Route 140, Berkley, Mass.,
5-dusk.
June 2 -- Inside Scoop, 1705 Scituate Ave., Cranston, 5:30-dusk.
June 3 -- Mattapoisett wharf, Mattapoisett, Mass., 5-9.
June 4 -- Market Place Plaza, 1160 Stafford Rd., Tiverton, 4-dusk.
June 4-5 -- Concours d'Elegance, Roger Sherman Baldwin Park,
100 Arch St., Greenwich, Conn., 10-5. American cars on Saturday, European cars
on Sunday.
June 4 -- Rock 'n' roll ramble, Heritage Gardens, 67 Grove St.,
Sandwich, Mass., 10-2.
June 4 -- British car dyno day and car show, New England Dyno and
Tuning, 7 Lenora St., Worcester, Mass., exit 10A off Mass. Pike, 8-5.
June 5 -- All-Pontiac show, Fiore Pontiac, 525 Quaker Lane, Route
2, West Warwick, 9-3. Rain date June 12.
June 5 -- Mopar show, Golfland, Manchester, Conn., 9-3.
June 5 -- French car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street,
Brookline, Mass., 9-3.
June 9 -- Regional High School, Route 106, South Easton, Mass., 6-9.
June 10 -- St. Mary's Church, Dartmouth Street, Dartmouth, Mass., 5-9.
June 12 -- July Fourth committee show, Guiteras School, Route 114, Bristol,
9-3.
June 12 -- Corvette day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
June 14 -- Brooks Pharmacy plaza, Washington Street, Canton, Mass., 5-dusk.
June 17 -- British car rally, leaves from Gazebo at the Village Green, Route
116, North Scituate, to mystery location, 6-6:30
June 17 -- Shawmut Diner, Hathaway Road, Exit 3 off Route 140, New Bedford,
Mass., 5-9.
June 18 -- British cars, Heritage Gardens, 67 Grove St., Sandwich, Mass.,
10-2.
June 18 -- Camaro-Firebird day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
June 18 -- Military show and flea market, Hebron Fair grounds, Route 85, Hebron,
Conn., 8-3.
June 19 -- Corvette show, New England Institute of Technology, off Jefferson
Boulevard, Warwick, 9-3.
June 19 -- Rotary Club show, Portsmouth Abbey, Cory's Lane, off Route 114,
Portsmouth, 10-3.
June 19 -- Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Elm Bank, 900 Washington St.,
Route 16, Wellesley, Mass., 10-3.
June 19 -- German car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
June 21 -- West Greenwich Plaza, 780 Victory Highway, West Greenwich, 6-dusk.
June 25 -- Orphan car day (Packards, Studebakers, etc.) Museum of Transportation,
Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 9-3.
June 26 -- Forever Ford show, Goddard State Park, 345 Ives Rd., Warwick, 8
a.m.-2:30 p.m.
June 26 -- Smith's Castle, 55 Richard Smith Drive, off Route 1, North Kingstown,
10-3.
June 26 -- All-Chevy show, Diamond Hill State Park, Route 114, Cumberland,
9-3.
June 26 -- Oddballs Sports Bar/Hi-Way Bowl, 105 Chases Lane, Middletown, Route
114, Home Depot plaza, noon-dusk.
June 26 -- British car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3
JULY
July 7 -- Elm Street at Mason Field, North Attleboro, Mass., 6-10.
July 9 -- Drive-in movie, Mendon Drive-in, 16 Milford Rd., Mendon, Mass.,
6 p.m.-on.
July 9 -- Micro and mini car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street,
Brookline, Mass., 1 p.m.
July 10 -- Rotary Club show and corral, Glen Park, off Route 138, Portsmouth,
10-4.
July 16 -- Motorcycles and hot rods, Ocean State Harley Davidson, 5 Albany
Rd., Warwick, exit 15 off Route 95, 10-5.
July 17 -- Quinsigamond Community College, 670 West Boylston St., Worcester,
Mass., 8-4.
July 17 -- American muscle cars, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street,
Brookline, Mass., 10-3.
July 23 -- Hopkins Field, Route 6, Scituate, 8-3.
July 24 -- Hot rods, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass.,
10-3.
July 29-31 -- Autos of the World, show and swap meet, Goddard State Park,
345 Ives Road, Warwick,
July 31 -- Triumph day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 10-3.
WEEKLY CRUISE NIGHTS
Sundays
Sam's Club, Route 6, Seekonk, Mass., 5-dusk.
Mondays
Burger King-Krispy Creme lot, Sockanosset and Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, 6-9,
begins May 16.
Seekonk Speedway, Route 6, Seekonk, Mass., 6-dusk.
Towne Pizza, Plum Corner, off Route 105, Rochester, Mass., 5-9.
Motorcycles, Chan's Restaurant, 267 Main St., Woonsocket, 5:30-8:30.
Tuesdays
A&W, Route 44, Smithfield, 6-9.
Oakland Beach, Warwick, 5-9, begins May 24.
Jukebox Diner, Route 6, Somerset, Mass., 5-9.
Slater Park, Pawtucket, 5-9.
Patriot's Bar and Grille, Routes 140 and 126, Bellingham, Mass., 6-9.
Motorcycles, Suzy Q's Place, 208 Plainfield Pike, Scituate, 5-9.
Wednesdays
Warwick Mall, food court entrance, Route 2, Warwick, 6-9, begins May 18.
Denny's, Exit 7 off Route 95, Coventry, 6-9.
Main Street, Woonsocket, 5:30-8:30, begins June 1.
Mohegan Sun, Riverview garage roof, 6-9. Begins July 6.
Thursdays
Scramblers diner, off Route 122, Woonsocket, 5-9.
Star Drive-In, exit 10 off Route 140, Taunton, Mass. 5-9.
TGI Fridays, Routes 117 and 2, Warwick, 5-dusk.
Paddy's Bayside, 159 Atlantic Ave. Misquamicut Beach, Westerly, 5:30-dusk,
begins May 26.
Fridays
McDonald's, Stop & Shop plaza, Route 122, Cumberland, 6-9.
Firestone tire store, Post Road, Route 1, Warwick, 6-9, begins May 20.
Gazebo at the Village Green, Route 116, North Scituate, 5-dusk. British cars
and others.
Milk Bottle restaurant, Route 138, Raynham, Mass., 5:30-7:30.
Saturdays
Carousel at Crescent Park Drive, Riverside, 5-8.
Cliquot cruise, Route 109, Millis, Mass. 6-9.
Gillette Corner, behind MacDonald's, Routes 10 and 202 Southwick, Mass., 6-9.
To list an event, e-mail information to Bbeaulie@projo.com, phone
(401) 277-7179, fax (401) 277-8175 or write to Brian Beaulieu, Journal Features
Department,
75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902.
