Ralph and Sam Philp took a vacation down east last summer with their TR6 and had a very unusual breakdown in an isolated small port in PEI. Their solution came from a very unexpected place....Scotland
Except from our trip to Canada's east coast in August 2010.
We crossed the Confederation Bridge from New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island on the third day of our journey, heading toward North Rustico where we had booked a stay of two days at the St. Lawrence motel.
Entering North Rustico on highway 6 we drove past the Fisherman's Wharf restaurant towards the harbour, hoping to see the street we were searching for. We drove around for a while to no avail ended up at the harbour again and pulled into a parking area beside the boardwalk.
While Sam was trying to find the location on her GSP this gentleman approached and said "Oh my god! A TR6. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you drive by on the road and I had to come over to admire the car. My name is Bill Stewart and I'm here on vacation."
"I apprenticed on the Triumph vehicles in England and eventually worked on the Queen's fleet of cars from 1958 to 1962. I recall that when she approached we all had to bow as she got into one of her cars and we were not permitted to speak to her."
Bill walked around the TR6 admiring the colour and condition of the car. I said, " I've just had the car restored both inside and out and this is the original colour."
"You don't see too many 6's in this colour, mostly British racing green." Bill said.
"I'm the original owner, having bought it in March of 1977". I said.
We chatted a bit more, Bill thanked us for letting him admire our car, and he walked away.
Having no luck with our GPS we decided to drive to the gas station we had passed to ask for directions. I backed out of the parking spot, put the car in fist and pressed the accelerator pedal. Nothing! The car just sat there with the engine running. I took the car out of gear, put it back into first and hit the gas again. Again nothing! The engine didn't rev up. I said to Sam "I think the accelerator linkage is broken." Sam said, "Where did Bill go because he would know what's wrong?"
I jumped out of the car and ran in the direction that Bill had taken but he was out of sight.
I dejectedly walked back to the car, opened the hood and looked at the linkage. I could see where two parts had come undone and thought that something was broken. "Great," I said, "now what are we going to do?"
I heard a voice behind me, turned and there was Bill approaching.
Bill said, "As I was walking away, I turned to look at the car again, and noticed that the 'bonnet' was up and thought you might be in trouble." Bill looked at the linkage and I said, "It looks like something broke off."
"There's nothing broken off," Bill said, "just a nut has come loose and I could fix it but I have no tools."
"I have tools!" I said and went to get my wrenches.
It took Bill less than five minutes to get the linkage back together. He then unscrewed the 'carburettor' damper rod and said, "Ralph, this one's almost dry. You'd better add some oil."
"I have oil." I said.
Bill proceeded to pour a very fine stream of oil (I have no idea how he managed that fine a stream; his hand was steady as a surgeon's) into the carburetor. He then checked the other one and added some oil to it as well.
What a God send! What are the odds that we would run into someone like Bill who would come along at our time of need?
We thanked Bill for fixing our car and Bill thanked us for the opportunity of working on a Triumph TR6 again.
With goodbyes said, we were on our way.
Ralph and Sandra (Sam) Philp.
Membership number 3010.
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