10 Countries Run

Over 6 months of planning for the event and what happens, we blow up within the first 2 hours. ARGHHHHHHHHH !!!!

The 10 Countries Run was the brain-child of a few Club Triumph members who after finishing the 2002 Round Britain Run, couldn't wait two years for the next one. The concept of driving round Europe had been thought of years ago, but always thought too difficult to organise, but with the likes of the internet to hand, Martin Randle and Tim Hunt thought it was time to try.

A map was quickly pulled together and the 9 Countries Run was born. Realising later that the route was so close to Liectenstein, the original route was altered slightly and quickly became the 10 Countries Run.

Word of the run spread fast and it wasn't long before entries were in double figures.

Our personal preparations had been quite intense, what with my wedding (and various associated festivities) in May, then deciding to convert to the Sprint engine. By the beginning of September, we ventured to the start, still not really happy with the set up of the car, but thought it was good enough to get us round. With the exhaust half falling off on the way to the start, we should have known. All was running fine until running down the M20, I backed off and all hell broke loose under the bonnet. Looking across at Keith (my co-driver) I said, 'that doesn't sound good... best we pull over.' Within a few minutes we had 2 other cars stopped with us trying to help... but all in vain. A distinct tinging clattering was echoing around the rocker cover, so we limped it off the motorway and waited for the low-loader to transport us home... thinking about what could have been. Following a few beers that night, we attacked the car the following morning to find a shattered cam bucket, broken valve guide and virtually everything that moved in the head was scored where the fragments had sprayed around. 30 minutes later, the head was off the car and then began the search for a replacement. One was sourced that night, collected the following day, then the next few days spent cleaning and re-grinding valves into their seats etc. The car was back on the road within a week... however, a bit clattery due to incorrect shimming of valve gaps... a really exciting task that most Sprint owners will know about all too well.

Those that did complete the run had a fabulous time and the event was such a success (winning awards as well), it has been added to the Club Triumph calender to run on the alternate years to the Round Britain Run from 2005. So come on, sign up - entries via the Club Triumph website from November 2004...