Wins international

[leon.halliwell]

Has anyone used Wins international from East Grinstead for spare parts? they sell recon diffs with crown and pinion replaced for £495 which is considerably cheaper than Rimmers

[Guest]

Hello Leon.

I have used them on a number of occasions and have found them to be excellent.

Being not far from me is a bonus and the stock on-site is something to behold.

They also cover Rover P6 which is great news or will be, when I find the correct P6 !!

Regards.

Richard.

[Adrian Cooper]

Hi Leon,

I've been using Wins for many years and I think it's a great place. Most recent purchase was a recon wiper motor which was very cheap but is superb. The owner is a good chap who really knows his stuff.

Adrian

[Clive]

Again no issues with Wins, having bought things over the years.

However, worth checking prices, Geoff is no always good at updating the website (being a bit of a one-man band).

[Colin Lindsay]

That was always my problem with them... the website.

[AidanT]

I find Geoff most helpful and knows what stock he has. CAN be a little pricey but that's because I'm always looking for the hens teeth!!  

 

[Mjit]

Used Wins many times, especially for bigger bits and never had any issues.

[Clive]

2 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

That was always my problem with them... the website.

Colin, you and I are both old enough to remember how to phone a company up. Some places are like our hobby, old fashioned, and rely on personal service instead.

Geoff is always happy to talk on the phone when I have tried, and has come up with the goods when needed.

[steveweblin]

I have bought bits from them in the past.  I was looking for a dipping rear view mirror for my Vitesse and he knew about how the bits fitted together.  So yes he has a real in depth knowledge and understanding of his stock.

[steveweblin]

17 hours ago, leon.halliwell said:

Has anyone used Wins international from East Grinstead for spare parts? they sell recon diffs with crown and pinion replaced for £495 which is considerably cheaper than Rimmers

Ask yourself where Rimmers get their stock. Could be easily be from the same place.

[Colin Lindsay]

4 hours ago, clive said:

Colin, you and I are both old enough to remember how to phone a company up. Some places are like our hobby, old fashioned, and rely on personal service instead.

Geoff is always happy to talk on the phone when I have tried, and has come up with the goods when needed.

True, but when I'm browsing in the wee small hours I don't think he'd appreciate being woken up with a query....

[haggis]

Hi Leon, I bought a recon diff from them last year, slight whining after a few thousand miles, but nothing I wouldn’t expect from a triumph diff. I would recommend . 

Hag 

[leon.halliwell]

hag did you go for the recon unit with new crown and pinion?

leon

[Viscount]

Leon, Bought recon diff from Wins recently, I’ve only done 500 miles so far so a bit early to say, so far it’s perfect, I did go for the CWP, didn’t see the point of not going for the full recon, excellent delivery/ service, Geoff is very helpful.R

[ShaunW]

On 3/22/2018 at 1:09 PM, clive said:

Some places are like our hobby, old fashioned. 

True to form I'm going to question that,  on a late evening cross country diversion recently (roadworks and sat nav) I ended up getting a McDonald's coffee. The car park was full of young guys who were crazy about fixing up cars and there was some really impressive stuff. Maybe the cars weren't quite as old as ours and maybe they weren't so reverential, but they had the spirit. They'd never even seen a Spit before and one said he liked the idea of getting one and making it a bit more trick. I hope he does. 

The hobby isn't old fashioned but I often get the feeling that most people who do it like it that way. Boys (big and small) and playing with cars will never be 'old-fashioned'.  It's just a shame old cars don't get the promo here like they do in the US. For the future of our old cars we should be meeting in McDonald's car park on a Friday night or joining in with a 'run' instead of meeting a field on a Sunday morning armed with a travel rug and a flask.  

[Qu1ckn1ck]

8 hours ago, ShaunW said:

True to form I'm going to question that,  on a late evening cross country diversion recently (roadworks and sat nav) I ended up getting a McDonald's coffee. The car park was full of young guys who were crazy about fixing up cars and there was some really impressive stuff. Maybe the cars weren't quite as old as ours and maybe they weren't so reverential, but they had the spirit. They'd never even seen a Spit before and one said he liked the idea of getting one and making it a bit more trick. I hope he does. 

The hobby isn't old fashioned but I often get the feeling that most people who do it like it that way. Boys (big and small) and playing with cars will never be 'old-fashioned'.  It's just a shame old cars don't get the promo here like they do in the US. For the future of our old cars we should be meeting in McDonald's car park on a Friday night or joining in with a 'run' instead of meeting a field on a Sunday morning armed with a travel rug and a flask.  

In this area we have many similar informal meets for "classics" but in country pub car parks.  All marques and ages of cars turn up and (usually) open their bonnets while the owners are happy to discuss their cars attributes.  Definitely not a rug or flask in sight ! 

[Colin Lindsay]

14 hours ago, ShaunW said:

For the future of our old cars we should be meeting in McDonald's car park on a Friday night or joining in with a 'run' instead of meeting a field on a Sunday morning armed with a travel rug and a flask.  

Bmw... Bmw... Bmw...Bmw....Bmw...Bmw....Triumph...Bmw....Bmw....Bmw.....

Blacked out windows, spinning doughnuts, smoking tyres, fluorescent lights under the cars, thumpa thumpa music, Police turning up... no thanks. Some of us like Sunday mornings.

I can just see the lineup of shows in a few years.... "and the winner of best cruised and used is..."

[Gully]

I'm with Shaun - much rather be driving than counting screws and making sure their head slots line up in a field somewhere!

That said, McDonalds coffee was lousy last time I tried it, so maybe not there either!

Gully

[ShaunW]

12 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Blacked out windows, spinning doughnuts, smoking tyres, fluorescent lights under the cars, thumpa thumpa music, Police turning up... no thanks. Some of us like Sunday mornings. 

Horses for courses. What you describe sounds great. Then again I'm only 53 and still like everything I did when I was 25, doughnuts, the smell of tyre smoke, new loud music and old fast cars. No need to fear the Bill if you're legal (not sure why that bothers you). I like sedate things too, but for me it's not an either or. 

Look I'm not saying everyone has to like that scene, we're all very different people and that's fine. It was more an observation that classic cars have a staid 'old fashioned' image in this country because car culture is more fragmented than it is in some other countries who are more inclusive and 'current'. 

County pubs are fine but are from the era of drink driving. They're also unwelcoming unless you're buying overpriced soft drinks all night. A coke costs what 1/2 gallon of petrol does, that's important if you're young. I don't think our weather helps the social scene much either, we need more public barbecue areas with guaranteed sunshine. 

Young people love retro stuff, shame we keep it such a secret.

[ShaunW]

Good man Gully. ?

I know I'm a sod for being devil's advocate but anyone who's in love with their car is fine by me. 18 and stupid, or 80 and stupid, we're all not so different really. 

Those kids doing donuts have a keen eye for lining up screw heads too btw! They're just us but younger, don't judge them too harshly. 

[ShaunW]

" Bmw... Bmw... Bmw...Bmw....Bmw...Bmw....Triumph...Bmw....Bmw....Bmw..... "

Colin, you make it sound so cool.  Turn up with 50 other Triumphs and you feel under-prepped and not so unique. But be the only one, and you're the best of it's type and the centre of attention. I like your thinking. Crack up the 8-Track and let's go crooozin' Joking aside,  I bet you'd genuinely be more welcomed by them in your car,  than if they turned up at one of 'our' events in theirs? Predudice is an old mans game, be it age of person or age of car.

The convo has strayed from Clive's original and entirely innocent and harmless 'old fashioned' comment, sorry about that Clive.

I just though the forum had been a bit quiet and worthy lately so I thought I'd whip things up a bit (excuse the pun.....your 'whip' is modern parlance for your car btw) by taking a controversial stance (another pun ...groan, see below).  It seemed to follow on from an earlier one about how membership was dwindling because young people aren't so interested in cars apparently.

 

....They think they invented 'stance' cars with extreme camber? Just wait until they see some of the Spitfire's I've seen.

[Clive]

On 9/13/2018 at 12:17 AM, ShaunW said:

True to form I'm going to question that,  on a late evening cross country diversion recently (roadworks and sat nav) I ended up getting a McDonald's coffee. The car park was full of young guys who were crazy about fixing up cars and there was some really impressive stuff. Maybe the cars weren't quite as old as ours and maybe they weren't so reverential, but they had the spirit. They'd never even seen a Spit before and one said he liked the idea of getting one and making it a bit more trick. I hope he does. 

The hobby isn't old fashioned but I often get the feeling that most people who do it like it that way. Boys (big and small) and playing with cars will never be 'old-fashioned'.  It's just a shame old cars don't get the promo here like they do in the US. For the future of our old cars we should be meeting in McDonald's car park on a Friday night or joining in with a 'run' instead of meeting a field on a Sunday morning armed with a travel rug and a flask.  

Don't get me wrong. When Triumphfest was at santa pod I was disappointed at the small number who had a go up the strip. And were unhappy with the noise from the drift demo. I like to use my cars (RBRR in a few weeks, 10CR next year, trackdays, the odd 12 car rally and even a few targas) And I organised a stand at Incarnation, the ACE cafe event in Brighton. Struggled to get 10 cars, many people lost interest when they found out is was a lot of slammed cars, and mainly more modern stuff. But that is where the future lies. We need to be visible to younger people, and sometimes show them how its done!

The extreme was encountered by my Lady wife a few years ago. She was off to France with her "Mums Mafia" for a jolly, waiting at Newhaven for the ferry.A load or TR's turn up, and Gill spoke to an old chap. Mentioned we had a couple of Triumphs. He sneered slightly as it they are a Spit and Toledo. She went on talking about what we did, he though it sad (actual word he used) that we used them everyday. And felt is wrong we should attend the TRR trackdays, or take the Toledo round Goodwood. And the bombshell, he asked if she actually drove the cars! He affirmative response was too much for him. A woman driving a Triumph.....worse still also on track. And at Goodwood...... he was mortified. THAT is the sort of classic car owner who gives our "hobby" a terrible name. 

 

Anyway, my cars are both non-standard, though the Toledo is at least all Triumph and the engine does come essentially from an 1850, but sprint box/axle so keeps most people happyish. The spitfire is ok with everybody until they see under the bonnet! A real marmite car, but the youngsters tend to like it, old guffers not.

[68vitesse]

Attended a car show at Old Warden airfield a few years ago, everything from old Bentleys to Allegros and Itals. Speaking to an owner of an Alvis he described some of the Bentleys etc. as over restored and as investments not cars.

Regards

Paul

[Colin Lindsay]

7 hours ago, clive said:

When Triumphfest was at santa pod I was disappointed at the small number who had a go up the strip. And were unhappy with the noise from the drift demo.

This is the problem, but I'm not going to make any adverse comments. I was shouted down before.

There are those of us who like the quiet chat, the leisurely drive through the countryside, the good meal in the pub afterwards. This is seen as staid, boring, and not going to attract young people. So: we attract young people by saying: go for speed, lets have lots of noise, smoke, smells, race cars going up tracks and coming round bends really fast, as if this is all young people really want, and of course we attract the people who are into those things. 

Those of us who find that completely unattractive get marginalised, and put down as a minority. So: we go find a club that appeals to us.

A few years later, along comes the new membership: this club is boring, too quiet, we want noise, we want racetracks, we want speed.

SO: those of us who don't want those things feel marginalised yet again.

So: off we go and find another club that we do like.

And a few years later, along comes someone who says: this club is too boring, unless you make it more exciting, we'll all leave and no-one will join.

See the pattern?

You're all asking: whats in the Club for young people. I'm asking: what's in it for me these days? I feel I'm being pushed out, there's no place for my style of Triumph ownership any more.

[Clive]

I wold say the TSSC is teh club most suited to your needs....although the TRR and Stag clubs are both larger and have a bit more diversity. Indeed the Stag lot seem to engoy a drive out and pub meal, as do the TRR lot.

Many classic car clubs have and always have had competitive arms, and a relatively small number take part. 

But the membership demographic has to be a worry. Without members, a club ceases to exist. And the TSSC and other clubs probably have an average age of 60? that means for every 40 year old there is an 80 year old, and how long will they be active? Actually I think the TRR is rather older average age, which must be a real worry. And also to the value of the cars. If older members have a 50K TR5, when they shuffle off this mortal coil how many 40 year olds want to spend that money on a car they have no connection with? OK a few, but I can see a time when older sports cars will loose value, or maybe just be kept in garages and rarely/never used and regarded as investments.

 

Anyway, the answer is to go for a drive with some friends and enjoy the car. But as you observe, people are voting with their feet. Numbers at Stafford kept falling and that made it untenable, yet CLM is a constant sellout. And the club is still very good with the area meetings, which is where you get a chance to meet up, go for a drive and so on.

Sorry, waffling....