Introduction by Charles--Continued
cars we love and the way we run our
business of supplying parts to maintain and
restore them.
The story of The Roadster Factory is a
story of life. Of gaining ground and losing
ground and gaining it back again. And the TR250 and TR6 models are the
thread that runs all the way through the story of our company. Our first TR250
and TR6 catalogue in 1980 got our company off to a wonderful start. The
Stanpart Catalogue and The "Silver" Catalogues of the mid-1980's kept us
going, and the big engineering lists of the early 1990's set us apart as the most
serious TR250 and TR6 company in the British parts trade. The Glove Box
Catalogue of 2004-2005, of which this present publication is a revised edition,
launched us into a new era. The big glove box catalogue was both innovative
and useful as a printed catalogue. The thousands of coloured drawings made it
beautiful, and the many small sections of listings worked wonderfully as a web
site format.
The Roadster Factory had only dabbled in the internet prior to the
publication of the TR250, TR6 Glove Box Catalogue of 2004-2005, but in the
two and one half years since the catalogue was published, we have managed to
harness a great deal of power from the internet in a quiet way. This is thanks
in large measure to Don Erickson, our Web Wizard, who made the TR250 and
TR6 Glove Box Catalogue come alive on the web site, providing a parts listing
that was simple and easy-to-use for our customers and cost effective for a little
company to afford. Over the two and one-half years since the publication of
the 2004-2005 Glove Box Catalogue, The Roadster Factory's sales have grown
by 25%, and last year almost half of our orders came from the internet.
The new edition of the TR250, TR6 Glove Box Catalogue in which you are
reading this introduction is improved in many ways over the previous edition.
Many more parts are listed, many mistakes have been corrected, many drawings
have been improved, and a great deal of colour has been added. I continue to
write most every word in the catalogues, but many others have worked in other
ways to make this catalogue as good as it can be. Karen Border is responsible
for all of the design, art, layout, and typesetting. Deb Gawlas, John Swauger,
and Dave Hagenbuch have contributed research and John has produced the
index as he has produced indexes for all TRF publications for many years.
Included also this time is my son Albert, now a full-time TRF employee. Albert
found parts and vendors, researched questions and prices, and worked very hard
on the complicated process of matching pricing in TRF's data base, the web site,
and the printed catalogue. Thanks to all TRF staff members for helping to make
this catalogue possible, and thanks to The Roadster Factory's many friends,
customers, and suppliers who make it possible for our company to exist.
All of us at TRF are happy to have produced the new edition of our
Triumph TR250, TR6 Glove Box Companion early in this new year of
business. You may be assured that we are at our stations busily working in
order to be ready to support you as you own, drive, maintain, and restore your
magical Triumph sports car.
Sincere regards,
Charles A. Runyan
The Roadster Factory
January 17, 2007
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