BRITISH THROUGH AND THROUGH--THE ROADSTER FACTORY SUMMER PARTY 2008
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROADSTER FACTORY...
It seems like only yesterday that
Charles Runyan loaded up all of his
newly acquired inventory of TR2 and
TR3 parts and headed to Blackwater
Falls, West Virginia for the Triumph
Register of America's National Meet.
The inventory was loaded into the bed
of a red GMC pickup truck borrowed
from Charles's father, and Charles's
wife Diane, expecting the couple's first
child Albert, now TRF's Purchasing
Director, followed in their restored
black TR3A. This took place in June of
1978, and working from the store that
Charles and Diane set up at the meet
that weekend, The Roadster Factory
was born.
In the early days of The Roadster Factory, Charles continued to work full-time as a librarian at the University of Pittsburgh
at Johnstown. At night he would fill orders that came in the mail and would speak to customers who called on the phone.
Local customers would stop by for parts, including John Swauger who later became TRF's first full time employee in May of
1980. John is still employed at TRF along with others who joined TRF's staff in the early 1980's --Deb Gawlas, Dolly
LaRock, Dave Hagenbuch, and Beki Jones. In the late 1970's, TRF was only a supplier of parts for Triumph TR2 and TR3 but
plans were already being made to add TR6 to the range, and the first TR6 catalogue was published at the end of 1980, a small
white cover catalogue that many of our customers will remember.
In June of 1980, a deal was made to buy out a company called Triumph Parts Centre in Fairport, New York. The inventory
of that company came to Armagh along with a blue Ford station wagon, an Englishman named Mike Lamb, and many unfilled
backorders, a good many of which were prepaid to the previous company. The staff of TRF spent the summer fulfilling those
backorders. Acquiring Triumph Parts Centre turned The Roadster Factory into the supplier of parts for all of the Triumph TR
models, as well as Spitfire and GT6. Several years later, in 1987, MGB was added to the range.
As June 2008 approaches, TRF will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary as the supplier of British sports car parts in
America. While many things have changed in this modern Internet world, TRF is proud to offer personal service with the
basic philosophy of supplying the best available parts at reasonable prices. The Roadster Factory is a business that in many
ways is run like a club. We invite you to bring your British car and your family to Armagh in June for The Summer Party,
a British car tradition for many of our friends and customers. We know that you will have a good time...
AMERICAN MGB ASSOCIATION NATIONAL MEET TO BE
HELD AT SUMMER PARTY 2008
We were pleased to have been approached by Frank Ochal, the president of AMBGA, with the idea
of holding their national convention here at Summer Party. This national level club will be at Summer
Party and will have its own awards for MGB and Midget owners as part of the Saturday evening car show. Officers of
AMGBA will be on hand to promote the club and its many benefits and services to the MGB community. The club publishes
a very professional magazine several times a year. If you are not currently a member of AMGBA, you should consider
joining. In fact, if you spend more than $850.00 with TRF in any calendar year we will pay your dues for AMGBA
membership or a renewal if you are already a member.
American MGB Association (AMGBA) P.O. Box 11401, Chicago, IL 60611 U.S.A. Phone: 773-878-5055 Fax: 773-769-3240
Website: www.amgba.com Email: info@mgclub.org Message Board: board.amgba.com
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