Description
Cool as a cucumber. Presented in Honeysuckle Cream with Brown trim and sitting on later 14” alloy wheels, this handsome 6-cylinder estate offers practicality with style and as such makes for the perfect family classic for the summer ahead. Whilst both structurally and mechanically strong, the Triumph offers scope for light restoration or just enjoy “as is”. The choice is yours. Currently my daily driver, it is huge fun, turns heads everywhere and sounds fabulous. What`s not to like!
Launched in October 1963 in direct competition with Rover`s P6 2000, Triumph`s offering was a similar mid-sized executive car available in either saloon form or estate (from 1965) and fitted with a smooth high compression, inline 6-cylinder engine first seen in the Standard Vanguard. Standard transmission was a 4-speed manual gearbox with Overdrive and Borg Warner Type-35 automatic gearboxes available as options, whilst all cars featured independent suspension all `round and servo-assisted front disc brakes. With styling by Giovanni Michelotti, these were handsome cars in either 4-door or 5-door variant with the estate being partly built by Carbodies of Coventry, known for their taxi design and manufacturing expertise. In 1968, a larger engined 2. 5 litre was offered with fuel injection and whilst it gave better performance, both reliability and fuel economy suffered and with the introduction of the Mk. 2 in October 1969, Triumph looked at alternative ways of retaining power but with better reliability. A non-injected 2500 became part of the new line-up with now twin Stromberg or SU carburettors on this and the 2000, whilst the fuel-injected 2500 was gradually phased out in favour of the twin-carburettor 2500S with claimed improved acceleration over it`s predecessor. Styling of the Mk. 2 was again by Michelotti and featured a redesigned front end very similar to the up-and-coming Triumph Stag. Unusually, the estate variant of the Mk. 2 was actually 5” shorter than the new saloon as a result of the rear body still being outsourced to Carbodies who retained the Mk. 1 proportions. Production ceased in 1977 and with British Leyland now in control, there was only room for one executive saloon and that came in the form of Rover`s SD1. Today, the 2000 and 2500 have a strong Club following and are popular throughout the World with many common mechanical parts shared with other Triumph 6-cylinder models. It would appear that around 1200 Triumph 2000`s of all variants are still registered on UK roads.
Our car was registered in September 1972 and is fitted with the standard 4-speed gearbox with Overdrive and optional power-assisted steering. Sadly, we know very little of it`s life but it is highly likely that the recorded mileage of 75, 000 is genuine with online MoT history reflecting just 10, 000 miles in the past 18 years. The same history (last inspection at 70, 207 miles in June 2020) reflects a strong car with few, if any, Advisory Notes over the period. Most recently, it has resided in Bexhill on Sea with a classic car collector and enthusiast who has relied on it as daily transport whilst his W-123 Series Mercedes estate was under restoration. Since acquiring the Triumph, I too have been enjoying it as my go-to runabout and in many ways, I`ll be sorry to see it go.
The car presents just as can be seen in the photographs. It is very original and remarkably good underneath whilst the “top side” reflects some 50 years of patina. Some bubbling and light corrosion are evident in the bonnet and bottoms of doors (I do have a spare colour-matched bonnet and tailgate that can come with the car) whilst paintwork is a little faded. But it`s the overall look that counts here and everyone who has seen the car comments the same - “that`s really cool”. Sitting on tidy 14” 5-spoke “S” alloys with nearly new rubber, polished chrome and excellent glass, it has that washed-up, surf wagon appeal that many old car enthusiasts down here on the South Coast find so endearing. The interior tells a similar story with comfortable Brown trim, matching door-cards and original headlining all in good order. Carpets are a little tired and wood door-cappings would benefit from oil treatment or equivalent, but the sense of authenticity and nostalgia sings through with a fabulous dashboard with full array of working dials, typical over-sized steering wheel and even the original radio (albeit BBC Radio 4 seems to be the station of choice!). Pull the choke, turn the key and the straight six fires immediately into life sounding glorious and certainly with plenty of purpose. Within a minute or two and choke-in, the engine, now ticking over with almost a whisper-quiet purr, is eager for action and the Triumph pulls away smartly. Moving up swiftly and smoothly through the gears, the car feels tight and responsive with surprisingly positive, power assisted steering encouraging spirited driving whilst roadholding and handling genuinely give the feel of a smaller sporting saloon. On a sunny March afternoon, I had some errands to run involving a spin down to Bridport and back along the Abbotsbury coast road. I loved every minute with each gearchange promoting a fresh six-cylinder bark from the large bore single-pipe exhaust. Currently being used almost daily, I can confirm that everything works as it should and the car is equally at home idling in traffic as it is blasting through the Downs of West Dorset. The Overdrive is a real asset too enabling quieter, high-speed cruising albeit it has had one or two intermittent moments this afternoon! But this is a car where certain quirks and cosmetic flaws are all part of it`s charm. Don`t come expecting perfection but do come if you seek a stylish and rather rare family-sized, sporting estate with bags of character and space for the dog.
Our Triumph comes with a current V5C and set of keys. Being classed as Historic, it is naturally both MoT and road-tax exempt.
So cool.
Shore Classics is based on the West Dorset coast within easy proximity of both Weymouth and the County town of Dorchester. As classic and vintage dealers, we offer full brokerage facilities. So if you require some help and guidance with selling your classic car or motorcycle, just give us a call today. We are happy to take a reservation fee to hold a vehicle but as a dealership, we don`t operate a structured distance selling scheme.
