Sold with the original sales invoice and BMIHT certificate
Engine runs extremely quietly
In an ideal condition for immediate, regular use, or to be improved as a rolling project
MoT with no advisories until 29th September 2022
The Appeal
Triumph may be best-known for its sports cars, but more often than not it marketed a saloon or two as well, and those saloons were often of a distinctly upmarket character. In 1944 Triumph was bought by Standard, and over the 20 years that followed, Standards and Triumphs shared many mechanicals. Although the Standard Vanguard may be remembered as a rather unsporting car, its engine (which was originally intended for a Ferguson tractor) had many strengths and went on to appear in the profoundly sporting TR2, TR3 and TR4.
In late 1960, Standard launched the Vanguard Six, with a two-litre six-cylinder engine. After tuning, with an increased compression ratio and twin Stromberg carburettors, it was an engine fit for a sports saloon, producing 90bhp and more than deserving of an association with Triumph. Thus it was used in the new Triumph 2000 of 1963 and, latterly, in the TR5 and, with increased displacement, the 2500 and TR6.
The 2000 further benefitted from Triumph’s relationship with Italian stylist Giovanni Michelotti, who had already clothed the Herald, TR4 and Spitfire with extremely pretty bodies. The 2000 was every bit as good as his previous efforts, with an ultra-modern appearance generated by way of a pointed shark-nosed front and a dramatically abrupt Kamm tail. Significantly, it was also the first Triumph to benefit from unitary construction.
This example is an extremely nice one, presented in handsome Wedgwood Blue and with an attractively patinated, highly original interior. It starts, runs and drives to our satisfaction, and contains an interesting history file, so there’s a lot to like. There are a few small areas for improvement, but it remains an eminently usable car which can be enjoyed as is, or gradually improved over time.
Built on 11th August 1966 in Wedgwood Blue with blue leather upholstery, but not despatched until 8th March 1967
Sold new through S. H. Newsome & Co. Ltd. of Coventry on 22nd March to Mr. J. Martin of Balsall Common, Warwickshire
Purchased by its latest registered keeper in March 2020 and recently acquired by a Southampton classic-car specialist
Paperwork includes the most recent V5, the original sales invoice from S. H. Newsome, the current MoT certificate, four invoices for parts from 2020 and 2021, and a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate
Recently had £760 spent for the interior woodwork to be refurbed
There are other bills for fitting & removal and for various other jobs
Believed to have all its original upholstery and fittings
Attractively upholstered with leather rather than vinyl
Wonderfully modern and stylish design for the 1960s
After British car manufacturers spent several years paying lip service to Detroit, with bright, flashy interiors which gave the effect of sitting inside a jukebox, the Triumph 2000 was something completely different. Michelotti’s influence could be seen inside the car, which exhibits strong Italian Modernist cues, as was then the height of style, and the look has only improved with age. For any fashionable young professional in the mid-1960s, the Triumph would have been the ideal accompaniment to their teak sideboard and Italian tailoring.
We are very impressed by the condition of this example’s interior, which looks to use to be all original and very well-preserved. We greatly appreciate the fact that it has had leather upholstery from new, when many of its rival saloons would have made do with vinyl, and that leather has survived essentially intact, with a brilliant superficial patina acquired over time. The door trim is in lovely condition and the carpets and headlining are also in good order, all being clean and highly presentable.
The dash is probably one of the best designs in any British 1960s family car, with the lovely teak trim, so fashionable at the time, giving it a vastly different character from the dark, heavy walnut preferred by most British car-makers. The instrument housing is particularly nice, echoing as it does the car’s distinctive headlight design. It’s all in very good condition, again with just a light patina and a few negligible marks here and there.
The boot is slightly on the scruffy side, with some wear and staining to the carpets, but it should still be perfectly functional, and it comes with a spare wheel and wheel brace.
Solid and attractively presented with only minimal scope for cosmetic improvement
Finished in its original colour, the lovely Wedgwood Blue, the Triumph presents supremely well to our eyes. Not only is it an extremely attractive colour, it is also in very good condition, with minimal blemishes. From the invoices, we can see evidence of past repainting being completed in the past.
Now, the paint is beginning to deteriorate only very slightly in areas where one may expect it, such as around the sills and valances. There is some light bubbling on the nearside front wing and around the headlight surrounds, and a few small areas where the paint is beginning to crack or lift, but we would urge you to study the photos so that you may see that such defects really are few and far between. In general, all the panels and the underside look to be reassuringly solid.
All the chrome presents very well, with just the lightest veneer of patina which is common to virtually all classic cars. The only slight fault is a small dent in the corner of the rear bumper, which could easily be knocked out, although that would then necessitate rechroming. As it is, it is not readily noticeable, so is hardly a cause for concern.
The wheels all look in good order and are again highly presentable, but with an appealing patina. Likewise, the glass is very good condition throughout.
One may instinctively think of the Standard-Triumph straight-six in connection with the TR sports cars, and imagine a rorty exhaust note reverberating off the hedgerows on a spirited drive, but the Triumph 2000 is of a very different character. When new, it was really the first rung on the luxury-car ladder, but in terms of engineering and finish, it was refined as many more expensive cars.
It fires up immediately and proceeds to drive very nicely. What strikes us most of all is just how quiet the engine is; when you come off the throttle, the noise disappears almost completely, and there were a couple of times when we almost thought it had stalled, but it hadn’t. Truly, it is exceptionally civilised.
The vendor, a classic-car restoration specialist, has expressed his concern that it doesn’t tick over quite as well as it might, and he believes the carburettors are the cause of that, so they may require some investigation and balancing. He also pointed out that the speedometer doesn’t always work immediately, but tends to spring to life at about 30mph. The temperature and fuel gauges work as they should.
In all other areas, the Triumph drove very much to our satisfaction. It changed gear very nicely, the steering was light and the brakes efficient. We really do believe the 2000 must rank among the most pleasant 1960s family cars to live with and drive, and with that excellent straight-six you should even be able to sit at motorway speeds without being left behind.
The car was MoTed regularly between 2009 and 2017, and received its current certificate at the end of September 2021, when the tester could find a single point on which to fault it.
While we are satisfied that the car has been described accurately and is as good as it looks, the vendor encourages anyone who has any doubts to visit and inspect the car in person.
One of the most understatedly modern-looking family cars of the 1960s and equipped with a quiet and powerful straight-six, there’s much to like about the Triumph 2000. That’s true of this example especially. The Wedgwood Blue paint is very pretty, the original leather upholstery provides a real taste of luxury, and it drives so nicely.
There are some minor bodywork jobs to attend to, although not as a matter of urgency, and you may have to do a little bit of tinkering at the weekend to get the engine to a perfect state of tune, but for the time being it could still function as a brilliant everyday classic. Given the chance, we’d jump in and start using it at the earliest opportunity, and we’d strongly encourage you to do the same.
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1966 Triumph 2000
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