Highlights
- Excellent yellow paintwork
- 3-litre Ford Essex V6 engine
- Rakish GT styling
- Believed to be one of just 49 built
The Appeal
Trident Cars Ltd was one of those short-lived British sports car manufacturers of the 20th Century, which took the major components from other makers and assembled them into their own creation.
Very few of these Venturers were ever produced. This is believed to be one of just 49 built, based on the designs of Carrozzeria Fissore. They are built upon a lengthened Triumph TR6 chassis and feature a Ford Essex V6 engine, which makes them easy to obtain spare parts for. The three-litre engine provides a good turn of performance, making this a very capable sports car.
The body is finished in a fabulous shade of yellow — even the vinyl sunroof is a matching shade of yellow — it has a rakish GT rear end, and the chromed wire wheels add a final flourish.
This rare Trident looks great, and unashamedly makes its presence known.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered 1st July 1971
- Road Tax and MOT exempt
- Last MOT expired in March 2022
- Extensive history file
- Handwritten service history and invoices
- Extensive invoices for parts and servicing
- Historic tax discs
- ‘Trident Cars 40th Anniversary’ DVD
- Featured in club publicity and events such as London to Brighton
The Interior
- Excellent half-leather upholstery
- Highly polished walnut dashboard
- Plenty of luggage space
The interior of this Trident appears to be a superbly finished example of a luxurious ‘70s cabin. The half-leather seats are both stylish and comfortable, and there is even accommodation for a couple of small passengers in the rear. The black carpets look to be in good clean condition, with a little wear in the driver’s footwell, and are trimmed in matching leather. And the minimalist, leather door cards are also clean and tidy.
In front of the driver a leather-trimmed steering wheel proudly sports a Trident Venturer centre boss, and a full complement of gauges provides the driver with plenty of information. The dashboard itself is beautifully finished with walnut veneer, which remains in excellent condition. It also retains its period correct Audioline radio/cassette player.
The GT body allows space for plenty of luggage in the boot, which is finished with fitted carpet and even the spare wheel sports a smart leather cover. There is, of course, a nod to the traditional charming idiosyncrasies of the classic British sports car: the boot can only be accessed from inside the car.
The Exterior
- Bold yellow paintwork in excellent condition
- Matching yellow vinyl sunroof
- Underneath clean and tidy
We think the striking yellow colour scheme suits this Venturer very well. It’s a car which will unashamedly make an entrance wherever it goes, and the colour choice embraces this wholeheartedly. Having recently received attention to some minor paintwork imperfections, it appears to be in great condition throughout, with hardly a scratch to be found and it exhibits a deep shine. And a matching yellow vinyl sunroof completes the picture
The chrome trim is in similarly good shape, with only a little pitting and one or two small dents in the bumpers. Chrome plating continues onto the wire wheels, which are very well presented and are secured by knock-off wing nuts. And underneath, the chassis looks clean and tidy, with no signs of serious corrosion we could see. The yellow painted rear brake drums are proudly on display between the spokes.
Overall, this Trident cuts a dashing figure and won’t fail to attract admiring glances wherever it goes.
The Mechanics
- 2,994cc Ford Essex V6 engine
- Extensive service history on file
- Manual transmission with overdrive
At the beating heart of this Trident lies a three-litre Ford Essex V6 engine, which sends power to the rear wheels via a manual gearbox. The coil sprung suspension is fully independent all round, and the car has disc brakes at the front.
There is a substantial history file which accompanies the car, which details its previous mechanical work. There are notes on restoration work carried out in the ‘90s, detailing every step of the process. And invoices for parts accompany the file, such as £1,250 for repairs to the body shell in 1998. The vendor tells us that the car has recently received some mechanical recommissioning.
The engine bay looks clean and tidy, with plenty of space to wield a spanner. And with the car being built from components used in many vehicles which remain popular to this day, there should be little difficulty in obtaining spare parts.
Summary
A very rare car, superbly presented throughout, and in a fantastic colour scheme.
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