Beschreibung
Works Replica Triumph TR4 – Currently Registered 555 VC
This car is the very first works replica TR4 ever built, assembled in 1989 / 1990 by Austin Rover works manager Evan MacKenzie with assistance and services from several of the original Triumph Competitions Department mechanics, Laycock gearbox specialists and Chris Carter of Chestnut House Sportscars, who was a leading TR sports racing privateer at the time. Only 4VC, one of the four original factory cars, was thought to survive at the time and therefore this car sports many of the homologated and / or individual modifications associated with 4VC, with several later updates as per 6VC which returned to the UK in the 1990’s.
The car was originally built on 2nd August 1963 and is reputed to have been road rallied until the late 1980’s, returning to the UK from Los Angeles, California in May 1989. It was then comprehensively rebuilt to compete in the Pirelli Marathon and other major historic road and stage events, subsequently driven by Roger Clark on The Charrington’s Historic Rally, Tony Dron in the Clumber Park Rally to name a few. It has had an active and successful career in historic rallying over the last 25 years with several notable wins, class awards and medals, including taking the first and only Gold Medal on the very first LEJOG (Lands End to John O Groats endurance rally) with Evan Mackenzie and this year’s Clerk of the Course John Kiff. The car is well known and there is a significant file of publications and magazine articles where it is featured at the forefront of historic rallying where it has started.
Latterly the car has successfully competed on and completed a long list of club rallies and major European events such as the Liege Rally, RAC Rally of the Tests and the Monte Carlo Historique with notable crews including works navigator Willy Cave and well known privateer Peter Scott. Recently the car has competed in the 2018 Rallye Monte Carlo Historique, the 2018 Lombard Bath Rally.
The car is well developed, reliable and is currently built to historic legal specification and ready to rally and has recently been serviced and spanner checked. The car also has a pen FIA Historic Regularity Pass (2018), current FIVA card (2018) and several historic sets of paperwork.
Chassis
Strengthened to 1963 works specification (without steel belly plates) through consultation with several of the original Triumph Competitions Department mechanics and benefitting from comprehensive works type strengthening and uprating to key areas including, but not limited to, the front and rear suspension wishbone and damper mounts, front and rear turret strengthening, additional cross tube reinforcement, engine cross member fillets, gearbox mounting plates, chamfered chassis leg for a 2 ¼ inch exhaust system, spring hanger reinforcement and exhaust locators high in the chassis. Many of these modifications were carried through into the ultimate specification for the four Triumph team cars for their last international event in 1964 and survive on the four factory built cars today.
Underbody protection
1963 ST customer spec removable sump shield with additional aluminium ‘Liege’ plate which protects the engine, gearbox, exhaust system and propshaft from damage.
Exhaust and manifold
Revington TR stainless spring jointed 2 ¼ full rally exhaust system mated to stainless steel high flow competition outlet manifold with flexi joints, strengthened mountings throughout and twin boxes custom located high in the chassis. Compliant with modern road rally regulations and track day noise limits.
Engine
FIA homologated ‘87mm’ 2, 188cc capacity engine, forged pistons, lightened and balanced rods, nitrided and balanced crankshaft, works specification rally camshaft and followers, late 511695 type heavily reworked cast steel cylinder head with homologation sized inlet and exhaust valves, double springs, mechanical rockers and hardened shaft. The cylinder block is internally prepared to works spec, with widened oil passages, nodular cast liners, uprated bolts throughout and carries a crank mounted harmonic damper. The camshaft operated mechanical fuel pump is removed from the block and the aperture blanked off, replaced with twin electric pumps and pressure regulators located under the fuel tank. The distributer has been rebuilt and recalibrated by specialist Martin Jay of Distributer Doctor. A high speed starter motor and oil breather / catch tank are fitted.
Carburation
Twin period original Italian Weber 45DCOE carburettors on period SAH inlet manifolds, with period linkage and air filtration, mated to the works spec head and rally camshaft, fed by twin switchable fuel pumps.
Fuelling
Boot mounted all aluminium 60 litre foam filled fuel tank, with coated internally run fuel lines as per the works TR4’s, with braided hosing in the engine bay.
Cooling
An uprated standard pattern 5 core radiator is fitted, mated to a pressurised overflow tank and ducted in the front of the car with a custom aluminium shroud to replace the standard cardboard type.
The car is also fitted with a vertically mounted 13 row oil cooler fed from a set of inlet / outlet off the filter housing.
Gearbox
Full period competition works spec. OE Triumph gearbox with uprated layshaft and bearings, steel bushes throughout, works ratio’s, uprated bearings and with uprated high pressure Laycock a type overdrive with uprated clutches, accumulator pump, bearings and linings. Mated to heavy duty diaphragm competition clutch and uprated propshaft with larger UJ’s front and back. Overdrive on all forward gears via steering column stalk.
Rear Axle and Differential
Works spec axle with factory plate type limited slip differential and competition 4. 33:1 final drive ratio as per the FIA Homologation, uprated internal bearings (Timkin) and seals. Standard pattern driveshafts and 6 bolt hubs.
Brakes
Solid front disc and late callipers as per the FIA Homologation and UK MSA regulations, fitted with Mintex M1144 pads and piped through a balanced twin circuit brake system which separates the front and rear hydraulic circuits.
Rear brakes are 9 inch TR4 spec again as per the Homologation with Mintex M20 linings, an uprated shoe hold down kit and OE Girling cylinders on the back plates and with lightweight aluminium finned drums fitted.
The handbrake is a tunnel mounted cabled set up as per works spec using a Revington TR kit and is UK MSA legal for road events.
Front suspension
Late TR4 negative camber uprights with large stub axles and anti knock of kit fitted, aluminium works spec hubs with larger bearings (Timkin). Koni adjustable shocks and uprated coil springs as per works spec. Adjustable top mounts kit to enable adjustment of camber and castor. Production wishbones all assembled with polybush and stainless inserts. RTR Front anti roll bar and mounting kit.
Rear suspension
175 lb rear rally leaf springs with eyebush turnover coils around the shackles as per works spec. Poly and solid bushings and reinforced pick up points. Fitted with very rare twin valve DAS 9 Armstrong lever arm dampers with strengthened drop links, mounted to works pattern reinforced rear turrets.
Bodyshell
The car is constructed with a modified inner steel bodyshell as per the original works cars, with aluminium outer wings, aluminium bootlid and rare surrey two piece aluminium hard top.
Paintwork
The car is painted in Triumph Wedgewood Blue which is the 1963 / 64 colour for the TR4 and is in generally good condition throughout, but with various chips, marks and blemishes as you would expect from an actively used rally car. The car is fully undersealed and reapplied underneath in 2019.
Interior Trim
Fitted with standard TR4 blue interior trim panels, part carpets and rubber mats as works spec and as necessary to meet current UK Road Rally regulations.
Roll Over Protection
Safety Devices four point bolt in bar with diagonal and seat belt mounts, anchored to the chassis via the rear body mounts and to the bodyshell via triple bolted mounted to the wheel arches and double bolts to the rear tray.
Seats and Seatbelts
Sparco Sprint 2000 seats and LUKE four point harnesses (both out of date for stage rally use requiring redating and / or replacement)
Fire Protection
Floor mounted AFFF extinguisher set.
Wiring & Electrical
The car is fitted with a specialist Revington TR replacement wiring loom which is a close copy of the loom in 6VC, manufactured in modern material, with modern fixings and connections, to allow fitment of an engine bay fuse and relay panel for easy access and reliability as per the factory rally cars.
The dynamo has been replaced with a high output OE DENSO alternator mounted on a custom made bracket set, with the appropriate wiring loom changes fed into the loom design. The car is also fitted with a pair of period Italian FIAMM twin airhorns.
Lighting
LUCAS SLR / SFT works spec driving and fog lamps with upgraded H1 bulb kits mounted on works pattern auxiliary lamp bar. SFT 576 reversing lighted fitted to bootlid as per works spec. Interior navigation lights fitted to roll over bar and flexi light to dashboard panel.
Intercoms
Peltor system wiring fitted.
Dashboard
Rally spec dashboard based on a standard LHD set up with additional switching and instrumentation. Currently fitted with a Brantz rally clock and Brantz 2 trip meter with front wheel and gearbox sensors for UK and European rally use (ie two displays and no average speed measurement).
Wiring for VH eTrip rally computer fitted for European events where permitted (meters not fitted) and various power sources for additional equipment.
Wheels and Tyres
5. 5x15” KN SCP alloy wheels with Michelin Alpin all weather tyres with a single boot mounted spare.
Equipment
Jack and wheel brace plus various required UK event and rally spares mounted in the boot.
Documentation
The car has a series of period sets of documentation including and FIA Historic Passport, period FIA Homologation papers, FIVA card and much period literature and publicity material from its various appearances in magazines and on events. An MSA HVIF is in preparation and can be submitted in either the current or future owners name.
Cherished Registration Plate
The number plate 555 VC is currently assigned to the car as a transferrable registration and removal would incur a charge from the DVLA of £80 plus VAT and would result in the allocation of a 1963 age related number plate. By comparison 55 VC is currently offered for sale at £18, 000. 5VC is the number plate allocated to and retained on one of the original ex works cars which is resident in the UK. The car can be purchased with or without this number plate by arrangement.
