Description
The Triumph TR4 was first introduced in 1961 with production continuing until 1965. The TR4 was based on the chassis and drivetrain of its predecessor the TR3, but with a more powerful engine. Styling and modernisation was provided by long-term Triumph partner, Giovanni Michelotti, who also styled cars for Ferrari and Maserati. This 1964 car has the rare distinction of only having three previous owners recorded on the log book, where the original owners had the car through the sixties and enjoyed the car for over 56 years.
This UK RHD comes to market from ~2 year ownership. It had an exterior refresh in 2020, has factory fitted wire wheels, cabin heater. The TR4 has been a cherished historic car for many years. The car is a real work of art, With less than ~2, 000 TR4's left remaining in the UK, you enjoy the rarity of the car as well as its looks, "The Triumph is a real head turner, that you rarely see on the road anymore. During the original couple's ownership of the car, it's clear the car saw a high level of care, ranging from the usual maintenance to a stripped-down restoration. It retains its original logbook, as well as a list of tasks & maintenance, including its first restoration in 1978. A respray followed in 1980 and the engine was reconditioned in 1995. A further restoration was carried out in 2014 and there is evidence of regular maintenance and upkeep over the last 10 years. The car has been garaged throughout its life.
The sixty spoke wire wheels on the TR4 match the car really well and are a factory fitted option as confirmed by the BMI heritage certificate I have. The wheels show well but are developing a few signs of age and could do with a good level of detailing to bring the shine back to the wheels.
The car tyres are in good condition with a respectable amount of tread. The body, sill, boot floor, engine compartment and inner wings are all in good condition. The hood and tonneau cover are in good condition. The Triumph was re-sprayed by the previous owner in glorious "Signal Red". Paint coverage is good and looks nice. There are some small patches of micro-blistering from storage, and a proper mop and polish should be able to improve these. Its recently also had new boot hinges and bonnet release cable amongst other things.
The seats are relatively simple but comfortable. Both the drivers and passengers seats present nicely. There is a small tear on the under edge of the drivers seat where some of the cushioning is exposed, this may be worth some reconstructive work for the future owner to consider.
The dash area is clean and presentable showing without cracking, warping or distress.
Clocks and dials showed nicely with ~22, 137. and are all functional.
The steering wheel and wooden gear knob are in good condition, with limited signs of wear.
Under the bonnet is a 2. 1L four-cylinder engine, increased from 1, 991cc on the TR3 thanks to a larger bore. Producing around ~105BHP, the rear wheels are driven through a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive.
The well-maintained engine has seen a considerable amount of attention over the years, which also included the addition of an electronic ignition system, new water pump and quite recently new brake callipers & pads, dynamo, voltage regulator and over £3k of work by Ed Watson Classic Motor Engineers including gaskets, carb overall, hoses, new master cylinders, rear wheel break cylinders and a complete carb & engine tune & new battery.
The car comes with a hood and a white tonneau cover.
The boot contains a spare wheel along with a hammer for the wheel removal.
Overall, the TR4 is a really lovely looking car which starts first time and runs lovely and with a little TLC & attention, could be brought up to an excellent standard. You will see that a Mr & Mrs Harris first bought the car in 1964 and it remained with them for 56 years until Mrs Harris sold it in 2020 It sat sorned for over 2 years due to illness until i bought it in May23. To be honest I bought it on a sentimental whim after my father died, as he worked as an engineer at Triumph Motors in Coventry for over 35 years until he retired and his favorite Triumph was the TR4. He never drove all his life but always said if he had ever had a car, he would have wanted his favorite TR4. So when I saw this for sale I bought it just to see what he loved about it and I must say, it is a beautiful classic car!
