Trident Cars, latterly based in Ipswich, was a tale of a great idea at the wrong time. With smart, GRP sports car styling, British handling characteristics and meaty American engines, they should have been a huge hit. Sadly the early 70s fuel crisis meant people were not in the market for V6 and V8 sports cars from a small manufacturer, and they fell by the wayside.
Thankfully, a few survive to our day, and this example is very original and one of only 84 Venturers made - making it a very collectible machine. WIth recent mechanical work undertaken and a nice spec, we think this would make a great quirky addition to any garage.efzltLWWd74QLTtgFJnBO5v3gshxhwI0wJCHdFOk.jpeg576.77 KB
Replete with classic Contour sports seats, a bench in the back and deeply-bolstered fronts with separate headrests, the cabin of the Venturer is very much of its time, taking you right back to the early 70s. The black vinyl seats, door cards and headlining are in excellent condition for their age, displaying minimal signs of wear and no tears or notable damage we could see.
The black carpets have fared a little less well and are showing their age, but we would expect this as they appear to be the original items, so are 52 years old.
Looking at the dash and switchgear, it presents in reasonable, unrestored condition. The dials and controls are all in fine fettle, perfectly usable and legible. Meanwhile the lovely gear shifter and sports steering wheel are in excellent condition, showing just how few miles the car has covered and how little it’s been used.
It should be noted that the wood veneer fascia on the dash is beginning to delaminate at the edges, so would probably require refinishing to bring it back to its best. Also, the vendor reports that the heater works well, but only on one setting.
Otherwise, the vendor tells us that everything functions precisely as it should, with no other issues they are aware of.
Striking in its deep purple finish, we think the Venturer is a really handsome coupé, with nice lines and good proportions. We particularly like the shark-nose with complementary side-gills and steeply raked rear deck.
The structure is a GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) body-on-chassis design. The shall is in good condition, with no damage to the GRP that we could see. As for the paintwork, it presents in reasonable condition. It appears to be the original finish, so does have a few flaws and age-related blemishes. There is some slight crazing over the off-side rear wheel arch and some light bubbling on the near-side of the roof. At the front, there is some stone-chipping too.
As far as we can tell, all of the trim elements are complete and intact. The brightwork and 15” wire wheels appear to be the original items, and wear an appropriate level of patination, with some spots of surface corrosion, pitting and tarnishing. We think everything should clean up nicely though, with all of the brightwork looking to be solid and undamaged.
One of the car’s nicest features is the original factory-fit sunroof. It’s finished in black vinyl and looks in excellent condition, with no tears or UV damage visible.
Looking underneath the car, the chassis rails look to be very solid and well covered in paint and rust-proofing. There is some light surface corrosion in areas of the underside and to some of the drivetrain elements, but it appears very minor and is not something that would concern us.
New differential, braking system and clutch hydraulics
With simple and robust proven mechanicals, this Venturer is perfect for a capable home mechanic. Based around Ford’s ‘Essex’ V6 with a manual 4-speed with functional overdrive, it means engine parts are readily available and it’s easy to work on. The overdrive function also means the car is capable and easy to live with at motorway cruising speeds.
The current owner has recently refreshed a number of mechanical elements, having a new differential fitted, along with new clutch hydraulics and a new braking system. What we could see of the other drivetrain elements looks nice and solid, although the springs and suspension elements do have a covering of surface corrosion.
The engine bay itself is very neat and tidy, with some light surface corrosion on some components, but nothing that would worry us.
We’re assured by the owner that the car runs and drives very well, with no mechanical problems. They report that it starts well, idles nicely and gives a lovely V6 bark from the exhaust. One thing they do say is that, hailing from a time before traction control, ABS and other such driver aids, the car can be a handful. Therefore they say it would be better suited for someone who has experience of sports cars.
With that great 70s styling, period-correct purple paint and that meaty 3-litre V6, this rare coupé has heaps of potential.
If you’re after something collectible, that’s been maintained and kept very well but needs a little work to bring it back to its best, we’d heartily recommend giving this Venturer a shot. We think it’s an absolute cracker…
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
