1962 Triumph Tr4

Highlights

Comprehensively restored TR4 in very good condition
Desirable factory ‘Surrey Vinyl Top’ with ground-breaking Surrey Top
Reshelled car with bare metal respray and full engine rebuild 3,500 miles ago
Triumph TR-enthusiast owned and treated to the level of care and attention that implies

The Appeal

The TR4 of 1961 disguised Triumph’s tried and tested mechanicals beneath a svelte, all-new body styled by Michelotti. Stylish and modern - there were even wind up windows - it was a shape that proved so enduring that it underpinned the firm’s models well into the 1970s.

This beautiful enthusiast-owned 1962 model was bought in 2004 as a barn-find, subsequently receiving a very comprehensive mechanical and structural rebuild including a re-shell. With little use since it is in very good condition and has the added advantage of that clever and sought after ‘Surrey Top’ targa-style roof. The TR4 is one of classic motoring’s best-loved cars and this one looks ready for a new owner to really enjoy.

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The History and Paperwork

First registered 1st August 1962
UK Car
VIN records confirm that this is a 1962 TR4
Thick history file over two bulging folders carefully recording the car’s restoration over 7 years
Tax and MOT exempt
Last MOT expired 2nd October 2017 and the car has covered less than 1,000 miles since

The vendor tells us that this car was bought by his father in 2004 as a ‘barn find’ after it had been off the road since 1979. He set about restoring it, a process that involved reshelling the car with a USA body and also covered a full engine rebuild. The work was undertaken over 7 years and we are told that the car has covered just 3,500 miles since.

There are two thick history files recording the work.

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The Interior

Original dials and switchgear in very good, unrefurbished condition
New black carpets throughout
Modern Moss seats with headrests trimmed in black with white piping
Dashboard refurbished and looks immaculate
The car also has inertia seat belts fitted

The TR4 was designed to be driven and its no-nonsense interior, with simple dashboard and clearly set out dials signal that intent. It is straightforward yet characterful, a decent complement of dials and switches all easily to hand and big comfortable seats to cosset the occupants.

The interior of this car has been carefully restored, blending originality with aesthetic improvements where necessary. So the stretch of grey dashboard has been refurbished - it looks wonderful - but the dials and switchgear are original. Their remarkable condition likely reflects the fact that this car spent a large part of its life off the road.

The original sports seats have been replaced with more comfortable-focussed Moss-sourced ones finished in black with white piping and equipped with headrests. They are in very good condition, just some very light creases indicating age.

The carpets are also new and in excellent condition. There is a lovely wood-rimmed wheel to complete the classic 60s aesthetic

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The Exterior

USA specification shell subjected to bare metal respray during restoration
Shell converted to UK specification by TRBitz
The whole shell has been painted red and no underseal used as the seller did not want to hide or disguise any deterioration
Bumpers rechromed including triple plating
Replacement rear lights fitted but originals supplied with the car
Desirable Surrey Vinyl Top option in excellent condition with removable vinyl panels
Attractive Minilite-style alloys fitted as original wheels had distorted
Classic bullet-style wing mirrors
Chromework and badging in good condition

Note - there is an approx 9cm scratch on the off side wing

The TR4 is a popular choice amongst enthusiasts because it retains all the neat detailing, like the headlamp cowls, that made the Michelotti design so appealing to buyers.

This car was bought as a project and reshelled using a USA specification body. This was professionally converted to UK specification by John Sykes at TRBitz and then bare metal resprayed in fetching red. The underside has deliberately not been undersealed so that there is no disguising any deterioration - there appears to be none - and reflecting the owner’s careful dry-weather use.

The paintwork is very good overall condition, reflecting the limited use since the rebuild was finished in 2011. The seller says that there are a few stone chips on the car - which he has sealed - but these are not immediately visible in the photographs. They have also advised of a 2" scratch on the front wing.

To complement the bodywork the chrome bumpers have been professionally rechromed and like the rest of the brightwork are in excellent condition. Period-correct bullet-style wing mirrors are fitted.

The rear lights fitted to the car are not original but, reflecting the fastidiousness of the owner, the originals are supplied with the car for completeness.

This car’s piece de resistance is the lovely Surrey Top, a factory supplied item known officially as the ‘Surrey Vinyl Top.’ It is a really clever piece of design that pre-dated the better known Porsche ‘Targa’ top by several years. A combination of fixed rear window with removable vinyl roof it combines the comfort of a Surrey Vinyl Top or sunroof design with the wind-in-the-hair exhilaration of a drop top. The Top is in a similarly excellent condition to the rest of the car.

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The Mechanics

2138cc Triumph 4cyl engine developing a healthy 105bhp
4spd manual gearbox with later TR all-synchro mechanism
Full engine rebuild 3,500 miles ago and fitted with unleaded head
Fuel pump and Stromberg carburettors rebuilt
Stainless steel exhaust system
Electric fan
Rear crankshaft seal converted to later and more reliable runner type seal

Beneath the stylish bodywork lies Triumph’s powerful 2.1litre 4cylinder engine, a motor designed to out-run rivals cars from MG. The TR4 got a larger engine and more power than earlier iterations while a wider track helped plant the car more firmly on the road.

Alongside the comprehensive structural restoration of this pretty car there has been a full rebuild of the engine, including fitting an unleaded head. A later all-synchromesh gearbox is fitted. Other work has included rebuilding the fuel pump and carburettors, fitting an electric fan to improve cooling and reliability and replacing the crankshaft oil seal with a later runner type that is more dependable than the factory-supplied scroll type.

The seller reports that everything works as it should and the car starts easily, but advises that the clutch needs to be fully depressed to the floor to engage.

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Summary

The TR4 with its handsome Michelotti styling is one of the stalwarts of the British classic car scene, a usable and stylish classic whose keys give access to an enthusiastic ownership scene.

This beautiful 1962 example has the desirable ‘Surrey Top’ and benefits from a very comprehensive restoration that has covered mechanicals as well as bodywork. With little use since it offers the new owner the advantage of all that work and the chance to simply enjoy this wonderful classic.

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