Description
Triumph TR5/ 250 FIA Racecar
The Michelotti designed TR5 was arguably the prettiest and certainly the most desirable of the TRs. Using the proven body/ chassis of the TR4A it was fitted with the straight six engine for extra performance, enhanced by the then innovative Lucas fuel injection system.
This race car is a proven winner, was champion in the Historic Road Sports championship within the Historic Sports Car Club in 2008 after numerous class wins that season and was a class winner at the Spa Summer Classic 3hr endurance race in 2016. It remains a very fast and competent racer.
The car was rebuilt to full TR5 spec from the ground up in 2006\7 with chassis and body taken back to bare metal. Rebuild quality is high as it was undertaken by Foundary Classics in Dorking who were more used to building near-concourse cars than race bodies. With underbody protection and seam-sealed panels, it is rust free and has never seen a salty road. It was granted a BMIHT heritage certificate and TR250 UK registration in 2008.
Mechanicals were assembled and fitted by TR Enterprises and the full spec is below. The centre piece is a highly developed straight six fuel injected engine producing 239BHP, delivered to the back wheels via a straight cut Bastuk gearbox and limited slip differential.
It has FIA Period G Historic Passport and is eligible for the Spa Summer Classic, HSCC HRS (Historic Sports Car Club Historic Road Sport) Championship, Equip 70’S and many more championships, cups and series.
Engine – 2500cc Straight Six engine with Lucas fuel injection and “bunch of bananas” six into two into one tubular manifold with straight through big bore exhaust. 237BHP power, 207 Foot Pounds of torque. Light weight hi-torque starter motor. Addition high level coolant reservoir. 123 electronic ignition. Oil cooler and catch tank. Race alternator. Spare block.
Gearbox – Straight cut four speed Bastuk gear box with spare close ratio synchro box. Tilton Clutch and uprated race clutch cover.
Differential – limited slip 4. 3:1 differential
Fuel tank – bespoke 120 litre aluminium foam filled race tank by AH Motorsport Fabrications with Uprated Bosch high pressure fuel pump. Has internal surge pot to stop fuel starvation on cornering. Low pressure pump transfers fuel from main tank to surge pot/ header so that high pressure pump has constant feed. Comfortably does Spa 3hr race without refill pitstop.
Brakes – Split line twin reservoir system, steel discs with Hawk Blue pads to front and steel drums with Mintex shoes to rear, Aeroquip braded hoses and copper nickel lines throughout.
Steering – rack and pinion
Suspension – Front coils with telescopic dampers. Rear coils with uprated lever arm dampers (these are engineered to look like original Armstrong lever arm dampers but have modern internals so behave like telescopics). All poly bushed. Front and rear anti-roll bars.
Hubs – Front Timkin bearings with anti-knock off kit. Rear Quiaf hubs.
Wheels – 5. 5” Minilites with 205/ 70/ 15 Avons
Roll cage – Full Safety Devices 6 point cage including hoop under dashboard and (removable) side/ door bars.
Fire suppression – Zero 2020 plumbed in extinguisher (New in 2022, service due, expired 2024)
Race seat – Sparko Sprint (validity expired 2023)
Harness – Sparko 6 point harness (valid until 2026)
Heated front screen for those rainy days at Spa (or UK!)
Chassis – New 2011 after accident damage. Waxoyled.
Body – Converted from open racer to full cage with fibre glass hard top 2013. Waxoyled, but never been on a salted road. One small dent on front left wheel arch flange - see photoA very competitive yet still road legal club racer that could, without difficulty be adapted to become an awesome road car.
In every respect it looks like a TR5, while still retaining the TR250 registration.
