Description
In 2015, I saw this TR4A in the British Motors magazine of December 2010 and fell in love with it at first sight (a dream since 1968). I found it again and bought it in 2020. When I took it home, the confinement came down, it was impossible to drive it. I took the opportunity to examine it from every angle for a month and discovered a few small imperfections that needed repairing.
I worked on it, aligned everything, put it back in place and replaced what needed to be replaced to have a TR4A that was pleasant to drive:
- the dashboard by a new one (Limora) - the spark plugs and the ignition wire harness - the front discs by ventilated and grooved ones - the brake pads - the rear brake cylinders and jaws - the original fan by an electric one with a REVOTEC controller (which triggers it at the chosen temperature with an adjustable box) - the front and rear indicators by new ones - the 2 air filters - the steering column guides - the manual windscreen washer by an electric pump - the silent blocks of the front axle - the wooden steering wheel from the old days by a new one. the cracked vintage wooden steering wheel - the original fuse box replaced by a newer, more reliable model - all the carpets - the ashtray (useless for us) replaced by a digital clock (it's reversible) - the instrument bulbs replaced by LEDs - the miles/ hours counter changed to kilometres/ hours - a missing door guide fitted (found in the USA) - 2 6-point harnesses fitted - the electrical wiring to the manos rewired - the wiring harness rewired - and I must go on and on. At the end of containment, we checked everything before driving, then went out to try it out. The oil pressure gauge hose had come loose > I wanted to drive a bit further to get home with the engine bay full of oil, but I went 5 km too far: tac tac tac, the start of a connecting rod noise!
I stopped, went to get my trailer and brought the TR4 home. Engine dismantling > check-up: bearings on a connecting rod, bearings and crankshaft rebuilt. I gave the engine to a professional who rebuilt it and it's been running perfectly ever since.
I live in Toulon and to cross the city in the summer you have to fight traffic jams, one hour for 20kms. The temperature started to rise. I stopped several times to avoid having to rebuild the engine.... When I got home I fitted an electric fan with a REVOTEC controller (from ORECA) on the water pipe with an adjustable trigger temperature box.
Sold with the original car radio (removed), the wooden steering wheel and a new soft top, the current one is a little crumpled since 1967 ... Of course I can provide proof and photos of all this.
