1968 Triumph TR250 *Sold £18,750*

Description

• Full photographic restoration
• Heritage Certificate
• New Mohair roof
• Bundles of receipts from The TR Shop
• Low mileage – just 29.5k miles

Turn the key. The 2.5-litre straight-six kicks into life. Your senses are jolted, assaulted by an aural commotion of glorious proportions.  A jab of the accelerator pedal yields a satisfyingly throaty rasp. Combining Michelotti’s glorious lines with six-cylinder power, this TR is the pinnacle of the series. But you knew that anyway. Find out below why this is one the best TR’s on the market today.

Background

In the 1960s, Triumph were looking for more power and refinement for their classic TR Series of sports cars. Triumph opted to replace the older 2.0-litre four cylinder engine. They produced the magnificent long-stroke 2.5-litre six-cylinder engine.

The model ran for just one year, 1967-1968. Triumph needed to break into the vital US market. However, emerging emissions laws meant the PI (petrol injection) induction system wouldn’t cut it. Triumph produced the parallel TR250. Triumph fitted the six cylinder engine with a twin carb set-up. This version outsold the sometimes troublesome Lucas PI system by almost three-to-one.

History and paperwork for this Triumph TR250

• Imported from the US approximately 30 years ago
• It then sat for 15 years
• The then owner carefully dismantled the classic TR250
• Overhauling it as he went, it was then 90% restored and reassembled
• During that period it was even registered

Our vendor then takes up the story.

“I bought the TR250 in 2011. It had been stripped to the level of the chassis and then rebuilt. He had converted the engine to unleaded. Sadly, the owner couldn’t finish what he started. As I could see what I was getting, I took on the completion of the restoration.

Over the next 18 months I completed the bodywork and interior. Finally the car was registered and on the road.

I have photographs from the previous owner and from my ownership of the all the work carried out plus receipts. I have every reason to think the mileage showing is correct.. due to the car being in long term storage.”

Outside

We have to say the finished classic TR250 is stunning.

• Bare metal respray
• Jaguar Opalescent Grey paint
• Mohair hood
• Minilites
• New Tyres
• Halogen headlamp conversion

One of the benefits of the TR250 is their export to the US. On whole, the US climate tends to preserve British classic cars somewhat better than the British climate.

Even saying that, this classic TR250 has had a very expensive and comprehensive restoration captured in old school polaroid pictures. We’ve selected a few for the Gallery, but do let us know if you’d like any more. The complete album comes with the TR250.

The body restoration was a joint enterprise. It was carried out at the premises of our vendor’s friend, who is professional classic car restorer renowned for his work. Nevertheless, our vendor wanted to get hands-on and so he did. As we chatted he remarked, “Blocking down the guide coat on the high build primer, then having my friend tell me to go back and do it again, was an ‘interesting’ experience”. That goes a long way to explain the exceptional result you see in the Image Gallery. We doubt he’d do another in a hurry though!

Inside

As you can see for yourself, the quality and attention to detail continues inside this classic Triumph TR250.

The restoration has managed to pull of that tricky balance of clean, smart and bright, without removing any of the character that makes it a classic in the first place. Very clever.

• Full new interior
• All receipts from the TR Shop
• New seats
• New door trims
• Crash pads
• Carpets
• Steering wheel

The interior is an intimate place to be and you know you are in classic British sports car. You can almost sense yourself dropping back decades and picking up this classic Triumph fresh from the showroom in 1968.

The overwhelming impression is quality and character. The standout for us must be that new Burl Walnut Dash. Superb.

Engine and mechanicals

While the Triumph engineers knew that the clunky PI induction squirted oodles of (cheap back then) petrol in into the 2.5-litre straight six, they also knew they could never tune to US emissions levels

Twin Strombergs were the way forward. As an unexpected aside, they proved much more reliable and easy to maintain and today they remain very popular for that ease of maintenance.

The twin carb equipped Triumph TR250 was developed for mid-range power and torque. That combination proved double popular. The manufacturer sold around 8,800 TR250s and about 2,700 TR5s.

The engine didn’t escape the attention of the restorers though. In addition, it has some lovely, sensible, period mods too.

• Lagged extractor manifold and sports exhaust fitted by Enginuity, London.
• Carburettors also re-built by Tony Hart at Enginuity
• New diff and joints fitted
• Facit electronic fuel pump and regulator
• Revtec fan fitted (static fan removed)
• Engine oil cooler

Again a marvellous mix of original character with modern engineering reliability.

Bottom Line

The TR250 is thought by many to be one of the purist and greatest cars of the TR series. Due to their short production run they are becoming rarer every year. This is one to keep. It will be pursued by enthusiasts and collectors alike.

It is, in our view, a superb opportunity to own one of the finer TRs on the market at the moment.

A previous body-off restoration. Long term ownership. Now ready to drive today without a single known fault.

If you’re looking for one of the greatest British cars produced to date, this Triumph TR250 should be at the very top of your list.

Vehicle Location:  West Sussex BN5 – it’s the responsibility of the winning bidder to make collection / transportation arrangements directly with the vendor.

Have a question about this Triumph TR250? Please contact the Evoke team at auction@evoke-classics.com and we will speak to the vendor on your behalf.

Guide Prices?

We’re different. But you know that. And we’re always honest. In a sector where no two classics are same, how does anyone put a ‘guide’.

Well, everyone knows the broad value of classic, let’s all be honest. So we don’t need to tell you what you already know, do we.

The ‘market’ decides and the old cliché that ‘it’s are worth what someone wants to pay’ is no less true. So why kid everyone!

But, because we are different, if it really does matter to you, that’s fine, we want you to be happy. Just drop us a line at auction@evoke-classics.com and one of us will be delighted to ring you back and discuss, it’s what we do.

Tedious but it’s vital you read this, please.

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