Though I have never owned one, the TR4 occupies a special place in my heart. In about 1979, my then-boyfriend and I attempted to buy our college professor’s dirty white TR4. The proceedings drew to a halt when my 6’4″ beau could not fit into the car with any alacrity. The next time I encountered a similar car was on a deliberate venture to Eugene, Oregon, to investigate a TR250 – basically a late TR4 with a six-cylinder engine. Nice, but no dice – too clattery. Here on eBay is an early example of Michelotti’s styling genius: a 1962 Triumph TR4 bid to $6100, reserve not met. And what a coincidence! This project car is also located in Oregon, on the north coast in Warrenton. The new owner will need a trailer – though the motor turns, the car will not run.
The TR4 was scheduled to replace the TR3, with development work stretching back to 1956. Finally finished for a 1961 launch, the new model’s integrated fenders and general aura of civility put off plenty of TR3 owners, who were married to the notion that a sports car must look rakish and impose a mild level of discomfort upon its occupants. The TR4 was mostly a TR3 under the skin, however, with a bored-out four-cylinder coming in at 2138 ccs. Output was 100 hp, no better than the 1991 cc TR3 before it. A fully-synchromeshed four-speed manual was available with optional electrical overdrive. The seller has owned this TR4 for 15 years, but it’s rarely been started in all that time.
Thinking that white painted metal dashboard means this car was originally the same color? Wrong – TR4 instrument panels were all white until 1963 or so, when the factory began swapping to polished wood. So give credit for originality here … The neat center cluster of gauges measures fuel level, amps, oil pressure, and water temperature. The three-spoke, banjo steering wheel wears a wrap – either for protection, to hide cracks, or both. New carpets and seat kits would do wonders here, but a good cleaning could make the interior tolerable as-is.
The owner didn’t want to move the car for its photo shoot, so this is the only decent rear view supplied. (I can’t even tell if we’re looking at wires or steel wheels on this car.) External trunk lid hinges are a holdover from the TR3; I don’t love luggage racks, but I’ve lived with them in the past, and they do come in handy sometimes. The “LBC” (little British cars) market segment has seen a big shift during the last ten years. Ordinary TR4s sold in the $30k area a decade ago; now, the TR4 IRS (later cars fitted with independent rear suspension) are seeing those prices and more, while early cars are struggling in the mid-teens. A price graph for many small Brits shows a veritable cliff in 2025 – all the way down the line from MGBs to Jaguar XKEs. In this environment, unless you are dedicated to a project car for the sport of it, restoration will result in overrunning most cars’ values. Would you renovate this TR4 as a labor of love?
I was hot to buy one of these a few months ago, I got carried away after seeing a pristine restoration somewhere on line. So romantic, so nostalgic, I was in love. Then I went to see one for sale nearby. I could barely fit my fat, middle-aged self under the steering wheel. And, when I did manage to get in, the whole car seemed small and “in my face”. Windshield was about an inch from my nose, and the top was pressing on my bald spot. I still think they are lovely cars, but for someone young and lithe, not me.
Fun getting out of one too…
@michellerand There’s a pic on the auction site at the end which shows the car outside of the storage unit, sitting on steel wheels. I do prefer the steels over the wires.
I saw that, however it was in much better condition than the car is now, so it was unclear to me that that photo was this car. Steelies would be a plus in my book as well.
Had a TR3 with wire wheels long ago. There was a new subdivision being started just outside of town and the houses were to go off a large blacktop circle. Hmmmm.. Took the TR3 out there and went around and around, faster and faster until I was in a 4 wheel drift. POP, what was that? POP. Decided to call it a day and as I pulled into my driveway I heard: tinkle,tinkle,tinkle. Huh?
Inspection revealed that I was popping spokes on my wheels. :-) Terry J
Not the same car. But still the car looks like a strong project for a thorough cleaning to make a solid driver. If the motor turns it likely will run ok. I’d replace that white dash with wood, not sure I could stare at that very long. And I don’t think I could go that high on price without knowing more about the mechanicals.
Nothing is easy on a British car…
I respectfully disagree. Most British cars are simple, easy to work on, and have good parts supply. They typically have less rust than Italian cars and are cheaper to repair than German cars.
I agree to a point. The problem with Britsih cars in America was regular maintence. Not just major American maintence (tune up & oil change a couple times a year but week to week maintenance. Although it’s be 50+ years since my last BGT. Recommend ownership maintence specified things such as checking the dampers’ fluid level once a month. As I recall weekly and monthly inspections took ~3 hours total.
AFA whining about Lucas electrics, the primary weakness was the female spade connectors causing intermittent connectivity, sometimes loose, sometimes corroded, and sometimes both.
Have you changed a thermostat gauge on the dash. You need the hand size of a 5 year old. How about bleeding the clutch, or brakes? Watched every video know to many, and still spent hours bleeding the new brake system. The best way to bleed a clutch is from under the car. The inch and a half clearance leads to an hour of fun. Time to replace a clutch, well just get ready to pull the whole motor out.
One does not need to pull the motor on a TR to change the clutch.
1. Remove passenger seat.
2. Remove dash support and transmission tunnel.
3. Support engine and remove transmission.
It’s an easy job for a moderately skilled mechanic.
I think the TR4 is the best looking of the British roadsters. If I was going to get one it would be a car someone else has lovingly restored and spent copious amounts of time and money on.
I agree to a point. The problem with British cars in America was regular maintenance. Not just major American maintence (tune up & oil change a couple times a year) but week to week maintenance. Although it’s be 50+ years since my last BGT. Recommend ownership maintence specified things such as checking the dampers’ fluid level once a month. As I recall the weekly and monthly inspections took ~3 hours total.
AFA whining about Lucas electrics, the primary weakness was the female spade connectors causing intermittent connectivity, sometimes loose, sometimes corroded, and sometimes both.
Having owned a TR 4A since 1982, the weekly/monthly maintenance is sort of a Zen thing. You either get it or you don’t.
And grounds, becoming ungrounded.
Lucas shortfalls on two-wheeled Trumpets as well. Affectionately-ish, we knew “Lucas” was the first name of the Prince of Darkness……
Alacrity….. lol
I am 6′-5″ and have owned three of the great Triumphs and have not any problem accessing them and finding a comfortable position. Now that I am approaching 80, getting out with the top up is more of a challenge.
I do credit the TR4 with keeping me limber as I age.
I agree with A.G. The TR4 is a mechanically simple car that any reasonably competent home mechanic can maintain… I own one that I restored at home, from the ground up, nut and bolt, and there were very few jobs that I needed to outsource. I’m not a professional restorer/mechanic.
I also think your point is correct about the difference in understanding of service schedules, UK/Europe vs US. US cars tended to have larger engines that were more likely to be relatively over-engineered and under-stressed and there was more of an expectation that the engine would be durable over greater mileages with minimal maintenance other than regular oil changes? Engines in contemporary British cars were typically a lot smaller, due to reasons like rationed and more costly fuel, taxation classes favoring smaller capacities.., and efficiency and specific output from tiny cubic capacity were factors. those smaller engines typically required more regular Maintenance…
some of it is just cultural I think, America was moving toward concepts of ease and labor-saving, whereas maybe owners (particularly of the small sports cars) in UK/Europe in 1950s and 1960s accepted some level of hands-on maintenance as part of the ownership experience? If you look at the factory handbook or workshop manual for the TR4 there’s a lot of periodic maintenance tasks in addition to just oil-changes, multiple grease points, things like front suspension trunnions to be checked and re-oiled at pretty frequent intervals… how many owners really followed those maintenance regimens…?
Add to that the fact that distances driven in the US tend to be higher than UK/Europe, and I’m sure a lot of imported British cars that might have soldiered on in UK just did not survive to old age in the US.
I’ve always said owning a vintage British sportscaster is like owning a horse. 3-4x the time prepping/maintaining vs actual driving/riding.
Interesting. I am 6’4″ and drove my dad’s new ’62 TR3A with plenty of room. I progressed through a TR4 and finally a TR6 with room in all of them. Huh. No criticism, just thought that was interesting.
I was in the high school band and it was difficult to carry a female companion AND a trombone case in the 3. haha
I had a buddy (Richie Cole where did you go?) That had a TR4A IRS That he spent tons of money on the engine. (Crazy cam, high compression pistons, side draft Webers, etc. It was fun to drive and a little scary at times in the corners. Michelle, great write up! Your writing shows your appetite for these Triumph TRs.
Thanks! I’m a fan of British cars particularly, having had (and currently hav-ing) way too many of the little buggers. I especially enjoyed Michael’s comment about “you need a hand size of a five year old” – so true! Reaching behind the dash to handle those tiny screws that hold the gauges in – oh yeah. Every time I take a British car apart, it reminds me why they aren’t made this way any longer: the simplest thing like an ashtray or a map light assembly has like 4,352 bits.
I still have an MGB (ex rubber bumper car) with a 2.8 Cologne V6 with a T5 5 speed. I recently sold a very low mile MGBGT to Chris BeBee. A neighbor and buddy of Peter Egan. An amazing person. (Chris that is) I seem to have made a part time (unpaid) profession by repairing or helping repair/re building British cars like MGBs , Austin Healy Sprites (Mark I&IIs) Triumph TR3s,4s, &7s and used to be a twin turbo Bentley. All are easy to work on and maddening as to why they do certain things that are very counter productive to quality and reliability. Keep up the good work on the writeups!
I had a 58 TR3A, that I mentioned here before, ran very well but appeared rough, with what looked like red oxide primer but semi-gloss and spot welds holding on metal rockers. I had no issue with leg clearance at 6′ plus, but the previous owner had the seat bolted to the floor without the adjustable runners. He was taller than me. So, there is plenty of room if you are the only driver, just less in the rarely used back seat. I sold the car in 1978 for $500, I’d say in good running #4 condition.
I’ve owned four MGBs and an Austin Healey Sprite. But never a TR4. Pity.
“[O]f all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: “It might have been!”
–John Greenleaf Whittier
Cool car! Need small feet to drive those with size 12E’s need not apply!
Mine are 13D, but I don’t remember issues about 47 years ago wearing Chuck Taylor sneakers back then. As I said above, the seat was WAY back bolted to floor, so that may have helped, withTR3 at least.
Mine are 13D, but I don’t remember issues about 47 years ago wearing Chuck Taylor sneakers back then. As I said above, the seat was WAY back bolted to floor, so that may have helped, withTR3 at least.
The description says a 4 used many 3 components. If that means the engine then it is a “wet sleeve” design much like many diesel trucks. The sleeves are replaceable by fitting them into the block onto a seal at the bottom. Wet sleeve means the water jacket surrounds the sleeve. Thus a rebuild means replacing the sleeves not boring out the block. I didn’t rebuild my 3 engine but I remember that in the early 70s JC Whitney carried a rebuild kit including sleeves and pistons. :-) Terry J
I owned a TR250 for a while, same car, different engine. I thought it was a horrible car to drive. Part of it was the climate where I lived, Louisiana. The car was prone to overheating. The interior was stiffiling hot, I don’t think there was much insulation in the firewall? The sheet metal is almost as thin as foil, so they’re rust prone. If you haven’t driven one, take a long drive in one before you buy one.
I have a TC, I have to wear dress shoes or drive in stocking feet.
My feet are size 10 – never had an issue in my TC.