We have featured a lot of finds recently that have had some very interesting finds sitting the in backgrounds, well this find that Doug M sent in has more than just a couple interesting cars in the background and the four cars included in the auction are quite interesting too boot! The seller is offering up their four Triumph TR250s in one auction, which can be seen here on eBay in Potterville, Michigan with bidding currently at $12k. Just in the background of this photo, there are seven desirable European classics and that’s just the beginning!
I count at least four MGA, two Triumph TR4s, one TR3, an Alfa Romeo Giulietta, plus a number of lower end MGs and Triumphs. I believe we have seen the Triumph GT6s not that long ago, so I assume that means the entire collection of cars is being sold off. While I wouldn’t take on many of the projects that were left outdoors, the ones stashed away in the barn could be worth saving, well at least if the barn hasn’t caved in on them already!
These TR250s are definitely worth saving, at least the more solid examples are. The TR250 is also known as the TR5, but its 2.5 liter inline six is carbureted rather than fuel injected. These cars were only built for 13 months, making them quite rare. While the TR5’s fuel injected motor produced 40 more horsepower, I think I would rather have the carbureted motor simply to avoid and Lucas fuel injection nightmares! If I had the time and the means, I would love to tackle these projects, but to be honest I think I would even just be happy taking a scroll through this collection. It seems like it would be a wonderful way to spend a day! So do you see any cars here that you would like to have parked in your barn or garage?
Can anyone ID that alpha? I don’t know them well enough to hazard a guess but it looks like one of the better ones. Far left side of the shed, not in the pics on barnfinds but visible on the ebay posting
The Alfa is a Giulia or Giulietta
1300 Guiletta Spider – mine was pale blue (sniffle, sniffle) 1958 or 59 most likely.
a lot of interesting cars, parts cars, and parts. is that a 504 in the background? if you lived close a walk thru might be nice. great find.
@Tim Moore:
If you’re referring to that white car with the tail end showing, it looks to me to be either a 2600, or less likely, a 2000 spider.
Those were the larger Touring bodied, models with either a 2 liter, 4 cyl dohc (2000 Spider) or 2.6 liter dohc 6 cylinder (2600). The finned rear fender and taillight is the identifier.
Either way, it’s just an educated guess as it’s not a great picture.
Also, either way, it looks knackered beyond practical restoration.
Most likely a 2000 or 2600 Spider. The coupe has a different taillight.
This is heartbreaking! Why do we see so much of this? Great, interesting cars left to rot for decades. This guy certainly knew what he hoarded was worth something, yet still let them grind back into Mother Earth. TR250’s are worth trying to restore, but if, as the seller says, they will need special equipment to remove them from the globe, then maybe they will never be cars again. Sad.
It’s always interesting to see a treasure trove of old cars like this, though with most of them looking like they have been stored outside in Michigan for many years I would think that they are mainly parts donors by now? Obviously just about any car can be brought back from the dead if you have the time, money and enthusiasm, but for the “lower end MGs and Triumphs” as Josh puts it – extensive restoration of a really rough car just doesn’t make a lot of sense as it will most likely cost you multiple times the cost of a nice already-well-restored car.
The TR250s are probably viable though, as they are more valuable when completed and buying 4 cars together like this makes good sense. You can restore one or two good cars out of it, utilize many of the parts off the parts cars and possibly sell on some surplus parts to help re-coup some of the cost.
As the article says, the TR250 was a sort-of version of the TR5. Triumph opted not to market the Lucas PI engine car in the US so the TR250 was created with the twin-Stromberg carburetor engine instead of the fuel injection. On paper, they weren’t any more powerful in terms of peak BHP than the 4-cylinder TR4A engine that they replaced, but they had better low and mid-range torque, were smoother and had that great Triumph 6-cylinder exhaust note. Today, they are rare and quite sought after even in slightly underpowered standard form and it is not too hard with a few subtle mods to cylinder head, porting and raising compression, slightly hotter cam and better manifold/exhaust – to bring the power output up closer to the fuel injected version if you wanted too.
Speaking of the Lucas PI fueled engine, I think you are probably over-stating the caveat of avoiding the PI engine because of complexity and unreliability. It is true that there were some flaws in the system when new and owners did have some issues keeping them in tune (you have to remember that back in 1968/69 fuel injection really was pretty rare and exotic to most mechanics). However, today, as with the flaws in many other well established “classics” the necessary fixes to get the Lucas PI system running smoothly are all well known and documented so any Triumph still running the original system can be made quite usable and reliable.
I’d pay money just to spend an hour there with my camera and a tripod! Think of the cool screen saver series you could make of abandoned old British steel! …and then wipe a tear away as you let them settle back into the dust…
Left to rot for years out in a Michigan field and open barn, and now urgently for sale in what for most people would be an unmanagable group of 4 cars that mostly don’t even roll easily let alone run.
Maybe the seller is actually a saviour who is doing what a former owner couldn’t or wouldn’t. There—–that’s a good thought.
The opening bid price is set at $12K but there have been no bids so far.
As a kid i owned a true TR250 and it was nothing like the car for sale here.A true TR250 was a TR4 body with the TR6 engine.What i see here for sale is a TR6.The TR250 i owned was a very fun car to drive and back road warrior.Never got used to the overdrive switch on the column.
Here is the un-pleasant part of me………………this idiot leaving these cars out in the weather…………..should be executed at dawn…………….ah heck no………..shoot him now.
One of my big wants………a TR250…………gawd
Aw’ come on people, this is a fishing expedition, anything in the field will probably break in half when you hook up to it. Parts, and nothing else! The barns look like dirt floors also, ouch! Drive trains and glass, maybe a straight bumper in there, or if you need top bows, ya’ good luck at $12k. Bring your waders and oars ’cause the creeks rising mama.
If you have something that has needs of un-obtainium pieces, I’d take a road trip and see if you could get those parts from him. But don’t bet on him not having dreams of grandeur(and BIG $$$).
Hey, if that’s a GT6+, I’d like the Roto-flex and brakes for my Spitty, LoL!
Just saying IMHO, ha ha ha,,,,!
And just for the record, these were put in there when they were just another old car, don’t cry folks.
I live not too far from this location and have had the rare opportunity to have been given a guided tour of his extensive collection. WOW is all I can say. The vast majority of the cars have been stored in unheated, semi-open barns for many years, Some are runners but most are not.
I would bid a BUCK$ 2.95 and take one or two too build one car.. You can’t let British Cars let alone any car set in the elements of weather conditions..