1955 Triumph TR2

Description

Original UK car with few owners; fully restored about 20 years ago including fitment of a rebuilt TR4 engine and gearbox; very lightly used since; full set of weather gear; recent recommissioning; an exceptionally smart TR2 at a very tempting guide price

Introduced in 1953 with styling by Walter Belgrove, the TR2 was clearly influenced by the new Jaguar XK120 with cutaway doors and a front wing line that flowed gracefully up and over the rear wheels.

It was powered by a twin-carb version of the famously robust and torquey 2-litre Standard Vanguard ohv engine which produced 90bhp and could propel the TR2 to 60mph in 11.9 seconds with a top speed of 107mph.

A streamlined TR2 with an under-tray and rear wheel spats achieved an average 124mph during high-speed runs at Jabekke in Belgium, a remarkable feat for the time and only 8mph slower than a similarly prepared XK120 could manage with its much larger 3.4 straight-six. In a 1954 road test, The Motorcar also praised Britain's lowest-priced ton-up car (£555 plus purchase tax) for returning 'astonishing fuel economy' of 34.5mpg over 1,904 miles.

Triumph's hopes that the TR2 would be successful in competition were soon realised, the first of many notable results being a win on the 1954 RAC Rally. A big success for Triumph, it remained in production until the arrival of the TR3 in October 1955 by which time 8,636 examples had been sold, all but 2,823 of them in LHD for the export market.

This particular TR2 is one of those relatively rare UK market cars. A copy of the factory production record shows that it left the works in September 1955 and was originally British Racing Green with a Red Vynide interior.

Sold new via SH Newsome Ltd of Coventry, a letter on file shows that by 1969 it was owned by a Mr E Osmond of Allesley who fitted a completely rebuilt 2.2-litre TR4A engine with a balanced bottom end and a gas-flowed head, along with a fully rebuilt all-synchro gearbox from a later car. As far as we know this engine is still in the car today – the V5C records the capacity as 2,138cc and the number as CT22341E which is correct for a 1964 TR4A (the TR2 engines had a TS prefix).

The car then seems to have disappeared off the DVLA radar, resurfacing in November 1982 (the date of first registration on the current V5C) when it was acquired by a gent who was to keep it for the next 20 years during which time it had the registration number RWK 600.

From 2002 – 2009 it was owned by a Mr B Bailey of Christchurch who fully restored the car during the first two years of his ownership, as detailed by invoices on file. This included a full engine rebuild with new pistons, bearings, reground crank etc. The bodywork was restored and repainted, a new aluminium fuel tank was also fitted along with a new black double duck hood and new side-screens.

A new set of 40-spoke painted wire wheels were also fitted, shod with a new set of Vredestein tyres, plus much else besides, some historic photos of the car showing it looking very smart at this time.

Re-registered with its current number (432 XUR) in 2009, it was then sold by dealer Nicky Paul-Barron to a Mr B James of Warwickshire, the invoice showing that he paid £15,600 (see photos for the dealer’s description of the car). He kept the car for 12 years but barely ever drove it, before selling it to someone who kept it for another five years as part of a private collection but also barely used it – old MOTs show that it has only covered some 380 miles in the last 18 years.

Our vendor acquired the car in March this year to join his own collection of classics. As it had been so little used over the previous two decades, he has gone right through it to make it suitable as a fun family runabout. This included fitting fully rebuilt TR3 H6 SU carbs which cost £735; an engine service and tune-up; an overhaul of the brakes plus various other new seals and gaskets etc. It was also treated to a new set of carpets (£303).

He has now bought another much larger and much more expensive pre-war car so the TR2 has become surplus to requirements, hence its appearance in this sale. We are told that the car runs and drives well and it has certainly been starting promptly and running nicely as we have moved it around on site, with healthy 50psi oil pressure. Hardly surprising as the engine has done fewer than 600 miles since it was rebuilt in 2003, according to the MOT history, so it is probably still in need of careful running-in.

As you can see in the photos, this hotted-up TR4-engined TR2 looks to be in great shape throughout, being as clean underneath as it is up top. On offer here at a modest guide price, it now seeks an enthusiastic new owner who can reap the rewards of all the good work carried out to date and give it the more regular exercise it deserves.

Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – [email protected]