1965 Triumph TR4A – IRS

Details

Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale this lovely 1965 Triumph TR4A – IRS.

The Heritage Certificate on file confirms this car was built on 23^rd September 1965 and it left the factory on the 4^th October 1965. The car was sold through the Standard Triumph Motor Company in New York, USA. The car was delivered to its first owner with the following options fitted: 695×15 tubed whitewall tyres, a heater, windscreen washers, black tonneau cover, USA/Canada specification lights, sixty spoke wire wheels and independent rear suspension.

This car is presented today in red with black upholstery and a black soft top. The Heritage Certificate confirms the car was delivered new in this colour scheme.

The early history of this car is not known. At some stage the car found its way to Australia where it was restored and converted to right hand drive. It is thought to have been an Adelaide car.

The current owner acquired the car in December 2001 through Oldtimer Australia. At that time the odometer read 68,546 miles.

During his ownership the car has been serviced on a regular basis by Brisbane based Triumph specialist Greg Tunstall Mechanical in Ormiston. If something needed to be fixed or replaced it was done. The most recent service was done in July 2022. At that time, it was noted the ball joints and heater hoses would have to be replaced soon. That work was done in January 2023. In his ownership the current owner has had some upgrades installed to make the car a more usable classic. The exhaust system was replaced with a stainless steel system, electronic ignition has been fitted and the cooling system has been upgraded with an aluminium radiator with an electric fan installed to keep the car cool on those hot Queensland summer days. In 2007 the rear suspension was upgraded with Datsun half shafts. The work was done by Greg Tunstall Mechanical who also supplied them.

Today the odometer reads 85,104 miles.

The overall presentation of this Triumph TR4A is still very good. The paint work on the car is still in excellent condition, particularly considering it is now at least 25 years old. It still retains a high gloss finish with a strong depth of colour. When you look closely obviously you will find the odd stone chip consistent with a car which has been used. All the bright work on the car is in good condition. The same can be said for all the glass, lights and lenses. The soft top appears to have been used sparingly. It is in good condition with no tears in the fabric. The rear windscreen on these cars tends to discolour quickly if the car is left outside in the sun for too long, but on this car it is still clear and in good condition.

The chrome wire wheels really suit this car. They present well and are currently shod with Hankook Optimo K715 165/80/15 tyres all around. The tyres are date stamped 28/17 (week 28, 2017) and are still in good condition.

The presentation and condition of the interior of this car is consistent with the exterior. It is well presented and just a nice place to be. The instruments are clean and all appear to be in good working order. The dashboard presents well and there is no evidence of any sun damage or cracks. The seats present well and are firm. Both door cards are in good condition as is the centre console and timber veneer dash. Usually on a TR4A there is waist rail trim finisher on the door. Those have been removed at some stage but they are still with the car.

These British classic sports cars are always great fun to drive. Given the presentation of this car we were excited to get behind the wheel.

We think this is an ‘always top down’ car and on our recent test drive on the most beautiful crisp sunny Brisbane morning we found some open winding roads to enjoy this quintessential British sports car.

The car starts easily, even when the engine is cold. For a cold start, the engine will require full choke. You can turn the choke off almost immediately after starting the car.

Out on the open road this Triumph TR4A did not disappoint. It is just a nice car to drive! The engine feels strong and it is very responsive. The throttle control with the right foot is excellent.  As a result the car easily keeps up with modern day traffic. The gearbox is smooth up and down the box, the suspension is firm and the car feels solid on the road.

This Triumph TR4A is not a concours car but it is a very good example that has obviously been well cared for and well maintained.

The current owner has enjoyed every day of his 20 plus years of ownership and it is now time for this fabulous British classic to pass on to its next keeper.

Highlights:

• Well-presented example of a quintessential British sports car.
• Original colour scheme.
• Good history file.
• Ready to be used and enjoyed.

Price –

 

Background

In 1885 Siegfried Bettmann, a German living in London, founded S. Bettmann & Co and started importing bicycles from Europe. Initially, he was selling them under his own trade name, however, in 1886 the name changed to Triumph. In 1897 the company was renamed as the Triumph Cycle Co Ltd and in 1902 the company started producing motor cycles at their factory in Coventry. Business was booming, thanks to big orders from the British Army which needed motor cycles during the First World War and by 1918 Triumph had become Britain’s largest manufacturer of motor cycles.

In 1921 Bettmann acquired the assets of the defunct Dawson Car Company and started producing cars. The first car to wear the Triumph name was the Triumph 10/20. This car and its immediate successors were only produced in small numbers, however, that all changed with the introduction of the Triumph Super 7 in 1927. This car was a success and it was sold in large numbers through until 1934.

In 1930 the name of the company was officially changed to the Triumph Motor Company. Times were tough and Triumph was struggling to compete with larger car companies. The company started having financial problems and in 1936 the bicycle and motorcycle business were sold to Jack Sangster of Arial. In 1939 the Triumph Motor Company went into receivership and the factory, equipment and goodwill were offered for sale. They were sold, but the Second World War stopped production and the Triumph factory was completely destroyed by bombing in 1940.

After the Second World War, what was left of the Triumph Motor Company and the trade name were purchased by the Standard Motor Company. In 1946 the first new Triumph, the 1800 Roadster, was released to directly compete with Jaguar. In 1950 the company decided to use the Triumph name for all sports models and the Standard name for saloon cars. History now says that this was a strategically brilliant move as it signalled the birth of the Triumph TR series cars.

The TR series Triumphs stand as iconic British sports cars that are well known and loved by enthusiasts all over the world. It started back in 1952 when the Triumph 20TS, a prototype sports car which later became known as the TR1, was shown at the London Motor Show. Reactions were mixed, however, Triumph thought they were on to a good thing and the prototype evolved into the TR2 that was subsequently shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1953. Triumph built over 8,500 of these 1991cc 4 cylinder sports cars from 1953 – 1955 and as they say the rest was history. The model evolved into the TR3 (produced from 1955 – 1962), the TR4 (built from 1961 – 1965), the TR4A (built from 1965 – 1967), the TR5 (built from 1967 – 1968) and ultimately the TR6 (1969 – 1976). Subsequent TR models were interesting cars, but it’s fair to say the evolution of the TR2 finished at the TR6.

The Michelotti designed Triumph TR4 was a great success story for Triumph, however, its achilles heel was its handling and relatively harsh ride. As a result the TR4A – IRS was introduced with a newly designed independent rear suspension set up. The TR4A was also available in some markets with the live rear axle set up from the TR4.

 

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