Members Cars
You are invited to show your cars and information in this space. Please send photos and words to Mark via trrdevon@email.com
TR3A - Phil & Tricia Tucker
130 UPJ - I bought this TR in 1971 one wet evening in the Red Lion car park St Columb Major paying £300 for the privilege. It had red paintwork with a purple gray interior. I've used it almost continuously ever since apart form two major rebuilds the first in 1974/5 a full nut bolt and rivet job no welder in those days and being in the RAF had an endless supply of pop rivets) and the second in 1999 where I repaired the body tub properly. Its now covered nearly 400,000miles 325,000 of which in my hands and still going strong but I think its about time for a quick facelift. The car's far from standard, with rack and pinion steering TR6 front suspension, anti roll bars front and rear, big pistons and liners, reworked head, extractor manifold and cruse control. As quick as most TR5's & 6's - ask Laurence Jones.
333 YDE - I built this car in 1989/90 as a pure Classic Trials car. I made the chassis repaired an old body tub and clothed it in fiberglass panels, over the last 22 years she's competed in hundreds of Trials all over the UK. I've broken all the major mechanical components ( not all at once) but always tried to replace any failed part with something stronger, one of the most spectacular failures was the diff on one occasion it expoded with shrapnel type damage to the underside of the body and the rear diff cover being blown open like a bomb. Bill Pigot was my passenger in the 2004 Exeter Trial an experience he never expected on exiting a successful high speed climb of the notoriously bumpy Normans Hump he quietly sat beside me with his head bowed, worrying that he hat that hit his head or injured himself I asked if he was OK – no reply - I asked again looking for somewhere to stop and after a pause his reply quietly came, " Ive never been so frightened in all my life, how can a car – especially a TR3 take that sort of hammering" by the end of the event he was encouraging me to give the car no mercy ending in yet another busted diff on Simms hill. She's only done 38,000 miles since 1990 but most under some extreme conditions, its about time I for me to spruce her up.
TR3S Replica - I have always been a dreamer and this car was one of my mental escapes for years. Now I've built it and driven it around Lemans I am not sure what to do with her, she's lovely to drive on warm summers day but nightmare in the wet…. no hood and the low widescreen sucks the rain into the cockpit like a pressure washer so trips out have to be planed to coincide with good days. I plan to take her racing when I get around to it.
TR3A - John & Janet Down
Here are a couple of photos of our 1958 TR3A. We purchased this car in August 2013. Mods include 2138cc pistons & liners - fast road cam - rack & pinion steering and uprated suspension. I have recently stripped the engine and replaced leaking liner seals and have had cylinder head converted to unleaded fuel. The overdrive was slow to operate so I replaced worn hydraulic pump drive roller, now all fine. Work to be done to bodywork when I have finished re-restoring my 1944 Willys jeep owned since 1984.
TR3A - Chris & Alan Avery
1959 UK registered RHD car in Brooklands Green.Chassis NumberTS/37037-0, Engine number TS37585-E, Engine was rebuilt to 2194cc with fast road Kent Cam, unleaded head, overdrive with logic switch, Rack and Pinion Steering. Electronic Ignition, Kenlowe fan, Oil cooler, brake servo etc . Body off restoration 1999/2000. Most of the work was done for a Mr. Cooper of Dartmouth.
TR3A -Barry Smith
I have a long family History with the Triumph Motor Company. Father was Roy Smith who was Chief Test Drive for Triumph though the development of the 2/3/3a. Grandfather, Frank, worked in engine development and Uncle Alan worked in the competition department. Walter Belgrove was a family friend. I sat for hours in early TR's whilst Father put miles on engines. I've probably done more miles in TR's than anyone left on the planet. Father was also part of the "Turn Left for Tangiers" team driving the proto type Heralds from 9000 miles from Cape Town to Tangiers in 1958.
My 1961 TR3A came to me in 2010. It had been laid up in 1984, stripped for a re-spray that was done, but the car was never put back together. All new leather interior came with it. I got it for a VERY good price and still can't believe my luck. I have to smile at some of the junk on Ebay that is going for more than I paid for my complete car.
TR3A - David Graham
TR4 - John & Kay Blake
TR4A - Frank Summers
UK car in signal red built 9th May 1967 and sold by Carrs Auto Sales in Croydon, Surrey. Date of first registration was 7th February 1968, number TPF 132F.
The car found its way to Hartland, North Devon in the late 80s and I purchased it from the previous owner in October 2009. He'd had it for some 20 years and completed a full body-off restoration just after acquiring it. The car was originally spec'd with a surrey top but this was sold and the car converted to a softtop during the restoration.
The car has also had engine work done by Protek in 1998, involving a full strip down and replacement of worn components including cam chain, tensioners, piston rings, little ends, oil pump etc. At the same time, the flywheel was lightened, the engine balanced, a Moss road cam and race dizzy added, and unleaded conversion carried out.
It was beginning to look a little tired when I took it over in 2009 and I started a rolling restoration and upgrade, the most significant elements of which include body repairs and cosmetic re-spray, uprated front and rear suspension, telescopic rear dampers, new front dampers, poly bushes all round, servo brakes and stainless brake lines, new gearbox and overdrive conversion, new interior trim / hood and twin-choke Dellorto carbs replacing the standard HSUs. I will be replacing the standard exhaust manifold with a 4-branch extractor to maximize the Dellorto potential shortly.
Other additions are wire wheels and a roll-over bar. Future plans include refurbishing the brightwork – the bumpers are currently off the car and will be re-chromed soon.
TR5 - Dennis Hobbs
I first owned a Triumph TR4A when I lived in New Zealand. I was living there from 1966 to 1973. On my return to England I was looking for a TR6 but could only afford a TR5 that was misfiring with an over fuelling fault on the metering unit.
I bought my TR5 from Keenthorne Garage Nether Stowey Nr Bridgwater. The garage was selling it on behalf of the fourth owner Peter Wall. I paid £750 on the 29th August 1973.
We (that is my 5 and I) have spent a lot of time together, so when I married in 1975, I started to refer to her as my mistress. I now look back at my ownership of UGF414F and was not aware of the low production run, which has resulted in them being sought after in today's market place of classic cars. I consider having to settle for a TR5 and not aTR6 as a stroke of luck at that time.
This is how my car looks today. I have carried out many modifications over the years. After 37 years of small modifications and general maintenance, my MOT in 2005 prompted me to start a body off full restoration. This included the Chassis being taken to C T M Engineering.
TR5 - Steve Williams
I have owned RDU 940G since 2007 my 1st classic car. (I have always love the TR5 from when they 1st came out).
The car was fully restored back in 1996 by the previous owner & had not had much use before I bought it but now doing between 3-4k a year.
Over the last 5 years I have been improving & upgrading the 5 a little at a time. Just a few of the things I've done so far. Sorting out the fuel injection system replacing injectors & fuel pump & setting it up properly. Putting a standard 3.45 diff in the car (a 4.1 diff was in it).
Replacing the single speed wiper motor overhauling & fitting the correct 2 speed motor. Putting sound proofing under the carpets (a lot quieter now ) & fitting MX5 seats at the same time. Fitting electronic ignition. just to mention a few. Fixing a leaking fuel tank. Recalibrating the speedo & having it serviced. And still plenty of little jobs to do! An on going labour of love.
TR5 - John & Dominique Sharp
I recently purchased my TR5 from TRGB photos taken at the Butterleigh Inn
TR6 - Martin Lovell
My first TR was a slightly rough TR4A (BNM 232C – British Racing Green) purchased in 1980. With little mechanical knowledge at the time I had to learn very quickly how to work on engines, gearboxes, suspension and body work. This was my only vehicle at the time and I drove it daily and used it in my job as an electrician. In the later years of ownership of this car I started to Hillclimb and Sprint locally with reasonable success winning the Devon TR Hillclimb Trophy in 1985. After 7 years of ownership, a change of house and new family forced the sale of this car to a close friend who occasionally leant it back to me to Hillclimb (carefully of course).
After several years being TR-less I was determined to purchase a TR5 and this was realised when in 1997 I purchased a TR5 (HVG 900F – Signal Red) as a rolling chassis and body with about 30 boxes of parts. The good news was the whole car was there with matching body, engine & gearbox numbers and the Signal Red paint job was top quality. I then decided to build the car to the highest original specification standard that I could, which was helped by an incurable attention to detail and a major case of OCD. After two years the car was finished and in July 1999 it won the TR5 Standard Class at the TR International Concours event at Malvern. After this, the car was featured on the front page of Classic & Sports Car magazine in October 1999 with a 6 page spread inside and was also featured in their 2000 calendar. Sadly in November 2000 due to personal circumstances the car had to be sold and years of not being able to own a TR followed.
With an insatiable appetite to own a TR in September 2005 I purchased a TR6 (YPH 32G – Sapphire Blue) which had undergone a full nut and bolt rebuild in 1995 but not to the standard I would like, plus the car was looking a bit tired throughout. I therefore spent the next 4 winters rebuilding each element of the car and this culminated with a full body re-spray in April 2010. Numerous up rating enhancements have been made to the car whilst keeping it looking as original as possible. The enhancements include; Bosch high pressure fuel pump, optical electronic ignition system, 6 branch tubular sports manifold, stainless steel sports exhaust system, up-rated gearbox, lowered up-rated springs, adjustable gas shock absorbers, poly bushes and MX5 seats. I continue to enjoy the car taking it on regular TR Devon Group outings in the UK and abroad
TR6 - Graham Vaggers
TR6 - Kevin & Jean Byrne
TR6 - John & Mo Vincent
TR6 - Nigel Cattlin
My car is a 1970 TR6, 150BHP fuel injected UK model and I have owned the car since early 2008. As far as I know it has never had a major rebuild and runs on the original engine at a recorded 90,000 miles. It has only a sketchy history until the previous owner acquired it in 2005. Since then it has had a bare metal respray about 7 years ago and more recently a new gearbox, overdrive, Bosch fuel pump, metering unit, injectors etc and a canvas hood and leather seats to replace the well worn originals. I think that it is a good honest car in usable, but not pristine, condition.
TR6 - Peter Brookes
I bought a 1971 white 150hp TR6 from Bath yesterday. Tatty in places but on the road so a rolling restoration project. The car is complete but the hood is shot, interior needs work and it could do with a respray. The bloke I bought it from used to work for Classics Weekly, and the car has been written up in that, and he is now assistant editor of Classics Monthly.
I had the chassis shot blasted, welded the reinforcing plates on the front suspension and diff mounts, then had it powder coated. The rear suspension/diff/half shafts are all assembled and I thought I had finished the front suspension until I had doubts about the fulcrum bracket over the weekend. I will now have to partially disassemble the front again to put this right. The plan is to have the rolling chassis completed by next weekend then roll that out and bring the body tub into the garage and start on the bottom of that. It has already been bead blasted and etch primed. This revealed quite a bit of pigeon shit welding and some dreadful repairs which I will have to sort out before it goes to the body builders.
As you can see by the new photos he is on target, the chassis and running gear is all fitted and he has rested the body on for the next part of the project.
FINISHED.....
TR6 - Chris & Louise Musselwhite
TR6 - Derek & Barbara Hill
XNX176H Built 10/03/1970 colour damson, with extras of wire wheels, overdrive and heater. The car was originally supplied to the Triumph dealer P.J Evans of Birmingham.
Then in October of 1975 it was Re-registered in the Isle of Man with a Registration number MAN138G. It had a Body restoration the latter part of 1983.
The next recorded owner was Mr Archer of Wallasey Merseyside this was in 1989.
In 1992 Now registered XNX176H it was restored and had a change of colour to signal red for the owner Dr Eastwood by TR Bitz. Then in 2000 XNX176H had moved to Glasgow where the engine had a total rebuild. In 2003 XNX176H was back in Wallasey with a Mr Randall.
We first owned XNX176H in March 2004, purchasing it from TR Bitz.
Since 2004 I have fitted Poly bushes and Spax shock absorbers to front and rear suspension, MX5 seats, Revotec cooling fan, Lumenition electronic ignition
TR6 - Derek & Janet Hurford
My first TR was a TR4A FCO375D obtained in 1975 some years later while travelling with my Irish setter bitch by my side, she tried to catch a falling leaf hitting me on the head nearly knocking me out, irresponsible owner then, yes. I sadly sold it just after and bought a MGB GT, regret that ever since? You bet.
My next TR was in the early 1980s, a TR7 FH coupe auto taken in part exchange when selling my 924. This wasn't kept long and no further TR's until November the 5th 1999 when at a fire work party Phil Tucker turned up in his recently rebuild TR3a, looking absolutely fabulous. Having travelled in his drop head TR7 on the odd occasional trip with Phil to a Pub, I asked what are you doing with the 7? Selling it was the reply and a cheque was issued and the 7 was mine.
In 2009 I obtained ARW354K a 1972 TR6, although originally Damson, in 1991 following an extensive refurbishment, including many replacement parts it was changed to Carmine Red. This colour is now being retained with the car currently having another refurbished, the wings, bonnet and boot lid are being re attached as I write.
I have used my TR as often as I can. My wife and I have traveling all over the UK as well as Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain , Belgium and France travelling around 30,000 miles in the 7 and 16,000 plus in the 6. I take every opportunity when the weather is good, (not wet) to enjoy a pleasant run with the top down. We often spend a day with one or the other of my daughters and their respective partners taking the 7 with my wife and me in the 6.
TR6 - David Johnson
I bought my first TR6 in 1976, a 1975 Mimosa car with a black hardtop and a Webasto sun-roof JDV 872N. It had been owned by a Sister at Torbay Hospital and had only done 8,500 miles. It was as new. I owned the car through the summer of 1976 taking full enjoyment of the weather, though as the car did not have a soft-top, one had to be careful. After eighteen months of ownership I sold to the TR centre in Lexham Mews in Kensington for £2,450, slightly more than I had originally paid for it. It was replaced by a long wheel based Landrover. For some time I had considered buying a classic car and fancied an AC Ace. During 2006 I gave this serious consideration but by then the Ace at £35,000 to £50,000 seemed far too much to pay for just a 'toy'. I now perhaps wish I had bought one as they are selling for over £100,000! The alternative I considered, having had one in the past and enjoyed it, was a TR6. I bought my current TR6 in 2006, FIJ 8430. This was the first car I looked at but not the only car I saw. It had been re-built in Northern Ireland in 1998. Apart from the Mini-Lite replica wheels, Moss seats and Bosch pump, it was a standard 1974 125hp car. In 2008 I bought another engine and had it re-built and bored out to 2700 litres. In addition it was balanced and fitted with a gas flow head. This was installed in lieu of the original engine with the further addition of an oil cooler, hotter cam, and various other upgrades. Since then I have steadily updated the car and have now got to the point where perhaps the only remaining item to be changed are the suspension bushes. I always thought the side-screen cars were appealing and decided, with most of the Devon Group cars being TR6s; it would be nice to have something different. When I started to look in 2010 it was clear that prices were beginning to shoot up. After looking at a few cars, most of which had obvious welding and repairs, I bought an early 90's re-built car which though solid, had suffered from recent neglect. I bought it in November 2010 in Dumfries, Scotland and drove it home that same month in one day without an operating heater, or the side-screens fitted. It was a journey I will remember! The car with its unaltered 1991 engine proved totally reliable for two seasons. Last winter I took the engine out and along with the various ancillaries, it was up-graded to a 2300cc unit. It is now run in and performing with some verve. For now I will run the car as a slightly scruffy useable car.. I do intend one day though to give it a better re-build and create a car that is immaculate with the majority of sensible up-grades.
TR6 - Alan Burgess
I'd always wanted a TR6, even before I could drive and finally, as my third car, I succeeded.
My first TR6 NEW276M was bought from Malcolm Freeman, a member of Cornwall Group, 1982 for £1900, we ran it for 3 years and sold to a couple from Newquay for £1500. We had great fun with this car but with having to drive it for work as well as pleasure; I ended up spending most weekends doing running repairs ready for the following week.
I did a Bosch fuel pump conversion, supplied by Martin's Fuel Injection, and the 7" Wolfrace were a roadside swap with someone from Plymouth.
NEW276M was replaced with a family friendly and reliable BMW 3 Series.
A number of years later, I rejoined the TR Register and as well as enjoying the magazine, kept an eye on TR's for sale. After the birth of our third child, Claire, we happened to be going to visit my Dad who lived in Emsworth and there just happened to be TR6 for sale in Salisbury (which we passed through) so we called in to have a look and I just happened to agree to buy it. LUY224N became my second TR6. It hadn't run for 5 years but was a good project – which was all I could afford!
Here is a picture from 1994, with our second child Neil, looking somewhat bemused. I initially did a lot of work on this car with repairs to the floors and inner wings, new sills, B posts, rear deck and quarters and I was able to buy 4 new wings two re-skinned doors and a boot lid all for £260 – those were the days! I've rebuilt the suspension and brakes and lots of other mechanical bits. But once more, work was getting in the way and things started to slow down.
Neil was 6 in this picture, he's now 27, and the car is still my project and it'll still have to wait until I retire!
Then one day, I was browsing the cars for sale on line and came across FXF767H being advertised.
Wow, an original Torquay car that was located on my doorstep. The description started 5,344 miles from new, one owner and part of a lady's private collection, alongside her Bentley and Rolls Royce and Jeep and her yacht etc. Sadly, she had passed away and all these were up for sale - except it turned out to be a disputed will which took 41/2 years to resolve but I persevered and kept in touch with various solicitors over the years until I eventually bought the TR6 with a sealed bid.
I had the car re-commissioned by Neil Revington, including a full engine rebuild - with everything kept as standard. The only modifications from original are modern tyres, a stainless steel exhaust, halogen headlights and an electronic ignition.(oh,and an anti-theft and tracking device..) .
Now, whenever the sun is shining, we go out in the car, rather than do work on LUY and, as a result, FXF has now got over 15,000 miles on the clock!
TR6 - John Taylor
I bought my TR6 about 5 years ago from just over the border in Somerset. I have always wanted one as I just love the sound and smoothness of a straight 6, I did have a GT6 in my youth but this was sold to help towards the deposit on out first house.
Despite having gone over it thoroughly prior to purchase it soon started to become apparent that everything was not quite as I would wish. The first problem was with the modified overhead throttle linkage adjustment. As Powderham was imminent I decided to go and find the TR Register to ask if anybody could advise me and was introduced to Dennis Hobbs who had the same linkage fitted to his TR5. Dennis was most helpful then and during the years since and has become a firm friend.
The next winter I decided to strip all the brakes and suspension and rebuild it to my satisfaction including new Kunifer pipes and Superpro bushes.
During the winter following I had come to the conclusion that the car really needed overdrive which it did not have, and as I needed to get the gearbox out to sort out a noisy bearing thought that I might just as well add the overdrive at the same time. A suitable donor 2.5PI gearbox/overdrive was obtained and then the fun started. I rebuilt my gearbox and added the overdrive, fortunately the main shaft from the 2.5 was the correct one, however the tail casting was not so the 2.5 mounting was retained and a new mounting assembly fabricated to suit the TR chassis thus saving a considerable amount of money for the purchase of a new tail casting.
The following Summer was fraught with fuelling problems with the car grinding to a halt after 30 minutes driving and refusing to start for sometime. One day arriving home thoroughly frustrated having had the problem again I decided that the only course of action was to strip out the complete fuel system from stem to stern and see if the solution came to light. Curious as to why the fuel tank rattled I shone a torch in to it and there in the bottom was the culprit ------ a washer. This must have sloshed over in to the swirl pot when I filled up and partially blocked the outlet. Happy that I had found the problem all was re assembled including new pipes.
Due to a clonk on take up this winter has been spent stripping all the drive shafts and diff. New U/J's were fitted to the prop shaft and new half shafts purchased from Proptech due to play in the splines. The diff was stripped and revealed badly worn thrust washers and bearings. Also the planet gears were pitted and had to be replaced. To remove the crown wheel assembly necessitated making a special tool to spread the diff case. Time will tell whether I have done it correctly.
TR6 - Paul & Pauline Moggridge
TR7 V8 - Steve Daykin
I have jointly owned the TR7 since 1988. It was subject to a full restoration between 1990 and 1993 (approx.) and then in the mid 2000 (circa 2005) a Rover Vittesse ( around 200bhp with racing cam) engine was fitted. We have sought to keep the car looking original and with the modifications being under the skin. It was when I renewed my insurance and gave the insurers the current mileage that it brought it home (having only done 200 miles in it last year) that I'm not getting out in it enough.
