Guest longjohn Posted June 22, 2004 Report Share Posted June 22, 2004 I used to run a small bodyshop in the mid 80.s retoring mostly MGB, but a chap walked in one day and asked me to look a his car he was having problems with, the car turned out to be what looked like a cross between a TR4 and TR6, it had pop up headlights and an elongated boot which looked way out of proportion, it also had a very cramped cockpit, the engine was a 6 cyl with triple SU,s, i believe he tried to obtain info from Triumph but they denied knowing anything about it. After all these years and now me being a TR owner i would be intersted if anyone has any information on this car or does somone here own it. John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duncan Jolly Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 This car is most likely 6206 VC, chassis X684, engine W 3156 HE, originally registered as a TR4 on 18th Jan 1963. The car has in recent years been well documented in various Classic magazines and TRaction following it’s rebuild a few years ago. I first came across the car in the spring of 1981 when the then owner a Mr Richard Bath of Stoke on Trent contacted me, asking for help in researching its origin. At the time it was red. Accompanying Richard’s letter was a copy of the log book clearly showing ownership by Triumph sales ltd from 1963 to 1966 and then Standard Triumph Ltd from 1966 to 1968 when it was sold to an Alec Holder via Tom Byatts garage in Stoke on Trent. The Standard Triumph signature is one Mr Raymond. Richard also included a copy of a letter from a Mr Ian A Robinson public relations manager of Rover Triumph dated July 74 to Anthony Chidlow, (who I believe is still in the Register and may shed some more light), stateing that the car was most probably a prototype for the “Fury” modified in 1968 with a GT6 engine. Anthony was invited to display the car at an exhibition of Triumph prototypes being displayed that year at the Coventry museum. I wonder if he did? Richard obtained the car in 1979. On my suggestion Richard brought 6206 VC to the International at Donnington where we had several other special TR’s on display including the then Willhire owned TRS. Graham Robson was present and we hoped that he may be able to shed some light on the cars history. Unfortunately Graham was not familiar with the car erred on the side of caution by saying it was most likely a post Triumph conversion and not a prototype. Richard was most upset by this and left immediately and soon after sold the car. Subsequently I believe Graham has reassessed the car and it has been declared a prototype. Hope this helps Duncan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest longjohn Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Thanks Duncan, this is in fact the car i worked on, as the chap who walked in my workshop that day was Richard Bath, i did not know it at the time but he was the brother of a friend of mine, Bob Bath. The car had head gasket trouble which i changed plus a rocker arm which looked fractured, while it was in the workshop he asked my opinion on whether i thought it was a genuine works prototype, after a good look around the car i have to say i thought it was genuine, there were non of the usual tell tail signs of a converted car and it really did look like it had been built this way from scratch, so im pleased to find that it is proberbly a prototype as i felt at the time i was sticking my neck out, Richard left rubbing his hands convinced it was genuine and i have wondered ever since whether i should have built his hopes up. Would be interesting to know where it is now, i will get in touch with Richard , see if he can come up with anything. Many Thanks.... John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duncan Jolly Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 John, pleased i could help. Please let me know if you hear from Richard as i have always felt a little responsible for his "put down" for want of a better expression by Graham Robson at Donnington all those years ago. I know Richard was very disappointed at the time to hear from the "expert" that his car was not an original, and I can only imagine how he must have felt subsequent to selling the car to learn that he was right all along. Just shows that even experts can get it wrong. Perhaps if I had not convinced Richard to come to Donnington he may still have the car. For what it is is worth I always believed it was a genuine prototype. I think, but am not certain it was restored by Revingtons. I still have a copy of the letters and the log book. Foolishly I never took any photo's Duncan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chris turner Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 The car is now for sale at Sherwood restorations and recently featured in a classic car magazine alongside the TR4 owned by White Rose group leader Brian Whittle.Previous to this it belonged to Register member Ken Chisolm. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest longjohn Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 Thanks Chris.. Good to hear its still out and about John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duncan Jolly Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 I have been speaking with a contact at Sherwoods today. There is a possibility this car will be taken down to the International Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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