Alan Cochrane Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 Jim I was in the same boat as you. Looking for a minter costing squillions or a resto project. In the end I broke all the rules of car buying -I bought an imported TR250, unseen off a bloke on Ebay for £7k. To be fair it looked just as bad in the flesh as it did in the numerous photos I had seen. It was an ex-Arizona car which had been subject to an abandoned restoration. It did come with a complete spare, rust free rear body tub and bumper. The coolest thing was the "Redstone Arsenal" front bumper sticker, which I suspect is not about the local supporters of a certain North London Club. There also seems to be copious amounts of sand in the chassis-was this some form of export only rust proofing? Joking aside I think the previous posts are spot on-the UK market has virtually dried up and the US is probably your best bet for a resto project. I know some people look down their noses at a TR250/TR5 hybrid but as long as you don't try and pass it off as the genuine article, I don't see a problem. Cheers Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 As long as you are assembling it onto a straight chassis sitting flat then there is no reason for it not to come out OK with good gaps.After all that is your jig to build it on. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Ashworth Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 Hi Jim, I would echo Alan's notes above. I have TR250 which looks frightening for a resto project, but when you look closely, it's a lot better than you would think. It has a fair few bits missing and it doesn't have the original engine either, but I have to say that there is something special about it that is indefinable. I am about to start it in the next few months. I'm not going to strip and rebuild it totally, but do a clean and solid job and get it on the road to TR5 spec. It will have no bumpers and a fairly unique paint job - not one for the purists, but a hell of a lot of fun to blast out on those sunny evenings. They are now hard to come by, but you may get lucky, and you may even get lucky with a TR5, but whilst waiting for a 5, you could be playing with a 250. All the best. Dave. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tomtr250 Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Alan/Dave I'm with you! I'm building my canadian 250 to 5 spec but it will always be a 250 whatever, like Alan, I took a punt and bought it cold from photos, I can't say it was as good as it looked in the photos but there are times in life when you have to gamble, that said I'm still very happy as the important bits are exceptional, you will see from my thread that the chassis is done, I'm collecting bits amd I'll start rebuilding later in the year. Regards Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 I would never PI a 250 waste of time and money. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 TRIUMPH did something of a disfavour to its American customers by splitting the production between the P.I. and the carbureted, emissions compliant cars. Everyone wants the higher performing versions and deprecates the slower ones, rendering their values practically in the gutter ( the TR250 has graduated to the curb perhaps ). If you want the actual car, then the '250 is a bargain still. A set of Weber DCOEs, cam change and c/r increase will bring it right up to TR5 performance. This fact is still a well kept secret over here, and the American TR6 field is helter-skelter with myriad modification recipes ( predominately bone-headed ) to get there otherwise. This reality is likely attributable to the fact that such power requires either a supercharger or high duration camshaft, the latter of which will guarantee failure to comply with emissions regulations that are just now timing out of existence ( California still manacles the last year or so of TR6s ), effectively keeping a lid on this until recently. I'm fine with '250s as all I ever wanted was the actual car. I guess I've done 150,000 miles on mine so far, most of which on Webers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Cochrane Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 I'm glad to see there are some like-minded people out there. I don't agree that it's a waste of time rebuilbing a 250 to 5 spec. I reckon with the way 5 prices are heading for the stratosphere the 250 PI will become a very cost effective option. I'm not doing this rebuild in order to sell it on, but to enjoy the driving experience. Would you really buy a TR5 for £40k plus when for the same money you could have a very nice E-Type S2 roadster or for a few £k more an S1 roadster- I know what I'd buy-and did. I also intend starting a complete resto on the TR250 in the coming summer. I've collected most of the important conversion bits already-steering rack, NOS cylinder head, O/D gearbox and complete fuel injection kit. These will also need rebuilding. The car came minus the interior, but if it's anything like the state of the rest of the car then that's a bonus. On close inspection the car is very solid with only surface rust on the chassis-the sand must be effective rust proofing after all! Most of the chromework is saveable. The driver's door has received some sort of accident damage since it's full of filler but the chassis appears straight. I managed to buy a TR250 driver's door from a bloke in Holland via fleabay. It's very solid and only requires minor work. I'm going for old English White with a red interior and everything else pretty much standard. I've always thought the TR4/4a/250/5 looked classy in that combination. Tom I'd be interested to hear how you get on with your resto. A problem shared is a problem halved as they say. Cheers Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Alan It is your car, so do to it as you wish ,I stand by what I said you will devalue a 250 by trying to make it something it is not.As for the driving experience ? get it sorted right and you will not tell the difference. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snowric Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Alan, I bought a TR5 instead of an E-type or Healey. Rare, more practical, smaller, cheaper to run, can use it on historic rallies AND PRETTIER ! Just my opinion and am sure your e-type is beautiful. Snowy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tomtr250 Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Hi Alan My 250 is on hold at the moment but I intend to keep the thread running as work progresses, mine came with a knackered carpets and trim but the matador red seats are in amazing condition, the car was white with red originally. Like you I'm collecting bits, the motor in the car is a tr6 PI bottom end, how that found its way to canada I have no idea, it's an early engine number probably 1969/70, so in essence when I rebuild it it will be full PI spec Good luck with the resto Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Hi Alan, Just wondering why P.I. vs. triple Webers ? Is it the rarity of the Lucas P.I.? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Cochrane Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 I always thought my GT6 was a bit of a pig to work on-always fighting back when you were trying to fix or improve something. That was until I bought the E-Type, It truly is an evil b******d! Imagine a car where you have to take out the headlights and fuel tank just to remove the bumpers-I kid you not. Someone on the E-Type Forum said this is the downside of owning the most beautiful car ever built. Anyway I chose fuel injection mainly because I always wanted to fit it to my GT6 and never quite managed it. In the end I settled for twin HS6 carburettors. I have the basic tuning equipment for it as well. I also have no experience of Webers and they seem to be rather complicated to set-up. I've read numerous reports on the difficulties of keeping triple Webers balanced-triple SUs are much easier to look after. My wife is actually to blame for all this. She suggested I buy a restoration project for my retirement. The only problem is my retirement is still a long way off. I would've started the resto already if the GT6 & E-Type didn't continue to demand my attention, but hopefully this will change shortly. I'll keep you posted. Cheers Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
openroad Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Hi alan, it seems like you are still building that e type, with the tr 250, waiting in the wings.....Still a pig to work on too ! you will find the 250,fairly plain sailing after that, i reckon. Hope all is well, Conrad. Sounds like you and tom are on the same track.He is a good bloke and knows his stuff,...This forum is a source of inspiration to us all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Cochrane Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 Hi Conrad Good to hear from you again. I'm not so much re-building the E-Type as doing small jobs on it and uncovering previous owners bodges-nothing serious but annoying nonetheless. I'm actually trying to return the car to as close to it's original spec as possible. Although the scary original S1 front brakes will not be making a re-appearance. It's actually the GT6 that is demanding most of my time. This is mainly my own fault. I've added so many upgrades to the car that in order to do any job-like removing the radiator I have to take out the fan, thermostats, horns etc etc. As a result I'm determined to keep the TR250 resto as standard as possible in order to avoid this. Only "sensible" mods will be allowed. Unfortunately I can't get into it's lock-up at the moment since the Council have kindly erected scaffolding in front of the door in order to carry out roof repairs. At least I won't have to worry about the 250 being nicked! Cheers Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pfenlon Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 I would never PI a 250 waste of time and money I did, it was OK too. I also enjoyed doing it, after I bought my TR5 and was so impressed with the engine power, it seemed a waste of time NOT to PI my 250. But we all have differing ideas, I also sold the TR5 and don't regret it at all. spot the difference Quote Link to post Share on other sites
roy53 Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 What annoys me are those who go PI and then fit TR5 badges. OK i have a 5 but if i had a 250 i would fit webers and be just as happy. just my opinion of corse. Roy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Anybody know what it made? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Not published yet Neil, I checked earlier. Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alanwcoote Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Kin el £15,750 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marko Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 It was £14,500 under the hammer so £15,370 all in with commission and VAT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 It was £14,500 under the hammer so £15,370 all in with commission and VAT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TRTOM2498PI Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Nice margin. !....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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