Very early TR2 in Denmark

[niels v]

I just wanted to share this picture of a TR2 I saw yesterday at a carshow here.

I had not ever expected that such a old tr would be in Denmark, the owner had had it for 20 odd years.

It is TS 5 L

[vivdownunder]

Records show that very early car was built on 14 August 1953 with engine TS7E. It started out in Ice Blue with leather trim & weather equipment both in Geranium. Originally shipped to California, but more recently known to be in Denmark where you saw it.

[fordfiesta]

Over 30 years ago, I spoke with Larry Reed, who later founded Larry Reed Sports Cars in Los Angeles and in the 1980s was the next-door neighbor of a good friend. In the 1950s, he worked for either Dorothy Deen (Western US Triumph distributor). Looking at my scruffy TR3A, he reminisced about the day that the first truck load of TR2s arrived at the dealership. TS5 was very probably among these, and he said that the staff at the dealership were quite shocked at the low serial numbers of the cars that had arrived.

 

All cars received in that first load had commission numbers that were single-digit or double-digit under TS20 or thereabouts. He also mentioned that everyone wondered what they'd gotten themselves into: ordering and receiving an early batch of cars from a manufacturer in the U.K. that was almost unknown at the time in the US. He reported that they also wondered about whether the cars would be reliable (being early-production) and whether there would be a market for them, even in car-crazed Southern California.

 

We like to look back at the history of our cars as a well-defined timeline of events that unrolled in a predictable and logical order, but at the time TS5 landed in the US, the future of Triumph cars here was uncertain, financially risky, and yet still a bright and shining possibility for the future.

[Dave Larnder]

Hi fordfiesta

I saw and photographed TS11 at Morges, Switzerland 3 years ago and the notice board with it said it was exhibited at the Paris Motor Show the year it was sold.

 

Dave

[vivdownunder]

True - the 1953 Paris Motor Show car finished in White with Geranium leather and weather equipment

 

Viv

[Dave Larnder]

True - the 1953 Paris Motor Show car finished in White with Geranium leather and weather equipment

 

Viv

 

Quite right Viv the photos I have prove that.

 

Dave

[niels v]

Yes it definitely showed traces of ice blue in the engine compartment but the geranium interior was changed.

The windshield seemed to have a bit more inclin than a regular Tr2.

We can only be happy to that they took the chance and made these

Edited March 30, 2018 by niels v

[Kavco]

Hi Nils, lovely car. Can you share the body numbers as I am tracing the early TR2s. I have just completed restoration on a TR3 and I am looking for an early TR2 now to purchase.

regards,

brendan(Ireland)

[stuart]

1 hour ago, Kavco said:

Hi Nils, lovely car. Can you share the body numbers as I am tracing the early TR2s. I have just completed restoration on a TR3 and I am looking for an early TR2 now to purchase.

regards,

brendan(Ireland)

Here you go Brendan https://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/84191-mr-paul-morris/&tab=comments#comment-802798

Stuart.

[Dic Doretti]

I think some of the early Swallow Dorettis received early TR engines. Sir John Black's Doretti was the first production car and received TS1E, probably a special case but the first Doretti prototype  received TS4E. Dorothy Deen was given the second prototype and probably another early engine but was replaced with a V8 in the american tradition!

Cheers 

Richard