Driving gloves! hahahaha!😂 I say old chap, what was that thunderous blur that just overtook us? I’m not sure, Percy, perhaps, it was a, 1966, Hemi, Belvedere! I say, that chap is quite mad!😂 He blew the rust completely off the undercarriage of my fine British sports car! Look out Percy, here comes a GT40, dear God, Thurston! I spilled my tea!😮
As an Englishman (who doesn't speak anything like that by the way!) That's a very good impression of the upper class from a fifties B movie but funny non the less. Today's equivalent would be a couple of 19 year old chavs in a mapped out, lowered Corsa with 19" low pros and a 10" diameter tailpipe! Changing times.
My next door neighbor had a '67 TR4-A, and was going to sell it to me (for $100!!) to pay for a Kawasaki 500 2-stoke triple motorcycle. It was 1974 and I was about to get my license, and I really wanted that car. Right before I was to buy it the hood was up in the driveway and he told me I better come take a look. The plugs were out and when he cranked it water came flying out one of the cylinders. "Sorry Tom, I'm just gonna junk it. It's too far gone". Just like that it was gone and I was heartbroken. Looking back it was a blessing in disguise as I ended up with a '70 Plum Crazy 383 4-speed Super Bee a few months later. I can still smell that Triumph leather interior though...
@@mexicanspec If I recall it was a cracked block. I spoke with a Triumph mechanic decades later who told me it does happen to these engines but was not a death sentence either. It was repairable. What Steve said about cheap steel was on full display on that TR4-A. Think about it, that car was around 8 years old at the time and had long ago started being consumed by nature. It was ratty by then but still oh so cool! A real wood dash, Smiths gauges, and real leather seats are still intoxicating to me. It made my 16yr old self oblivious to the fact it was a rust bucket. Come to think about it though, My Super Bee was only 8 when the quarters were rusting out around the wheel wells. All hail the NYC DOT and their addiction to salt in the wintertime!
Morning Steve You're not going to believe this but when I was in high school 11th or 12th grade My older brother had a TR4 he bought brand new and God bless him rest his soul he let me borrow that car I would go out and beat the hell out of it drag racing doing all kinds of stuff Man older brothers are great May he rest in peace
This is a very interesting, engaging, and addictive video concept. I love these videos. The juxtaposition of all the magazines and models from when the car was brand new from the factory to the corpse that lies in front of us at the junkyard, rotting back into the earth is like poetry.
I had a friend in high school that was heavily into British cars. So much so, his brother and dad all got into them back in the day. My friend had a TR7 and a few TR6s. I haven't spoken to him in a number of years, but I believe he still has them. To say they (the cars at least) were quirky was an understatement.... The TR4-A was made at Triumph's Coventry, England facility. British Leyland (as Triumph would merge into later on) was a sordid organization with a spotty labor history and quality record. Many times, changes would be made on the fly and parts were hard to figure out for them. They would have "approximate" date breaks for changes of parts and you almost had to physically match things to be sure at times. The TR4-A was offered from 1965 to 1967. Yes, there were usually stickers on the car that read, "Caution: Positive Earth". The British have a way with words, especially on warning labels or "workshop" manuals. The foreword in their parts books reads like a preamble: "Whilst every effort has been made to ensure an effective parts catalogue, BL reserves the right to make changes at any juncture in time". Wrenches are spanners. Swarf is debris. Gasoline is petrol. Ground is earth. Oil pans are sumps. Removing is withdrawing the part. Service parts are spares. A dealer is a garage. I once helped a lady from England with a Trans Am. She was an older lady, very proper and it was odd that would drive a 1979 Trans Am, but she found the car's acceleration quite "smashing" as she put it. She would say, "Dear, forgive me. I know the terms used in America are different." I'd joke her, "Nah, we ruined the language". She'd have a laugh at it. Back then, a VIN was called a "Commission Number" by the British. Eventually, it was standardized as time went on. But, no VIN can't win, but would be something like CTC for Triumph TR4-A and then the production sequence. An "L" after the sequence denotes a left hand drive vehicle and an "O" denotes an overdrive transmission. The lack of the "L" is for right hand drive or what the British call a "home market" vehicle. No tag, can't brag, but possibly (originally) code 97066 White exterior paint. The closest yellow is code 34 Jasmine Yellow, but that doesn't appear to be available on a TR4-A originally, but who knows. The British have been known to go "rogue" at times.
My father had 2 E-Type Jaguars, one had wire wheels and one (a V-12 convertible) with steel wheels. The owners manual referred to removing the “Knave Plates”. Hub caps.
Though just as many U.S. cars have their oddities, I like the saying: "Made with the highest degree of British attention paid...to THE WRONG DETAIL". Thanks as always for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
Oh and lets not forget how our British friends call "fenders" "guards". Hmmm, Paul McCartney and FENDERS doesn't have the same ring (Wings?) to it. Oh, I noticed your Pete Townsend reference the other day (Eminence Front). I'm a huge Who / Townsend fan and have "Tommy" on cassette in my shower room. That tape gets played hundreds of times a year and is still going strong. As for Pete, his albums "White City", "All The Best Cowboys" and "Empty Glass" are favorites of mine. The song "Slip Skirt" is a good one. -Steve Magnante
One of my more vivid live concert memories of all time - The Who at the St. Paul Civic Center circa 1982 - 1983. During the long musical intro to Baba O’Reilly, the stage is dark except for a single spotlight shining on Roger Daltrey who is at the back of the stage running in place. He stays just like that, running in place, until the point at which the lyrics kick in and he RUNS to the front of the stage and breaks into the song with a perfect clear voice! How a guy who was close to 50-something-years-old at the time could pull that off I have NO idea - suffice to say I’d be wheezing and gasping for air………😮
All joking aside, I grew up with, British ,and Italian, sports cars! MG midgets, MGB’s, Austin Healey’s, Triumph TR’s, Jaguars! Alfa Romeo’s ! They were loads of fun on curves, and Who doesn’t love the growl of the TR6? The Austin Healey was a incredible car! My mother dated a man that had one! He took me for a ride in it, I was just seven years old , it left an indelible impression on me! I’ve always wanted to try the, TR8, but have never seen one in the wild! Anyway, great video, as Always Steve!
I drove an Austin Healey to school. That's the one car that I miss the most 😢 All the other boys were driving Camaros and Cutlass' and Mustangs and all that. Which I did appreciate, but they scoffed at my little Healey, much out of pure ignorance 😁. . While the kids were all gathered around looking at the shiny chrome engine parts on the Camaros, all the teachers and even the coach would be interested in my little British car. And offering to buy it. The quarterback with the 69 Z28 got jealous because his coach liked my car better. So naturally he challenged me to a race 😏 I accepted because, of course I did. . "Red light to Red light" at a place we called "The mile". Which was a strip of Alabama state highway 269, AKA "Birmingport road". I just knew that I was going to get absolutely smoked but I hoped by racing him that I'd be respected and accepted so to speak, to their little group. Well, it didn't work out that way. When the kid dropped the rag we took off and I kept waiting for him to blow past me.. he didn't. I got him by about 3 car lengths. Had it been a quarter mile he'd have caught me easily. When I drove back to where we were all parked, the kid was PISSED OFF!!! All red faced and naming off a list of excuses as to why he lost that race. It seriously hurt his fee-fee's for real and he couldn't stand me at all. As a matter of fact I had to try and avoid him after that, in fear of him wanting to fight me. Hurt his ego and embarrassed him in front of all his buddies. We even got in trouble at school for racing because we did it right after school, before we went home. Which somehow made it within the schools jurisdiction. Which made it worse because literally everyone knew that Mike Masons Austin Healey had outran H Taylor's Z28. 😁 Poor kids dad apparently never told him that his 3 speed transmission with his highway geared rear end wouldn't do him any favors on a drag strip... 😊 I'll never forget that day and I guarantee Mr. Taylor won't either.
@@lilmike2710 Unlike some other performance Chevys, the 1969 Z/28 would have come with a 4spd transmissions equipped with a Hurst shifter from the factory. It should also be noted that the 1969 Z/28 was never offered with a three-speed manual or an automatic. Of course we know later on they were offered that way During the decal muscle car era! That boy either didn’t have a legitimate Z/28 or he just couldn’t drive! He should have whomped your butt, even red light to red light! I watched my mom whomp her, Austin Healey driving boyfriends ass, on the way home from my eighth birthday party,in her, 327, 4spd 1964 Chevelle and it was heavier that that, Z/28! Mom new how to power shift though, she’d smash them gears with the best of them! She had a, 1963 SS, 4spd,409 Impala, before the, Chevelle, she said, she preferred the Chevelle, red light to red light! She did have the 327 300 HP though, with 4:10 posi! Although those 302’s really shined at about 3000 rpm up ,which didn’t make them that great off the line,red light to red light,That kid couldn’t drive, was probably the issue! Or maybe daddy, detuned it, or restricted his secondary or something! That said ,I think it’s cool as hell that you schooled that guy! I would’ve paid to see the look on his face! Either way, I LOVE ,LOVE THE AUSTIN HEALEY! Chrome, don’t make it go! My mom’s boyfriends Austin Healey was, black with ,black interior, what a beautiful car! Had they been on a tight turn road course, he would given her a run for her money! Just saying!
@@jeffreycarleton1535 thanks for noting. But I never said it was factory nor was it important for me to do so. It was also white which was not the original color. And a 327 even though it had a 302 badge on the cowel. His dad built the car and put the Three speed and high ratio gears to keep him out of trouble. The way I found all this out was because we got in trouble at school. It was a private school and our parents got called to come to the gym and lecture all of us. Kid hated me after that. My AH was light and very quick though. Man I miss that little car. I have a Miata that I bought a couple months ago that I've fallen in love with but it's not as cool as my Austin was
I figured his Dad did it ! Still love the fact that the Healey whomped him! Best wishes, with the Mazda! I still see, Austin Healey’s, on Mecum or Barrett Jackson every so often,very rarely though! That Miata is, fun ,fun, fun! Dependable too! Best wishes!
@ Jeffrey the only downfall is the parts for these vehicles are really hard to come by. Around the corner where I’m at here in San Diego this guy don’t know him has moved his Black Convertible around the neighborhood Triumph For Sale . No Takers being here by the Border there is no interest for these vehicles. Really Clean also. 🤷♂️
I love the comment about British steel not being very resistant to rust. As an Englishman I know EXACTLY what you mean! Probably only the Italian and early japanese imports did a better job of rust non prevention!
Fiat used lower quality soviet steel as part of the deal to supply the Fiat 124 design to the USSR. The Hyundai Pony was notorious for rust in Canadian winters, I read somewhere they were made with recycled steel from boats.
Back in HS when I was driving and A/Healey, there was a chick in the 12th grade who had a 1970 Fiat Spider? I think it was a spider, I know it was a Fiat tho... Anyways, that thing would rust right in front of your eyes 🤣 you could hear it rusting 😂 Seriously though, that one school year I remember her dad chasing rust spots on that thing and couldn't figure out why. I was barely 17 and I didn't know from cheap metal or anything so I figured it was just bad paint and primers. But by the end of the school year it had 4 different places on the body alone that had rusted right through. I don't know what became of the car but she loved it.
I can relate I've got a 99 jaguar vanden in and it is rusted out the chassis rails and floor pans rusted out I'm going to make a full perimeter chassis for it
Another car that had a crank start in the event of a battery or starter failure was the Citroen DS. I had one in college in Rochester New York, and after a snow it would disappear. The car was red and black and because I was in college the battery was always dead, and I used the crank to get it started. After a lot of work, the engine would come to life, and that black roof and red car would reappear as it would rise up out of the snow. It was such a sight. I hope you’re getting better, Steve. We really miss you out here in Internet world!
I never owned a Triumph but I did own an Austin/Healey. I drove it to high school from my freshman year to graduation. Lol along with a Yamaha 175 and a 74 duster 🤣 I've been a gear head since I was little 😁. That Healey was absolutely the funnest car I've ever driven in my life and it's that one car that I certainly regret selling. I've recently acquired a first gen Miata that reminds me of driving my old Austin/Healey, but it just doesn't have that thing... The British thing. I can't explain it and you won't get it unless you've owned a Brit car.
TR frames were prone to rust failure, especially the rear lateral rail which mounted rear suspension arms. When they failed you got wheel interference with frame and rapid tire failure.
Last Sunday I went to a local British car show, segmented by make. (While I’m not a “British car guy” I do appreciate almost all cars). As I walked around the TR 4, 4A, and 250s I had to stop and remind myself of the differences. Good mental exercise dusting off the old memories. Thank you as always, glad to confirm my memory hadn’t failed me. ~ Chuck
Have you ever driven a Brit car? "Responsive" is the word that comes to mind. I'd like to buy my wife a little Mini Cooper. Those are cool little cars😊
@@lilmike2710 Absolutely - several. My reason for attending the show was a few friends had their cars entered. I’ve driven and helped wrench on several of them. Great cars - just wanted to clarify I’m not a British car expert by any stretch.
Poor old TR....! Looks like it had the standard contemporary "upgrade" to Saffron paint in order to appear more like the TR6 on the street....Steve, I feel that car may have come with Strombergs - Standard-Triumph were never happy paying the royalties to rival BMC-owned SU for their carbs. Also, I'm sure it was a slip of the tongue but the TR5/TR250 didn't arrive until 1967. I also believe I'm right in saying that live axle TR4s continued to be available for some time in the States, just as the TR3B model was continued for traditionalists in America after 1961, using the 2138cc unit. As always, a great video!
I always welcome Steve doing the crawl with imports too. As far as a comparison to the Hemi Cuda - It is more fun to drive a slow car fast, then a fast car slow. How many places on the street could you drive the Cuda to it's full potential?
A friend went from a Vette to a Camero to a TR4 A IRS. Where we lived it was a good move. Another friend had a TR 250 that was quick. V8's ruled the realm. Thank goodness!
I used to have the "Mopar or no car" mentality back in the 1980's. But then I discovered the British Jensen Interceptor - with a Chrysler 383 / 440 - and the Swiss Monteverdi Hai - with a 426 Hemi - and opened my eyes to the fact there is something surprising about EVERY car made. Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
Watching from England and loving all the British meme comments! You guys think that rust is bad, in England it wouldn't be far off that by 10 years old! Anyway, I'm off for some tea from a china tea set, with crumpets, while the national anthem plays. Toodlepip.
I have owned a Triumph TR4A since 1971 and have always loved it. Mine is Wedgwood Blue, which I think really suits it, and is fitted with the optional wire wheels and overdrive. It has had some restoration and new panels but has never been allowed to deteriorate to anything resembling the wreck in your video. It is now not used in the winter, but I still enjoy driving it on a good day. Of the 28,465 built only 3,075 remained in Britain, most of the exports went to the US although some have returned here in later years. Top speed with overdrive is quoted as 109mph and 0-60 about 11 seconds but the engine is quite easily tunable and these figures can by improved on.
Interesting - the color of paint on my F-150 is called “Medium Wedgewood Blue Clear Coat Metallic”, but a quick Google search shows no similarity of any kind between the two hues. I wonder if the Ford designer that came up with the name was a closet Triumph fan……..🤔
I had an aunt that bought one of those TR-4 cars brand new. Less than a year later, she was involved in a two-car wreck. It completely destroyed that Triumph. And she broke her back. She was never physically the same after that.
When I was in College there was a guy driving his BRG MGB top down windows up driving down RT 114 in Middleton MA in the dead of winter driving happily along.
Great video, Steve. Also appreciate the hilarious Sunday-commentary on the British car enthusiasts enjoying their sedate rides until the brash hemi-cues or Vette blows by them or smokes them when the light turns green. Prototypical American culture!
Man those where cool fun little cars to drive! A friend had one of those way back in the mid 80s. Even though it wasn’t fast! It was fun to drive, and not bad looking!
Steve, you threw this feller for a loop with "positive ground." If you could elaborate on that with a short video, many of us will learn something. You are a true automotive encyclopedia.
Positive ground means that the positive post of the battery is connected to ground, and the negative is the 'hot' wire. Most American makers switched to negative ground in 1956, but the Brits continued with positive 'earth' up into the 70's. This may sound weird, but the main reason to switch from positive to negative ground is that positive ground makes the car rust faster! (If you have ever noticed that the positive terminal on the battery corrodes faster than the negative, that is why. It's an electro=chemical reaction).
Wow, that frame is definitely toast!!! I had a 1976 TR6 and we did a frame swap on the car because the passenger side rear trailing arm mounting area of the frame was totally shot and someone had used fiberglass to "repair" it. I knew this when I bought the car, I was 18 years old and naive. I got a parts car with a nice frame for 600 bucks and we did the swap. The TR4 and TR6 used the same frame if I recall correctly. Fun cars but definitely prone to rust issues.
Steve , I beg to differ on one thing and that is light to light. My Triumph stock GT6+ would put Camaros, Firebirds ,MG B’s to bed. What a road car for those old two lane mountain roads. Fun, fun, fun , until, some one runs a red light and destroys your ride. Yes, I and my friend were not hurt.👍🙏🏽🇺🇸✌🏻😎
I had a 1968 Triumph TR250 convertible with that body style. The TR250 was basically a TR4 or TR4A with a 6 banger. The hood (or bonnet) hinges were in the front so it opened opposite of most vehicles but that was changed for the 1969 model, as the whole body style changed and became the TR6. The power to weight ratio made that car a little screamer. My TR250 had a foot pedal that operated the wipers, presumably so both hands could remain on the steering wheel when driving it hard, which I did until I slid into a curb while doing doughnuts in the rain, and it was never the same again. That was around the time I enlisted in the military and I just called to have it junked. The tow truck driver decided to buy it for himself and offered me more than the junkyard was going to pay for it so I accepted. He hooked it up and then said the frame broke. He still wanted it though. I guess the Michigan winters and road salt wasn’t very kind to the underside, which was deceptive considering everything else was flawless. Ah, to be 17 again. Great memories. Later I bought a Triumph Spitfire and the 4 banger power was disappointing, even after milling the heads. It was yet another vehicle where the hood (or bonnet) opened from the windshield forward. I’ve also had a MG midget, which was under-powered as well. I had a Triumph TR7 about a year before the TR8 came out but by then I moved on to the dependability of a Toyota Corona and then a Cressida before moving back to the American muscle of an orange ‘67 Stang with a 390, tube headers, an aluminum high rise intake, a Holley double-pumper carb, a Mallory dual-point distributor, a Hurst competition plus shifter, traction bars, and someone said the engine lobe indicated a race cam but I can’t say for sure. Someone removed the entire trunk floor pan and all that remained was a rear-mounted starting battery. That’s the way I bought it from the backlot of a new car dealer on Telegraph Rd in Michigan. I presume it was a trade-in. It didn’t matter if I followed the rules of the road or not, that orange ‘Stang was a cop magnet. But I couldn’t help but oblige whenever challenged. I won every race except one and that was against another ‘67 Mustang, but it was the smaller coupe. We were neck to neck until he started pulling away. I didn’t know the guy but we were both pulled over to receive our tickets and I was shocked to discover he had a smaller 289 hi-po with about the same mods my car had. Anyway, I nearly lost my license from so many tickets so I sold it. Anyway, that Mustang gave me a similar experience of the TR250, except the Triumph didn’t attract as much attention. Aside from my personal useless stuff I’m running on about, I’m sure the tidbits about the frame rusting out (as in your review) or the floor-mounted wiper pedal on a TR250 is enough to add enough value to post here.
That Mustang sounds interesting with its trunk-floor-delete. The trunk-mounted battery suggests somebody was a drag racer and knew about improved weight distribution through rearward shuffling of mass. And you bought it on Telegraph Rd., in the Detroit area. My mind goes to "check the VIN...was it a Ford factory-assisted street racer"? Probably NOT. But the mind wanders! Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante I found the Mustang at a Ford dealer @ 9600 Telegraph Rd, Redford MI. It’s Pat Milligan Ford today and may have been back in ‘76-’77 but that was 46-47 years ago so I lost that detail. I have no idea about the VIN but maybe I could ask the Michigan Secretary of State if they kept the history of the 100’s of vehicles I’ve bought over the years. I still have about 11 vehicles rusting away in my side yard, many I’ll have to get around to junking soon, like a couple ‘86 Honda Preludes (one still starts and drives) same with a couple ‘89 Geo Spectrums. The matching models were to supply parts for the runners. The ‘88 Mitsubishi van is what most people seem to want me to restore. The 1989 Vixen XC21 is an unusual find. The 1986 Vixen TD version was touted as a garageable motorhome as it was only 6’ 4” in height with 8” of ground clearance. It had a roof that would pivot on one side to increase the interior headroom. The rear had a BMW 2.4L 6 cylinder turbo-diesel coupled to a 5 speed manual. The second model was a limo (1989 SE) that changed to a fixed raised roofline and the rear engine changed to a GM 3800 series V6 with a GM 4-speed automatic. Well I bought one of each model at their bankruptcy sale in the shadow of the Pontiac silverdome (Michigan) where they were assembled. I sold the partially assembled TD and kept the gas version, which was actually their driveable prototype with sensors attached everywhere. My $10K good buy has been sitting for over 33 years and the only place it was driven was to a dealer to fix a wiring issue that eluded me. It’s in sad shape today but it’s still on the agenda as a fixer.
"...pass you in 3rd gear, rippling the tires." Steve's poetic gems, sprinkled about, triggering a mid-sixties memory of a drive from Salt Lake City to Twin Falls, Idaho in Ken Self's TR-4. Top down all the way. On a different subject, the topmost image at 5:37 may have been the inspiration for Brent Lynch's painting titled "Coastal Drive." It's a theory.
Standard Triumph gave Jaguar it's production tooling, and Saab it's 1850 engine. And the world, the Ferrari and De Tomaso and Pinto Cam Gears rack and pinion steering. And the Lucas Fuel Injection. The chronic problem...No Financial Contest against burgeoning Nader style consumerism. They had all the plant, labor and materials, but couldn't fund making cars the achieved or exceeded crash safety , emissions and dealer assistance. That car with a Daimler Hemi 2.5 or 4.5 liter V8, would have propelled Triumph into continued growth and sales. 🥝✔️
Morning, boys - woke up from a dream about Phoebe Cates and decided I needed a quick Diet Coke from the frig before grabbing another couple hours of shut eye. Next thing you know, I pick up the iPad and notice Junkyard has already dropped - going to try not to go down the RUclips rathole at this early hour but I’m not liking my odds…….😂 Was planning on taking my Ranger out for a backroad cruise today but right now the weather forecast doesn’t look too promising - might have to put that on the back burner for another day……..🌧
The Triumph like the MG or Austin Healy etc suffered from the same design issues. They put so much emphasis on style and design and handling yet stuck with under powered asthmatic OHV engines. Those cars with a larger OHC engine wouldnt need the piggy back carb set up for slightly more dismal power. My Opel Kadett 1.1 with dual carbs was the same way although it produced 60 Hp from 60 ci which was impressive but still nothing like the OHC 1.9 which was twice as fun.
The Fergy tractor engine has bags of torque,, as did the Vanguard engine. Which is what these are. The TR4 and later TR6 are quite good looking cars. However the front and rear suspensions seldom ever seem to be connected. A very loose thing. Triumphs MGs Jag all had the bolt on adapter like that. Getting rid of the wire flywheels and those adapters is the best thing you can ever do. Fit alloy wheels and halve the unsprung weight.
Only Steve can take a bucket, or sheet pan, of rust and teach something interesting. Good job! BTW, what's the story behind the plastic dog? I see it pop up in other videos.
Steve, you may have made an overly broad statement when you said all British sports cars had painted spokes on their wire wheels. Maybe the cheaper ones do, but our 68 Jaguar XKE definitely had chrome. Of course, it was a much more expensive car.
I worked for a fellow had a TR/6 convertible, or soft top as he called it. I drove it once, really good road handling, but no guts for North American roads. Sitting 6 inches off the road didn’t help either. Not for me 🇨🇦👍
Autocross raced a 66 TR4 back in the early 70s.... the live axle was superior to the IRS hands down..... powered mine up with the 88mm and did some head work....and a cam.... all that on what was essential a Standard tractor engine.... probably got it up to 140hp.... totally the easiest car to ever work on..... btw..... changed out the Lucas electric for Delco
What a great opportunity too see what exactly lies underneath a TR4 🙏🔩⚙ Ironically , the rear cast alloy rear control arms , out lasted the steel frame It's a shame it was driven in the winter .
I was born in Kingston upon THAMES.
Luckily my parents brought me to the greatest country in the world, the United States of America!
God bless Steve
Driving gloves! hahahaha!😂 I say old chap, what was that thunderous blur that just overtook us? I’m not sure, Percy, perhaps, it was a, 1966, Hemi, Belvedere! I say, that chap is quite mad!😂
He blew the rust completely off the undercarriage of my fine British sports car!
Look out Percy, here comes a GT40, dear God, Thurston!
I spilled my tea!😮
As a Brit, that made me chuckle, carry on dear boy :)
As an Englishman (who doesn't speak anything like that by the way!) That's a very good impression of the upper class from a fifties B movie but funny non the less. Today's equivalent would be a couple of 19 year old chavs in a mapped out, lowered Corsa with 19" low pros and a 10" diameter tailpipe! Changing times.
Well said! "cheers Mate" -Steve Magnante
Sunday noon in germany... watching a british car upside down, resting in America... can't make that up!
Sunday at 5 am here in Washington state USA, watching Steve and, coffee
Here in Georgia….. USA
The magic of the interwebz 🤣
Great times
Ain't the Internet grand? THANK YOU for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
@Jeff Clark Doing the same here in eastern Washington, while watching my TR4 rust away!
My next door neighbor had a '67 TR4-A, and was going to sell it to me (for $100!!) to pay for a Kawasaki 500 2-stoke triple motorcycle. It was 1974 and I was about to get my license, and I really wanted that car. Right before I was to buy it the hood was up in the driveway and he told me I better come take a look. The plugs were out and when he cranked it water came flying out one of the cylinders. "Sorry Tom, I'm just gonna junk it. It's too far gone". Just like that it was gone and I was heartbroken. Looking back it was a blessing in disguise as I ended up with a '70 Plum Crazy 383 4-speed Super Bee a few months later. I can still smell that Triumph leather interior though...
I think you did a lot better with that Super Bee. 🐝 👍
@@Daniel-fd3wp Ain't that the truth!
You dodged a bullet there. I don't understand why people would junk a car for a head gasket though.
@@mexicanspec If I recall it was a cracked block. I spoke with a Triumph mechanic decades later who told me it does happen to these engines but was not a death sentence either. It was repairable. What Steve said about cheap steel was on full display on that TR4-A. Think about it, that car was around 8 years old at the time and had long ago started being consumed by nature. It was ratty by then but still oh so cool! A real wood dash, Smiths gauges, and real leather seats are still intoxicating to me. It made my 16yr old self oblivious to the fact it was a rust bucket. Come to think about it though, My Super Bee was only 8 when the quarters were rusting out around the wheel wells. All hail the NYC DOT and their addiction to salt in the wintertime!
Hard to imagine that pile as a shiny new sports car back in '65.
Thx for the vid Steve.
Morning Steve You're not going to believe this but when I was in high school 11th or 12th grade My older brother had a TR4 he bought brand new and God bless him rest his soul he let me borrow that car I would go out and beat the hell out of it drag racing doing all kinds of stuff Man older brothers are great May he rest in peace
TR250 was 1 year only, 1968. US got twin carbs, about 110 hp, the Brits got fuel injection and 150hp and called it the TR5.
This is a very interesting, engaging, and addictive video concept. I love these videos.
The juxtaposition of all the magazines and models from when the car was brand new from the factory to the corpse that lies in front of us at the junkyard, rotting back into the earth is like poetry.
I had heard that the "A" was a special model for the Canadian market.
I had a friend in high school that was heavily into British cars. So much so, his brother and dad all got into them back in the day. My friend had a TR7 and a few TR6s. I haven't spoken to him in a number of years, but I believe he still has them. To say they (the cars at least) were quirky was an understatement....
The TR4-A was made at Triumph's Coventry, England facility. British Leyland (as Triumph would merge into later on) was a sordid organization with a spotty labor history and quality record. Many times, changes would be made on the fly and parts were hard to figure out for them. They would have "approximate" date breaks for changes of parts and you almost had to physically match things to be sure at times. The TR4-A was offered from 1965 to 1967.
Yes, there were usually stickers on the car that read, "Caution: Positive Earth". The British have a way with words, especially on warning labels or "workshop" manuals. The foreword in their parts books reads like a preamble: "Whilst every effort has been made to ensure an effective parts catalogue, BL reserves the right to make changes at any juncture in time". Wrenches are spanners. Swarf is debris. Gasoline is petrol. Ground is earth. Oil pans are sumps. Removing is withdrawing the part. Service parts are spares. A dealer is a garage. I once helped a lady from England with a Trans Am. She was an older lady, very proper and it was odd that would drive a 1979 Trans Am, but she found the car's acceleration quite "smashing" as she put it. She would say, "Dear, forgive me. I know the terms used in America are different." I'd joke her, "Nah, we ruined the language". She'd have a laugh at it.
Back then, a VIN was called a "Commission Number" by the British. Eventually, it was standardized as time went on. But, no VIN can't win, but would be something like CTC for Triumph TR4-A and then the production sequence. An "L" after the sequence denotes a left hand drive vehicle and an "O" denotes an overdrive transmission. The lack of the "L" is for right hand drive or what the British call a "home market" vehicle. No tag, can't brag, but possibly (originally) code 97066 White exterior paint. The closest yellow is code 34 Jasmine Yellow, but that doesn't appear to be available on a TR4-A originally, but who knows. The British have been known to go "rogue" at times.
My father had 2 E-Type Jaguars, one had wire wheels and one (a V-12 convertible) with steel wheels. The owners manual referred to removing the “Knave Plates”. Hub caps.
@@martymiller4300 Yup, the terms are quite amusing.
Though just as many U.S. cars have their oddities, I like the saying: "Made with the highest degree of British attention paid...to THE WRONG DETAIL". Thanks as always for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
Oh and lets not forget how our British friends call "fenders" "guards". Hmmm, Paul McCartney and FENDERS doesn't have the same ring (Wings?) to it. Oh, I noticed your Pete Townsend reference the other day (Eminence Front). I'm a huge Who / Townsend fan and have "Tommy" on cassette in my shower room. That tape gets played hundreds of times a year and is still going strong. As for Pete, his albums "White City", "All The Best Cowboys" and "Empty Glass" are favorites of mine. The song "Slip Skirt" is a good one. -Steve Magnante
One of my more vivid live concert memories of all time - The Who at the St. Paul Civic Center circa 1982 - 1983. During the long musical intro to Baba O’Reilly, the stage is dark except for a single spotlight shining on Roger Daltrey who is at the back of the stage running in place. He stays just like that, running in place, until the point at which the lyrics kick in and he RUNS to the front of the stage and breaks into the song with a perfect clear voice! How a guy who was close to 50-something-years-old at the time could pull that off I have NO idea - suffice to say I’d be wheezing and gasping for air………😮
All joking aside, I grew up with, British ,and Italian, sports cars! MG midgets, MGB’s, Austin Healey’s, Triumph TR’s, Jaguars! Alfa Romeo’s !
They were loads of fun on curves, and Who doesn’t love the growl of the TR6? The Austin Healey was a incredible car! My mother dated a man that had one! He took me for a ride in it, I was just seven years old , it left an indelible impression on me!
I’ve always wanted to try the, TR8, but have never seen one in the wild! Anyway, great video, as Always Steve!
I drove an Austin Healey to school. That's the one car that I miss the most 😢
All the other boys were driving Camaros and Cutlass' and Mustangs and all that. Which I did appreciate, but they scoffed at my little Healey, much out of pure ignorance 😁. . While the kids were all gathered around looking at the shiny chrome engine parts on the Camaros, all the teachers and even the coach would be interested in my little British car. And offering to buy it.
The quarterback with the 69 Z28 got jealous because his coach liked my car better. So naturally he challenged me to a race 😏
I accepted because, of course I did. . "Red light to Red light" at a place we called "The mile". Which was a strip of Alabama state highway 269, AKA "Birmingport road". I just knew that I was going to get absolutely smoked but I hoped by racing him that I'd be respected and accepted so to speak, to their little group.
Well, it didn't work out that way.
When the kid dropped the rag we took off and I kept waiting for him to blow past me.. he didn't.
I got him by about 3 car lengths.
Had it been a quarter mile he'd have caught me easily.
When I drove back to where we were all parked, the kid was PISSED OFF!!! All red faced and naming off a list of excuses as to why he lost that race. It seriously hurt his fee-fee's for real and he couldn't stand me at all. As a matter of fact I had to try and avoid him after that, in fear of him wanting to fight me.
Hurt his ego and embarrassed him in front of all his buddies.
We even got in trouble at school for racing because we did it right after school, before we went home. Which somehow made it within the schools jurisdiction.
Which made it worse because literally everyone knew that Mike Masons Austin Healey had outran H Taylor's Z28.
😁 Poor kids dad apparently never told him that his 3 speed transmission with his highway geared rear end wouldn't do him any favors on a drag strip... 😊
I'll never forget that day and I guarantee Mr. Taylor won't either.
@@lilmike2710
Unlike some other performance Chevys, the 1969 Z/28 would have come with a 4spd transmissions equipped with a Hurst shifter from the factory. It should also be noted that the 1969 Z/28 was never offered with a three-speed manual or an automatic.
Of course we know later on they were offered that way
During the decal muscle car era! That boy either didn’t have a legitimate Z/28 or he just couldn’t drive!
He should have whomped your butt, even red light to red light! I watched my mom whomp her, Austin Healey driving boyfriends ass, on the way home from my eighth birthday party,in her, 327, 4spd 1964 Chevelle
and it was heavier that that,
Z/28! Mom new how to power shift though, she’d smash them gears with the best of them! She had a, 1963 SS, 4spd,409 Impala, before the, Chevelle, she said, she preferred the Chevelle, red light to red light! She did have the 327 300 HP though, with 4:10 posi! Although those 302’s really shined at about 3000 rpm up ,which didn’t make them that great off the line,red light to red light,That kid couldn’t drive, was probably the issue!
Or maybe daddy, detuned it, or restricted his secondary or something! That said ,I think it’s cool as hell that you schooled that guy! I would’ve paid to see the look on his face! Either way, I LOVE ,LOVE THE AUSTIN HEALEY!
Chrome, don’t make it go!
My mom’s boyfriends Austin Healey was, black with ,black interior, what a beautiful car! Had they been on a tight turn road course, he would given her a run for her money!
Just saying!
@@jeffreycarleton1535 thanks for noting. But I never said it was factory nor was it important for me to do so. It was also white which was not the original color. And a 327 even though it had a 302 badge on the cowel.
His dad built the car and put the Three speed and high ratio gears to keep him out of trouble.
The way I found all this out was because we got in trouble at school. It was a private school and our parents got called to come to the gym and lecture all of us. Kid hated me after that.
My AH was light and very quick though. Man I miss that little car. I have a Miata that I bought a couple months ago that I've fallen in love with but it's not as cool as my Austin was
I figured his Dad did it !
Still love the fact that the Healey whomped him!
Best wishes, with the Mazda!
I still see, Austin Healey’s, on Mecum or Barrett Jackson every so often,very rarely though! That Miata is, fun ,fun, fun! Dependable too! Best wishes!
@ Jeffrey the only downfall is the parts for these vehicles are really hard to come by. Around the corner where I’m at here in San Diego this guy don’t know him has moved his Black Convertible around the neighborhood Triumph For Sale . No Takers being here by the Border there is no interest for these vehicles. Really Clean also. 🤷♂️
I love the comment about British steel not being very resistant to rust. As an Englishman I know EXACTLY what you mean! Probably only the Italian and early japanese imports did a better job of rust non prevention!
Fiats were made of Russian steel that was pre-rusted for your convenience
Fiat used lower quality soviet steel as part of the deal to supply the Fiat 124 design to the USSR. The Hyundai Pony was notorious for rust in Canadian winters, I read somewhere they were made with recycled steel from boats.
The salt on the roads didn't help though did it .
Back in HS when I was driving and A/Healey, there was a chick in the 12th grade who had a 1970 Fiat Spider? I think it was a spider, I know it was a Fiat tho... Anyways, that thing would rust right in front of your eyes 🤣 you could hear it rusting 😂
Seriously though, that one school year I remember her dad chasing rust spots on that thing and couldn't figure out why.
I was barely 17 and I didn't know from cheap metal or anything so I figured it was just bad paint and primers. But by the end of the school year it had 4 different places on the body alone that had rusted right through.
I don't know what became of the car but she loved it.
I can relate I've got a 99 jaguar vanden in and it is rusted out the chassis rails and floor pans rusted out I'm going to make a full perimeter chassis for it
Great video, wow look at the rust that had a rough life
we miss U Steve
'The parts falling off of this motorcar are of the finest British manufacture' - bumper sticker I saw on a Jaguar. 'Nuff said.
Another car that had a crank start in the event of a battery or starter failure was the Citroen DS. I had one in college in Rochester New York, and after a snow it would disappear. The car was red and black and because I was in college the battery was always dead, and I used the crank to get it started. After a lot of work, the engine would come to life, and that black roof and red car would reappear as it would rise up out of the snow. It was such a sight.
I hope you’re getting better, Steve. We really miss you out here in Internet world!
I never owned a Triumph but I did own an Austin/Healey. I drove it to high school from my freshman year to graduation. Lol along with a Yamaha 175 and a 74 duster 🤣 I've been a gear head since I was little 😁.
That Healey was absolutely the funnest car I've ever driven in my life and it's that one car that I certainly regret selling.
I've recently acquired a first gen Miata that reminds me of driving my old Austin/Healey, but it just doesn't have that thing... The British thing. I can't explain it and you won't get it unless you've owned a Brit car.
My uncle put a v8 in an Austin/ Healey in the early 70s, beautiful car, I only remember riding in it once.
TR frames were prone to rust failure, especially the rear lateral rail which mounted rear suspension arms. When they failed you got wheel interference with frame and rapid tire failure.
Last Sunday I went to a local British car show, segmented by make. (While I’m not a “British car guy” I do appreciate almost all cars). As I walked around the TR 4, 4A, and 250s I had to stop and remind myself of the differences. Good mental exercise dusting off the old memories. Thank you as always, glad to confirm my memory hadn’t failed me. ~ Chuck
Have you ever driven a Brit car?
"Responsive" is the word that comes to mind.
I'd like to buy my wife a little Mini Cooper. Those are cool little cars😊
@@lilmike2710 Absolutely - several. My reason for attending the show was a few friends had their cars entered. I’ve driven and helped wrench on several of them. Great cars - just wanted to clarify I’m not a British car expert by any stretch.
@@charlesdalton985 nor am I. Just an old gear head with some fond memories 😁
@@lilmike2710 Same brother, same.
Poor old TR....! Looks like it had the standard contemporary "upgrade" to Saffron paint in order to appear more like the TR6 on the street....Steve, I feel that car may have come with Strombergs - Standard-Triumph were never happy paying the royalties to rival BMC-owned SU for their carbs. Also, I'm sure it was a slip of the tongue but the TR5/TR250 didn't arrive until 1967.
I also believe I'm right in saying that live axle TR4s continued to be available for some time in the States, just as the TR3B model was continued for traditionalists in America after 1961, using the 2138cc unit. As always, a great video!
I like that , 3rd gear in the hemi Cudi. Keep on crawling😊
I always welcome Steve doing the crawl with imports too. As far as a comparison to the Hemi Cuda - It is more fun to drive a slow car fast, then a fast car slow. How many places on the street could you drive the Cuda to it's full potential?
A friend went from a Vette to a Camero to a TR4 A IRS. Where we lived it was a good move. Another friend had a TR 250 that was quick. V8's ruled the realm. Thank goodness!
Nice! Love the variety of stuff you cover.
I used to have the "Mopar or no car" mentality back in the 1980's. But then I discovered the British Jensen Interceptor - with a Chrysler 383 / 440 - and the Swiss Monteverdi Hai - with a 426 Hemi - and opened my eyes to the fact there is something surprising about EVERY car made. Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
For Steve’s next video, he’ll be dredging the Connecticut River.
I had a friend who had one, the way I would describe it as a go cart .
Watching from England and loving all the British meme comments! You guys think that rust is bad, in England it wouldn't be far off that by 10 years old! Anyway, I'm off for some tea from a china tea set, with crumpets, while the national anthem plays. Toodlepip.
Mr. B. Here ! Morning Mags , ☕️☕️🍩 Steve many of the comments are right on ! Dealer I work for years age sold TR 6’s . Have a good day !
I have owned a Triumph TR4A since 1971 and have always loved it. Mine is Wedgwood Blue, which I think really suits it, and is fitted with the optional wire wheels and overdrive. It has had some restoration and new panels but has never been allowed to deteriorate to anything resembling the wreck in your video. It is now not used in the winter, but I still enjoy driving it on a good day. Of the 28,465 built only 3,075 remained in Britain, most of the exports went to the US although some have returned here in later years. Top speed with overdrive is quoted as 109mph and 0-60 about 11 seconds but the engine is quite easily tunable and these figures can by improved on.
Interesting - the color of paint on my F-150 is called “Medium Wedgewood Blue Clear Coat Metallic”, but a quick Google search shows no similarity of any kind between the two hues. I wonder if the Ford designer that came up with the name was a closet Triumph fan……..🤔
If that was a 288 Cobra it would be hauled outta there in heartbeat and restored.
I had an aunt that bought one of those TR-4 cars brand new.
Less than a year later, she was involved in a two-car wreck.
It completely destroyed that Triumph.
And she broke her back.
She was never physically the same after that.
When I was in College there was a guy driving his BRG MGB top down windows up driving down RT 114 in Middleton MA in the dead of winter driving happily along.
Good to hear Steve getting less bitter about C&D. Steve, you doing ok for yourself. We love you, man. 😍👌
Great video, Steve. Also appreciate the hilarious Sunday-commentary on the British car enthusiasts enjoying their sedate rides until the brash hemi-cues or Vette blows by them or smokes them when the light turns green. Prototypical American culture!
Yanks are like boobies they make me smile 7ll against 2l get a grip
Get well soon Steve!
Love those little British sports cars!
Man those where cool fun little cars to drive! A friend had one of those way back in the mid 80s. Even though it wasn’t fast! It was fun to drive, and not bad looking!
I barn found a triumph tr6 but couldn't get in contact with the actual owner to offer, it was so cool the car and building are long gone now
Didn’t get the tax reference until the end. Haha.
It's amazing what Steve can do with a hand full of junk
Steve, you threw this feller for a loop with "positive ground." If you could elaborate on that with a short video, many of us will learn something. You are a true automotive encyclopedia.
Positive ground means that the positive post of the battery is connected to ground, and the negative is the 'hot' wire. Most American makers switched to negative ground in 1956, but the Brits continued with positive 'earth' up into the 70's. This may sound weird, but the main reason to switch from positive to negative ground is that positive ground makes the car rust faster! (If you have ever noticed that the positive terminal on the battery corrodes faster than the negative, that is why. It's an electro=chemical reaction).
Morning Steve... buddy owns a sort of similar tr6, beautiful car but extremely finicky a often breaking down during cruises.
Yess we miss you A LOT
Thanks Steve.
Wow, that frame is definitely toast!!! I had a 1976 TR6 and we did a frame swap on the car because the passenger side rear trailing arm mounting area of the frame was totally shot and someone had used fiberglass to "repair" it. I knew this when I bought the car, I was 18 years old and naive. I got a parts car with a nice frame for 600 bucks and we did the swap. The TR4 and TR6 used the same frame if I recall correctly. Fun cars but definitely prone to rust issues.
Side curtains! Yeah baby!
Intill the light turns green! Hahahaha! Great Video!!!
I've always wanted a 2 seat sport car.
Steve , I beg to differ on one thing and that is light to light. My Triumph stock GT6+ would put Camaros, Firebirds ,MG B’s to bed. What a road car for those old two lane mountain roads. Fun, fun, fun , until, some one runs a red light and destroys your ride. Yes, I and my friend were not hurt.👍🙏🏽🇺🇸✌🏻😎
So that's what a TR4 looks like it rough shape. I had a customer that had a light blue one he owned it since new. He calls it his run around beater .
Had a friend who had a TR-3. He was always wrenching on it, now I understand why. lol
That poor triumph had been winter driven to death.
I had a 1968 Triumph TR250 convertible with that body style. The TR250 was basically a TR4 or TR4A with a 6 banger. The hood (or bonnet) hinges were in the front so it opened opposite of most vehicles but that was changed for the 1969 model, as the whole body style changed and became the TR6.
The power to weight ratio made that car a little screamer. My TR250 had a foot pedal that operated the wipers, presumably so both hands could remain on the steering wheel when driving it hard, which I did until I slid into a curb while doing doughnuts in the rain, and it was never the same again.
That was around the time I enlisted in the military and I just called to have it junked. The tow truck driver decided to buy it for himself and offered me more than the junkyard was going to pay for it so I accepted. He hooked it up and then said the frame broke. He still wanted it though. I guess the Michigan winters and road salt wasn’t very kind to the underside, which was deceptive considering everything else was flawless. Ah, to be 17 again. Great memories.
Later I bought a Triumph Spitfire and the 4 banger power was disappointing, even after milling the heads. It was yet another vehicle where the hood (or bonnet) opened from the windshield forward.
I’ve also had a MG midget, which was under-powered as well. I had a Triumph TR7 about a year before the TR8 came out but by then I moved on to the dependability of a Toyota Corona and then a Cressida before moving back to the American muscle of an orange ‘67 Stang with a 390, tube headers, an aluminum high rise intake, a Holley double-pumper carb, a Mallory dual-point distributor, a Hurst competition plus shifter, traction bars, and someone said the engine lobe indicated a race cam but I can’t say for sure. Someone removed the entire trunk floor pan and all that remained was a rear-mounted starting battery. That’s the way I bought it from the backlot of a new car dealer on Telegraph Rd in Michigan. I presume it was a trade-in.
It didn’t matter if I followed the rules of the road or not, that orange ‘Stang was a cop magnet. But I couldn’t help but oblige whenever challenged. I won every race except one and that was against another ‘67 Mustang, but it was the smaller coupe. We were neck to neck until he started pulling away. I didn’t know the guy but we were both pulled over to receive our tickets and I was shocked to discover he had a smaller 289 hi-po with about the same mods my car had. Anyway, I nearly lost my license from so many tickets so I sold it.
Anyway, that Mustang gave me a similar experience of the TR250, except the Triumph didn’t attract as much attention. Aside from my personal useless stuff I’m running on about, I’m sure the tidbits about the frame rusting out (as in your review) or the floor-mounted wiper pedal on a TR250 is enough to add enough value to post here.
That Mustang sounds interesting with its trunk-floor-delete. The trunk-mounted battery suggests somebody was a drag racer and knew about improved weight distribution through rearward shuffling of mass. And you bought it on Telegraph Rd., in the Detroit area. My mind goes to "check the VIN...was it a Ford factory-assisted street racer"? Probably NOT. But the mind wanders! Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante I found the Mustang at a Ford dealer @ 9600 Telegraph Rd, Redford MI. It’s Pat Milligan Ford today and may have been back in ‘76-’77 but that was 46-47 years ago so I lost that detail. I have no idea about the VIN but maybe I could ask the Michigan Secretary of State if they kept the history of the 100’s of vehicles I’ve bought over the years. I still have about 11 vehicles rusting away in my side yard, many I’ll have to get around to junking soon, like a couple ‘86 Honda Preludes (one still starts and drives) same with a couple ‘89 Geo Spectrums. The matching models were to supply parts for the runners. The ‘88 Mitsubishi van is what most people seem to want me to restore.
The 1989 Vixen XC21 is an unusual find. The 1986 Vixen TD version was touted as a garageable motorhome as it was only 6’ 4” in height with 8” of ground clearance. It had a roof that would pivot on one side to increase the interior headroom. The rear had a BMW 2.4L 6 cylinder turbo-diesel coupled to a 5 speed manual. The second model was a limo (1989 SE) that changed to a fixed raised roofline and the rear engine changed to a GM 3800 series V6 with a GM 4-speed automatic. Well I bought one of each model at their bankruptcy sale in the shadow of the Pontiac silverdome (Michigan) where they were assembled. I sold the partially assembled TD and kept the gas version, which was actually their driveable prototype with sensors attached everywhere. My $10K good buy has been sitting for over 33 years and the only place it was driven was to a dealer to fix a wiring issue that eluded me. It’s in sad shape today but it’s still on the agenda as a fixer.
Love to see a British sports car. Fords had a crank hole until 1948, maybe later but I haven’t looked.
Until the light turned green lol 🤣
"...pass you in 3rd gear, rippling the tires." Steve's poetic gems, sprinkled about, triggering a mid-sixties memory of a drive from Salt Lake City to Twin Falls, Idaho in Ken Self's TR-4. Top down all the way. On a different subject, the topmost image at 5:37 may have been the inspiration for Brent Lynch's painting titled "Coastal Drive." It's a theory.
One of the cars that you hate to see in this condition but as the old saying goes Rust never sleeps.
A trumpet with the Lucas wiring. The prince of darkness wiring
Had to wait 10 more years for the TR7 "the shape of things to come" and now gone.
i was expecting a thames van !!
Standard Triumph gave Jaguar it's production tooling, and Saab it's 1850 engine. And the world, the Ferrari and De Tomaso and Pinto Cam Gears rack and pinion steering. And the Lucas Fuel Injection. The chronic problem...No Financial Contest against burgeoning Nader style consumerism. They had all the plant, labor and materials, but couldn't fund making cars the achieved or exceeded crash safety , emissions and dealer assistance. That car with a Daimler Hemi 2.5 or 4.5 liter V8, would have propelled Triumph into continued growth and sales. 🥝✔️
Outstanding A+
Steve, I think there are 2 more [right side up] by the old Jeeps and the Frazer Vagabond , maybe a good follow up!
Had a buddy in high school back in 88 that had a TR6 spitfire he put a 429 Ford in it
I had a Triumph Herald. Fun little gutless car.
esas llantas 😭
Oh krikey! That rust!!!
Car and driver's junkyard treasures . 😊
May of 65, the year and month I was born!
Morning, boys - woke up from a dream about Phoebe Cates and decided I needed a quick Diet Coke from the frig before grabbing another couple hours of shut eye. Next thing you know, I pick up the iPad and notice Junkyard has already dropped - going to try not to go down the RUclips rathole at this early hour but I’m not liking my odds…….😂
Was planning on taking my Ranger out for a backroad cruise today but right now the weather forecast doesn’t look too promising - might have to put that on the back burner for another day……..🌧
Phoebe Cates. Yummy. -Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante - She MIGHT be better than pizza. I don’t know - depends on the pizza…….🍕
Interesting. Very similar to the 68-91 Mercedes "diagonal swing arm" suspension.
The ~1948 International KB-1 was made in America, and was also positive ground…
Guess how I know? :p 😅
The Triumph like the MG or Austin Healy etc suffered from the same design issues. They put so much emphasis on style and design and handling yet stuck with under powered asthmatic OHV engines. Those cars with a larger OHC engine wouldnt need the piggy back carb set up for slightly more dismal power. My Opel Kadett 1.1 with dual carbs was the same way although it produced 60 Hp from 60 ci which was impressive but still nothing like the OHC 1.9 which was twice as fun.
The Fergy tractor engine has bags of torque,, as did the Vanguard engine. Which is what these are.
The TR4 and later TR6 are quite good looking cars. However the front and rear suspensions seldom ever seem to be connected. A very loose thing.
Triumphs MGs Jag all had the bolt on adapter like that. Getting rid of the wire flywheels and those adapters is the best thing you can ever do. Fit alloy wheels and halve the unsprung weight.
Only Steve can take a bucket, or sheet pan, of rust and teach something interesting. Good job! BTW, what's the story behind the plastic dog? I see it pop up in other videos.
The person that would drive this when it was new is not somebody I would want to know.
From TR4 to TR Forgotten
Lucas the Prince of Darkness
I'm in Canada I had a TR4 eh
Steve, you are running out of cars up there 😅
That frame will fall apart if its ever moved again.
Thanks Steve, another great video! Hope you got your tetanus shot!
Mechanisms that raise and lower the door glass is called a regulator for cars. Called operators for house window opending and closing.
You start welding 😂
6cylinder Triumph from 68, good TR4 IRS in the UK $35/45,000
Steve, you may have made an overly broad statement when you said all British sports cars had painted spokes on their wire wheels. Maybe the cheaper ones do, but our 68 Jaguar XKE definitely had chrome. Of course, it was a much more expensive car.
@ 2:22 Is that yellow car behind you a '73 Cutlass Supreme?
Cool!
Having never handled knock-off wheels myself, I have always wondered if they were right and left hand threaded for each side? Anyone know?
I worked for a fellow had a TR/6 convertible, or soft top as he called it. I drove it once, really good road handling, but no guts for North American roads. Sitting 6 inches off the road didn’t help either. Not for me 🇨🇦👍
Thanks Steve!
Autocross raced a 66 TR4 back in the early 70s.... the live axle was superior to the IRS hands down..... powered mine up with the 88mm and did some head work....and a cam.... all that on what was essential a Standard tractor engine.... probably got it up to 140hp.... totally the easiest car to ever work on..... btw..... changed out the Lucas electric for Delco
Born to Rust would still be on the road if it was aluminum frame.
That car has an underslung frame meaning the axles are above the frame and not below.
Enjoy this
Always thought the TR was a cool car. But being 6 foot 3 I am to tall to fit comfortable.
What a great opportunity too see what exactly lies underneath a TR4 🙏🔩⚙
Ironically , the rear cast alloy rear control arms , out lasted the steel frame
It's a shame it was driven in the winter .
miss junkyard gold
Wasn’t a Triumph the car from Get Smart?
I think that was a Sunbeam Tiger or something like that. But I'm probably wrong.
@@tonyelliott7734 You are correct - Tiger.
No, that was a sunbeam alpine or a tiger! I believe!
It was a tiger aka Alpine with a small block ford.
In 1969 Season Five, Max switches to a gold Opel GT.
1st 4am El Salvador central america view