1968 Triumph TR5 PI £52,995
Transformed from a basket case, this TR has driven just 2200 miles since a meticulous restoration, discovers Paul Hardiman
It’s hard to believe, but this pristine-looking TR5 was once a basket case, since restored in its original colours by a well-known TR5 enthusiast. It was discovered in a dilapidated state around 2009 and the restoration was completed in 2012, with much of the work detailed over several instalments in club magazine TR
Action. The parts alone cost £28,000, the list running to 11 pages.
It is now at the same Hampshire dealer that supplied Steve Coogan’s external bonnet catch E-type roadster (see July’s
Classic Cars cover story). One of 1161 home-market right-hand-drive cars out of a total production of 2947 from 196768, this example was ordered new with a heater and 165 x 15 Michelin XAS tyres and retains its original Oxfordshire registration. It has covered only 2200 miles since restoration, so is just about as good as when it was finished.
The chassis is original but has received several new sections and is now well protected against rust. The floorpans and rear wings are new, along with sundry inner sections, and the bonnet is a good secondhand replacement. Door fit is excellent for a Michelotti TR, with even gaps top to bottom, although the left sill fit is a bit out. All brake lines and the wiring loom are new, and it retains the original-type lever-arm rear dampers, plus there’s a new stainless steel exhaust.
Paint is good and even, in the original Primrose according to the Heritage Certificate. It rides on an unmarked set of Minilite-style alloys shod in unworn 195/65 Roadstone 2000 tyres all fitted in 2010. The matching spare remains unused. The chrome is generally good, though the rear bumper is a little wavy in places. The car was given a new folding vinyl Surrey top during restoration.
Inside, the seat leather is new, as are the carpets, and the dash timber is excellent. There’s a period Motorola radio and even the original steering wheel remains – a rare find these days when most fit woodrims. The odometer shows 77,320 miles.
The motor is clean, tidy and standard and it’s a mark of the quality of the restoration that the worst bit you can find is the cleaned-up and repainted clutch master cylinder bracket. Oil is clean and to the maximum mark, with a slight weep from the distributor base.
The engine takes a bit of a churn to start from cold, but once alight it soon settles down to a steady idle. The aftermarket and preferred Bosch fuel pump is clearly audible in the boot space. Everything works perfectly with no play in the nicely fluid steering, a firm brake pedal and oil pressure of 75psi. The temperature sat at the halfway mark on a hot day with the standard mechanical fan. The gearbox overdrive works instantly in and out.
It’s sold with tools, jack, car cover and a fresh MOT. Yes, the price is at the top of the market, but this must be one of the best examples around.