TRIUMPH TR4/TR4A (1962-67)
Tempting by a Sixties TR? Here’s what to look for
CHECK THE CHASSIS
Parts of the separate chassis can only be repaired properly with the body o. The worst-aected areas are usually the dierential mounting brackets and the centre section of the chassis, while exing can crack a TR4A chassis. Even small parking nudges can cause distortion, so check the front suspension turrets, the mounting brackets, outriggers, steering rack mountings and suspension.
KNOW WHERE IT’LL ROT
Make sure that the doors, wings, sills and oorpans aren’t rotten. The drain holes should be obvious on the underside of the sill; if they’re blocked, the sills will likely be corroded inside. The tops and bottoms of both the doors and wings can rust away, so inspect the inner and outer wings very carefully. The battery sits behind the engine and the metal beneath it corrodes, so remove the battery to inspect for rot. The B-posts and door tops rust, as does the lip of the boot lid.
HAS IT BEEN BODGED?
A badly re-built car will be a lot more hassle than starting with an unrestored example. Door gaps can open up at the top if the chassis has been weakened by corrosion or if the car hasn’t been properly braced during sill replacement work. Another sign of a bodged re-build is missing beading along the seam between the top of the rear wings and the adjacent deck.
IS ANYTHING MISSING?
All interior trim is available but Surrey tops are very pricey and rare. Any electrical parts are easily sourced, including replacement looms, but you’ll have to remove the dashboard to get to the rack if the wipers are playing up. Speaking of the dash, check the condition of the wood – it can be prone to lifting and cracking at the edges. If the heater unit seems to be ineective, it may simply be because the air vent at the base of the windscreen is closed.
DOES IT JUMP OUT OF GEAR?
The four-speed gearbox’s bearings will start to grumble after 100k miles and it’ll jump out of gear. A re-built gearbox is £600 exchange (£1200 with overdrive). Clutches can be problematic – make sure that the clevis pin – which connects the clutch pedal to the master cylinder – isn’t worn and that the slave cylinder is mounted with the bleed nipple facing upwards so that the hydraulics can be bled properly.