1966 Triumph TR4a

But why are we talking about the US-market TR4A, considering this, as you can see in the photos, is very much a right-hand-drive car? That’s because this 1966 Triumph TR4A is a US-import, and was brought into the UK in the early nineties. Once here, the car underwent thorough work and a right-hand-drive conversion. The best part is that, included with the car, are some old photos, original bills for most parts that were added/replaced when said work was carried out, and even some recent invoices, MoT certificates, among other things.

It just had one overseas former keeper when it was imported. The vendor acquired the car only last year but has decided to sell as he has several classic cars within his collection and after a recent acquisition is looking to sell this vehicle to fund the project.

In terms of overall mileage, it’s clear that the TR4A did about 100,000 miles in the early noughties. Since then it’s raked up another 18,000 miles or so. What’s worth noting is that the car had an engine and gearbox overhaul as soon as it landed in the UK, so the mileage is unlikely to be reflective of the condition the mechanicals are in.

What is up with these Michelotti-designed cars?! You think you’d be immune to their ability to draw all the attention to themselves but you aren’t. Take the TR4A for example. It has everything that a classic car lover will appreciate: fuss-free design, wire-spoke wheels, nice touches that can’t be ignored including the power bulge on the bonnet, the chrome trim that runs to the wing-mounted side indicator, etc.

It can be seen in the included photos that the car has been stripped and repainted in the past. When imported from the USA, it had minimal rust and clean bodywork — supporting documents also attached below. Right now, the car has some paint damage, some corrosion on the bodywork, and a few age-related marks as well. The chrome bits are clean, and the overall condition, apart from the mentioned issues, works in favour of the car. The wire-spoke wheels are this example’s highlight, not only in the way they look but also because they are spot-free. The car is supplied with a soft top, which is clean, and has no damage. Areas that might need some attention both in terms of rust or surface damage are the front apron, around the driver’s door, both the sills, etc.

Complementing its shiny but less-than-perfect white bodywork is the red upholstery. This too was completely redone when the car was imported. It’s hard to go wrong with red seats and white piping/stitching, and this interior shows that. Unlike the previous version, the TR4A’s dashboard had wooden veneer on it. The boot also looks fine and has a full-size spare wheel.

The condition of the cabin can’t be described as overly tired but there’s no running away from the signs of wear — like on the seats. The dashboard too has its wooden finish peeling off in certain spots. The rather good-looking Moto-Lita steering wheel has a nice well-used look to it, and that does go well with the rest of the car, too. The door cards and the matching carpet are clean, while the switch, knobs, and meters look okay. The hood from the inside too is without a doubt pretty solid.

The Triumph TR4A used the same engine as the TR4 but with improved components, the overall power output was increased to 104 bhp. It was larger than the TR3’s but still a four-cylinder unit; Triumph didn’t move to straight-six units later. Complementing the change was a new chassis on the TR4A, which made handling even better and more predictable than the TR4’s. The US-market standard version, like this example, retained the live-axle setup from the TR4 but with some improvements.

When this 1966 came to the UK in the nineties, it got its gearbox rebuilt. The engine too was subjected to some maintenance work; it was also being readied for the modern motoring scenario. For instance, it could now take unleaded fuel. While switching it from LHD to RHD, it also got a new wiring loom. Other work was clutch, oil pump, reconditioned carburettors, etc.

Since the body and chassis are separate, working on the TR4A can be easy, but like most cars of this era, rust can be an issue. Looking at the underbody, this example has fended off rust well, but let’s not forget that it has been in the UK for the last thirty years, so while it had been rust-free when it was imported from the States, it isn’t anymore. On the bright side, the engine bay is exceptionally clean.

It’s a 1966 example, which according to the paperwork, was manufactured in February 1966. It was registered in the USA that year and didn’t see the UK until the nineties. It was registered here in 1992, by which most of its major restoration work was done already. You can check out the original invoices in the photo gallery below. Some more work was carried out in the next few years, but nothing as major as the mentioned restoration.

The car has had three keepers in the UK, including the vendor. In the UK, from the MoT data, it has done about 10k miles in the last 15 years. But the overall mileage of the car is believed to be more than that, as the older MoT slips (also included below) state that the car did about 100,000 miles by 2000. So in total, we’re looking at about 118,000 miles.

In the last 13 tests, the car has cleared all its recent MoTs, although not always without an advisory — the latest (from 2018) being the presence of corrosion on the offside inner sill. Older, pre-digitisation MoT certificates show similarly clean performance.

The Triumph TR4A is about leisurely motoring but not without a pinch of style added to the mix. Considered to be an improvement over the TR4, the TR4A can be a good pick of the lot. This US-spec, 1996 Triumph TR4A had undergone a lot of work at the time of import. Which means in the last three decades that it’s spent here, it did so as an almost-new car. And while it’s had more than 100,000 miles on the clock, the work done on it is backed by original invoices.

In 2021, when every company seems to be more interested in making its own products obsolete even before they spend a few hours on the dealership forecourt, it’s surprising that a car from the mid-60s can be relevant. And at an estimate of £13,000 - £17,000, it’s not a bad way to enjoy a pukka icon of British motoring.

Viewing is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.