1955 Triumph TR2

This wonderful example was in the same hands between 1986 and 1997 before being restored and imported from Dublin to the UK. It was a genuine barn-find which was  completely restored from the bare chassis up over a number of years; we believe the work was completed in June 2012.

It is thought to be a genuine ‘matching numbers’ car and the V5 registration document - it was registered here in the United Kingdom in 2014 - shows just one former owner, although this probably only reflects the owners it has had since it was imported from Ireland.

The current owner has only covered around 350 miles since buying the car in 2014; the odometer was reset after the restoration work was completed and now reads just 2,254 miles. Still minty fresh, this is your opportunity to own and drive a fully restored TR2 that looks better, and will be more reliable, than it was when it was new.

The bodywork is in fabulous condition with tight, even panel gaps throughout. It has been professionally resprayed in British Racing Green, a colour that suits the car perfectly. It goes without saying that it has no rust whatsoever.

The chromework, much of which was replated during the restoration, is in very good condition and sets the rest of the car off beautifully, as do the chromed rear wheelarch protectors.

It has also been fitted with a new black fabric hood and full tonneau cover, both of which still look like new. The refurbished wire wheels (painted rather than chromed, which is exactly how they should be finished) are shod with matching tyres, all of which are almost new.

The finished car looks wonderful and we’d encourage potential bidders to view the car for themselves in order to appreciate just how good it looks.

The interior has been professionally retrimmed in black, with the seats being finished in black leather with white piping. Then result is stunning and amongst the very best we’ve seen; it might be simple, but what there is is beautifully executed.

The three-point seat belts are new and were carefully sourced to look period and as authentic as possible, giving the driver and passenger modern levels of protection with a largely original appearance. This is another very sensible upgrade because if you insist on period-authentic safety equipment then you will get period-authentic accident injuries…

The dashboard instruments are original, as is the wonderful three-spoke steering wheel which bears a wonderful, hard-won patina to it.

The owner tells us that nothing needs doing to the car.

The car’s restoration started with it being completely stripped down to its bare chassis. The chassis was then cleaned, stripped and repainted before being carefully reassembled. Please see the photographs of this process to see just how good it looked after being prepared.

As part of the reassembly, every single mechanical component was assessed and then restored, refurbished or replaced depending its condition.

The work that was done is too comprehensive to detail here (as an example, even the water pump housing was etch-primed before being painted…) but the handwritten notes that accompany the TR2 list it all in painstaking detail. Obviously, the bullet points include the engine being fully rebuilt along with the suspension, braking system etc., but it’s worth spending some time (quite a lot of time, actually) reading through it all because it is a fascinating document. We love records like this as they really bring to life just how meticulous the restoration was. The final bill ran well into five figures.

It also benefits from a front disc brake upgrade that is believed to be to TR4 specification. It also has an original overdrive on the gearbox, which operates on 4th gear, helping make it a little more refined when travelling at speed. It probably helps the fuel economy too.

The cooling system has been filled with ‘Evans waterless coolant’, which should help when you’re stuck in the inevitable summertime traffic jam!

The owner does state that on occasion the overdrive takes a touch too long to come in, possibly a weak solenoid, or just the result of seeing such little recent use and something that would fix with a bit of driving.

The engine bay itself is nicely finished and a credit to the owner, but he does state that a panel seal has been applied around the engine bay which he thinks looks a little unsightly - we'll leave that up to you.

The car comes with an extensive history file including a partial photographic record of the restoration work, along with a large number of invoices for the work undertaken (only a portion are shown in the Gallery). There is also a comprehensive handwritten record of the work that was done, (again only a sample is included in the Gallery) which forms an invaluable part of the car’s comprehensive provenance. It also comes with a number of old tax discs.

Please visit the ‘Gallery’ section of this listing where you will find a number of documents and photographs to support the car’s condition and specification.

The quality of the restoration, plus the fact that the vehicle has had a few unobtrusive and sympathetic upgrades to make it more usable in modern-day traffic, makes this the ideal Triumph TR2 for the collector that wants something that can be driven regularly as well as shown. It’s in fabulous condition and is likely to remain so for a considerable time given the attention to detail, care and money that was lavished on it during its restoration.

The price of Triumph TR2s has been steady for a long time now, making them a great investment - especially when you consider that interest rates are as low as they are, a situation that is likely to remain for some time; after all, you can’t drive an ISA in the sun with the roof down, can you?

Triumph TR2s are also rare: the latest figures show just 426 examples on the road in the UK in 2017, with a further 58 recorded as being on SORN. Taking all these factors into account, we think the guide price of £26-32,000 is something of a bargain. And, as ever, the reserve is set even lower than this...

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Colchester; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.