Description
We are delighted to offer this very well-known and highly successful historic rally car onto the market. 883 GOH is a Matching Numbers UK Home Market example that was built on the 9th May 1962, leaving the factory finished in British Racing Green with Red trim, Surrey Hard Top, Overdrive, Heater and Wire Wheels. The Triumph was supplied new by Birmingham agents P. J Evans Limited and supplied new to a Derbyshire based gentleman posted outside of the UK. The first owner decided to sell the TR4 via a garage local to his parents in 1964 and it was then in the hands its second owner, a London Motor Club member who worked for EMI (Electrical & Music Industries Ltd) and during the mid-1960’s enjoyed some rallying in the TR4. In 1968 the second owner was assigned to the USA with EMI, and the TR4 spent most of the next 30 years stored away.
The TR4 was sold in 1998 and over the next two to three years the TR4 was completely rebuilt and uprated for historic road rallying. All original panels were kept and only two new sills had to be purchased, the base of the wings were re-metalled and the car prepared and re-painted. The TR4 was rebuilt to a very high standards and has an impressive specification featuring a 2188cc high spec engine on twin webers, Motorsport radiator and header tank, alloy oil catch tank, uprated gearbox with overdrive and twin switching, half cage, Revington TR rally seats and harnesses, twin brake system with adjustable bias, Quaife LSD, custom fuel tank with twin Facet fuel pumps, Motorsport spec TRE oil cooler, front and rear Revington roll bars and suspension kit, fly off central handbrake, Brantz trip and twin rally timers, narrow fan belt conversion, high torque starter motor, Works TR side vents, sealed rear fireproof bulkhead and Aluminium Surrey hard top.
From 2001 the Triumph was competing in events and won two HRCR Clubman's Championship events and the 3 day Circuit of Wales in 2003. Due to health issues, the TR4 had to be sold in 2007 and the owner has gone on record to say out of eight TR's owned, this was probably the best he'd ever owned. The car then went onto win a further three events and had major preparation work with Revington TR, one invoice alone totalling almost £7000 for chassis re-strengthening and rebuilding the suspension ahead of an event. In 2011 it was purchased by one of the former navigators of 883 GOH. With FIA and MSA papers, the TR4 went onto win further events and competed in the Tulip Rally and Rally of the Tests. The car has had many outright wins, the most noted being the 2014 The Classic Rally Association annual Rally of the Tests which is a celebration of the original RAC Rally of GB for rally cars from the 1950's and 1960's. After three tough days of action, the TR4 was the winning car, and after this the car then checked over and prepared for the next season.
In 2015 the TR4 was sold to the last owner in York and its been part of a collection, used for some Hill-Climbing events and general road use covering 1000 or so faultless miles. The TR4 has been driven over to us, and on road test we can report this as incredibly impressive to drive. The car is very quick, totally reliable and offers exceptional performance. This is a road rally winning car and it most certainly feels like it, perfect for events such as LeJog, but of course with its rich history in road rallies, its clearly very capable of long distance touring and offering not only top class TR performance, but importantly reliability and a high level of robustness. The car presents well as a real ‘user', is structurally excellent and general appearance is as you'd expect of an top quality older restoration that's been used to competing in events. This is a brilliant car, true provenance but also incredible fun to drive, in top quality mechanical order.
