Sir John Black, chairman of Triumph Standard, was determined to have a sports car that could compete more directly and effectively against the sporting Morgan. Interestingly, Black tried to buy Morgan, but was refused, at which point, Black decided to show Morgan a thing or two in competition. The order was to build a car that would utilize existing components, be inexpensive to design, cost about £500 and achieve a top speed of about 90 MPH. In October 1952, the Triumph 20TS was introduced at the London Motor Show, where it received only lukewarm reviews. On top of that, Ken Richardson, a BRM test driver, reported that the car had lackluster handling and drivability. Triumph hired him to help develop a replacement, the TR2, which debuted in 1952. A huge improvement over the 20TS, the TR2 was larger and more comfortable, offered vastly improved handling and performance, and took Triumph where Black wanted it to go. It also set the foundation for a number of future Triumphs spanning to the TR8. While each model has its fans and followers, the TR4 is arguably one of the most popular and recognizable Triumph TRs ever made. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti, the TR4 was introduced in 1961 and was a stark departure from previous TRs. It was very modern and had a relatively aggressive look. It was roomy and powerful, and it handled very well and held a unique elegance of style. This 1962 TR4 presents exquisitely well and boasts a number of interesting points, the most notable likely being the extremely rare, removable Surrey top. The Surrey top was essentially an early Targa top featuring a removable center panel that allowed the elements in or sealed them out with the solidity of a hardtop. Nicely, the top has been treated like the rest of the car and restored with a new headliner, hardware and seals. The TR4 also benefits from a rebuilt, matching-numbers 2.1L inline 4-cylinder engine with rebuilt SU H6 carburetors, a rebuilt 4-speed manual transmission, Pertronix electronic ignition and a refurbished tropical six-blade cooling fan. Exceptionally well detailed, the valve cover was rechromed and the car was repainted in its original black hue in 2019. While in restoration, the car received new sound-dampening materials, a new dash pad, carpets, weather stripping, seat belts, crash pads, sun visors, window channel felts and door panels among other appointments. The seats were rebuilt with horse hair padding and new springs, and they were then reupholstered in black vinyl with white piping. The dashboard insets were painted white and host Jaeger instrumentation, heater controls and a pushbutton AM radio. A factory front sway bar and front disc brakes assure fantastic handling and stability while painted 15-inch wire wheels with chrome knock-offs and Coker 165/80 series tires provide grip and style. Complete with service records, receipts, build photos, a tool kit, removed factory parts and a selection of spares, the car has a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate and is a multiple award winner, including a First Place from the 2019 AACA Winter Nationals.
