There was a question forwarded to the list which asked for info regarding the
value of the Bentley manuals. This is an attempt to answer that question.
The "Bentley" books, as they are known, are reproductions of the original
Triumph Factory Service Manuals used by dealers and authorized repairmen.
The Bentley manuals (e.g. the TR4-4A Bentley) also have a reproduction of
the original owner's manual (the little book that fits in the glove
compartment - aka "cubby box" - for the owner's use).
I paid 37 bucks in 1968 for a TR4 Factory Service Manual (FSM) - that is
probably be over a hundred bucks today. Was it worth it ? - hell, yes! The
reason I bought it was that I wanted to start working on my TR4 myself
because I was tired of paying 10 bucks an hour (in '68) to some dealer to do
a job which was not always done properly. Over the years I continued used it
myself AND have used it many times to show mechanics who are not "certified
Triumph mechanics" (there haven't been any Triumph mechanics certified in
almost 20 years) what the specs, proper torque forces, layout etc. should be.
I still have the original FSM that I bought but someone else left it in a
damp basement and many pages are now stuck together - SO in '92 I bought the
Bentley manual (for TR4's) from TRF or Moss. The book which they I bought is
the same size as the original (about 11inches by 14inches) but is a softbound
book (the original was a 3ring binder with a plastic cover).
The only difference is that the Bentley reproduction includes a little more
updated information and has TR4A pages behind the TR4 sections, where
applicable. When I bought my FSM in '68 there were two "TR4" FSM's (one for
the TR4 and one for the 4A). The difference between the two "official"
manuals was that the covers read either "TR4" or "TR4A" and the pages which
applied to the the TR4A replaced those which applied to the older TR4 pages.
The Bentley efficiently combines the two factory manuals.
IMHO, the more repair (or trouble shooting) manuals you have the better off
you are. There were never really that many to begin with and most are out of
print now. Each takes a different approach (e.g. Haynes vs. Glenn's etc.)
BUT the Bentley is the one from the factory and, although not infallible,
is the best place to start and many times I have found that it is the best
place to finish.
So I think that the money is worth it. I keep the Bentley in a large
ziplock bag in the trunk (boot) - the original is only taken off the
bookshelfs for TR events). The Bentley has saved my butt several times while
on trips.
Two things my Daddy told me long ago come to mind ["You get what you pay for"
and "don't be a cheapskate"]. I find it interesting that people will buy all
kinds of junk for their cars but always squawk about the price of repair
manuals which are so helpful. OK - off the soapbox. :-)
Love this list. Cheers
Art Kelly '64TR4 CT33118L (original owner/daily driver)
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