Listers, especially you TR4 owners,
I have a dilemma. A while back, while searching for parts for my spitfire,
I came across what was left of a TR4. This thing had no doors, bumpers,
trunk, and about 5' of trash dumped in it. The hood (bonnet) was on it and
in excellent shape. When I finally got it off, the engine compartment was
very complete and original. Then I offered it to the list. I got several
replies asking for bits and pieces, manifolds, engine, transmission, drive
shaft, axles, etc. When I went back to the salvage yard, the guy said get
what I want now, because it was going to be crushed. He'd take $195 for the
motor and tranny. The rest of the stuff he was not really interested in.
After some haggling back and forth, he told me to take the whole car, and
take the parts off on my time, he needed the space. Last Saturday, I went
to go get it. After I got it loaded on the trailer, the guy at the
scrapyard yelled "hey, don't forget the rest of the junk" and led me around
to corner. He gave me the windscreen frame, the doors, the bumpers, luggage
rack, and two boxes of misc. parts and pieces. The doors are like new, no
rust except a very little surface, the chrome is straight and really in
decent shape. I took my "treasures" home and started cleaning out the
trash. To my surprise, the floor pans are solid; I found the original jack,
ratchet, gauges, and even the "push" type grease gun. The title says this
car has only 16,000 original miles. The speedo agrees. I think it's true,
because the engine compartment is original down to the Lucas coil (old
logo), Lucas fuses, and radiator! The washer bottle even still has fluid in
it. Now here is my dilemma. I (now) think this car is quite restorable.
And is fairly complete. It will take somebody with bodywork experience and
a whole lot of TLC. The sills will need replacing, as well as the back
fenders. The front fenders although rusty (all the paint on this car was
stripped off at some point and let set outside) appear to be mostly solid.
The interior is pretty much gone as it sat outside, piled with trash,
although some of the carpet is useable. I really don't have the time to do
it and I have two other projects in the works. Now here is where the
dilemma comes in. I know I could make some money for my spit projects by
parting it out, I'm sure there are people out there wanting original parts
that I now have. But if this is in fact restorable, I would much rather
see it on the road someday, than parted out. My wife says I have a soft
heart (and head) for Triumphs. Perhaps she's right. What should I do?
Part it out? Sell it to someone else who has time to restore it now? Tarp
it and "get to it someday" myself? I'm afraid that if I leave it set for
years, what is good now won't be good then. I plan to change the fluids and
run the engine this weekend. It's not stuck and looks really good through
the oil filler cap, still coated. I'm positive I'll get it running. Any
thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.
Bill Miller
65 TR4 CT32080L
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