1962 Triumph TR4 Restoration

Brian Sanborn, Groton, MA

I went over to the dark side in May 2005... and sold this fantastic TR4 and bought a 2002 Miata LS in faux BRG with tan leather interior.  It is a modern Japanese version of an MGB and Lotus Élan blend... fun to drive.  I am now on my fourth Miata.  Check out the  2002 Miata LS,  2007 Miata PRHT, 1997 Miata and the most recent 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata if you wish.  I will keep this TR4  resource up on the web for as long as is feasible.

This website records the on-frame restoration of my TR4. The car is fairly typical of the vast majority of TR4s imported into the US in late 1962 and early 1963. It is Signal Red, and after almost three years of restoration, now has new black leather seats and black vinyl interior with new charcoal gray rugs, restored white steel dashboard, 4-speed gearbox with the optional Laycock A-type overdrive unit and chrome wire wheels.  I followed the advice I got from restoration books and on the Internet... and bought a car with the best  body and frame I could find and afford.  It turns out that the reason my car is actually rust free (a miracle) is that it entered the U.S. at POE San Francisco.  How it got to Buffalo, NY, where I found it, is beyond me. 

This is the fulfillment of a long postponed project that started with the purchase of a 1962 BRG TR4 in the Spring of 1963. I owned the car for 3 years and sold it just before getting married. I regretted selling that car very much.  For 30+ years I had it in the back of mind that I would find one of these great cars one day, rebuild it to new condition and enjoy driving it again.

Explore the website as you please. Check out the pictures below for more snaps of the car taken just before we left for the VTR '99 Convention in Portland, ME in late July 1999 and others from the later six years of ownership.

More Pictures of the Car

Hot Links

  • Vintage Triumph Registry

     

    NOTICE:  This web material was moved from Charter to Verizon FIOS and now to WebHostingHub.com.   The cable companies free webspace is unreliable.  Even though I have sold my car, I am leaving this website up on the web as a TR4 resource

    The new web address is:    brian-sanborn.com/TR4.html

    I have PDF version of this TR4 material available for anyone that is interested.  Email me  if you want to receive a copy.

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