1968 Triumph TR250

This Triumph TR250 departed Queen Alexandra Dock in Cardiff aboard the vessel ‘Norbu’ bound for the Leyland Motor Corporation of North America in New York.

The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust confirms it left the factory in 1968 finished in Royal Blue with a black hood and interior, and fitted with optional extras that included a laminated windscreen, wire wheels, Michelin X tyres, and a heater.

Nothing is known of its time ‘Stateside and ‘FMA 193F’ appears to have arrived back in the United Kingdom in around 2015. The photo album and invoices that accompany the car further suggest it was restored between 2020-22 when it had 73,450 miles on the clock.

The work appears to have been carried out to a very high standard with good panels and paint, a new hood and interior, Minilite-style wheels and new whitewall tyres, and a good fit ‘n’ finish. It was also converted to right-hand drive.

The seller bought the Triumph TR250 in September 2023 from its only UK-keeper. Sadly, having driven it only 150 miles, ill-health is forcing this reluctant sale.

The yellow paintwork is very good with no obvious orange peel, drips, cracks, or other flaws bar a small run along the front edge of the bonnet. The panels are in fine fettle too, being untroubled by dents, dinks, or other damage. Even the wheelarches, one of the TR-range’s few Achilles’ heels, are free of the dreaded tin-worm.

Although there isn’t any paperwork to support this, the extensive chromework is also in such a good condition that we suspect much of it is either new or re-chromed.

It’s the same story with the Minilite-style wheels, which replace the factory wire wheels. Finished in black with silver rims, they are also free of scuffs, scrapes and other signs of a careless owner.

No doubt you’ll have also admired the TR250’s stance, and you can’t fail to notice the 15-inch rims are fitted with a matching set of 165R15 Retro RC-001 whitewall tyres. Made in 2020, all have very good tread left on them.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The Don Trimming Company Limited supplied a new ‘Deluxe Mohair Canvas’ hood in September 2020, with Moss supplying a new hood frame in the same month. The brown fabric roof rises and falls smoothly, fits well, and a matching cover hides the furled roof to give the TR250 a sleek profile.

Its plastic rear windows are also clear and free of creases and cracks, and the stitching is still tight throughout. However, there are a couple of small rips to the fabric on the offside directly above the windscreen.

The Triumph also benefits from a pair of Lucas P700 headlamps, and these are in the same untroubled condition as the rest of the light lenses.

Flaws, therefore, are few. There are a couple of stonechips above the front numberplate, with another next to the indicator repeater on the nearside front wing and one on the nearside scuttle.

And, while most of the panels fit well, the doors don’t fit as neatly as they might, so it would be worth trying to massage them into better alignment. Mind you, we are assessing them through 21st century eyes, and we suspect the fit straight from the factory wouldn’t have satisfied us either.

Finally, there are a few non-matching bolts dotted about, including between the nearside door and front wing. There is nothing to suggest they’re problematic, but they do rather spoil what is otherwise a pleasing attention to detail.

Moss supplied the bulk of the interior in July 2020: Tan vinyl seats and door cards, joined by a matching light-brown floor carpet – and doesn’t it look terrific, the new colour palette and burr walnut veneer joining forces to complement the car’s classic design.

As you’d expect, it’s in good shape too with the plump and firm seats being nicely finished in their new pleather. They’re also very comfortable, and the matching door cards are unblemished.

The chrome trim and controls are every bit as lovely to handle as they are to look at and the burr walnut trim on the dashboard and door tops is joined by a wood-rimmed Superlite steering wheel and a wooden gearknob. As you can see, the extensive veneer is free of chips, peeling lacquer, and other signs of aging; if it wasn’t new when the car was restored, it might as well be.

The instrumentation is from Smiths, with the white-on-black gauges covering road speed, distance travelled, oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel level, engine revs, and battery charge. All are still bright and well finished, including the black bezels. The switches feature bright white lettering too, and everything we tested worked exactly as it should.

The carpets, which have been neatly bound in matching vinyl, are very nearly as good as they were when they were fitted. Beautifully tailored, their features extend to heel protectors in both footwells and to the transmission tunnel. Rubber overmats are fitted in the rear.

The boot is finished in black carpet trim. Very clean, there is space under the plywood false floor for a spare wheel, although one isn’t supplied. The metal floor beneath is as well-painted as the rest of the panels and is equally free of rust.

As for stuff you will want to sort out, a seam on the driver’s backrest has let go, and this may well need a professional to repair it.

The padded surround in front of the passenger is cracked, and the interior trim inside the door shuts isn’t finished to the same high standard as the rest of the cabin.

The restoration saw a Powerspark electronic ignition and coil installed, along with a brake servo kit. We also spotted an electric cooling fan, and one of the invoices on file suggests that a new clutch was fitted around March 2023.

As you can see, the straight-six engine bursts into life and shows good oil pressure, even at idle. It revs well, albeit with a bit of a stutter, so perhaps the carburettors need tweaking?

The engine bay is clean enough that 99% of you will be happy to leave it exactly as it is.

The underside is finished in a fetching combination of black underseal and body-coloured paint, which still looks crisp apart from the inevitable rusty steel fasteners. It even sports what we think is a stainless-steel exhaust system, so it should continue to sound this good for eons yet.

However, the rubber bushes on the anti-roll bar have perished. However, replacing these would be cheap, easy and satisfying, thereby fulfilling the elusive trifecta that prevents so many of us keeping on top of routine jobs like this.

The Triumph’s MoT certificate might have expired on the 12th of July 2024, but getting another might not be too onerous given it was issued with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certified copy of the factory build record.

The history file also includes a photo album documenting its rebuild, a V5 Registration Certificate that’s been updated to show its new colour, and a good number of receipts and invoices.

Still fresh from its recent restoration, we suspect this Triumph TR250 is going to attract an awful lot of interest.

Not least because we estimate the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £25,000 and £30,000, making it far cheaper than buying one and restoring it yourself.

And may we remind you that the outstanding work is all minor and largely cosmetic, which means that you’ll be able to enjoy your new British sportscar from the off.

There are also plenty of folk out there who’ll be happy to keep it running smoothly and looking good for equally pitiful sums, making this a brutish British sportscar you can buy with your head and your heart.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.