1949 Triumph 2000 (20TR) Roadster

This particular, late-model wonderful 2.0-litre Roadster is a truly cherished example of the breed, having been restored not once but twice within the last twenty years, and fastidiously maintained by its various long-term owners throughout its lifetime.

Prior to purchase by the current owner in 2013, this wonderful Roadster was subjected to a ground-up restoration of the highest standard, with a complete mechanical rebuild and overhaul, including the engine, transmission, braking systems and other ancillary items, in order to bring it back to its former glory. In the words of the car’s current custodian, the standards of this mechanical restoration were of the highest order, and he “couldn’t fault” the quality of the work done underneath the car’s bodywork.

Sadly, prior to the culmination of this restoration work, the then-owner was diagnosed with a terminal illness. As a result, the decision was made to simply get the car back on the road as quick as possible - quite understandably, given the circumstances - which resulted in the aesthetics of the vehicle not quite matching its excellent mechanical underpinnings.

The vehicle was then purchased by the current owner, who set about restoring the car once again from an aesthetic point of view. As a little bit of background, the owner is a highly-skilled bodywork and mechanical specialist, and is highly regarded within his field, regularly working with and for the vendors of the vehicle, with a fastidious attention to detail that can be clearly seen in the quality of this 20TR.

With the bodywork entirely stripped, blasted and re-sprayed in-house, the interior was also attended to, with an original (yes, original!) bench seat frame sourced and re-upholstered, with the rest of the cabin swiftly following suit given the excellent standard of work that was carried out by the trimmers.

Being the detailed-oriented enthusiast owner that he was, the current owner also took this opportunity to attend to a few other minor issues, including sourcing an NoS fuel pump, adding hidden stainless-steel bracing to the B-pillars (a known weak spot on these Roadsters) general fettling and fitment of a rebuilt radiator, new oil pipe, electronic ignition and a brand-new wiring loom to ensure maximum reliability.

Since 2013, the car has travelled extensively (for a vehicle of this age) in the care of the current owner, including a trip to the British Ironworks Show - signified by the plaque under the engine cover - where it drew quite the crowd.

Reported to be an “absolute joy to drive” and having never let the vendor down, the car has proven to be quite simply that - a car - thanks to its ease of use and seemingly bulletproof reliability. The steering has also been set-up according to a pre-war car specialist’s ‘recipe’ which has eliminated the typically wandering nature often found in vehicles of this era, which has enhanced the driving experience no end.

Having been fastidiously maintained, truly cherished and significantly enhanced - to factory specification - in recent years, the time has now come for this wonderful 20TR to find a new home with an equally detail-oriented, knowledgeable and enthusiastic owner.

With its almost pre-war styling, over-sized fenders and large inset headlamps, the Triumph Roadster is a fantastic-looking vehicle and still cuts a mean figure to this day, ensuring that no matter where you take it, you’ll certainly draw a crowd!

Having been re-sprayed and subject to extensive works within the last 10 years, the bodywork and paint on this particular example are in fantastic condition, having evidently been completed to a very high standard and carefully cosseted in the years since.

Naturally, there are some signs of wear visible, such as a couple (10p sized) spots of flat paint noted on the windscreen uprights, a few more noticeable marks (documented in the gallery below) and the usual smattering of stone chips, but nothing that is of any concern in our view.

Also, as is typical on a vehicle of this era, there are some alignment issues on the bodywork, notably on the butterfly engine covers, and the rear edge of the driver’s door.

The numerous chrome details, frames, headlamps and fixtures are all present, correct and in excellent condition, whilst the headlamps themselves show no damage to any of the lenses, and a brace of period badges and crests adorn the front end, looking very ‘at home’ indeed.

All four wheels are in very good condition, wrapped in matching rubber with plentiful life left.

Presented in nigh-on pristine condition following a full re-trim to factory specifications using the highest quality materials possible, the cabin of this Triumph Roadster is a wonderful place to spend time, even if getting in-and-out is a somewhat undignified affair on account of the ‘suicide’ doors and large steering wheel!

The seats, carpets and door cards are all virtually unmarked, having covered only limited milage since being refinished, and present wonderfully. The high-traffic areas, such as the steering wheel, shifter and other chrome details wear a charming and well-fitting patina, whilst the centrally-mounted gauges are all in full working order.

One particular quirk of the Triumph Roadsters is that the windows on the doors often catch the windscreen surrounds when being opened. This is a ‘feature’ seen on almost all cars, and in this instance it is the nearside (passenger) pillar that bears the typical wear marks from this unusual design flaw.

Up above, the folding roof is in excellent condition and works wonderfully, with no sticking points noted in the mechanism and the catches engaging/disengaging with ease, and no waterproofing issues reported.

In the rear, the fold-out dickey seat were re-upholstered at the same time as the rest of the cabin, and present in immaculate condition, whilst the fold-up windscreen is also in full working order, with no locking issues noted to the catches.

Restored to a very high standard by the previous owner, the drivetrain and chassis of this 20TR have wanted for virtually nothing whilst in the care of the current custodian, other than routine maintenance, fettling and attention as expected from a vehicle of this vintage.

Firing into life with impressive ease the 2.0-litre inline-four engine idled remarkably smoothly, with no stuttering, hunting or untoward behaviours noted, and minimal smoke noted from the exhaust. For the initial start (after having been stood for a couple of weeks) a jump pack was required, but following this, the battery appeared perfectly healthy and the vehicle re-started with no fuss.

Under the butterfly-hinged engine covers, the engine, ancillaries and bay all present very well indeed, and - save for some light misting as shown in the photographs - there were no major leaks, obvious issues or out-of-place items to report.

Underneath, the chassis, frame and suspension components all look to be in good order, with neither the vendor, nor the custodian reporting any known issues or faults with the engine, suspension, chassis or transmission.

It should be noted that in our video, the oil pressure is showing very low at hot idle. Having spoken to the owner, this is, in fact, completely correct and “within spec” for the vehicle, and the pressure then coming up when driven, as it should.

Included with the vehicle is an impressive selection of documentation, invoices and certificates from its current ownership, all arranged within a folder for easy access.

The V5 is present, showing six recorded former keepers, numerous MoT certificates, invoices for shot blasting, parts and other sundry items, and various documents relating to the vehicle being part of the Triumph owners club.

As always, all paperwork has been photographed, and can be viewed in the gallery below.

Cherished, fastidiously maintained and kept in rude mechanical health by a string of enthusiastic, knowledgeable and long-term owners, this really is a wonderful example of the arresting Triumph Roadster in desirable late-model 2.0-litre guise, and would make a fine addition to any collection of vintage motor cars.

Presented in excellent condition throughout and in apparently rude mechanical health, we estimate this 1949 Triumph Roadster 20TR to fetch in the region of £25,000 - £30,000 when the hammer falls.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Strensham, Worcestershire. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’