Triumph TR4 and TR4A (1961 to 1967)

Why people buy one

• A more modern, roomier TR than the sidescreen cars, with wind-up windows, face-level vents and an optional Surrey top that anticipated the Targa roof.
• All-synchromesh gearbox and rack-and-pinion steering as standard.
• The torquey wet-liner engine is durable; Classics World says 150,000 miles is achievable.
• The TR4A's coil-sprung independent rear suspension is still firm, but Classics World says it feels more stable over broken surfaces than the live axle.
• Separate chassis and simple running gear, with good parts support across the TR range.

What to weigh up

• The TR Register gives 37,661 of the 40,253 TR4s as exports, so many UK cars are returned left-hand-drive cars, often converted. Goodwood notes an "L" suffix on the commission number shows a car built as left-hand drive.
• Not every TR4A has IRS: North American cars could have a live axle on leaf springs, so check what is fitted rather than trusting badges.
• Six-cylinder engines have been fitted to some TR4s and TR4As, and Classics World warns such cars can be offered as TR5s.
• The windscreen frame is structural and Goodwood says it cannot be bought new, so damage or flex is a serious problem.
• The handbrake is weak, overdrive was rarely fitted to US-bound cars, and the original electrics are positive earth.
• The Dové GTR4 coupe conversions by Harrington and the six-cylinder TR5 and TR250 are not covered here.

Where they rust

• Chassis outriggers, the front crossmember and the engine and gearbox mountings.
• Rear suspension mountings and, on the TR4A, the differential mountings.
• Inner and outer sills, which help hold the body together even on a separate chassis; Classics World says repairs can escalate quickly.
• A-posts and B-posts, shown by poor door fit.
• Inner wings and the bulkhead.
• Floors, especially where hood or hardtop leaks have soaked the carpets.
• Boot floor, front and rear valances, and the joins between the wings and the body, where paint bubbles first.

Mechanical weak spots

• Engine: listen for crankshaft bearing knock and watch for low oil pressure; silted radiators and blocks cause overheating. Look for sticking carburettor needle valves and ignition faults.
• Gearbox: layshaft whine that goes in top gear means bearing wear, and first and second synchromesh wear first. Overdrive, where fitted, works on second, third and top; failure is usually electrical or low oil.
• Rear axle: a howl means wear, though axles can last; on IRS TR4As, clonks on tight turns point to worn driveshaft universal joints.
• Steering: free play usually means worn trunnions, which need heavy oil, not grease; clunks suggest a worn rack or perished rubber rack mounts.
• Brakes are front discs and rear drums; check the car pulls up straight. Many cars have been converted to negative earth, and a seized wiper linkage means removing the dashboard.

At a Mathewsons viewing

• Check the commission number against the V5C. A TR4 or live-axle TR4A starts CT and an IRS TR4A starts CTC; an "L" suffix means left-hand drive from new and "O" means overdrive.
• Ask for a British Motor Museum Heritage Certificate to confirm the original engine number, build and despatch dates, colour and equipment.
• Identify the model: the TR4A has side-lamps in the chrome side strips, a wooden dashboard and, if IRS, an "IRS" badge on the tail. With a torch, look under the rear for coil springs (IRS) or leaf springs (live axle).
• With a torch, look at the chassis outriggers, crossmember, sills and rear suspension mountings, and check door gaps on both sides for sag.
• Pull gently at the top of the windscreen frame for flex, lift the carpets for damp floors, and if staff start the car, listen for knocks and watch the oil pressure; do not assume it will be started.

Parts, specialists and clubs

Seen on Bangers & Cash

• Triumph TR4A (Bangers & Cash series 7, episode 1, First shown January 2023)

Sources

• Triumph TR4/TR4A buyer's guide (Classics World), 5 February 2017
• Triumph TR4/TR4a review, buyer's guide (Goodwood Classic Solutions), 1 November 2024
• Triumph TR4/4A buyer's guide (TR Register), accessed 14 October 2026
• Triumph TR4 (Classic & Sports Car A to Z), accessed 14 October 2026
• Triumph TR4A (Classic & Sports Car A to Z), accessed 14 October 2026
• Triumph TR4A (TR Drivers Club), accessed 14 October 2026
• Heritage Certificates (British Motor Museum), accessed 14 October 2026
• Triumph TR4A (Wikipedia), accessed 14 October 2026