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1955TR2
Freshman Member
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Hello, I am a new member to this forum but not a new member for Triumphs in general. I currently own a 1955 Triumph TR2 (TS6661L) that I purchased in May 1974 off of a used car lot in Ames, IA. and I drove it as my primary source of transportation for a little over two years. Needless to say it left me stranded numerous times during those two years and I decided it was time to buy a more practical car...but I never sold the TR2 and ended up parking it in my parent's garage. (At one point in the 1980s I also owned a 1973 Triumph TR6 while living in San Diego that was white with a blue interior, but I ended up selling it when I moved back to Minnesota).
Over the years the TR2 was been moved multiple times until reaching its current home in St Paul, MN, but never much work was done on it, or started, since 1979 because one thing or another was always a bigger priority/life got in the way. About ten years ago I got tired of looking at this neglected car taking up space in the garage but nothing being done on it and I decided it was past time to do something with it or get rid of it (I preferred doing something with it, my wife preferred getting rid of it. Fortunately, I prevailed in that discussion). Initial work was to rebuilt the entire suspension, brakes, brake lines, painting all but the top of the frame, etc. - everything that could be accessed with the body on the frame. Once that was completed the next step was to have the body/paint work done and the engine rebuilt. The engine rebuild was very successful, but I won't go into the details about the body/paint ordeal beyond summarizing it by saying after nearly seven years and hiring/firing the first two body/paint guys before finally finding someone competent to work on the car, in the end the car having a complete frame off restoration, and it finally arrived back home again on March 1, 2024.
Next steps are to install the interior and finish sorting out the mechanics of the car in general. There is one unique feature of this car, it still has the very rare original 'wicker' style material on the dash, and I'm also hoping I will be able to salvage the wicker material on the door panels too. This material only came on TR2s and some early TR3s when built with signal red exterior and a grey leather interior, and the material has never been reproduced. I have attached a picture of the car along with an interior picture showing what the wicker material looks like on the dash. Also attached is a 'before' picture prior to the body/paint work being done.
I'm looking forward to getting insight and more information as I complete the restoration and I have already printed out the great documentation about TR2/3 upholstery installation.
Over the years the TR2 was been moved multiple times until reaching its current home in St Paul, MN, but never much work was done on it, or started, since 1979 because one thing or another was always a bigger priority/life got in the way. About ten years ago I got tired of looking at this neglected car taking up space in the garage but nothing being done on it and I decided it was past time to do something with it or get rid of it (I preferred doing something with it, my wife preferred getting rid of it. Fortunately, I prevailed in that discussion). Initial work was to rebuilt the entire suspension, brakes, brake lines, painting all but the top of the frame, etc. - everything that could be accessed with the body on the frame. Once that was completed the next step was to have the body/paint work done and the engine rebuilt. The engine rebuild was very successful, but I won't go into the details about the body/paint ordeal beyond summarizing it by saying after nearly seven years and hiring/firing the first two body/paint guys before finally finding someone competent to work on the car, in the end the car having a complete frame off restoration, and it finally arrived back home again on March 1, 2024.
Next steps are to install the interior and finish sorting out the mechanics of the car in general. There is one unique feature of this car, it still has the very rare original 'wicker' style material on the dash, and I'm also hoping I will be able to salvage the wicker material on the door panels too. This material only came on TR2s and some early TR3s when built with signal red exterior and a grey leather interior, and the material has never been reproduced. I have attached a picture of the car along with an interior picture showing what the wicker material looks like on the dash. Also attached is a 'before' picture prior to the body/paint work being done.
I'm looking forward to getting insight and more information as I complete the restoration and I have already printed out the great documentation about TR2/3 upholstery installation.
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