TR5/TR250 TR250 resto project log

Greetings from NE Ohio. I'm Jim, and am going to document the restoration of the last TR250 I kept back out of the 4? I have had over the years. I got my first one in the early 80's and have always had one around, running or not. I sold the last running car back in 1997 or so.

My daily driver TR is a 1980 TR7 with a Ford 2.3L turbo engine and all Ford running gear. I built it in 2004-2005 and it has been a pleasure to own and drive. Once I get the TR250 and a TR6 project done it will be time to refresh the paint on it!

So, on to the project. It's a BRG non-OD car. I need to get the Heritage form for it to see how it was delivered so I can do it right. The original drivetrain was missing, but I have a 250 engine in the corner for it already rebuilt. I restored the frame a few years ago, but never got going on the body what with kids in college and such. I have a 250 gearbox case floating around, too. I'll be rebuilding that in the future.

I have been squirreling away good original 250 parts for decades, so I have all the right bits, right down to the little plastic valve under the intake for the retard capsule! I have some ideas for faking the barber stripe hoses, but that bridge won't be in front of me for a year or so, probably.

This car was wrecked in the back and the back clip was too wasted to save, so I found a decent TR4A rear half to mate with the TR250 front clip. I'll need to swap out the front B-posts and add the seat belt retractor hold-down nuts and the rest is identical.

Believe it or not this isn't the worst car I've restored, so you don't need to warn me about what I am getting into. LOL I know. It's a lot.

Here's what I brought in the garage yesterday.

I look forward to watching your progress with interest. I have a driver TR250 in line for a full restoration after I finish my 59 TR3A that I started last winter.

Cheers
Tush

It sounds like too much of a challenge, you are crazy, you would be better off starting with a more solid car....just kidding, sounds like you have the resources, experience, and skills to get it done. Sounds like it is going to be all stock and factory correct. Any upgrades at all planned?

Well, that's a slippery slope. Since I don't have THE right engine and tranny, I won't be going for the super concours kind of job, so it opens the door for some changes. I may go with aftermarket wheels and modern tires. Otherwise not much, other than stiffening the front suspension mounts and reinforcing some weak areas for the diff mounting on the frame. (I did that already.) The engine was balanced with shot-peened lightened rods and the head has hardened exhaust valve seats for the modern fuel. I plan to keep the rest pretty much original......I had to get the correct (rebuildable) seats fromm Martin G., and I have the right steering wheel for example.

I have an A-type here I'll probably add to it. If I do anything major, it'd be that.

One thing I'll be doing that you don't see much any more is I'll be using enamel paint as original. Base clear is lovely, but it just doesn't look 'right' to me after seeing the cars when they were new. I tend to believe a lot of TR's get 'over-restored' if you know what I mean. They were crude and imperfect, and I think that's kind of charming.

It isn't a majority opinion, but I'm a funny kind of guy.

Actually I agree about the base coat/clear coat. It sure looks nice, but it doesn't look right to me either. I have taken the middle ground and used a single stage enamel on the last couple cars I have done.

Seats can be a pain. I re-used the originals that were in the car, but a lot of the bottom part of the frame was rusted out. A lot of time spent on fiddly fabrication in rebuilding the frames.

I don't think people obsess too much about original block and such on these cars unless they are going for the ultimate high end restoration. Good luck!

Thanks! I looked at your posts and found your repainted engine bay. Looks great!

Question for ya..... I robbed the cam from my engine for another build and haven't bought any in a long while. What are people happy with on a stocker? In my experience the cams with too much overlap don't draw properly through the carbs to idle well. Especially with Webers.

How do you like your grind?

Looks like a fun project that will keep you out of trouble for a while! I used to occasionally work at the arsenal there and the reserves' air base down the road a ways. Good luck!

My cam is a regrind from Delta Cams, the grind is called "Low Torque" it lives up to its name. Nice idle and great pull throughout the Rev range. The specs aren't that much different than a TR5 cam. I aimed for a little more grunt without sacrificing drivability. I also had the head shaved for 9.5/1 compression and lightened the flywheel a bit. It turned out pretty well.

65_BRG_Sprite said:

Looks like a fun project that will keep you out of trouble for a while! I used to occasionally work at the arsenal there and the reserves' air base down the road a ways. Good luck!

Click to expand...

Yeah I once could do 2-3 cars a year while working full-time (cars not as far gone as this, obviously) but I move a LOT slower now than I used to. That's a big reason to get my projects cleaned up and sell off a few things.

As you guys know, a car explodes all over the garage when it's apart., and I have duplicate parts for more than the two I have.

Once I get going the first thing I need to do is inventory so I don't buy things I have already and forgot about. I just found a kirkey racing header and a new reground cam that I swore I used at some point but were still here.

I may bring in the TR6 and do both together, I haven't made up my mind on that yet. I hate to put the TR7 outside for the winter to do that.

glemon said:

My cam is a regrind from Delta Cams, the grind is called "Low Torque" it lives up to its name. Nice idle and great pull throughout the Rev range. The specs aren't that much different than a TR5 cam. I aimed for a little more grunt without sacrificing drivability. It turned out pretty well.

Click to expand...

Thanks. No substitute for first hand experience. I have a good core on the shelf to send out. I'll look 'em up.

It is wonderful to see what I consider the greatest of the TRs coming back to life.
I spent over 10 years of my life restoring mine.
It is a work of pure love and I hope yours is as well.
Just for some motivation I have included a few of pictures. One of before and two of after.

That was quite a challenge! Glad you were able to bring it back and hope you are enjoying it. The 250 is definitely unique and one of my favorite TR's as well. I am sure my project will bring back some memories as I plod through it.

Thanks for sharing the pics!

I am cleaning the garage and re-arranging things to get the build going. I have too many toys and have to sell my 87 Thunderbird, so it is in the garage to tidy up a few things before it goes away. I haven't done any vintage TR work in a long time, so the storage areas are a complete disaster and I am trying to clean up as I go. I am getting re-acquainted with where things are and what I have.

So far my memory is pretty good regarding what I have and don't have for the TR250. I just found the (bare) head for it yesterday. Hopefully it will check out straight and uncracked. I am in good shape on my sheet metal with a super nice set of fenders, boot and the bonnet has been located and paid for awaiting my pick-up. I have new floors, rockers and B-posts, and a spare inner front fender to get patch panels from for the two places in need on this clip. I have a good used front valence and if this rear valence proves to be too much to fix, a re-pop to use.

Both clips are amazingly solid and won't need much in patch work before they are ready for the mating. I have good doors as well in my stockpile. I have been hoarding TR250 specific parts forever, and have a good grille and all the chrome (except a nice enough rear bumper), specific interior and electric bits to keep it original.

I just gotta get my garage in order here to have room to make it all happen.

Nice rolling restoration.

I am doing the same until I decide it is a frame off nut and bolt ...