TR5/TR250 Seriously considering a TR250.

[Greg_Blake]

Can anybody out there provide me insights as to warts to look for whan evaluating a 250. Appreciate any advice.

RB

 

[TR6oldtimer]

The same as a TR6. Rusted chasis, rusted body, rust, rust...
Seriously, I have always liked the TR250. As to what to look for, the list is long. My recommendation is that you buy How to Restore Triumph TR5, TR250, and TR6 by Roger Williams. It will point out what to look for as well as what is needed to restore.

The 250, nice car, wish I had one.
Good luck

 

[Brosky]

My advice will be to make friends with someone in a local Triumph club and have them evaluate the car with you. However, make sure that they own one and are experienced, not new to the car like yourself.

Check this site out for additional info particular to your needs for the TR250:

https://www.vtr.org/TR5/TR5-buying.shtml

You can also contact the VTR for their resident expert on TR250's who just happens to be:

Roy Smith
Jackson, NJ
Email: roynginger@optonline.net

I'm sure that he can put you in touch with someone in your area to guide you along the way to make sure that you get a good car.

Good Luck!!!

 

[sammyb]

One of the things that most buyer's guides overlook is that TR-250-specific trim pieces are very expensive. For instance, the nose emblem usually costs around $75 for a reproduction!

The dash panel is made of very thin veneer that is prone to cracking. There's really no repairing the veneer (you can do small spot fixes, and you can strip and reapply the clear coat, but the veneer is nearly impossible to match.)

Most of the other things are pretty straightforward -- thrust washer check, rust check, oil pressure, transmission, rear diff clunks etc...

You'll also find that most TR-250s are missing their nose stripes. You can get the measurements from Moss if you want to have it reapplied.

They are fun cars -- my first TR was a TR-250.

 

[Alan_Myers]

Hi,

Great! TR250 are a neat car and rarer than most other Triumphs. I think it's a great combo, the 6-cylinder engine with the earlier "retro" Michelotti body style.

Hopefully the car is in great shape and the following is not to scare you away, just to give a general guide where to look. (Oh, and I strongly agree, get Roger Williams' book... In fact his other one for TR4/4A would also be very helpful, particularly when analyzing the suspension, body and frame which are virtually identical to TR4A IRS.)

Body issues are about the same as TR4/4A. The most likely areas of rust concern are those subject to "splash" around the tires: up front check out fender mounting edges along the top (up from underneath and from inside the engine compartment), the splash panels immediately behind the front tires, the lower/rear front fender and the rocker hidden under it. At the rear look also at the top edge (up from underneath and from inside the trunk), check the B-post base (really need to peel off the vinyl trim to do this).

Inside the cockpit, look at the floors under the carpet. Also check the steering column for any wobble, the mounting bracket at the firewall sometimes breaks loose.

The frame issues would be most similar to TR4A. Look for a wider gap at the top/rear edge of the doors. This indicates a "hump back" frame that's especially weakened. The IRS frame usually tends to rust from the inside out, from the rear first, toward the front. So especially check out the rearmost main frame rails. Also look closely at the front suspension mounts, right at the inner/lower pivot points. The brackets welded to the frame really should be reinforced, were too weak to begin with. The rear differential support pins also tend to crack loose from the support bridge above (best repaired/reinforced with the body off), with the right/front pin being the most vulnerable of the four. The rear/upper spring pads can crack due to age and stress. The mount at the rear of the gearbox can also crack loose.

Those are the major areas, that come to mind right offhand.

Hope the car checks out and you get it! Let us know!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[jerrybny]

I agree. A book on buying a TR is a very good investment. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
Look for a wider gap at the top/rear edge of the doors. This indicates a "hump back" frame that's especially weakened.

[/ QUOTE ]

The uneven door gap can indicate a cratering frame but not necessarily. It is common to see many 'big Triumphs' with less than perfect door gaps and still have perfectly solid frames. The car with the perfect 10 door gaps (1/4" everywhere) is rare. Sometimes these can be adjusted out.


Bill