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Owner: Paul Thompson
Location: London, England
Year, Make, Model: 1963 Triumph TR4
Twenty years ago, Paul Thompson picked up this cherry Triumph TR4 with only 60 kilometers (37 miles) on the clock. He had found the perfect weekend historic rallying and long road trip car in his mind. The car had only two previous owners with all of its original parts.
For the past few years, however, he tells us he’s done a damn good job of “ruining it by driving it too much and adding all sorts of “go-faster” bits.” This month the car celebrates its 50th birthday, and Paul has clocked in around 140,000 enthusiastic and reliable miles with his Triumph.
“I built it for long distance road rallying and we’ve been all over Europe in it, including many race and test tracks,” Paul explains.
While his daughter was growing up, the car was stored to focus on more family related matters. Today, as depicted by Paul’s photo of the car’s tire shredding capabilities, it’s back to its usual tricks at the track. Paul says that his TR4 is “still going strong, and is still great fun to drive!”
Photography by Paul Thompson
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The TR4 is, for whatever reason, my favorite of all the classic Brit roadsters. I have a ’64 Sunbeam Alpine and I’m considering selling it and putting the funds into a TR4.
Beautiful car, and while I understand how some would think he was ‘ruining it’ by driving and putting on go-fast bits, I think that was the original intention of the car, and honoring that legacy is far more impressive than keeping it a pristine garage queen hidden away from the world.