Candy’s History

Candy came into existence in April 1968 as the 4,950th Triumph TR-250 to leave the Coventry, England factory for North-American roads. She was left handed, of course, she was “signal red” (paint: 32) and her interior was black (trim: 11). She was young, ready and the times they were a changin’. She had to be full of enthusiasm and hope, if she were a human.

The original Comission plate
The new plate

She ended up in Washington, Missouri  and on the 22nd of October 2001 was purchased by my parents. If you read the About page you already know Candy was going to be a resto-mod. There’s nothing wrong with other types of car restauration; however, we like our cars to be driven, as often as possible, and we wanted a safe,  enjoyable and reliable second car for my parents

As with many lengthy restaurations different parts were worked on at different times, often simultaneously. I regrouped some of the information and added short descriptions, but refer to the bullet list below for a full listing of replacement parts and improvements that make Candy an exceptional Triumph.

The pictures you see here are what I received by email throughout the years, as work progressed. They are not artistic but rather utilitarian and were never intended for public display. Then again this is not a photography site.

When Candy was towed to Calgary in October 2001, she spent her first winter covered in the corner of the garage, waiting for more clement times. Came spring 2002 and we slowly began stripping the interior and evaluating the scope of the restoration.

Since we, my parents and I, live thousands of miles appart this is one of the only times I was actively involved in Candy’s restauration. So early on, while we were stripping the interior I was also in charge of archiving, with my flashy new digital camera, the stripping process to help put it all back together again. Great pictures that I’m still looking for today. Great pictures, I tell you.

Grrr… new front lower valance, grrr!!!
Grrr… new front lower valance, grrr!!!

2003 to 2007 – Bodywork

This is when most of the work on the body was done, such as welding new panels, new fenders, new door skins. She was rusted in all the “right” places: rockers, spare wheel well, battery compartment, etc.

An essential upgrade was a custom Revington TR roll-bar that would fit nicely under the Surrey Top. We really wanted it powder coated so we had it done locally and while it didn’t come cheap it was well worth it.

The entire rocker will have to be replaced
Freshly welded new rocker
New door skin with door frame before cleanup
Painted door frame before it received a new skin
The trunk/boot with a new spare wheel pan
Left Rear Wing and Rear Apron / Deck Panel shortly after welding
The other side of the new deck panel
Front inner fender
New fender unboxing

2005 to 2010 – Engine / Gearbox / Exhaust / Coolling / Brakes / Rear Axle / Driveshaft / Differential

First, we considered converting Candy to Lucas Mk II Petrol Injection as in a TR-5, which, while revolutionary for its time, is finicky and nothing like modern fuel injections we’re used to today. When rebuilding the engine, we installed a fuel return pipe that this modification requires. Then we researched a conversion to a recent BMW fuel injection and even went as far as purchasing a whole kit only to change our minds again. This conversion was a bit more than we were willing to modify and would also substantially devalue the finished car.  So Candy stayed carbureted. 

Then we had to chose one of the options from the obvious contenders: SU, Zenith-Stromberg or Weber carburetors. Webers have a great reputation as high performance carbs but require higher RPM and are harder to adjust at idle.  The Zenith-Stromberg were introduced in the TR-250, a change from the SU carburetors in TR-4; however, at the end, we opted for the reliability and ease of use of the trusty SU while allowing ourselves to change our minds again in the future.

SU carburetors

The TR-250, all the way through to ’71 TR-6, had a one-pipe/one-exhaust setup. With Candy we went for one-pipe/two-exhaust. Two is often better than one and it also looks much better.

The flywheel was replaced with a new Revington 4.0kg racing flywheel and 1.2kg ring gear for a total weight of 5.2kg, instead of the original 9.6kg.

Performance Revington TR alloy flywheel, almost half the weight of the original
Other than the Michelotti body styling, this is the only Italian part on the entire car; an aftermarket Ferrari connector pipe that starts at a custom performance header and ends at two stainless Jaguar mufflers
Straight-six head gasket
You can almost see the performance exhaust header in the lower left corner
New fuel pump
Remember when cars had frames?

2010 – Painting

We used industry leader HOUSE OF KOLOR for Candy’s exterior. A total of eleven coats of paint were applied;  three coats of primer, two of sealer, three coats of H.O.K. Pearl Green over White and finally three layers of clear coat.  The bonnet and accents are done in H.O.K. Pearl Green

As any self respecting TR-250, Candy has the mandatory bonnet stripes, in silver.

Boot/Trunk
Inside back
Inside front

2011 to 2013 – Electrical / Dashboard

The electrical system was not always British car’s forte so of course we didn’t cut any corners. Candy has a brand new seventeen-connection electrical wiring harness.

The dashboard was restored by my father just as he did dozens of exclusive custom British dashboards in the past. For our Triumph he finished it with a gorgeous Bubinga (a hardwood from Equatorial Africa) veneer giving it a unique, striking look inside an all black leather interior. When you think about it, while driving, what is it that you see the most after the road?

Good old dashboard is ready
The new veneer doesn’t look like much yet
In all its glory
New Pilkington windshield

2014 to 2015 – Interior / Instruments

The classic black interior contrast with the bright, playful exterior and makes the beautiful dashboard stand out even more.

To make travel safe and comfortable we installed a pair of aftermarket, genuine leather Suffolk TR-250 seats with headrests from Victoria British (16-647-BL) (since, acquired by Moss Motors ).

Floor insulation
Notice the custom roll-bar and the upgraded Suffolk TR-250 leather seats with headrests. No, seriously, did you see the dashboard?

2015 to 2016 – New Glass / Surrey Top / Body Seals / Rechroming 

The Surrey Top, similar to what Porsche later called Targa, is a removable rear window assembly that allows the use of a hard roof, a small canvas roof, no roof at all or, if removed, turning the car into an actual roadster, or a convertible if equipped with the traditional folding top we all know. Candy has both Surrey Top roof options and all the seals are new, of course.  It also has an upgraded, laminated and tinted windshield and brand new side windows.

Surrey Top without any roof. Notice the custom double exhaust
This is the Surrey Top with a foldable canvas/soft roof

2017 – Road test / Inspection / Insurance / Registration

Candy passed her “Out of Province” Alberta car inspection with a perfect score. The rest is history and another story.


List of replacements and improvements

THE ENGINE

  • Complete overhaul
  • New HEPOLITE Pistons +0.20 Oversize (Made in England)
  • New CLEVITE Crankshaft Bearings +0.10 Oversize (Made in USA)
  • New Rod Bearings +0.10 VENDERVELL (Made in England)
  • New Camshaft PERFORMANCE BP290 (Made in England)
  • New Double Row Sprocket Cam
  • New Double Row Timing Chain
  • Magnafluxed “B” Chrome Head
  • Solid Copper Head Gasket
  • New Laycock Clutch and Laycock Disc
  • New Clutch Master Cylinder
  • New Clutch Slave Cylinder
  • Adjustable Clutch Slave Cylinder Pushrod
  • Light Weight Performance Revington TR Flywheel (5.4kg instead of 9.6kg) (Made in England)
  • New Oil Pump
  • Spin Oil Filter Adaptor
  • Oil Cooler Radiator
  • Alloy Valve Cover
  • Manganese-Bronze Guides
  • Stellite Exhaust Valves
  • Uprated New Valve Spring Set
  • Cylinder Head Oil Feed ( increase oil flow in valve )
  • Tuftrided ( hardened ) Rocker Shaft with New Spacer Kit
  • Heavy Duty Exhaust Manifold Gasket
  • New Exhaust Pipes with Double Stainless Steel Mufflers
  • Edelbrock 120 GPM Electric Fuel Pump (replaced the obsolete mechanical fuel pump)

COOLING SYSTEM 

  • New Water Pump
  • New Cooper Radiator
  • New Electric Fan
  • Electric Fan Control Thermo Switch with Stainless Steel Water Return Pipe
  • All New Rubber Hoses

CARBURETORS

  • Double Carburetor SU –  HIF6
  • Conic Stainless Steel Air Filters
  • Upgraded Accelerator Pedal Teflon Bearings

 TRANSMISSION / GEARBOX

  • MOSS Europe Professionally Reconditioned Manual 4-Speed Non-Overdrive Transmission

FRONT SUSPENSION

  • New Spax Adjustable Shock Absorber (Made in England)
  • New Front Coil Springs
  • Polyurethane Suspension Bushings
  • New Inner and Outer Bearings and Seals
  • Anti-Roll Bar 7/8”

REAR SUSPENSION

  • Conversion for Spax Shock Absorber (replacing the obsolete lever arm shock absorber)
  • New Adjustable Spax Shock Absorber (Made in England)
  • New Rear Coil Springs
  • New Trailing Arm Bushings
  • Rear Sway Bar

BRAKES

  • New Master Cylinder
  • Reconditioned Left and Right Calipers
  • New Brake Hoses
  • New Brake Pipes
  • New Hand Brake Cable
  • New Cross-Drilled Brake Rotors
  • New Aluminium Performance Rear Drums
  • New Rear Wheel Cylinders
  • New Semi-Metallic Brake Pads
  • New Brake Shoe Set With New Spring Set
  • New Bush in Brake Pedal Shaft

BODY

  • Two-Tone Custom Paint (Primer, Sealer and Color By HOUSE OF KOLOR)
  • New Front Fenders
  • New Rear Fenders
  • New Door Skin LH and RH
  • New Front Lower Valance
  • New Rear Deck – Front And Rear Sections
  • New Battery Panel
  • New Boot Floor And Spare Wheel Pan
  • Rocker Panel LH and RH
  • New Fiberglass Gearbox Cover
  • New Fiberglass Driveshaft Tunnel Cover
  • Re-Chromed Front and rear bumpers
  • New window glass LH and RH
  • New laminated Pilkington windshield with tinted glass (OEM Made in England)
  • Surrey Top ( soft and hard top )
  • Locking Fuel Cap
  • Rechromed Factory Style Luggage Rack
  • Auxiliary Hood Release

DIFFERENTIAL / REAR AXLE / DRIVESHAFT

  • New Bearings and Seals
  • New Rubber Mounting
  • The Roadster Factory Remanufactured LH and RH Hub Assembly
  • New Hardy-Spicer Universal Joints

WHEELS / TIRES

  • U.S. Indy Mag. 15”x 4.5
  • New Goodyear Tires

INTERIOR

  • New Original Style Panel Kit with White Piping
  • Trunk Liner Board and Black Trunk Carpet
  • New Suffolk Leather Seat Set made in England
  • Deluxe Carpet Set with Sound Deadening Kit
  • Roll Over Bar designed for underneath Surrey Roof powder coated in black Revington made in England
  • New Veneer Dashboard Bubinga Wood
  • New Padded Dash Top
  • New leather steering wheel  Momo model Prototipo
  • Radio Blaupunkt with two speakers

 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  • New wiring harness with 17 fuses
  • Electronic Ignition Piranha
  • Cibie Fog Lamps
  • 7” Halogen Headlamps
  • Upgraded Alternator Delco-Remy CS-130  105A
  • New HiTorque Starter
  • Battery Master Switch
  • Battery Cut-Off Switch

P.S.

I hope I didn’t leave anything out  🙂