Danville Street Sighting - 1968 Triumph TR 250 Roadster

My theme of features for late November was red British roadsters. So here we are halfway through December on the cusp of the winter solstice, and I've been remiss. Here's a 1968 Triumph TR 250.

The TR 250 was offered for only a year or two in the United States. Readers across the pond may recognize it as roughly equivalent to a TR5. The TR 250 enjoyed relative popularity in the States and sold at least triple as many copies as the Euro-spec TR5, over 8400 cars. I have seen at least four of them around Northern California. Where the TR5 was available with Lucas fuel injection and made 140 horsepower, the U.S. market TR 250 came with twin carburetors and was detuned to 111 horsepower.

This is a well equipped example of the TR 250. It features the optional wire wheels, overdrive and the so-called Surrey Top. The Surrey Top is a multi-piece roof comprised of a removable hard rear section and a separate hard or soft center section. An interesting feature of the standard convertible top was a reflective stripe around the side and rear window edges. It was advertised as being a safety item for added visibility to other drivers at night. The interior features a traditional walnut veneer dashboard, full carpeting and leather upholstery. This one may also have optional factory air conditioning.

This car has been around the block a few times. It's in fairly good driver condition though, rust free and solid. Looks snappy with a white stripe on the hood and fenders, and red line tires on the wire wheels with spinner hubcaps. It also has some of the most interesting side marker lights I've seen on a car. The interior has aged a bit and I'd say the dash wood could use a good sanding and new coat of varnish. The radio is also missing. The trunk lid has mounting bolts that suggest it once held a luggage rack. It looks like the sort of little car you can hop in, thrash it on a winding road until something starts to leak, go home and tinker with it and then do it all over again the following weekend.

Photographed September 2016