Posts Tagged ‘british’

Crispy – 1975 Triumph 2000TC Mark II

January 3, 2014

Triumph sedans were never a really big success in the United States. It’s too bad, because they could have easily had the jump on BMW. Just look at the offerings and think of what BMW offered 5-10 years later: the Herald/Vitesse, 1300/1500/Dolomite, and 2000/2500. All were sporting cars, ranging from spartan to entry-level luxury, much like the BMW E3 (aka Bavaria) and E10 (2002/Neue Klasse) cars, and Triumph also had a full line of sports cars where BMW offered their E9 coupes (and earlier, the little 700 cars). While a few Mark I cars made it over the Atlantic, the Mark II sedans were never offered in North America. Someone decided to bring over this 1975 Triumph 2000TC, and it is now for sale with bidding at $1500 and 6 1/2 days left to go in Norwalk, CT.

1975 Triumph 2000TC left rear

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The Wedge – 1980 Triumph TR7 Roadster

January 2, 2014

“What an attractive little sports car”, said nobody ever about the Triumph TR7. Which is sad really, since Triumph’s last gasp in the US is, with the benefit of hindsight, quite a handsome thing. Following the wedge look of such high-end sports cars as the Lotus Esprit and Lamborghini Countach, and moving Triumph out of the world of sixties roadsters and into what sportscars of the 1980s would be, it was doomed the way much of the world of British Leyland was. Whether you side with labour or management, there’s no denying the ultimate outcome – non-luxury British cars were not sold in the US after 1981, and only reappeared in the form of the BMiniW in 2001. You can find this last-of-breed 1980 Triumph TR7 for sale somewhere in Pennsylvania for $3900.

1980 Triumph TR7 left front

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Anti-Landie – 1960 Austin Gipsy

December 30, 2013

Cars like Beetles, Cinquecentos and Minis are appealing for their simplicity – everything is small, nothing would seem to be terribly heavy, and the base specification means there aren’t as many features to repair or replace. Cold war-era 4x4s (Jeeps and all the vehicles they inspired) take this to an even further extreme, with limited amenities, limited brightwork and basic paint, so getting one back into shape should be relatively easy. Or you can postpone cosmetic work and just focus on mechanical reliability for a real working truck look. And that’s where this 1960 Austin Gipsy comes in, for sale for $2750 in North Spokane, WA.

1960 Austin Gipsy right front

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