FOR SALE
1963 TRIUMPH TR4 RACE CAR
$8200
Located just north of Philadelphia PA.
Owner: Scott Janzen, 215-817-9315, sjanzen@me.com
2012 Turkey Bowl at Summit Point, carousel
2012 Turkey Bowl at Summit Point, turn five
Engine bay, photo taken before electromotive ignition was replaced with distributor, otherwise as photographed
I'm selling this 1963 RHD TR4 race car,
prepared to EProduction specs - go regional racing with SCCA or convert to
vintage. Race car since 1974, ex-Chip Bond, Jack Wheeler, Gary Schneider. I acquired it from Gary Schneider in 2012, who bought it from Chip in the late 1990s. Gary reports that it was one of the last Uncle Jack engines, freshened late 2010 by Historic Racecar with new Ross pistons, bearings, gaskets, etc. Engine has o-ringed liners, Moldex crank, Carillo rods, roller
rockers, GT40 lifters, ARP hardware, Greg Solow oil pump. Car is equipped with Tilton clutch, aluminum rad, newish Accusump, Quantum Mechanics synchros/bushes, 4.55 rear with Detroit Locker, 2013 Southwick axle conversion. Carbon/Kevlar & fiberglass fenders, hood, trunk plus all
original sheetmetal. Many spares incl. complete trans/OD, 2 sets 15x7 ("minilites" are 15x7) and 1 set 15x6 aluminum race wheels, two cylinder heads, spare Detroit Locker (see complete list below).
I should mention it has custom 4-link
coil-over rear end with Saab disks, probably the biggest vintage conversion
challenge. There are additional attachments welded to the axle housing to receive the coil over and links. These could be cut off or left in place and the leaf springs reinstalled. The links and coil-overs tie into the roll cage, not to frame mounts - can provide photos if desired. Car comes with the brake drums and backing plates, easily bolted back on . . .
This is a 1998 GRM article on the car "Ultimate TR4" from when Chip and John built it:
This is a 1998 GRM article on the car "Ultimate TR4" from when Chip and John built it:
Original 1974 logbook photos
RACE HISTORY
- the earliest log book entry, September 1974, is for a driver's school in 1974.
- The next two years saw races in at mid-Ohio (WOR region) and with IRP (Indiana) by Jerry Pierce (see below). As SCCA and most regions just started using logbooks around this time, we don't have any earlier records, though it's possible that race records from WOR and IRP in earlier years would show this car.
- The car apparently sat from 1977 until Spring 1994, when Jack Wheeler bought it.
- Jack Wheeler recently provided me with some more info on the history - He bought the car from Jerry Pierce of Anderson, Indiana in 1994, and sold it to Chip in 1995. Jerry had acquired the car in the mid-1960s, already race prepared. Jack believes the car was a race car from new -never used on the street - and was set up early on as a right hand drive for racing - this was the way Jerry bought it. Jack started racing his first TR4 in 1974, and raced against Jerry frequently in the 70s. Jack moved to Illinois, Jerry apparently stopped racing, and they lost touch. Jack had a major accident at the Runoffs in 1993, and Jerry, in poor health, contacted him and offered Jack his car for sale as an alternate. Jack rebuilt the engine, etc and tells me he thought about vintage racing it, but still wanted to race Nationals with SCCA, so he acquired a good frame (from Sam Halkas) and rebuilt his original car. Not needing this one, he sold it to Chip. Now, if we could only track down the first owner - preceding Jerry, who is now deceased.
- Chip's first recorded race is at Summit Point in March 1995.
- Chip ran the car at Bridgehampton, Summit Point, Mid-Ohio, Connecticut, Pocono, with multiple wins
- He ran it at the Run-offs at Mid-Ohio in 1997.
- The steel body panels -
Lever shocks
Cranks - two of these will go with the car
Cams - except the 6 cylinder one!
Heads - two of these will go with the car
Overdrive - no photo of spare trans, but it is as clean externally as the OD
Condition
MECHANICALS - car ran great this November at Summit, though the overdrive quit in the last session and was spewing oil out the rear seal, so it needs a rebuild. Four speed transmission is in excellent condition and shifts smoothly. Engine pulls strongly up to 7,000 RPM, where I back off. The car is a rocket and handles well.
All gauges work (oil pressure and temp, fuel pressure, tach, water temp), with the exception of two of the four EGT gauges (one sensor for each cylinder), which work intermittently. When I got the car, I changed all fluids, did a leak down test, rebuilt brakes (see below), suspension (new bushings and rod ends as needed), bearings, checked the cam timing, replaced the electromotive crank-triggered ignition with an Advanced (Lucas) distributor, had the driveshaft balanced and completed many other minor repairs. Basically, I went through everything I would want to feel sure of to operate the car at speed.
Major new items in 2012-2013:
- ATL fuel cell/enclosure - the one in the car was ancient
- Southwick axle conversion
BODY/FRAME - As the photos indicate, the body has all fiberglass or Kevlar body panels, with the exception of the doors, which are trimmed of internal panels to the minimum needed to retain rigidity. The lightweight bodywork is in great shape and is attached with Dzus fasteners. This makes it extremely easy to work on suspension, engine, etc. The entire exterior can be removed in a few minutes. However, for vintage, it’s likely most clubs will require the steel panels, and the flanges are still there on the inner body to attach them (Dzus fasteners are installed on steel clips that were welded to the inner fenders – these can easily be ground off or just left in place and the steel fenders installed over them). The original steel body panels are rust free and generally in good shape. The front fenders show repair, with some bondo on the front edges around the headlight openings and below. They can be readily returned to great appearance with a few hours work, and overall, they are straight with no signs of side impact. One rear fender is unprepared; the other has some bondo in the lower rear corner. Two steel hoods come with the car, both straight and in good condition, though one was used as a buck for the glass hood and needs to be stripped. The rear steel deck lid is fine, though drilled for mounting with posts and spring clips.
The frame is in excellent condition, rust free, straight with
all original outriggers and no signs of accidents or accident repair. The only modification is where the rear
leaf spring perches have been cut off.
The inner body structure is in good condition and virtually rust free, except a few spots on the rear fender flanges. The car has been in a
minor front end impact, so the inner fenders forward of the front wheel wells
have been bent and straightened.
In addition, the rear wheel wells have been cut to accommodate the
coil-over shocks and for the 4 bar trailing links which tie into the roll cage just
inside the passenger compartment.
While this could readily be repaired, it will require some welding and
patch panels.
The roll cage is first rate, with excellent frame
attachments, an under dash hoop, tubes extending to the top of the front shock
towers (see photos - black tubing) and double door bars on both sides. This was installed by Chip Bond in the
1990s to then-current SCCA specifications.
SUSPENSION - The front suspension and brakes are standard Triumph, with
the exception of bushings, the front anti-roll bar, and the upper a-arms were modified
inboard with rod ends front and rear to allow camber adjustment. I recall
there are uprated stub axles, and bearings are fine – repacked at the time of
brake work and only two short race weekends since then. The rear suspension has the Triumph (Southwick) axle, located with four adjustable trailing links with rod ends, a panhard rod and Koni ($) coil-over shocks with adjustable spring perches.
BRAKES - The braking system is first rate with all Tilton master cylinders (including clutch) and a
bias bar between the front/rear cylinders. Front brakes were rebuilt by me in 2012 with new stainless pistons, new seals and new rotors. Master cylinders were all disassembled and rebuilt. Pads are, I recall, Porterfield. There is also a cockpit-adjustable rear brake reducing
valve, though the stamped metal lever is broken off and would need a new one
welded on. Rear brakes are
currently four piston Wilwood calipers and Saab discs, but the drum brake
hardware comes with the car and could just be bolted back on. The mounting plate for the calipers may
need to be ground off the axle housing to reinstall the drum backing plates.
The accompanying GRM article, and 2” of records that will
come with the car, both testify to the extensive preparation this car underwent
to compete on a regular basis.
Everything is well thought out and executed.
- Overdrive – clean, operating condition unknown
- Overdrive kit – springs, gaskets, etc
- Transmission – clean, operating condition unknown
- Detroit lockers (2). I disassembled one and the condition was excellent
- Axle U-bolts and retaining straps
- Rear brake drums, backing plates, shoes, hardware, slave cylinders
- TR4 cams (2)
- Chrome springs 8-3/4 x 3-1/2 OD
- Coil springs 12 x 3-1/2 OD, Hypercoil
- Coil springs 10 x 3-1/4 OD, light
- Stock Cranks (2)
- There is a third steel hood that was used for a buck to make the kevlar one, but could be "freed"from the mold trim and re-used
- Plexiglass laydown windshield, smoke gray
- Roller rockers, unused, matching ones on engine. Incomplete – have six. Good spares
- Tilton clutch assembly, new – presumably matching what is in car
- Front steel engine plates (2)
- Several custom made, unused hardened rear axle shafts and hubs. The upgrade back in the day to replace the stock ones. May be great for street car or autocross. Car now equipped with the Southwick axle conversion with Moser Ford one piece axles.
