Tell me about Triumph 2500's now!

[barrett]

I know less than Barrett

believe it or not, that's not something many people would admit to

[simmo]

These two were at the Uxbridge Auto show on Sunday

 

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[warren t claim]

Does anyone remember the Xmas 1981 drink drive campaign featuring "our Terry" and his remarkably late registered 2000 mk1?

[M'coli]

That patchwork one looks ace!!!

 

Am I the only one who thinks that Minilites actually look decent on the Mk1, rather than passé?

 

Edited to make sense.

[Rocket88]

I`ve had both...

 

The P6, 2200TC, almost as quick as the V8,

Howzat? The P6 2200 is what, 110 bhp / 135 lb ft? The V8 was 182bhp / 205 lb ft and weighed pretty much the same.

 

That's a wide definition of 'almost'.

I'm with The Twigster here. The 2200 tc wasn't far away from the V8 in every day performance, plus the V8's manual 4 speed was pretty much always living on borrowed time as far as reliabilty was concerned. Late 2200tc would suit me......

[seth]

When did the V8 P6 come with nearly the same bhp as an SD1 Vitesse?!(factory figure was 190 if I remember right)

[whitevanman]

I always thought the P6 had 155bhp................

[Pete-M]

Depends on how old the P6 was.

 

The 10.5:1 CR ones were 182 bhp / 220 lb ft.

The 8.5:1 CR ones had 156 bhp / 205 lb ft.

74- ones were 9.25:1 CR and something like 165 bhp.

 

I've only ever had the 10.5:1 jobs.

 

EFi (SP) SD1s were all 190 bhp, Twin plenum ones were 200ish.

[chaseracer]

Depends on how old the P6 was.

 

The 10.5:1 CR ones were 182 bhp / 220 lb ft.

The 8.5:1 CR ones had 156 bhp / 205 lb ft.

74- ones were 9.25:1 CR and something like 165 bhp.

 

I've only ever had the 10.5:1 jobs.

Are they the ones that were designed to use 5-star fuel?

 

 

 

 

Anyone else old enough to remember 101-octane 'avgas' at the pumps...?

[AnthonyG]

In one of the pics (Bit of paper in the rear window) it looks like he's asking for £1575. (I doubt its £575 if he paid £800 for it a few months ago)

 

I would be suspicious of the underseal tidemark and general paint mismatches. Wheelarches on these always seem to be of filler, maybe the arch repairs sections are very hard to get hold of.

[Pete-M]

 

I've only ever had the 10.5:1 jobs.

Are they the ones that were designed to use 5-star fuel?

I think they were all meant to run on 5*.

 

 

 

Anyone else old enough to remember 101-octane 'avgas' at the pumps...?

Yes, and three star, and the two stroke mix thing...

[Spottedlaurel]

I think a 2000/2500 would be good for you (though one in sound condition, of course). From my experience with the Skyline, Cedrics and various Laurels driving something with a ‘six’ just feels that bit more special. Also, these Triumphs always seem to me to like they should provide a decent drive. As you’ve had the 1602 I think many ‘classics’ might feel a bit dull in that department.

 

Also, unless someone suggests they have a bad reputation, you have Manvers Triumph not too far away.

 

As an aside, is there any way you can stretch to that red Firenza/Magnum you’ve seen at one or two local shows?

[wuvvum]

I`ve had both...

 

The P6, 2200TC, almost as quick as the V8,

Howzat? The P6 2200 is what, 110 bhp / 135 lb ft? The V8 was 182bhp / 205 lb ft and weighed pretty much the same.

 

That's a wide definition of 'almost'.

Depends whether you're talking about the 3500S or the more common auto. I've never owned an S but would expect a decent one to leave any four-pot P6 for dead. The auto is a bit of a different matter though - any tax-exempt car will have the 155bhp engine, and by the time you add the power-munching skillz of the BW35 you don't get much of a performance advantage over the 115bhp of the 2200TC.

[Pete-M]

Depends whether you're talking about the 3500S or the more common auto. I've never owned an S but would expect a decent one to leave any four-pot P6 for dead. The auto is a bit of a different matter though - any tax-exempt car will have the 155bhp engine, and by the time you add the power-munching skillz of the BW35 you don't get much of a performance advantage over the 115bhp of the 2200TC.

Um, not quite. The 70-73 V8s were the high compression ones, so almost all tax exempt ones will be high power jobs. The auto one I sold last year was a '72 with the 10.5:1 engine. It was quicker than the A6 2.8.

[wuvvum]

Oh. My 1971 3500 had a 155bhp engine.

 

And my mate's 2200TC was almost as quick, except on overtaking manoeuvres where the V8 had the legs on it.

[Pete-M]

Ah. The 8.5:1 jobs weren't that popular new. No real fuel saving and a 25 bhp power drop.

 

My dad had literally hundreds of P6s in the 70's, they were his car of choice. First thing he'd do when checking out the 3500s was to look at the block to see what the CR was. If the car was an 8.5 job he'd normally walk away.

 

I suppose the equivalent now would be a Passat Tdi with all the toys but the 110 bhp lump. Always easier to sell a 130/150/170.

[Lacy]

I owned a 2.5s in the late 80's. It was quite a late 'S' reg one in honeysuckle. A gorgeous car but mine was an auto and I agree with the others that a manual overdrive would have been the preferred option. All 2.5 S's were on twin SU carbs and they really weren't that powerful.....something like 105-110 bhp which, with an auto box on a heavy car doesn't make for particularly spirited driving.

 

2.5 PI's were troublesome in their day but most will have had the bugs ironed out and it is a cracking system when set up correctly.

 

There is plenty of specialist support from the likes of Chris Wittor if you wanted to 'develop' the car

 

Some parts are now becoming very difficult, if not impossible to get. Front wings were expensive when I had mine (about £4-500) and I'm pretty sure they are unobtainable now so make sure any one you look at has good ones fitted! Check everywhere for rust. the sills are quite a complex structure so need to be repaired properly

 

Overall a very comfortable and capable car and that straight 6 just sounds gorgeous.

 

I'd have another one in a heartbeat.

[Rocket88]

If you can find one, a Mk 1 2.5 pi is a lovely thing. Interiors were a lot more interesting as well, very groovy dashboards......