Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

[928cdu]

This is probably one for DC or Ben, but thought it of general interest so placed it on the public forum.

How many Triumph based cars are left that are still known to the club and on the road ? I can think of Greg's white roadster, the red proto-type & my car. It really feels like numbers are very low apart from the odd wrongly registered project that ends up on ebay ?

PS: Am thinking of what is referred to as a Mk1.

BR .. Richard

[b_caswell]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

Out of the 234 Mk1 all Triumph kits produced we have some record of about 140 cars that have been on the road at one time or another.

As well as my sons car I only ever see the regular attendees at various shows and that comes to a grand total of about half a dozen and
I know of a few more a dozen or so scattered across the UK and Europe.

Certainly a few more cars are tucked away and others on long term rebuilds which seem to go on forever.

It seems quite a few more are on the road but don't seem go far, so the only real way would be to check would be to go through the DVLA MOT reports
for each registration one by one.(anyone one fancy a project then let me know)

Sadly small production lists are held in the DVLA miscellaneous files so no way of knowing how many are on their records.(even if they would tell us)

[928cdu]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

Out of the 234 Mk1 all Triumph kits produced we have some record of about 140 cars that have been on the road at one time or another.

As well as my sons car I only ever see the regular attendees at various shows and that comes to a grand total of about half a dozen and
I know of a few more a dozen or so scattered across the UK and Europe.

Certainly a few more cars are tucked away and others on long term rebuilds which seem to go on forever.

It seems quite a few more are on the road but don't seem go far, so the only real way would be to check would be to go through the DVLA MOT reports
for each registration one by one.(anyone one fancy a project then let me know)

Sadly small production lists are held in the DVLA miscellaneous files so know way of knowing how many are on their records.(even if they would tell us)

Thanks Ben, I'm surprised at the number of kits never registered. Should be good spares availability if we could only get hold of the owners !

[stevejgreen]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

Sad to say that from 40 years ago, most have been trashed. There could be a few stubborn survivors, that are not MOC members.

Its a shame that with modern tech, it’s not possible to interrogate the DVLA database, but even then, back in the day, the V5’s were rarely accurate. So Marlins were registered as Triumph Modified etc etc.

[b_caswell]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

Thanks Ben, I'm surprised at the number of kits never registered. Should be good spares availability if we could only get hold of the owners !

Its not so much the remaining kits weren't registered its we just don't know anything about them

whether they were ever finished or still sitting unfinished in someones shed!

Every now and then another previously unknown turns up either on Ebay or Facebook and when they do
I pounce!! I get promises of getting back to me for the chassis number etc and then quite often it goes cold.

[lynnx22]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

I am pleased to say that I can account for 2!
Chassis no 18 and 21.
I,m sure the club will explain if anyone is actually interested.

[lynnx22]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

As I thought.
Zip, de nada, nil and zero.
I take offence at the comment "most don,t go any where"
Mine went to Angouleme via LeMans 24hr last year …. was anyone interested ?
Nope.
It seems the "regulars" are only really interested in themselves, their adventures and the rest are irrelevant.
I think I have seen 4 marlins on the road in the last 35 years of interest and ownership.
I keep watching the MOC website in the vain hope that the bitching and moaning might stop … but I see its still alive and kicking.
I,m surprised that certain members (Steve!) continue to have the energy LOL.
OK, back into the shadows...……….
Mutter mutter.

[mocad2016]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

As I thought.
Zip, de nada, nil and zero.
I take offence at the comment "most don,t go any where"
Mine went to Angouleme via LeMans 24hr last year …. was anyone interested ?
Nope.
It seems the "regulars" are only really interested in themselves, their adventures and the rest are irrelevant.
I think I have seen 4 marlins on the road in the last 35 years of interest and ownership.
I keep watching the MOC website in the vain hope that the bitching and moaning might stop … but I see its still alive and kicking.
I,m surprised that certain members (Steve!) continue to have the energy LOL.
OK, back into the shadows...……….
Mutter mutter.

Hi Lynnx22,
Sorry you are disappointed in our website.

Compared with many internet sites we are really quite well mannered. It is easy to be over strident when not speaking face to face. It’s easy to misunderstand people’s intentions. Did you really mean Lots Of Love (LOL) above*?

I’m sure the comment "most don’t go anywhere" was not intended to be offensive. I believe Ben was indicating that many owners only use them in good weather.

Triumph based roadsters are a rare and treasured breed. It’s not surprising you have only seen 4 on the road. I don’t think I have ever seen one outside of an event.

I guess I am one of the "regulars". I can assure you that I would be very interested in a report on a trip to Angouleme it’s a very nice part of France. I have been to Le Mans with my son and fully intend to go again so I am more than interested in any trip report you would like to share. Even photos with just a little explanation like Roman’s recent “Warsaw to Rome” thread I read avidly. So please take the time to share your experience.
Paul

* Laugh Out Loud?

[dcunn]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

Lynnx

Sorry not to have responded before, I've been doing other things away from my computer.

Obviously no-one else is interested to know that your one car, is noted twice (as 18 and 21) in the order book as a result of confusion in record keeping
in the early days at Marlin. It would appear that the factory was more interested in making/selling kits than keeping accurate records for posterity - can you blame them ?

Ben and I, and a member (Martin Piper) are currently trawling and updating the "Triumph" listings, which coincidentally we started weeks before your enquiry.

Life, holidays etc etc have intervened so this is still a work in progress - really it's a winter time job anyway.

Results will be available in due time - don't hold your breath - and the question on numbers still around/in use will receive our considered answer

Best DC

[928cdu]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

I'm pleased to hear I own a car that is considered to be a "a rare and treasured breed" anyway ! Also good to hear you're focusing on the Mk1 as part of a database clear up DC. .. I'm sure it will be challenging !

Meanwhile Lynnx impressed to hear you own two ! Would love to see some pics if you're OK with posting , either on Club website or as a DM. We obviously came into ownership around the same time if you have had yours for 35 years.

After squeezing in a 6ft 5 friend into my car he said "If I wanted a Marlin, I'd need two ... one for each foot" !! Doubt this is your reason for owning a pair, but though you'd appreciate the anecdote !

All the best .. Rich

[dcunn]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

Post #9 "noted twice (as 18 and 21) in the order book as a result of confusion in record keeping"

Sorry Richard, one car only............................and yes, it's an interesting minefield, I guess "challenging" is one way of putting it !

[stevejgreen]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

I realise it’s a massive task, but there is 40 odd years of history to trawl through, but it would be interesting to read as much history of the various marques as is available.
The more history that can be published, online, the better, even if by definition it will never be complete or accurate.

[b_caswell]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

Finally after some volunteering and hard work from a fellow member going through the 140 or so known registrations of Mk1 cars,
it would appear that only a dozen or so (well 13 actually)cars are currently on the road as taxed.

There are a few more that still have a current MOT but at present are either untaxed or are SORN'd, and quite a few others we still have to trace!.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

Finally after some volunteering and hard work from a fellow member going through the 140 or so known registrations of Mk1 cars,
it would appear that only a dozen or so (well 13 actually)cars are currently on the road as taxed.

There are a few more that still have a current MOT but at present are either untaxed or are SORN'd, and quite a few others we still have to trace!.

Interesting reading.

I would have thought that the Triumph based cars would be better supported mechanically by the Triumph community as a whole for spare parts, so a higher chance of staying on the road, but is there a fundamental flaw, with for example the Triumph front suspension subframe rotting, that takes cars off the road.

Whilst the Marina based cars do borrow some parts bin parts from the Triumph Range, the Marina is much less favoured and has many unique parts not found in other models. I wonder how many Marina based cars there are. One would have thought a lot more.

[mocad2016]

Re: Triumph based cars, how many are still around ?

Ben,
That must have been quite a parcel of work. I’m sure I speak for many members when I say thank you to you and your volunteers for making the effort to trace these cars.

Building a car is not an easy task. I have read that fewer than 50% of kits ever get completed. So if 140 of 234 Mk1 Triumph kits were finished they are batting above average. If 13, about 10%, are still on the road I bet they are doing better than the production cars.

You have confirmed that “Triumph based roadsters are a rare and treasured breed” as are their owners.
Paul