The NEC Classic Motor Show Sale 2019 - 9th & 10th November 2019

www.silverstoneauctions.com 139 + buyer’s premium of 15% including VAT @ 20% Cars Sunday 10th November 2019 1955 Triumph TR2 - PKV 374 - The ex-Works Le Mans 24-hours LOT 411 After the race, both 375 and 376 returned to Coventry, however, 374 took the fancy of the late King Hussein of Jordan who negotiated the car’s purchase at the circuit and took it directly home to Jordan in full Le Mans race trim. A fabulous article documenting the purchase can be found in the April 2008 issue of Classic Cars magazine which is included in the file. The King brought the car back to the UK in 1956, at which time it was in the Jordanian colours of blue and white with luxurious upholstery, when he came over to attend the Army Officers College at Sandhurst. However, in November of 1956 he sold PKV 374, presumably because it was not suited to a British winter! The car then passed through several hands until purchased by the present owner in 1972 in a dilapidated state; now sprayed yellow, although there is clear evidence on various panels of its transition from British Racing Green, to blue and white and finally yellow. After an incredibly long restoration, due to a growing family and work commitments, the car was finally finished and PKV 374 duly returned to competition in May 2000 when it successfully competed in the London to Istanbul leg of the inaugural Around the World in 80 Days Rally. The car still retains its Le Mans long-range fuel tank, its original and irreplaceable Derringer cylinder head, manifold, axle and brakes as fitted by the factory for the 1955 Le Mans race. After running 374 in many endurance rallies, most of which are now run by the Historic Endurance Rally Organisation (HERO), a plan was hatched to return this important TR2 to its spiritual home – Le Mans. The car was race-prepared, an FIA HTP passport gained and a team assembled to run the car. With the help of some generous sponsorship, PKV 374 returned to the Circuit de la Sarthe for the 2005 One-Hour Le Mans Legends race (the support race for the modern-day 24-hours) driven by top historic racers Tony Dron and Nick Marsh. Unfortunately a misfire and fuel starvation troubles meant the car retired after only 6 laps, but in 2006 PKV 374 returned once again to the Le Mans Legends race and had a successful outing in the hands of Nick Marsh once again, finishing 5th in Class and 23rd overall. In the intervening years the car was cherished, rallied and shown and consequently is very well-known within the TR community as letters from Bill Piggot of the TR Register can attest. Having not been used for the past four years, the car is running but is in need of some light recommissioning work and any prospective buyers would be advised to bring a trailer and van to collect the car, parts and the staggering history file that accompanies this venerable little Triumph! Supplied with a UK V5c, reams of period photographs, CD’s, DVD’s, period magazines, photographs from the restoration, its old FIA HTP passport (now expired) and many race reports, this historically important Triumph TR2 is now ready, after 47 years of private family ownership, to start the next chapter of its life. Rarely do period Works cars come to market, and PKV 374 offers a unique opportunity to enter Blue Riband events such as the Le Mans Classic, Goodwood Revival, the Mille Miglia and many more.