I have no problem with all the speculations (except maybe the "poor stepchild"
comment) offered so far. But I have a few things to add:
1) From Thoroughbred and Classic Car Magazine (Sept 1980). The numbers of
TR's (2 through 6) built were:
TR2 --- 8628
TR3/3A/3B --- 74903
TR4 --- 40253
TR4A --- 28465
TR5 --- 2947 (none imported to U.S.)
TR250 --- 8484
TR6 --- 94619
So about twice as many TR2/3's as TR4's were built. If you add TR4's and 4A's
together then for every five TR2/3's only four TR4/4A's were built. As for
the TR6's much more than double the amount of TR6's were built than TR4's and
again if you add TR4's and 4A's then for every five TR6's only 3.6 TR4/4A's
were built. That's one possible reason why there are more TR2/3's and TR6's
than TR4/4A's.
2) TR4's were more comfortable and easier in use than the TR2/3's. Many
TR4/4A's were purchased and then driven into the ground (as well as being used
for upgrading the earlier models). For example, my TR4 was my bachelor car
for 18months. Then the family car for two years. Then the primary car, with
a VW bug as the second car, for 18 months (2 kids now in the equation) . Then
THE family car for 18 months and finally the second car. This last iteration
was because 3 little ones and an Irish setter finally "pushed the envelope"
too far -- a VW camper solved that and became the primary car.
Side curtain cars (like the TR2/3) were no longer being built, except for a
few exceptions, by anyone after '61. When the family outgrew them they went
into storage or were sold to someone who wanted a restorable roadster.
(Remember the only real "roadsters", by definition have side curtains. I
think that many TR4/4A's were just driven until they were dead. And the
market for used ones was never great. Why buy a used TR4 when you could buy a
TR6 fairly cheaply and get 6 cylinders etc.? And if you did buy one you used
it until it was too old to be sold. We had this discussion several years ago
on the list and I still believe the reason for the TR4/4A's being scarce is
that they were just driven until they were junked. The market for used ones
in the '60's and 70's was never that great because of the MG's and TR6's which
were easily available.
But I think they are great cars, obviously. :-).
Art Kelly '64 TR4 CT33118L (original owner)
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