Hi Pierre, for some insight into setting up the 4A and 5 handling and
tuning the motor on the 4A, I strongly recommend you get a copy of Kas
Kastner's (there's that name again!) Competition Tuning Handbook. It
doesn't cover the PI system, but addresses all the other typical motor
mods of the period. A similar manual is apparently available for the
TR250, 6, possibly covering the 5 (I don't know because I have only used
the earlier manual).
You should be able to get the Comp Prep manual from all the usual
vendors. It is included in one of the reprints of shop manual (not the
one I have... listers?).
You also have a good resource in Triumphtune and some others in the UK.
Check out the Moss International (www.mossint.co.uk) website. Also take
a look at TR Enterprises and their website (www.trenterprises.com). I'm
sure there are others the list will contribute.
Certainly these cars can be set up and dialed in. I think the earlier,
non-IRS, live axle cars were more popular simply because they were
cheaper and easier to make competition style suspension mods.
The IRS should give you a bit more comfortable ride, though.
On the reliability issue, it depends. You can do lot of modifications
to these cars. However, most of the stuff you'll find in the
Competition Tuning Manuals is pretty mild compared to today's cars.
Properly set up and reasonably maintained, these cars are very durable
mechanically. Your biggest areas of concerns will be 32+ year old body
parts, rubber, etc.
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602
pierre wrote:
>
> Hi,
> i'm considering to buy a TR4A-IRS or a TR 5 in a short future,
> has anyone experience with tuning these cars ?
> I heard road-handling was not so good on IRS, is that true and if so, is
> there a way to improve this ?
> Also, can the engines be tuned , and how ?
> What about overall reliability of a normal/tuned Triumph ?
>
> --
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Pierre Sabatzus
> DataWeb SA
> 123, Rue de lausanne
> CH- 1202 Geneva
>
> "It's always easy to be wise after the event has come"
--
MZ
|