1971 Triumph 2500 London-Mexico Rally Replica

Highlights

• Guide price: £16,000 - £18,000
• A well-executed replica of the original London-Mexico car
• Very thorough rebuild, based on a Triumph 2000
• All the classic rallying accessories
• Overdrive gearbox and power steering

Overview

What do you do if you want to get your hands on one of the original 1970 London-Mexico Triumphs, — which came 2nd and 4th in this epic race across the world? Well, given that British Leyland decided to destroy the competing cars, you don’t have many options but to build one yourself. And that’s just what a previous owner of this Triumph decided to do.

Based on an entry-level Triumph 2000, this car has been the subject of extensive work to turn it into a replica of the original rally cars, including rebuilding the six-cylinder engine to 2.6-litre capacity, modifying the body to fit rally-spec jacking points, reinforced sills, and extra ventilation scoops. Even the bootlid has been replaced with a custom-made piece which can accommodate three spare wheels.

Inside, the driver’s seat has been replaced with a Cobra racing bucket seat, the rear seats have been removed, and four-point harnesses fitted for both the driver and navigator. The original instruments have been retained, with a few additions including stopwatches and an altimeter. Fuses and relays can be accessed from the navigator’s seat, and there are map lights.

So if you’re looking for a missing piece of rallying history, then this Triumph allows you to enjoy the thrill of the 1970 London-Mexico Rally. You can drive this car as originally intended, without worrying that you might damage an important historical artefact. And it will surely be welcomed at a huge number of events.

History and documentation

• Registered 21 Sep 1971
• Built to replicate the original 1970 London-Mexico World Cup rally car
• Triumph 2500s finished 2nd and 4th in the rally
• The original cars were disposed of by British Leyland, so this replica was built later
• The car offered here was built using an original Triumph 2000 shell
• The seller tells us that Brian Culchteth — a team driver in the 1970 rally — was consulted during the build
• MOT and road tax exempt
• The car last passed an MOT with no advisories on 14 Jun 2018
• V5 present in owner’s name
• Still registered as a Triumph 2000
• HPI clear
• Seven former keepers
• London ULEZ historic exemption

Interior

• The original driver’s seat has been replaced with a Cobra racing bucket seat
• Four-point harnesses fitted
• The navigator still sits on the original seat, with sheepskin cover
• Vinyl headlining in good condition
• Front door cards still well preserved
• The black carpets are showing little sign of wear
• Rear roll cage
• The rear seats have been removed
• A cargo net provides useful storage in the rear
• The tool roll — fitted in place of the rear seat back — is said to be from the original car
• Fire extinguisher mounted in the passenger footwell
• A storage box and torch are mounted on the transmission tunnel
• 12V auxiliary power sockets and USB charging ports mounted in the passenger footwell
• A non-working dummy Halda tripmeter is fitted
• Heuer analogue stopwatch mounted on the centre console
• Map lights
• Altimeter
• Fuses and relays accessible from the passenger seat
• Smiths gauges on the dashboard
• In the boot are three spare wheels/tyres
• Wheel brace and jack mounted to the boot floor
• Brian Culchteth’s signature on the inside of the glass-fibre bootlid

Exterior

• The Triumph 2000 bodyshell used as a base for this project was treated to extensive work
• The car was modified with air scoops, external jacking points, and sump guards
• Reportedly the sills were strengthened to take the jacking points
• Extra ventilation added to the front wings to cool the engine bay
• The bumpers and other trim pieces were removed
• Finished in white and matte black paint scheme
• Sponsorship transfers for the Football Association
• The paintwork generally in good order but is bubbling in places such as around the wheel arches and along the sill seams
• Spot lamps fitted
• Headlamps protected by wire mesh stone guards
• 15-inch Minilite alloy wheels
• Dunlop Winter Sport 5 tyres
• Side-exit exhaust
• Modified boot lid to accommodate the extra spare tyres
• Underneath, there is surface corrosion and some areas of welding repairs
• Overall, the car is not so pristine that you’d be worried about using it as intended

Mechanical

• Under the front-hinged bonnet is the six-cylinder engine
• The current owner believes the engine to be 2.6-litre unit which was previously rebuilt with new pistons, rods, unleaded valve seats and camshaft
• Twin carburettors
• The overdrive manual transmission has reportedly been modified
• Overdrive switch on the aluminium gear knob
• It drives the rear wheels via a differential with a 3.7:1 final-drive ratio
• The suspension has also been upgraded with stronger springs and dampers
• Power steering has bene fitted for ease of use
• The suspension components all feature some corrosion
• There were no advisories noted on the most recent MOT in 2018, but the car is now MOT exempt

Summary

In all, this is a very useable recreation of the 2nd-placed car at the London-Mexico Rally. You could set off on a similar overland journey of your own in this long-distance machine. Or you could enjoy it closer to home, with plenty of shows and motorsport events across the country to tickle your fancy.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located near Farnham, Surrey.