TR4 Production Dates and Numbers
by Arthur Kelly, ArthurK101@aol.com
VTR TR4 Vehicle Consultant
This part of the TR4 site will cover the build dates and corresponding commission numbers for the production run of the Triumph TR4. There are several important facts to keep in mind about the commission and other numbers. (See also the TR4 History section).
- TR4's were numbered sequentially as they were built. The first TR4 (built Jul 18, '61) had the commission number CT1 and the last TR4 (built Jan 6, '65) had the commission number CT 40304. Present-day Triumph enthusiasts agree that the "model year" is the year in which the car was built - no matter what the license or title says. The reason that some cars show a later year on the title is because the car was not sold until a later time and was not titled by the dealer until it was sold. (Some importers also added another small plate (STC nn) for the year in which the car was sold/titled).
- Commission, Body, and Engine Numbers - Each car had at least three important numbers:
The Commission Number (CT nnnnnn) - found on the left side of the engine compartment on a plate in front of the firewall. This plate also gives other information such as whether the car was left-hand drive (L after the number), whether Overdrive was fitted (O after the number), and states the gross laden weight in pounds. Beginning sometime in 1963, the commission plate also carried codes for paint and interior colors.
The Body Number (nnnnnCT) - found in the engine compartment on the right side in front of the firewall. This plate is smaller than the commission number plate and contains only the body number. Since the bodies and chassis were built separately, the body and commission numbers will probably not match but are usually within a hundred or so of each other.
The Engine Number (CTnnnnnE) - found on the left side of the cylinder block (near the coil). The engine number usually does not match the other numbers because some Triumph engines were built and then sold to Morgan and other car makers. Therefore, the sequence of engine numbers was interrupted and does not match the commission / body numbers.
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Build Dates and Commission Numbers - the table below shows the approximate build dates and commission numbers for the Triumph TR4 model run. These the numbers were obtained from Original Triumph TR by Bill Piggott (1991, Bay Books Ltd) and other sources. (There are lists of numbers in after-market parts suppliers' catalogues. If a number listed in one of those catalogues is near one of the year points listed in the table below, that number will need to be checked for accuracy.) The actual build date of any individul car can be obtained from The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) in the UK. The table below shows the first commission number for each year of the TR4 run.
Date Built
Commission Number
Remarks
Jul 7, 1961
CT 1
First production TR4
Jan 1, 1962
CT 2649
Jan 1963
CT 18605
Not verifiable as record is unavailable
Jan 1, 1964
CT 28709
Jan 1, 1965
CT 40193
Jan 6, 1965 CT 40304 Last production TR4
- The commission number of each TR4 is important for purposes of originality. The reason for this is that the changes made to brakes, dashboards (fascia panels), and other components are on record and provide the details needed for replacement/restoration work on the vehicle.
- The information given above is only part of the complete details available for the TR4. For answers to other questions regarding components, colors, and correct original equipment etc. please send an e-mail to ArthurK101@aol.com
Above information provided courtesy of Arthur Kelly, Vintage Triumph Register TR4 Consultant
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