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[Ken Stone]

I'm restoring a 1966 TR4A and will be using a red interior.  Piggott indicates that "matador red" is the proper color, but I believe I have seen pictures of restored 4A's in Britain with the bright red interiors.  Any one have any ideas?  I have an old bright red interior set (never opened) which I could use, but want to keep the car as close to original as possible.  Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Ken Stone
 

[lfew1]

Ken,

I had a 1967 TR4A the original interior of which was red, and my recollection was that the red was pretty bright, though not as bright as say, the Victory Red GM offers on Corvettes.  In the Piggott book "Triumph TR" there are several photos of a Signal Red TR3A with red interior which could be the same Matador Red interior used on '4s and '4As.  The red is bright but seems to have a bit of black in it. Also in Piggott's "Original Triumph" book on p.98 there is a photo of a 1970 TR6 interior (which is really aimed at the steering wheel) which shows a similar quite bright red color. The TR6 used the same interior color red (at least the same name) as the TR4A. Finally, you can get a swatch from one of the current interior suppliers such as TRF.  TRF, BTW, offers Matador Red for TR3As so maybe the color was the same.

Good luck!

LFW

[charley fitch]

I agree with LFW that the TR6 and TR4 interiors match as to the Bright Red interior.   This is not say that there isn't a matador red interior also.  I have a TR4 that I switched over to the bright red interior.  I was able to use a bright red interior for a TR4, bright red seat covers for the early TR6 seats that I am using and a bright red rear piece from a TR4A because I have a hard top ( surrey top) car.  All of these components from each of the three models all match perfectly.

 But your question is still out there about what was standard on the TR4A.  I will then submit to you that they would likely not be producing a bright red interior for all three models if it wasn't original.  But that is a guess. 

By the way in case you haven't checked the TRA Judging and Restoration Standards, they say the interiors of the TR4 and 4A came in black, red and blue.  There is no description of the red.  But then there is no description that there was more than one red either.

Charley Fitch   

[Ken Stone]

LFW and Charley:  Thanks for the input - sounds like the bright red is the way to go.  Your experiences helps me feel comfortable using the panels I have.  The samples of matador red from TRF, Skinner in the UK and Moss were much darker -  more maroon like.  Now I just have to order seat covers and hope the bright red matches close enough.  BTW:  If either of you know, if I went with leather, were the orginals just faced in leather or were they all leather?  Also, Charley, you mentioned that you had a back panel in red due to the surry top (sounds very nice).  Were the rear panels otherwise  usually black?  Thanks again.
-Ken
 

[charley fitch]

The TR4 and TR4A rear panels are quite different.  The TR4 has a black cardboard cover over the gas tank and then it has a colored ( same color as the interior) pleated cover that is then over the black cardboard and the hoodsticks and top.  This cover is lifted to expose  the hoodsticks and top and lowered to cover them when the top is down.
I  might add that the bright red is a flashing  color.  By that I mean that everybody loves it.   I have the car painted black.  So with the bright red interior it is really set off.
BEst of luck on your interior.
Charley Fitch   

[Ken Stone]

Thanks again Charley - black is my car's color as well! 

[lfew1]

I'm not 100% sure about the leather trim, but I think only the seating surfaces are leather on my current TR4A, which was originally leather trimmed.  BTW, the car will have an "H" after the trim codes on the commission plate if it originally had leather trim.

LFW