Triumph 2000 & 2500

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Do you drive this great classic or are thinking of buying one? Here’s how to ensure that you get the best out of your car for years to come

Triumph’s 2000 formed the basis of the Stag and this saloon shared the same qualities of that coupé but without the snags. Or prices… and these upmarket saloons and estates represent excellent value for money plus are easy to maintain at home with good parts supply from the army of Triumph specialists

Engine output

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In standard tune, the 2000 developed between 90-99bhp depending upon year while the 2.5PI was curiously quoted at 132bhp, mid way between the TR6’s 125-150bhp output and yet the engine was the same! In the real world a well-tuned TC engine of around 100-106bhp will match an average PI. A modded head, camshaft and exhaust can see nearer 200bhp from the 2.5 although around 175bhp is most suitable for road use.

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Hot running can be an issue on many Triumphs; here it can cause the head gaskets to fail and even the heads to crack; if you have a pre-’68 car that requires one, aim for the better GT6/TR5 head to replace it. The Lucas mechanical fuel injection is fine if set up properly – from tank to injectors – by a TR expert and can cope with 200bhp. A Bosch fuel pump, re-routed to keep it cooler is a worthy and accepted mod.

Bottom end

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Most logical mod for the ‘2000’ is a replacement 2.5 which ensures an added 20bhp; converting the original block can lead to an excessive compression ratio and ideally needs a TR6 head. Up to 2.7-litre is achievable but it’s expensive and unlikely to be worth the effort although it’s a lusty upgrade. Factory 2500 TCs ran a milder camshaft because the TR6 one is too racey to work on carbs. A lightened flywheel is worth it for better response although idling smoothness usually suffers.

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Engines are durable, but can suffer from excess crank ‘endfloat’. Up to 12thou means a simple replacement of the thrust washers might effect a cure. Over about 50thou and the thrust washers fall out, and that’s very expensive as a rebuild and even a new block is required. Oil pressure should be quite high if the unit is healthy; if it drops as low as 10psi at a hot idle or the needle becomes erratic, the crankshaft or its shells are probably worn along with the oil pump; can be done with engine in situ but it’s fiddly.

Suspension & steering

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Biggest unwanted characteristic is a front end lean when cornering, largely corrected by fitting the 2500S anti-roll bar and better springs. Stag-style mods apply although make sure you opt for the right spring rates (not Stag ones). Can be lowered by more than 1.5 inches but it is not essential for road use as it ideally requires trailing arm brackets. Stag power steering can be retrofitted but consider an electric one from likes of EZ as factory set up lacks feel.

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The tie bars, steering rack and trailing arms need to have their bushes inspected regularly. If the steering rack bushes have degraded and the clamps deformed, it’s worth replacing the latter with solid aluminium mountings to prevent further movement. A knocking from the column or when travelling on uneven ground is not uncommon on many Triumphs but is usually just a top bush that is cheap to replace, although many just live with this irritant.

Brakes

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The standard 9.75-inch discs and 9-inch drums are fine, but can fade if driven hard. This applied especially to the pre-1968 2000 Mk1 which had thinner discs (0.35” whereas the other cars used 0.5” thick discs). Good first upgrade has to be Mintex Classic or EBC GreenStuff pads. Monarch Stags supplies two braking upgrade kits for the Stag, one using four-pot cast callipers for the front discs, the other using aluminium callipers and ventilated discs.

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Rear wheel bearings are tough, but good job as replacement isn’t a DIY proposition. Special tools are required so most owners fit an exchange hub assembly at a bit over £100 per side; and if you intend to do this consider Stag ones as they’re stronger, too. For most road users, while rear discs conversions are around, the standard drum brake is perfectly acceptable, even on tuned or motorsport cars although a later BMW servo helps response.

Transmission

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While five-speeds (Ford Sierra, Toyota Supra or the Rover SD1 ’box) are available – at a considerable cost so don’t pension off the overdrive just yet as it provides potentially six workable ratios (good for rallying). Add a Revington TR Logic Smart Activator to make it more responsive and usable and it’s all you need. Superior Stag ratios were standardised in 1974 while fourspeed auto boxes, taken from later Jaguars, can be grafted on if you utilise a Stag conversion kit.

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TR4-based transmission is tough, although rear layshaft roller bearings can fail. If it’s murder swapping cogs, it’s more likely the linkage or clutch rather than the ’box. Difficulty selecting first and reverse on a 2500, is perhaps due to an aftermarket clutch cover fitted. Another clutch problem is the securing pin for the release fork onto the cross shaft, which is prone to break. Iffy overdrive is usually down to lack of oil or dodgy electrical connections rather than a fault with the unit. Autos are reliable.

Rear suspension

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The main foible is the Triumph ‘twitch’ caused by the driveshaft splines locking up momentarily. The best solution are modern CV types (SC Parts sells for £600) but you can lessen the effect by fitting harder poly bushes and progressive springs. Monarch Stags (now under new management) offered a £1700 BMW 3 Series diff assembly that cures all this plus affords a wider choice of axle ratios and better geometry settings.

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Including the steering rack mounts, there’s almost 20 bushes to check and replace if you want that ‘new car’ tautness. As well as regular greasing points, the sliding couplings on the driveshafts require an annual lube to avoid the back end becoming too twitchy; and it usually only occurs with infrequently used cars to be fair. Watch for the transmission’s quit shaft which is known to break.

Body and chassis

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There’s not an awful lot you can do in this department apart from using your own imagination like recreating the rally replica look of the works 1970 2.5PI. Up to 205 tyre sizes can be fitted as can Stag wheels and fitting a Dolomite Sprint front spoiler made for Stags not only helps looks but appreciably improves high speed stability plus is known to help keep the V8 GT cool as well.

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Rot is endemic, and facelifted Mk2s (May 1974 on) seem to be most rot-prone of all with replacement parts not as prevalent as other Triumphs either. The front wings are double-skinned around the wheelarches, creating a water trap. The most common problem concerns rotten sills and footwells, while rear suspension pick-up points also dissolve, as do the top spring mountings on the rear suspension.

Trim

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Thanks to the Stag’s popularity there’s no shortage of interior custom parts for Mk2 models that can be made to fit, including Stag front seats. A smaller sports steering wheel not only feels much nicer but it also masks the lifeless feel of PAS systems.

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New trim is extinct. Front seat diaphragms perish, so seat collapses. Across the models everything is interchangeable except for rear seats between saloon and estates. The door wood cappings suffer from the sunlight; lacquer cracks and the wood splits with the cost of refurbishing high. Parcel shelves deteriorate and the top of the back seat material dissolves.

And another thing…

Can you make Stag saloon? Well, yes and Triumph did although never took it further than developments mules, unlike tuner Del Lines who marketed Stag-converted 2.5Pi saloons and estates – and received threatening letters from BL as a result. The question you have to ask is whether it’s worth the hassle and expense over a tuned 2.5PI? As originality counts for less here, the Rover V8 is an obvious alternative, but on all, consult a specialist on the optimum spring rates – don’t leave them as standard whatever you do – as too many do…

A good 2.5 makes nicer, roomier and more comfortable alternative to a Dolomite Sprint and fair classic competition car if you desire; a Triumph 2.5PI was made for just one event, the gruelling 16,244 miles dash from London to Mexico City that was the 1970 World Cup Rally. It was an unlikely rally car certainly, but after 66 days of the toughest marathon ever second and fourth places, splitting the far fleeter hot Escorts, will go down as one of the manufacturer’s greatest triumphs.