Your classic: Triumph 1300 Special

| 17 Feb 2026

I originally created my Triumph Special 30 years ago, using full-size paper patterns.

It loosely resembled an MG J2, being flat-sided with a slab tank. It was constructed from ¾in plywood with an aluminium skin and it had no compound curves.

After nearly 25 years of fairly hard use, including two years of it being my only car through sun, wind, rain and hail (which really hurts), with no hood or heater, it was looking a bit tired.

Then, driving back from Supercar Sunday at Wilton House, the gearbox began to feel like stirring a bowl of porridge, so I embarked on a rebuild.

Owner Peter Vivian was in his element constructing the Triumph’s ash frame

I’d always wanted a boat tail, so I set about designing a new body. I’ve been a woodworker all my life, so it was an obvious choice to build the frame in ash, like a Morgan.

I had planned to contract out the metalwork, but the first quote came in at £2000 for just the top of the boat tail itself.

I had another, more reasonable quote of £800, but in the end I decided to have a go myself. I bought a sandbag on eBay and turned a bossing mallet on my wood lathe.

Working with the same 1.2mm aluminium I used for the rest of the body, I started bashing the sheets into something resembling the correct shape except that it looked like a raspberry!

I needed an English wheel. Buying one wasn’t an option due to cost, so I made my own.

The Triumph’s engine rebuild was a frustrating case of third time lucky

It then took me a long time to hone my technique and get a result I was reasonably happy with – in the end I built the tail in two halves, because the wheel I made was quite small.

The only original body parts I reused were the bonnet tops, louvred side panels and radiator surround.

The engine proved to be another stumbling block.

I had entrusted the rebuild to a local company, but two years later when I collected the motor it was still in bits with only the rebore and crank regrind completed.

The second engine builder took the cylinder head away to be upgraded for unleaded fuel, but then I never saw him or the head again.

The Triumph Special’s contrasting cabin is better than ever

I finally found someone who was as good as his word, and a couple of months later I received the completed engine, fitted with a fast-road camshaft.

The flywheel was lightened and balanced, and electronic ignition was fitted to replace the contact breaker. A single new 1½in SU carburettor from Burlen provides the air/fuel mixture.

The car now sits on 14in MGB wires in place of the 13in Triumph wheels.

The original mudguards were simple trailer items, but this time I found some custom-made in 3mm aluminium for a reasonable price.

Unfortunately I got the dimensions wrong so had to ‘pie cut’ them and have them TiG-welded, followed by ages spent filing.

The colour is the same as the original version, Jaguar Indigo Blue, applied by the same friend who had painted it 30 years earlier.

The Triumph’s boat-tail rear was formed in two parts

I had never been happy with the interior, so tried for a more professional look.

The stitching was contracted out; anything I could glue or staple, I did myself. I went with red to contrast the blue and was very happy with the result.

I was gifted the aluminium fuel-filler cap, which I think came from a vintage Aston Martin. The Brooklands aeroscreens were added more for looks than effect.

I’m still getting used to the car and tweaking things such as the ride height at the rear.

When I first built the Special I racked up more than 40,000 miles, including many rallies, but I have no plans to use it as my only car again.

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