It could have been 'the salvation of an empire'.(Escape Roads)(Peter Brock, Triumph TR-250K sportscar)

Byline: MIKE COVELLO

Peter Brock, veteran racer, designer, writer and photographer, is too much the gentleman to trash a former employer. Still, we wonder if Triumph might yet be with us today had Brock's TR-250K unclenched the stranglehold the Italian firm Michelotti had on the styling of production Triumphs. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but the company's interest might have been better served if Brock's creation went into production instead of the TR7.

While many remember Brock as the West Coast Datsun 510 racer, others recall him for his stunning automotive designs. The most famous is the 1965 FIA World Manufacturers' champion for GT cars, the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. In 1967 Brock was looking for a chance to design a coupe that would surpass the Daytona in sophistication, and hoped it would be produced in the tens of thousands and not as just six examples.

Today, Brock remembers the goals set for building the car began with wanting to prove to the English that he and TR-250K co-creator R.S. ``Kas'' Kastner could design a good-looking, saleable car on the existing Triumph frame and running gear. They also wanted to build a show car to convince the American dealers that such a car was possible (so they could lobby for the design with the Brits).

The ultimate goal was to make it a competitive racer in SCCA C production, and finish it in time for Sebring.

``We knew the world's motorsports press would see the car and put further pressure on British Leyland to produce it,'' Brock said.

Brock and Kastner traveled from concept to finished design in just six to eight weeks. Getting the nod from Triumph HQ was slow- er, and the boys had only 90 days to build the car for the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1968.