Restorations

This car was owned by EMPI and raced by future Trans Am Champion Jerry Titus during the 1963 season. This car was restored by Huffaker to original race condition after being in storage for 37 years. The result is one of the fastest cars in its class proven by its first outing at the Monterey Historics, in which the Genie came in 1st in class and 6th overall.

This Brabham Formula B car was completed restored to Factory Formula B specs by Huffaker Motorsports in 2017

The No. 11 TR7 won the 1979 SCCA D Production National Championship at Road Atlanta, and finished in third place in 1980. The car was driven by Lee (Mother) Mueller, a five-time SCCA National Champion. Lee Mueller also drove the Huffaker TR8 which shares the No. 11 in black Huffaker livery.

As background, Huffaker Engineering campaigned the Triumph TR7 and TR8 under contract to the Jaguar Rover Triumph Group (JRT). In 1979, a pair of Huffaker TR8s coupes had each won an SCCA C Production race. Half way through the year, the SCCA disqualified the TR8s because not enough cars were built to meet the production car standards. At about that time, the first convertible TR7 imported into the USA was making the rounds at national auto shows. JRT had the car delivered to Huffaker in August 1979 to compete in the SCCA National Championship. In just two months, Joe Huffaker Jr. working with Joe Carr completed the transformation of a street car into a National Championship race car.

Huffaker Engineering sold the TR7 shortly after 1980 season, and it was campaigned in SCCA club racing until June 1985. After that season, the car was stored for 28 years. The TR7 was fully disassembled, placed on a rotisserie, body work and paint completed, and the engine and transmission rebuilt. At that point the car was essentially a rolling chassis, needing the drive train installed, plumbing and electrical systems, and suspensions and brakes systems completed. The car was purchased by Curt & Debbie Johnston, and commissioned Huffaker Engineering to complete the restoration. The owner’s goal was to recognize the history of the wedge cars by recreating the 1980 Huffaker race team, both in terms of team members and restoring the cars to 1980 specs.

This Huffaker TR8 was the last Triumph SCCA race car commissioned by the Jaguar-Rover-Triumph Group. It was completed in May 1980, and first competed at the SCCA June Sprints at Laguna Seca Raceway. It ran seven events during the 1980 season driven by Lee (Mother) Mueller, including the SCCA Runoffs at Road Atlanta where it finished in fifth place in C Production. In February 1982, Joe Huffaker Jr. drove this car to 1st Place at his SCCA Driver’s School.

In August 2018, the TR8 was discovered in a barn in Oregon, purchased by Curt & Debbie Johnston, and immediately delivered to Huffaker Engineering. Cosmetically the TR8 was in good shape and its authenticity was documented with the original SCCA racing log books and a Bill of Sale from Huffaker. Mechanically it required a complete restoration of every system; engine, transmission, oil lines, fuel and brake systems, wiring, and suspension.

After 26 years in storage and a comprehensive, year long restoration, the Huffaker TR8 debuted in 2019 at two national all-Triumph races; the Kastner Cup at Buttonwillow Raceway in central California, and the SVRA U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International in New York. The Huffaker TR8 won both races driven by John Mueller, the son of Lee Mueller.