TR4/4A Almost a burnt run

There was a TR4a in Nashville for sale. Owner said a liitle rust in front lower driver fender. Advertised price was decent. Drove up this morning cash in hand. Met owner, nice guy. Car was a bondo bucket. Couldn't see tops of rear fenders in photos. All glassed over, Front inner fenders rusted where mounting screw go. Engine locked up, in fact it took two hard pulls to get dip stick out of engine. Dip stick S shaped, so I just imagining what the bottom looks like. Told pwner it was basiclly a parts car and made an offer. He said no way he could take that. Shook his hand and left. About ten minutes later, in line to take interstate ramp, he calls and said he would take my offer. So go back load up the car. Home about 4:30 so will unload and inspect deeper tomorrow. Did I mention its a solid axle 4a! Its good. Rut, where are you.
Marv

Marv,
Congrats on picking up that 4a! I love those old solid axle TR4as...that was my first one. I just had a solid axle 4a frame blasted and powder coated for my 67 resto, but it will be an IRS.
Rut

Cheers to the IRS !

Bet his wife read him the riot act after you left the first time without the car!

My first Triumph was a solid axle 4a, BRG, or more accurately TRG (Triumph RG). What are the plans, parts car or restore?

Not sure just yet. Have some house projects that wife has planned for me. All outside sheetmetal is pretty good. Engine stuck but thats not a big issue. Still 50/50 right now.
Marv

I promised myself some time ago that I'd never buy another bondoed car and the first thing I after I made that promise was to break it. I guess I'll never learn.
Tom

We could be doing a lot worse things!
Marv

I will second that we could be doing a lot worse things and I wish I had the car and the longer you have it Marv the better it sounds. You are an expert at buying them now, so not much gets by you.
steve

You know what they say about an expert. "Ex" is a has been, "pert" is a little drip. I do still have fun, the hunt is a lot of it.

Marv

Marv, do you plan to at least pull off those rear fenders and replace them and put new bead there?. Do you plan to focus on the body first and leave the mechanicals for last?

I like to see what condition the engine is in first , get it all going then focus on the body. Yes, if I redo this car, I will strip all the filler off. I have a 250 that I want to restore, I am thinking hard of swapping out the front sheetmetal since the 250 has had some damage. The front fenders on the 4a have been changed out already and are pretty nice. Having neck surgery next week so I will have plenty of time to think about what I'm going to start next.
Marv

Marv,
What kind of neck surgery and where?
Rut