Suncoaster
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Hi all,
My 1959 TR3A is due to begin restoration next month. I have been buying parts that I know will be needed for the last 5 or 6 months whenever one of “the big three” (plus Rimmers) had some of the needed items on sale.
The intention is to have the car restored to a “nice driver” level, as opposed to show quality, since I plan to use the car with some frequency during the nicer months here in East Texas. My dad bought the car with 2800 miles on it in December of 1959 when I had just turned 16. (It still had the “nubs” on the Dunlop tires.)
My question for the board is this: Would I get a better overall result by going ahead and paying the extra $ for a frame off restoration as opposed to having the resto shop do the work with the body (at least most of it) still on the car? They will be removing the apron and bonnet in either case in order to r&r the radiator, engine & transmission. The steering & front suspension will also be renewed. The wings and doors will also probably be r&r’d in either case.
It seems to me that it would save a bit of shop time to have the body off while replacing the brake & fuel lines and doing the brake & front and rear suspension rebuilding, but I don’t know if that saving would be significant compared to the cost of removing and the entire body. Maybe removing everything but the tub would be an option? To my knowledge, there is no frame damage or serious rust.
Does anyone have an opinion as to whether a new body mounting kit should be used? The car has been driven pretty hard (hey, I was a teenager during its early life).
It turns out that it seems to have been a good thing that the shop couldn’t begin work sooner as I have been able to accumulate parts and have learned a LOT by going through old posts and comments on the Triumph Forum. (I’m up to page 261)
Thanks in advance and thanks to all who have added so much to my knowledge about TR’s in general.
Rick
My 1959 TR3A is due to begin restoration next month. I have been buying parts that I know will be needed for the last 5 or 6 months whenever one of “the big three” (plus Rimmers) had some of the needed items on sale.
The intention is to have the car restored to a “nice driver” level, as opposed to show quality, since I plan to use the car with some frequency during the nicer months here in East Texas. My dad bought the car with 2800 miles on it in December of 1959 when I had just turned 16. (It still had the “nubs” on the Dunlop tires.)
My question for the board is this: Would I get a better overall result by going ahead and paying the extra $ for a frame off restoration as opposed to having the resto shop do the work with the body (at least most of it) still on the car? They will be removing the apron and bonnet in either case in order to r&r the radiator, engine & transmission. The steering & front suspension will also be renewed. The wings and doors will also probably be r&r’d in either case.
It seems to me that it would save a bit of shop time to have the body off while replacing the brake & fuel lines and doing the brake & front and rear suspension rebuilding, but I don’t know if that saving would be significant compared to the cost of removing and the entire body. Maybe removing everything but the tub would be an option? To my knowledge, there is no frame damage or serious rust.
Does anyone have an opinion as to whether a new body mounting kit should be used? The car has been driven pretty hard (hey, I was a teenager during its early life).
It turns out that it seems to have been a good thing that the shop couldn’t begin work sooner as I have been able to accumulate parts and have learned a LOT by going through old posts and comments on the Triumph Forum. (I’m up to page 261)
Thanks in advance and thanks to all who have added so much to my knowledge about TR’s in general.
Rick