TR4/4A 1960 TR3A with tr4 motor and tranny?

[Andrew Mace]

Thanks you fellas are great. I have spoken at lenth to the seller and I have gotten pictures of the restoration. This is a great looking car...about 20K CND or about 18K U.S. It still seems like a lot of money to me but Ive got the bug [censored]. I guess I can use my 61 as a parts car. It has the correct engine and tranny plus many new parts.

Just for fun, I'll open TWO cans of worms here:

1. The age-old philosophy of buying something already restored. Sure, it first it's arguably cheaper than what you'll spend doing a thorough restoration on a needy car. But unless you can view hundreds of clear photos of the restoration process and see piles of receipts, etc., how do you really know what was done (if it really was done)...and how well it was done?

There's a TR3A on eBay at the moment; buy it now price is somewhere north of $20k. Looks nice enough, but the pictures raise so many flags for me that I doubt I'd pay half that if I were interested. Shiny red on the outside, but apparently flat black under the hood and in the trunk, and iffy-looking, incorrect-pattern upholstery on the seats, etc., etc. Could be a nice driver, and 99% of those who see it casually would never know it wasn't supposed to be like that, but those "flaws" still take away significantly from the market value, IMO (sorry, in my opinion)!

2. I guess I can use my 61 as a parts car. Please don't take offense, but I'd hate to see that happen. There are still plenty of TRs out there that truly are worthy of parts car status. They're missing major and minor components, long ago gave up their tops and interiors to a rodent picnic, and have little or no solid sheet metal below the door handles and fender beading. I'll guess your '61 doesn't quite fit that description.

They're not making these cars any more, and I hate to see even one more "borderline" car disappear! Actually, cars similar to what I jokingly described above still occasionally command fair $$$ and make the trip back home to the UK, where they ARE restored....

 

[Simon TR4a]

It's always rather difficult to reconcile the value estimates of the seller and the potential purchaser.
Personally I would regard the later, 4 synchro transmission and 86mm engine as pluses, (as I would later disc brakes on a TR2), but of course your view may be different.

I think most would agree that looking very carefully under the chassis and body for signs of rust or poor rust repairs is the most important factor. This is easier if there isn't a lot of undercoating tar, which can hide welded seams where rust has been cut out and patched. As you have described the car it sounds very good, but as Andy says, ask for photos and receipts to document what has been done. I also agree with him about the parts car; don't do it, sell it to offset the cost of the new car. Projects sell well in the summer or fall as we can visualize completing the car over the winter and having it on the road by spring. Good luck!
Simon.

 

[Tomster]

just be sure to give it a really long test drive. <img

The way I figure it I've had my 4A IRS on a "really long test drive" for about 33 years now.
Ya gotta jump in the pool sometime and this sounds like as good an opportunity as any