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Gordo

Jedi Hopeful
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I'm a glutton for punishment. I really want a wide mouth TR3. I've been searching and researching this and other sites for anything 3 related.

I happened to see the pair for sale on ebay in CT. I've never bought anything off Ebay and I realize buyer beware. But considering the shape of the cars, I would guess it wouldn't matter.

I'm technically and financially able to take on a project like this but never have.

Would this pair be a good starting place?

Please feel free to offer any comment, I need the collective wisdom to make a somewhat informed decision.

Thanks, Gordo
 
I dunno, Gordo - those look pretty ragged, and though they've been listed a few days, there's no starting bid ($2K is pretty pricey for them). It's a safe bet you'll have to cut out the rockers (not just the externals, but the internals as well) and floor pans - boot floor, as well, probably. And under the bonnet there's substantial rust in the seam areas (especially under the wiper motor on one of them). Even though there's an AMCO battery tray liner on one of them, the battery tray will need attention (may be why there's a liner!).

That's not even considering the frames. You'd think out of the two, there would be one good one, but without looking carefully, you can't tell from the pictures.

The TR3 I restored needed all the above. It was a long term project, and I had help with all the body work. But what I began with looked better than these two. Definitely do-able (most anything is), but I would think you can find a better starting place.

Mickey
 
A wide mouth Tr would be a Tr-3a or b. Depending on how much rust you have to deal with, I would say two cars would be a good starting place. As you may or may not know, some of the parts on these cars are N/A. It is said that body panels from any of the supplyers are made In China and DO NOT fit these cars well. So depending on your body and fender skills, this may be a consideration. Just about everything on these cars can be rebuilt. There fun, great little cars to drive and show off.
If you are happy with the purchase price of the two cars and have the skills and time to invest {Not to mention more money for parts} I say "Come on in" the waters fine!
Watch out for the L.B.C. gremlins tho, they will torment you to high heaven. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/lol.gif
 
Actually, as bad as they look, to me it looks like both are restorable.

The real question is if you are buying this for a long term something to do project, and expect to do ALL of the work youself, then go ahead. But be forewarned, you will spend more on getting one of these cars on the road then if you had just went out and got a nice running example...even when you do ALL of the work yourself. Ask me how I know this. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Gordo said:
I'm a glutton for punishment...
Click to expand...
Then you've come to the right place.

It's natural to be put off by a really ratty TR when in fact it doesn't cost any more to replace a serviceable but worn interior than to replace an interior that has been eaten by goats and left in the desert sun for 10 years.

As noted, rust is the question and fatal frame rust would be difficult to deal with.

I bought an eBay car sight-unseen but that was fairly easy because it was a low miles nearly original car with original paint. No real surprises. A restoration candidate would be hard to judge w/o seeing it in person and a mistake, though perhaps not costly, could be discouraging.

Sounds like you have the time, money and skills for such a project... the one other ingredient that will be needed is patience -- the patience to wait for the right restoration candidate.
 
My advice is to buy a DRIVER...buy a car that needs a little TLC. Work on it as you continue to drive it. I wouldn't want to see you take on a major resto onl y to get discouraged and not complete it. Or get it done only to find that you really don't like the car.

Join a local club. Talk to TR3 owners...take a ride or drive one of their cars. Do some research. A resto like that is a major deal...

Don't forget... a finished car is ALWAYS cheaper than buying a project!

PS I have a TR3A project for sale if you decide to ignore my advice!
 
YankeeTR said:
My advice is to buy a DRIVER...buy a car that needs a little TLC. Work on it as you continue to drive it. I wouldn't want to see you take on a major resto onl y to get discouraged and not complete it. Or get it done only to find that you really don't like the car.

Join a local club. Talk to TR3 owners...take a ride or drive one of their cars. Do some research. A resto like that is a major deal...

Don't forget... a finished car is ALWAYS cheaper than buying a project!

PS I have a TR3A project for sale if you decide to ignore my advice!
Click to expand...


All good advice. In my case, my TR3 came out better than I had dreamed. But after a short while, it became apparent that I wasn't as enamored with it as I thought I would be. Ended up selling it and taking on my current project, the TR8. Much more to my liking, as it turns out.

No harm done, as it turns out. I know I put more money in it than it returned, but the experience of restoring it and the few years I got to drive it more than offset any monetary loss.
 
I would agree, buy a driver... I bought my car as a driver 1 1/2 years ago and drove it for almost a year before I really started to work on it... Real pleased now...
 
In 1987, I decided to restore my TR3A. I had owned it from new so I knew all about it. The frame was excellent. Click below to see some of the steps. By profession, I'm a Mechanical Engineering grad and have worked in machinery R&D since graduation. It took me 3 years to do my restoration. That's about all I did during those 3 years. I totaled 1100 hours and my neighbour helped with 450 free hours. He is very technical too. I spent 13,000 1988 dollars on parts and a little more than $5000 for all the painter's work, sandpaper, paint, etc, at $23.00 an hour. It was worth it in my case. I did it for the nostalia. Every time I drive it, I'm 20 years old again.

If you have similar skills and talants plus the patience of 3 years or more before you can drive it, go ahead. If you're thinking and dreaming of something like next spring, forget it and buy a nice one for less than you will eventually spend on this restoration and you could be driving it next month.

The second TR3A, I restored took me over 7 years to do.

https://www.rucompatible.com/triumphmtl/member_cars.htm#TR3
 
I agree with the general consensus above: buy a good, solid driver. Be more concerned with the condition of body and frame; mechanicals are easier to replace or restore. Be patient. Buy the best car you can afford.
 
JFS said:
Buy the best car you can afford.
Click to expand...

That was the route I took, and I am enjoying taking drives and learning the about the car before I do too much to change the car. It may never be restored, but it will be maintained and enjoyed.

NoseMay29.jpg
 
It really depends on whether you want to drive or really enjoy restoration work. As others have said, this would be a long term project even for the retired. The hardest part will be the sheet metal work as good replacement panels are hard, if not impossible to find. Many repairs will have to be self-fabricated or pieced from other parts.

Keep in mind that sheet metal bumping (making your own whole or repair panels from raw sheet metal) is becoming a lost and very expensive art. For example, I had two replacement rockers that needed a lot of shaping to clean up the poor stamping to make them work. In my area, there was just one old timer who could do the job. He wanted $750 for eight hours work, and then only when he had time. So I decided to do it myself. It took a long time and two $100 rockers to get the first one right. I thought many times during this process to just shell out the money and get it over with.

So in my opinion, unless you are very good at metal bumping, welding sheet metal, and preparing for paint, or have very deep pockets, you would be better off spending more for a better car.

That said, these two cars can be made into one with a lot of determination and money.
 
Buy the best car you can afford. Buying a project without having the opportunity to first drive it, or one similar to it, often ends up as an incomplete project that eventually gets sold for a loss. If you were to complete it, you may find that it really isn't the car you want.
But if you buy the driver, you can enjoy it for a while and make a decision down the road as to what you want to do.
Having that opportunity to drive the car will add fuel to the restoration process when you hit the inevitable stumbling block or brick wall.
If you can find an older restoration, you can drive it as much as you want and still have the opportunity to tinker.
Good luck in your search.
 
Thanks guys,

It appears the consensus is "buy a driver" I appreciate the advice and will TRY to stay away from basket cases.

Dogs followed me home when I was a kid too.

I'll start the search for a driver.

Thanks again, Gordon
 
Better print this photo and keep it on hand.
Pedro might be attending selling his infamous
"almost 100% restored" Triumphs!

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/pukeface.gif

PedroScam.jpg
 
If a shorter drive is acceptable, come up to Lilypons, Maryland for British Car Day on Sunday. There is a For Sale area.

I'll be showing my powder blue TR3.

Bring shade, as there is none to be found.
 
Wow!! Lilyponds- what a great place.

I've a nice Koi pond in our backyard where I sit
sometimes and ponder this dreadful Crypt Car saga.

If ya see a coupla nice Koi, send them on down.
They will have a nice home here.

d
 
One more voice, buy a driver.

Most of the joy of a TR3 is driving it. I drove mine for about a year before I did anything cosmetic to it.

The really weird thing about my car and probably alot of the members here, is that when you drive it, you have fewer mechanical problems. And the problems you have will not creep up on you.

That said, even if you buy a driver, expect some initial mechanical problems. Mine had a nasty habit of frying coils every 300 miles, but that went away when I installed petronics ignition. Every car will be different.

Buy something you can drive NOW.

Just out of curiosity, why a wide mouth if money is not an issue? Not that a small mouth would cost much more. At the Dixon car show we had only 3 small mouths but 13 wide mouths. If you want you want something a little different, go with a late small mouth.
 
Believe me when I tell you I KNOW projects...here's a few of mine.

Now if I live to be about 200 years old I should have them finished!

IMAG0090.jpg

IMAG0035.jpg

TR2RF.jpg

IMAG0340-1.jpg

mojobare2.jpg
 
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