Great Deal and Price for Triumph

[bluemiata90]

I know many people don't like talking about what they paid for their Triumphs, but I've always loved hearing about great deals on Triumphs purchases.(Even if they do make me jealous) Do you have a story about a great deal on a Triumph, short of inheriting one.
I resently purchased a Spitfire for $200.00 with a rebuilt engine (rough body). About 4 years ago I stopped at an old mechanics garage cause they had a 73 Mustang for sale out front. The Mustang was very rough, but the owner said he had several older cars in the back of the shop. In the back he had a 72 Vette, 67 Spitfire and old MGB. They were all customers cars that never paid/picked them up. He couldn't sell them, but I left my number. Four years later, he called and said the building was being torn down in a week and asked if I want the Spitfire for $200 with the title. Needless to say, I bought it. The MGB was already gone and the section of the building that the
Vette had been in had collapsed, crushing the Vette under it, it was buried under bricks. I thought $200 was a very good price for a Spitfire. I trailered it home and spent about 1 hour cleaning and changing things, new battery and using fresh fuel, it fired right up. Within minutes, the engine was running smoothly. I've always enjoyed a good find. I hope you enjoyed the story.

 

[R6MGS]

I've got many deals....but I'll just tell the recent stuff:

Most recently was my "new" TR6, bought it from a woman who drove it everyday and kept it in perfect mechanical condition until the battery died. It was restored in 98 and since then she basically just drove it(don't think she ever even washed it). I got it for $1500(after she spent $4000 in repairs in the last year). I am going to repaint it in the spring, and do some minor interior work, but it's really a good solid car.

I got a 73 Vette convert a few years ago for $3000, it was pretty rough(outside for 10 years) but I got it running nicely and ebayed it.

The best was probably the MGB LE I sold earlier this year...I paid $1300 for it, got it running and put a new clutch in it, through cleaning, resprayed the front fenders in my garage and it later won an award at a local car show against restored cars! Then I added an extra 0 to the price I paid and sold it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

 

[bluemiata90]

Those are the stories I like to hear about and yes, I am jealous. That TR6 is beautiful. I've got to start looking harder for deals.

 

[R6MGS]

Thanks, but that TR6 is far from beautiful(especially with that ugly snugtop) - but it will be beautiful shortly. Heres a pic of the aforementioned MGB LE..Not bad for a $1300 car huh? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

 

[roofman]

I had to go to the bathroom and had nothing to read. I grabbed the newspaper classified and hit the john. I read an ad for a " old british car" listed in storage auctions so I decided to go look. I was the only one that showed up for the Sat. auction. They opened the door, and there was a 1975 TR6 sitting on 4 flat tires in the storage unit. I paid the $50 minimum bid, paid a tow truck $100 to inflate the tires and tow it home. A $150 TR6! The car was straight but sat for 10 years and at the time I already had a 69 Tr6 so I ebayed it and got $3400. What a country. Some idiot paid 10 years of storage and walked away from his Triumph.

 

[R6MGS]

Nice one! I usually check all the local storage facilities at least annually for abandoned cars...Scored a 77 Vette at one of those auctions once, but for a bit more than $50.

 

[Don Elliott]

I paid $2616.00 for my 1958 TR3A. It had overdrive as well. It was in mint condition. In fact it had only 7 miles on the clock. This was May 1958 and I was 20 years old. I bought it brand new. The basic price was $2350.00 + $150.00 for the overdrive, $35.00 for the undercoating, $15.00 for the windscreen washers and tax was 2% = $51.00 plus $15.00 for the registration licence plate.

I restored it from 1987 to 1990 and have driven it 94,000 miles since then.

Don Elliott, Original Owner

https://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthreads/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1919/ppuser/4127

 

[Banjo]

I bought my 77 MGB for $500, drove it a year, sold it for $700. used that money to buy my 66 TR4A for $500.. drove it for 3 years, sold it for $1500. Currently I have my TR2 I bought (in boxes) but extremely solid and fairly complete, for $900, and the 58 Jag saloon from a fellow local club member that had to have it moved. That cost a grand total of $400.
So the most expensive thing I've got right now is my "free" 1980 CJ5 that I've got about $1000 into. But it's also the only one that runs and is on the road.

 

[YankeeTR]

<font color="red"> </font> FREE.....

 

[bluemiata90]

Free is always good. I was watching that deal on this site and keep us informed on if you get this TR7 running. Once again, I'm jealous.

 

[Gblake2613]

When I was restoring my TR3 for the first time, I was 14, my Dad scored a TR6 for a one month rent fee on a storage unit, I think it was $45.

Later after college, I bought a 1985 RX7 for $100. It had the limited slip which made it the perfect car spec RX7 club racing.

Not as great a deal but I bought a '74 260Z for $2100, autocrossed in that car for 5 years, then sold it for $2,300.

I tried recently to buy a TR8 as a "deal" but found way too much rust in the frame rails.

I still thumb through the classifieds thinking it is 1985 when triumphs were regualrly listed

 

[Twosheds]

You guys have got it all wrong. Here's my secret to TR success:

1. Fall in love with TR3.

2. Pay way too much for TR3.

3. Put way to much money and time in it.

4. Sell TR3 for way less than you have in it.

If you don't understand this, you are in the wrong hobby.

 

[YankeeTR]

[ QUOTE ]
Free is always good. I was watching that deal on this site and keep us informed on if you get this TR7 running. Once again, I'm jealous.

[/ QUOTE ]
This should be fun...and a challenge...