TR2/3/3A How rare is a small-mouth TR3?

[Sherlock]

Heading home from work I saw a small-mouth TR3, stopped to take a look and when the owner came out of the store he was in I had a quick chat, nice friendly guy...

And he had a great looking car, red paint, horizontal bumpers removed, just the two small vertical bumpers left, always have thought that looks sharp on TR2 and TR3.

Not that I extensively follow the sports cars, but I don't seem to recall ever seeing very many of the early small-mouth TR3's, great sighting anyway...

 

[aeronca65t]

They built 17,000 small mouth cars (and about 8600 of the similar looking TR2s). Hard to say how many are still out there....maybe 10%? Lots of good TR2/3 info here:

https://www.vtr.org/TR2/TR23-spotting.html

 

[Guest]

I had a '52 TR2 and a '59 TR3 in the Army in the early 70's. Miss 'em dearly. Loved to throw those babies into the corners, invariably lifting a wheel in the process. Much more fun to drive than my current TR6.

Bill

 

[Geo Hahn]

Truth be told I actually prefer the look of the small mouth. But somewhere around 80% had the 'dollar grin'. That, combined with the small mouths being older and (sad to say) in some cases 'updated' with wide mouth aprons make them very uncommmon.

 

[Sherlock]

So it was a rare find then... Did manage to get a picture of the car (stuck on a roll of film in my non-digital camera), who knows when the picture will get developed.

As I recall, the reason I turned around in the first place is because as I passed the car on the street (it was parked facing toward me) I thought that I saw a small-mouth grille and wanted to confirm that, perhaps hoping for a very rare TR2 sighting.

 

[sammyb]

In the Northwest, TR2s and TR3s are quite common (as far as old LBCs are "common.") We had a fair number of them when new...(My father's college roomate had one of the first TR2s in Seattle, and they drove it to California and back.)

Since we don't salt the roads much here, and because it's always been a big sports car mecca, many local cars survived. I would estimate a much higher percent survived -- probably closer to 35-40 percent, at least on the West Coast.

 

[Bugeye58]

A couple of years ago, I was in the Sprite heading south on Skyline Drive, north of Santa Cruz, when I was met by a very original looking TR2.
You definitely see a lot more great old cars out that way, than you do here in the land of rampant "tin worm". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif
Jeff

 

[Mickey Richaud]

[ QUOTE ]
Not that I extensively follow the sports cars, but I don't seem to recall ever seeing very many of the early small-mouth TR3's, great sighting anyway...

[/ QUOTE ]

I got one! Mine is a '57, and when I got it, it had the wide-mouth apron on it due to an early wreck. I found the proper apron and grille in Hemmings, and sold the wide-mouth for what I paid for the small one. Still lack the chrome trim around the grille, but found some stick-on chrome trim that at least resembles the original piece.

It's definitely a different look from the TR3A's and B's. Not only is the grille smaller, but there is a raised lip around the opening, and the headlights protrude further forward.

Mickey

 

[BRIAN TOWNE]

Sherlock, you've got mail! TR2's are the BEST! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/canpatriot.GIF

 

[Sherlock]

Hey Brian,

From that "other-city-up-north" I see... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Thanks for the picture (and thanks Mickey too for the pictures). Brian, do you ever come down to the nice British car show put on by the Vintage Sports Car Club down here in Calgary? In September and I'm told a nice show.

I have actually seen one TR2 before, at a car show in London, Ontario, I believe I was told by the owner that it was the very rare short door version early in the production run (did I get that right?).

When I ever get up there I must try to have a visit... Am planning on heading up there sometime, plan to visit with a guy in Edmonton who has an Alvis Stalwart amphibious military truck and a 1970's Bedford 4-Ton (ex-British military, left-over by British troops training here in Canada)

 

[BRIAN TOWNE]

Sherlock, was down last year. Terry Beck (Volvo P1800) invited Bill Keith ( 1953 TR2) and myself down for the show. It was nice because they honoured Bills car ( I previously owned it) for it's 50th birthday! Great day in the park in Cowtown. Lots of people and some great cars. I guess mine celibrates it's "Golden" this year too. GREAT, A PARTY!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/canpatriot.GIF

 

[Sherlock]

[ QUOTE ]
BRIAN TOWNE said: Sherlock, was down last year. Terry Beck (Volvo P1800) invited Bill Keith ( 1953 TR2) and myself down for the show. It was nice because they honoured Bills car ( I previously owned it) for it's 50th birthday! Great day in the park in Cowtown. Lots of people and some great cars. I guess mine celibrates it's "Golden" this year too. GREAT, A PARTY!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Then definitely plan to see you there... If all goes well, look for a ratty 1969 Ford Cortina, blue in colour.

Last year in September I was still living in Ontario so wasn't at that show.

 

[sammyb]

Saw a beautiful red '56/'57 today coming out of the Ford dealership. Was a nice morning, and I was on my way back from the Harbor Freight Tools store with the Torx sockets necessary to remove the manifold on my '89 Vette.

Made my day. Nice old chap driving. Even though I was in my '86 Dodge convertible, he smiled and waved.

 

[Sherlock]

OK... Here's that car I saw way back when (finally got my pictures developed today)

 

[sammyb]

Without the grill, it actually looks like a TR2.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Interesting - but it's got TR3A doors. Either they swapped aprons, or doors, or... Wonder what else was done to it.

 

[Geo Hahn]

[ QUOTE ]
...it's got TR3A doors...

[/ QUOTE ]

If you are referring to the exterior handles, I believe a 'GT kit' may have been available to allow early TR owners to add these (or as you say could have replaced the doors). Appears the wing beading is painted body color (like a TR2) but the disc wheels are silver (like a 3A).

Call it a TR 2-and-one-half.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

George -

You're right - I remember reading about the GT option. And also about the wheels and fender beading (although on this one it looks like they're painted black).

I think the TR2's also had painted bonnet and boot hinges; these are chrome. Just goes to prove the point in Piggot's book on TR3's that the only consistency with these cars was inconsistency in details like these.

 

[Bruce Bowker]

Sorry to join in on this so late. Am I understanding this correctly. There is ?? a TR 3 that has a small grill like a TR 2 or is someone calling a TR2 a TR 3 with a small mouth?

 

[Geo Hahn]

[ QUOTE ]
...Am I understanding this correctly...

[/ QUOTE ]

Well it seems to have elements of both, but with that apron it looks more like a TR2 than anything else. Though there are obviously some non-original bits I find the over-all effect quite pleasing to behold.