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TR2/3/3A I bought a TR2 project

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Alfred E. Neuman

Alfred E. Neuman

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Been a while since I've been on the message board. Life has a way of seeing to that. But I'm ready for another project and I think I found a good one.
I went and looked at the TR2 that was for sale on the BCF Triumph Classifieds and decided it would be a really cool car to get back to its former glory.
First step will be to get it home from Knoxville to Atlanta. I'll get that done in the next few weeks. Then and inventory to see what I'm missing.

Then the real fun/challenge begins. The car has been dormant for a long time, so I'll need to get it dissassembled and assess what metal work needs to be done. I'm anticipating going down a similar road as Mike G is currently traveling (but hopefully not as rough and winding as the road John went down with his TR2 :LOL:) - inner/outer sills, floors, and a bit of rear valence. All the usual bolt-on panels will need a thorough repair/straighten/fitting. Hopefully the frame is solid and straight. I didn't see anything that scared me on the frame other than surface scale from being stored in a garage for years.

I'll start a restoration thread as soon as I get it home and get it in the shop. I'll be on here soooooo much asking for help and guiadance from those who have walked this path. Thanks in advance for all the help I know I'll get.

Robby
 
Robby - congrats on becoming the TR2's new guardian! How's the engine and drive train? The classified only shows a rough body.

Just wondering ... did you actually see and inspect the car before you bought it?

As I'd see often in the 1960s ... "What, me worry?"

Tom M.
 
Tom, thanks for the congrats and questions.

Inspected it pretty well a couple of weekends ago. It's actually a very solid car. The bulkhead is solid. The floors are good from the seat rails back, and only some minor rust-through in the forward footwells that doesn't look like it goes up the bulkhead panels. Everything from the seat rails back appears to be rock solid, including all the trunk panels and the spare tire well. Rear valece will need some work where the rear fender meet it, but that's typlical. I'm hoping the closing panels under the valence aren't too bad, but they're easy to take off if needed. Even the trunk gutter is solid.

It comes with a all panels on the car, plus another set of fenders, a couple of doors, a couple of boot lids, and a bonnet or two. There should be enough to make what I need.

The left front fender is by far the worst of the panels. I may need to source one as the entire rear portion is fiber glassed. The original bonnet is pretty rough, but it's correct with 4 vents so I'll try to save it.

The engine is original and it out of the car but is seized. That will be one of my first projects. I'd like to keep the orignal block. Luckily this isn't my first fight with the 4 cylinder TR engines. I'll get it unstuck, and hopefully the crank and rods will be worth using. If not, I'll go big and build a nice motor for it. Might have to do cam bearings, I'll measure and see.

Transmission is an early O/D unit, single switch so it only works on 4th. I may need to find a clutch shaft and shifter/top cap assembly for it. I'll know once I get it home and see what's in all the boxes.

My plan is to keep the drum brakes if I can.

This will be a decent project for sure. I had an early long door TR2 when I was in college that was right hand drive but it was sooooo far gone I just parted it out. Now I have one I can make new again.
 
Bravo! You've already got it sorted and know what lies ahead. Please keep us posted on your progress! I'm betting you'll get lots of help from knowledgeable BCF TR guys.

Tom M.
 
Will do John.
I have about 50 pictures the previous owner sent me before we went and looked at the car, but I don't want to post them as I don't have permission. I'll get a very detailed restoration thread going as soon as I can so I can get advice from BCF members like yourself who have more experience than me.
Your TR2 bodywork thread has been an inspiration of mine for years now, and has given me the confidence to tackle something that I used to consider beyond my ability to learn.
I'm an auto tech by trade, so the mechanical side of things holds no mystery. But the rust repair and bodywork is something I need to learn more about.
 
Steve,
I'm hoping I don't need to find *too* much TR2 specific stuff. At least it's not a very early car with cable release bonnet, I can't imagine how hard it would be to gather all the stuff for an early commission # car.

I've been following your TR2 project some. Yours is a bit rougher than mine to start, but I'm betting I'll need to do most of the same repairs on some level.

My welding skills will improve, that's for sure! If not, there's always Macy's Garage to bail me out of any insurmountable trouble I get myself into. 🛠️
 
Yes, the 1955 is the later car, there is one thing for sure I am missing like the U-shaped chrome over the grill, but there was a guy in England that made one that looked stock. I plan on posting some more pics when I get the body temporarily on the frame soon. Please post some more pics the forum is getting too slow

Steve
 
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