TR2/3/3A New TR3 restoration Project

[Evincirei]

Hello, everyone I've recently begun work on restoring my TR3 and am a complete beginner at this. Does anyone have any advice on where to get started? Is there a manual available that shows how to work on these cars? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Best advice I can give you is have a good camera. Take plenty of pictures and store them on the computer. Buy a workshop manual and don't be bashful about asking questions here on the forum. There are a lot of knowledgeable folks ready and willing to help. And welcome to BCF!

Marv

 

[Tr3aguy]

What state is the car currently in? It will make a difference on what you are trying to do with it as well, restoring to a driver , rolling repairs, or a complete frame off restoration....

This is a good start How to restore a triumph

Check my link and see a total basket case...

Welcome to the forum.

 

[TR3driver]

While buying a paper manual is still a good idea, you can download a copy of the factory workshop manual here:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B2H2NJt34OffYWZiN2VlZGMtNTkxMi00NGUzLWE4NzMtMGRkODRkYzU3MDU1
This was originally written for the TR2, there is an appendix in the back that describes some of the differences for the (early) TR3. But AFAIK they never updated it for the later changes, including the introduction of the "wide mouth" TR3A, the body re-tooling at TS60000, the TR3B, etc.

A copy of the appropriate (to your car) owner's manual is a good thing to have as well. Here's the 6th edition, which is for cars after commission number TS60000.
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B2H2NJt34OffNjQ4MTkyNjItZTVmYi00M2U2LWJhYWUtMjEyZDgxMzUyNzUw

There are a few other things that might be useful at
https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B2H2NJt34OffMDVmOTZlZWItYTcyMy00ZDhkLTliOWEtOWU1OWRhNDZhYmRl/edit

The Spare Parts Catalogue is particularly helpful if you try to deal with The Roadster Factory. Oddly enough, they do not publish a complete TR3 catalog of their own, but they do actually carry almost everything if you know the original part number. https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B2H2NJt34OffMWQ4N2EzZGQtNjc0Ny00YmE2LWFiN2UtZWYzMjNjNGFiYzY4

If your goal is a show-winning accurate restoration, then you'll probably want a copy of the original build record. It will have details like original paint and interior color, factory options and so on.
https://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/store/mini-en-en.html

And BTW, welcome to the asylum!

 

[bobhustead]

The book cited in the above post is a good start. It has a lot of good tips, like how to make locating jigs (before taking the tub halves apart) to allow proper repositioning of the front and rear halves of the body tub when you put them back on the frame. The Haynes service manual (ISBN900550 28 7)has a lot of detailed instructions and diagrams that appear to be lifted from original factory service manuals. A number of members on this forum also have diagrams and text from otherwise unavailable sources dealing with the arcana on these cars. Someone on this forum will have solved about every mechanical, body, or trim problem you may have and responses to questions come quickly.
Good luck,
Bob
PS I started writing this before randall's post, above. He proves my point.

 

[Geo Hahn]

If you haven't already -- could be agood time to join your local (or nearly local) Triumph or Brit Car club. Local help can be invaluable and they can also give your spirits a boost if the project begins to drag.

 

[Moseso]

Welcome! I finished my TR3 about 3 years ago, after about 3-1/2 years of work. This forum was an <span style="font-style: italic">INDISPENSIBLE</span> resource of technical info, advice and encouragement during my project.

Post early and post often. Start with a picture or two of what you've got and people here will be all over offering tips and advice.

 

[angelfj1]

Welcome!

Rule 1 - don't throw anything away!

Rule 2 - read rule 1.

 

[Anthony_S]

and Welcome!

 

[TR3driver]

The Haynes service manual (ISBN900550 28 7)has a lot of detailed instructions and diagrams that appear to be lifted from original factory service manuals.

The Haynes is also good because it includes a lot of photos not found in the factory literature. But watch out for misprints! There are different editions with different mistakes, but AFAIK they all have some mistakes.

BTW, if you find any mistakes or illegible scans on the above site, let me know and I'll try to get it fixed.

 

[pacotaco]

Roger Williams book "How to Restore a Triumph" is very good and talks about upgrades and their possible benefits that Haynes and the factory manual don't cover. But you need the factory manual too.

 

[Tr3aguy]

Welcome!

Rule 1 - don't throw anything away!

Even though it may not work on your car....it can still be valuable somewhere else.

 

[Tugboat]

Agree, times two.

 

[Evincirei]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and valuable resources. Here's my plan at the moment: I want to first get a frame welded to the body for support (I've read this is necessary.) I looked at tr3aguys photos and I would like to emulate that.

So: Weld a frame. Remove body from chassis. Restore chassis/engine. Restore body. Put the body back on the chassis. Fit trim.

Does this basic plan sound like a good idea or am I missing something important? I've attached one photo of my car. I have more but they're not online at the moment. The car itself is in fairly good condition, it was a California car and it was drivable when initially garaged. It needs new floorboards and a couple of spots need to be replaced due to rust but for the most part it looks quite nice. Its commission number is TS11621L I believe (I may be wrong though, I need to double check.)


TR3 on it's way to Utah by ncarlstrom, on Flickr

 

[mrv8q]

Hmmm, I'm not seeing any fender beading, that might make things a little more difficult...

 

[TR3driver]

The beading is readily available, and even reasonably cheap. TRF has the 6-piece kit on sale for $130.

TS11621 is early enough to have front drum brakes. Up to you, of course, but if it was my car I'd be looking for a way to fit the later disc brakes. I owned a TR3 with front drums for a few years, and they just never worked as well as the disc brake setup. Oh, they'd stop the car alright, but it seemed like there was always one wheel that wanted to pull, or lock up before the others. The 3A I owned at the same time seemed a lot more secure.

 

[TR3driver]

Does this basic plan sound like a good idea or am I missing something important?

Basic plan is fine, but I'd spend some time on the chassis too. Most things are a lot easier with the body off (or so I'm told, I've always done it the hard way :laugh: ) You will definitely have to go through the hydraulics, I would suggest new soft lines and maybe even hard lines too. Few years back I was digging through my bin of brake parts and an original hard line literally snapped in my hands. Definitely not something you want to have happen when someone has just pulled out in front of you!

I'd also suggest replacing anything "rubber" that touches fuel, including the fuel pump diaphragm and float bowl gaskets. The original components will not stand up to modern "oxygenated" fuel (either ethanol or MTBE) for long, and it's really irritating to have them turn to goo and start dumping fuel on the ground (or worse).

Good time to do all the oil seals as well. Contrary to popular opinion, I believe it is possible to have a Triumph that doesn't leak oil (although you sure couldn't prove it by my car). There is a new rear main seal for the engine that has just recently come on the market, that is supposed to work very well. While you've got the steering box apart, put a new bushing and peg in it.

Up to you whether to freshen the engine or not; but you'll have the crankshaft out to replace the rear main seal and I just can't bring myself to put them back together without new bearings. At this point, I wish I'd done the rings when I had the head off, too.

For sure, get the radiator serviced while the body is apart. Probably my least favorite part of the whole car is having to remove the front apron to get the radiator out! (Which I need to do again, for about the fifth time since I got this car on the road in 2009.) Based on my recent experience, I would demand that the radiator shop "rod it out" ... they said mine "flowed fine" but it turned out to have a layer of "mud" inside the tubes that was causing the engine to overheat. Very frustrating.

 

[AEW]

Just based on what I would do differently in a restoration plan from what I've done...

Take a look at the body work you will need to do before you worry about most of the drive train mechanical. As already noted, the fenders are welded/brazed on and body filler used to reshape them. Since the mouth has a flat look from the missing badge area to the grille, and it sports the 3a bumper, it probably has damage issues to assess. I think almost every TR3 being restored has some old bondo repairs. Don't let that stop you, just make sure you know what you're up against before you spend a ton of money on an engine/trans/rear rebuild that will sit for 5 years like mine.

 

[Marvin Gruber]

From what I see of the body mods, you have quite a job ahead of you. Not to discourage you but I believe I would get it drivable first and see how much I liked it before tearing it down. I have bought many cars over the years from folks that started restoration, spent lots of money and then gave up. I bought a 54 TR2 last month that a guy disassembled in 1989, he blasted the sheetmetal, built the engine and spent several thousand dollars buying new parts. Then it sat for the next 20 something years. I figure I bought the parts and he gave me the car.

 

[luke44]

.. I want to first get a frame welded to the body for support...

You first of all need to esablish your objectives. If you want a concurs restoration, that is a completely different approach than getting the car back to being a driver. Different approach to how to start the restoration, different costs.

Once the tub comes off the frame its very easy to want to restore every piece and then you are on your way to a full ground up restoration. Generally a restoration can be divided into either frame-on or frame-off. (yes, should be body-on, body-off, but that's the terminology often used). Once the frame (body) comes off, the costs go up, but the result is significantly better.

I have never heard of welding the frame to the body. Not sure what you are refering to. There are numerous threads here (including mine in the links in my signature block below) documenting a ground up procedure. But, bring your check book.

Whichever route you decide to go, good luck with it.