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TR2/3/3A Rat rod a TR2?

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Banjo

Banjo

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Before you all panic, I don't mean cut it up, drop in some redneck 350 with cherrybombs, and ruin it. I'm just talking putting it together cheaply, probably leaving it in black epoxy primer, getting some wide whites, painting the rims red, and using the beat-up old seats and not worrying about the interior kit.
My issue is, If I do that, that's probably how it will stay while I have it. the car is a lower number TR2 (TS5012) and is rather solid, but is a total basket case. I really don't have the funds to do it the way it deserves, so I'm on the fence. I want a fun car for this summer. Should I find the bucks to assemble the TR as a "Rat", or should I try and sell it/trade it to someone who will do it justice, and get some bomber to rat out that's within my budget. I've got a line on a few early American cars to try. (50 Pontiac, 41 Chevy, 48 Chevy truck) and the like all available super low budget, that would be low buck to get running as rats.
I dunno.....
A "driver" LBC would be just fine too. Doesn't have to be pretty, but I'd prefer something unusual and old.
Whaddya all think?
 
Banjo said:
Before you all panic, I don't mean cut it up, drop in some redneck 350 with cherrybombs, and ruin it. I'm just talking putting it together cheaply, probably leaving it in black epoxy primer, getting some wide whites, painting the rims red, and using the beat-up old seats and not worrying about the interior kit.
Click to expand...
Why the heck not? You'd be doing absolutely NO harm to the car, and you'd probably enjoy driving it without fretting about door dings and scrapes. And a big plus is that a running and driving TR2 would be much more "sellable," if that be a goal of yours as well.

So I say GO FOR IT! :driving:
 
I like the idea a lot too - actually a rat rod version of the TR2 could be very appealing on its own even if it stays that way. Great to get it on the road quickly, and lots of add ins later if you want to go that way.
 
Banjo said:
A "driver" LBC would be just fine too. Doesn't have to be pretty, but I'd prefer something unusual and old.
Whaddya all think?
Click to expand...

Sounds to me like you already own an unusual and old lbc that could be a driver. I like your plan.
 
Well, that is EXACTLY what I did with my TR2 - TS6501!! Although my car was not a complete basketcase... My parents used it as their only car in the late 1960s, taken off the road in 1970. Over the years, my father and I did some amateur restoration on it as well as some pro work in the 1990s but never to the point of actually getting the car road-worthy.

I basically committed to the car just a few years ago. Realizing that I couldn't do/afford a "full" restoration, I just wanted to drive the car sooner than later and see if A) I liked driving it and B) something really serious/expensive didn't happen before getting involved with a cosmetic restoration, ie engine problem, etc.

So I planned to make the car 100% safe and drivable as the first step.

I painted the outside with a brush and glued together the passenger seat upholstery with materials from a fabric store. Used 3m double-sided tape to assemble the side curtains, etc.

The engine has rebuilt 40 years ago and never really run on the road since but carefully stored and started over the years.

So I spent the last few years replacing every steering and suspension bit that was worn or deteriorated. Replaced all brake components with new except for hard lines that were in good shape.

I got it on the road within a month or so of its 40 year anniversary of being off the road. I have driven it all this past summer and really enjoyed every mile and luckily had ZERO problems. Everything is great, the steering, power, handling, I can see why this car was really impressive in 1955.

Sorry for the rambling but I am just trying to express how the car was definitely worthwhile for me to get it on the road.

I also noticed you have an E30, I have a 1988 325is, those are great cars as well!!

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions... Tim
 
My 59 TR3 was a great rat rod. The motor ran perfectly, the body was solid, with lots of brush-on paint, everything worked. Ran it hard for 3 years in the early 70's, sold it to a guy that restored it to concours condition. Everyone was happy. Wonder where it is now? Saw it once in the 80's, truly fine.
 
TR6BILL said:
My 59 TR3 was a great rat rod. The motor ran perfectly, the body was solid, with lots of brush-on paint, everything worked. Ran it hard for 3 years in the early 70's,
Click to expand...

Presumably you enjoyed almost every minute!

TR6BILL said:
...sold it to a guy that restored it to concours condition. Everyone was happy. Wonder where it is now? Saw it once in the 80's, truly fine.
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Hopefully by now whoever has it is again enjoying it? But I've seen that sort of thing far too many times over my years in the hobby, where someone will have a quite sound and presentable car that they enjoy whenever and wherever. Then someone plants the idea that $$$$ should be spent returning it to better than original condition...after which the car comes out maybe twice a year. Sad, really. All that money largely wasted....
 
By all means drive it and enjoy it. To me, solid and safe (or as safe as TR2s can be) is the ideal. Unrestored drivers, particularly TR2s, are in very short supply. Cars in their mid fifties do not need to look like new. Too many of the best survivors are being turned into something they never were, not that there is anything wrong with that, but it is certainly not the only way to go and restorations, as good as they might be, cannot be reversed. Tom
 
I say do what you can to enjoy the car. I'd rather see a car driven and enjoyed than rotting in a field / garage / backyard any day of the week. That said, i REALLY want a TR2 (or an early small mouth TR3) someday, so if you still have it in a while I may be very interested in a basket case tr2 =) Right now my fleet is a TR6 under complete disassembly currently, and a TR7 FHC that's in gorgeous shape, a 'survivor' from the deep south brought up to new england with 27k miles on it. When I think I'm ready for a TR2 or early TR3 I'm figuring I'll probably part ways with the 7 due to garage space requirements meaning i can only really have 2 LBCs in addition to my daily driver (which doesnt get garaged at all!)
 
Hmmm... an overwhelming "Do it!"
How about a WWI biplane type paint job.....(Just a thought.) I always thought the Tr2-3s reminded me of a biplane.
But here's what I was really thinking. Flat black, no bumpers, possibly some "weathered" racing numbers. interior rough... wheels either red steelies, or wire wheels painted red, with wide whites.
Leather straps on the bonnet, and it already has 2 rows of louvers.
The other idea with the wire wheels was to paint the rims and hubs red, and use chromed spokes. I saw that on a chopper show, and it looked really good!
anyhow, I'm a bit surprised by the response. I guess it would wind up as the old and different I'm looking for.
Thanks guys.
I've done restorations on TR3s TR4s aTR250 TR6s MGAs MGBs and others when I worked at the sportscar shop, so I know how long getting all the details right takes, so I guess I just get overwhelmed when I think about how much it would take to do that with my time and $$$. but I think I could handle a rat rod.
 
You probably know this already, but I'll just mention it again to make sure =P Be very sure that if you leave it in black primer, that the primer you use is not water permeable, many of the primers used today are, as opposed to the older matte black primer that you used to see all the old 30s and 40s ford rat rods done in. I've seen some pretty bad 'primer rustouts' before because the wrong type of matte black was used which let the metal rust right under the primer.
 
justin_mercier said:
Be very sure that if you leave it in black primer, that the primer you use is not water permeable, many of the primers used today are, as opposed to the older matte black primer that you used to see all the old 30s and 40s ford rat rods done in. I've seen some pretty bad 'primer rustouts' before because the wrong type of matte black was used which let the metal rust right under the primer.
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+1
 
Howdy Banjo,

(1st) "HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL":

(2nd) I agree with all the folks here. "Cosmetically" Rat Rod the TR2 but don`t go throwing in a small block Chev. etc etc.

(3rd) I recall you had the TR2 up For Sale here well over a year ago for something in the $5K bracket with pics. Should you decide to Sell to her; Would you be in the same approx. neighborhood on the cost?? If my memory serves me correctly; It was really torn apart (Which could be a good thing) cause you get to see "Everything". Does She run "Right Now" or as some Ads read; "Ran when parked 20years ago"!

Post a pic or two here so we can see what your talking about.

Best Wishes either way,

Russ
 
Happy New year Ben!
I have time on my hands so if you need help let me know. In a sense I consider my Spit a rat. Bailing wire and duct tape. I ratted out an old VW Bus I had in Washington State and use the rustoleum spray bombs. Had no problems with rust out.
I'm pretty handy with the interior. You may consider recovering the bottom in red faux leather and leaving the seat backs exposed steel like the old jump seats in a bomber.
 
Russ, Same car, I have only the one. I was asking something like $4500 when I was going to sell it, which I know is rather high for a basket case, but it was one of those "I don't really want to sell it, but if someone really wants to pay me that much I'll let it go." For now that still stands. It's a really solid 54 TR2, only needs minimal metal work, I have 2 trannies, 2 engines (also tore apart), wire wheels, steel wheels, and a lot of sub assemblies already fixed up.
Any "primer" will be of the waterproof epoxy type. I believe DP is the type I'm going to use. The 50 Pontiac I was looking at has the rust issue from being left in primer.
No "chopping" will be done. All parts will be original, just not finished to "show car" quality.
No work is gonna get done till warmer weather.. That gives ya some time Russ.hehehe
 
Any updates? Any pics? Thanks
 
Banjo,

You say Its a "Basket Case" in one post & then a "Really Solid" car in another post. Which is it?

I / We have to guess the "Low Budget" build has become a "Really Lower Budget" build.

Don`t cut it up etc etc & Let someone here have the car for a "Realistic" figure to let someone bring it back to its "Orig" Glory.

Is it a "Short or Long" door?

Post some darn pics why don`t you, so we can see exactly what your talking about.

Some passing thoughts.

Russ
 
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