TR2/3/3A TR3 Exterior Door handles

[SPACER]

Hi,
I know that all TR3A & later cars had exterior door handles.
I see pics of small mouth TR3's some with & some without. Which is correct?
Thanx,
Spacer

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Generally speaking, the handles were introduced with the TR3A's in '58. 2's and small mouth 3's had no handles.

And a belated welcome to the BCF!

 

[Andrew Mace]

Exterior door handles were part of the "GT" kit on earlier cars, said kit primarily featuring the optional hardtop.

 

[mallard]

You could get the Grand Touring Conversion Kit for your early car which included door handles. So you can see an early car with them and it would be considered correct. I like them without.

Welcome to the forum Spacer. Kind of a strange first question though, are you looking to purchase?

 

[TR3driver]

Exterior door handles were part of the "GT" kit on earlier cars, said kit primarily featuring the optional hardtop.

And also fixed (screwed into the door) sidecurtains. The exterior handles were also slightly different than those used on the later cars, and there was no plinth (raised sheet metal) where the handle attached to the door.

But I daresay that most of the TR3s running around with exterior handles just have doors from a later car. In some cases, they are actually later cars, with early front aprons. Some folks like the "smallmouth" look better.