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TR2/3/3A TR3 Submarine

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I love the look of the car, but don't like the sound of the story that goes with it. How could it survive 20 years under water? How come the rubber and vinyl disappeared but the metal remained? It is very wet in Scotland and we don't have any worries about the rubber perishing, but the bodywork rusts away in no time.
I think if I was selling the car I would miss out the fact that the barn was under water for 20 years. Stored in a barn for 20 years would do just fine!
 
This is the kinda story that gets written about. And my google searches didn't turn up anything. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif
 
kodanja said:
Back to the car!!!


"I have some swamp land in Florida if yer interested"

I would need to see resoration pix before I bid!
(Does kinda look nice thou)
Click to expand...

For somebody needing wetlands credits, swampland can be a very valuble asset. It isn't the joke it used to be. But if I had bought some it would be.
 
As a diversion from th' REAL story, mebbe? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]"I have some swamp land in Florida if yer interested" [/QUOTE]

Bill,

With the declining water supply and rapidly growing population in Florida, that swamp land may some day be worth more than the beach front property.

Especially if it abuts a lake.
 
Truth to tell, Paul.

I ~still~ maintain we (the state of Florida) should outlaw all air conditioning.

...that'd thin th' herd REAL quick. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
How bout an Crocigator farm!!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/sick.gif

white_alligator.jpg
 
Dont know about the rubber/vinyl part, but I own ( have in my garage right now) a TR250 that spent 2 years at the bottom of a lake in the interior of B.C.
No, it was not left for the flood waters to cover it while the dam filled up, it was stolen and driven off a bridge. A recreational diver found it around the 60 foot level and it was recovered. New drive train/interior and it was back on the road. I am in the middle of a frame or restoration/conversion to PI spec at the moment, and finding lots of sand and gravel in nooks and crannies, but amazingly very, very little rust. Some of the fender flanges have seen better days, but they are still good, original rockers/floors/trunk floor etc. The plenum may need some work, and the windsheild frame may or may not be saved. Other than that, you would never know it spent 2 years underwater.
 
Like many others, I also do not believe the story, for several reasons. 21 years to make lieutenant, hid a car in her dads barn and he didn't notice, she never noticed he sold the farm, pulled it out of a Michigan lake in the winter, etc. Non the less, it is entertaining.

As for flooding areas without removing stuff, that's common, and is still common. Heck, we've one county here that's proposing to use an old landfill as a drinking water reservoir. They plan to just filter it a bit.
 
Lots of pictures of progress ( or at the moment, lack of it ) What would you like to see?
This car was recovered over 25 years ago, repaired ( drivetrain and interior ) then bought by my father about 18 years ago. He stored it until i bought it off him last year.
Cold fresh water, very low oxygen content, partly in the mud.......stranger things have happened. And as far as the TR3 goes, why would you advertise that you have a flood car?????
 
We all think - hey, submerged in water, its gotta rust, right? But as heliguy points out, if the oxygen content is low and temp is cold and car is covered with stuff that could nominally help protect it (mud, etc) then it might just be possible. Some studies have been done on corrosion rates of steel in water. Here's one I found (salt water), but it was sort of interesting. Bottom line was a corrosion rate of around 0.012 to 0.014mm per year in deep salt water.

https://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/jom/0710/wilson-0710.html
 
I do not know if this is the same car. This picture was taken May of 95 in Houston. I would have thought that there would have been a lot of talk if this was realy under water that long.

Don
 

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If you look carefully you can see that there is water dripping out of the sills!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
The auction ended at 12,717 and didn't meet reserve.

I don't believe any of that underwater story. The gauges imploded on mine at 20' -except the Ammeter. Body panel rust on mine is not a result of flooding, but the salt water damage is extensive. All electrical components including wiring is shot, carbs are toast, the rust inside the steering shaft is unreal, etc etc.

Salt water for a day, vs fresh water for years could have very different effects.

In all fairness, the ruined components could have been replaced on that flooded car.
 

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