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TR2/3/3A TR3A with automatic transmission?

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I know a guy who has a TR4 which has a 4-cyl Chevette engine mated to an automatic gearbox.

Also John Warfield, the Pres of TRA is wheelchair bound and he put a Triumph 2000 automatic gearbox in his concours winning red TR3A. Steve Hedke put a similar automatic in his dad Duane's TR6 after he suffered a stroke and could not use his left leg on a clutch.
 
I am about 80% complete in my restoration of a 60 TR-3A in which I put an auto tranny so all my daughters could drive it. Now I must admit they all drive my Porsches which all have 5 speeds but that was not the case when I dreamed up this project. I have two other stock TR-3s. It's a souped up Chevy 20 4R mated to a small block 350. Mustang II front end and Currie 3.55 posi with a 4 link rear. One of the those projects that just grew and grew. Original intent was a V-6 Chevy mated to an auto for the kids. But my teenage son started helping, at least witht he ideas and spend.
 
I'm not positive, but I think this is the same one that was on the market in Austin 1-2 years ago. If so, yes it is a complete swap, I think with a Ford engine which could have had Pinto origins. I had called on it way back when and it sounded decent body wise, but the transplant put me off.
 
That makes my left leg feel unappreciated and thrown under the bus...
 
That shifter looks an awful lot like the shifter in the 64 1/2 mustang I once had!
could it be a 260 v8 ford with a c4 auto trans?
 
I am a gasser freak! That being said, if I am able to obtain this 58 I am after, I am really tossed between keeping it fairly stock but with raceing numbers, or mate a later model auto to it so the wife can drive it, or go whole hog and put a nice big v8 in it, raise the front with a straight axle and ford rear end? Value tells me stock. wanting the wife to enjoy it also tells me mate a later model auto to it with a adaptor plate. afrenaline tells me whole hog! LOL.
 
I vote for teaching the wife to drive a stick! I taught my wife 30 years ago and she never looked back until we bought the Tbird last year (no manual models :().

Still working on my 16 year old. :smile:

Scott
 
HerronScott said:
I vote for teaching the wife to drive a stick!
Click to expand...
Worth noting perhaps, that a stock TR3A is pretty forgiving and easy to drive. With that huge flywheel and low first gear, it's practically impossible to kill the engine.
 
If it was for sale up my way, i'd consider it just as a 'daily driver' TR3

I've always wanted a TR3 (or tr2) badly, but my goal is to get a nice small mouth TR2 or 3 someday after i'm done working on my TR6
 
Id teach her how to drive standard, but she is taking her time how to drive period. her mother is a maniac behind the wheel and totals at least one car a year! So the wife is always scared to be behind the wheel! But I convince her on occasion! I attempted to teach her once in a Nissan Stanza wich was fairly forgiving. But she jacked and jumped all over the place and started yelling at me! LOL. So I would rather NOT go there! LOL.
 
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