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TR4/4A Tr4hopeful

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R

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I am in need of guidance on a sentimental project. When I was in college I bought a 1964 tR4 and love the car. I moved to CA and let my brother drive it. With good intentions he started to take it apart and fix a few things and replace a few things but was called up to serve in Desert Storm and was gone for over a year. Upon his arrival he got a divorce and lost his desire to work on it. Needless to say it sits in my Mothers garage to this day dismantled, since 1991. The car is in great shape with little or no rust but is it worth towing it to SC and tear it down. It will be a total rebuild. Can I handle it or should I advertise it as a basket job and move on.
 
Welcome to BCF.


" ... is it worth towing it to SC and tear it down."


YES!

But we don't know where it is now. California? Instead of towing it, might actually be less expense and trouble to have it professionally transported (around $1200).

As we don't know what shape it's in other than "great shape", we don't know how to interpret "it will be a total rebuild". Total rebuild may be more work and dollars than you're comfortable with, especially if you've never done it before.

What's your mechanical skill? Got a good garage with a lift? Got a "friend in the business"?

If it were the car I myself bought in college that I fell in love with, it would *definitely* be worth bringing home and restoring.

Questions? We're here to help.
Tom

 
Thanks for the reply, the car is in PA and I can tow it down and I have a garage to do work. I am pretty handy with tools and have no problem with grease and dirt and sanding etc. so I will do the dirty work myself. I restored a 1964 Tollycraft boat while in CA so I can learn as I go.
 
Haul it back and fix it up. You won't regret it!
 
A tr4 with little or no rust.....This is a big no brainer. It would be worth pushing it from PA to SC. If thats to far you can push it to NJ and leave it with me.. HA HA just kidding.
 
I'd say you can certainly handle it (as you put it) as these cars are quite easy to work on. Push-rod engines, solid axles, body-on-frame are the perfect choice to rebuild and enjoy.

Post some pictures when you get it in hand -- I find the big project goes easier with some sort of written plan and motivation stays high if you accomplish something (even a small something) each time you work on it.

Consider joining the local Triumph &/or Brit car club as local support can also be very useful.
 
Thank you all for the encouragement, it's what I was hoping to hear but now I need to hear what my financial commitment will be. I know that without pics that everything is a guess on your part but a ballpark figure will be helpful. Yoda and nut your cars are a piece of art and it sickens me to think that the potential that sits and waits for me is unsettling.
 
You're right. Without pics everything is a guess.

But we can give you some dollar estimates (parts and/or labor) if you tell us what needs to be done.

Tom
 
I have not laid eyes on it for about a year but my brother tells me that it is a total rebuild. If I take on this challenge I will want to take it down to the frame if that is possible.
 
Here's my $12K or 2 cents. I am far from an expert but you can anticipate spending 8-10K on parts. What I have found over the course of 3 TR3's is that even if you have a complete car, alot of the parts you HAVE will need to be replaced, rebuilt, rechromed...etc. If your going frame off restoration you can expect higher vs lower and go into the 15-20K range. I did one from a basket case to a driver quality and another from a "complete car". I spent about the same money on parts for both. Once you get your car home "catalog" your parts carefully and don't throw anything away until the comparable part is on the car. Get a Moss Motors catalog to help identify parts. get a good service manual,like Haynes, and as someone else state little successes will keep you motivated. Place BCF prominently in your favorites list. Keep it fun. The good news about the money is that it goes out a little at a time and your wife hardly notices. Right!
 
Kleykamp said:
Here's my $12K or 2 cents. I am far from an expert but you can anticipate spending 8-10K on parts. What I have found over the course of 3 TR3's is that even if you have a complete car, alot of the parts you HAVE will need to be replaced, rebuilt, rechromed...etc. If your going frame off restoration you can expect higher vs lower and go into the 15-20K range. I did one from a basket case to a driver quality and another from a "complete car". I spent about the same money on parts for both. Once you get your car home "catalog" your parts carefully and don't throw anything away until the comparable part is on the car. Get a Moss Motors catalog to help identify parts. get a good service manual,like Haynes, and as someone else state little successes will keep you motivated. Place BCF prominently in your favorites list. Keep it fun. The good news about the money is that it goes out a little at a time and your wife hardly notices. Right!
Click to expand...

Well said!

On the other hand, you have to decide if you really want/need to do a "total rebuild". I've driven my 1959 TR3 for six years, enjoying (nearly) every minute of it. It could probably stand a total rebuild - but I don't think it *needs* that for my purposes. I might feel different if I wanted a concours-perfect car. But I don't.

Onward through the fog!
Tom
 
If you want a "perfect" car it will cost you a fortune. My suggestion is to assemble it to safe driving condition first. Enjoy driving it for a while. And THEN start restoring/improving parts as time and budget allow. Starting right off with big plans, like a frame off restoration, is a sure way to kill any enthusiasm previously generated. This should be a HOBBY and not a JOB. Bob
 
Are the engine and trans compete, or torn down as well? My TR3's engine sat for 20+ years, and was easy to bring back to life. I guess the question is, was it a decent runner before being disassembled?
I think good advice was given to reassembling it to make it a driver, and then deciding how far to take it as a restoration. By then you'll have good working knowledge of the car.
 
Bob Claffie said:
If you want a "perfect" car it will cost you a fortune. My suggestion is to assemble it to safe driving condition first. Enjoy driving it for a while. And THEN start restoring/improving parts as time and budget allow. Starting right off with big plans, like a frame off restoration, is a sure way to kill any enthusiasm previously generated. This should be a HOBBY and not a JOB. Bob
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly Bob. I bought my TR3 in decent condition so I could drive it right away (and that was he only way my wife would 'let' me) and figured it would take me a couple of years before it was where I wanted it to be. Although my couple of years will turn into 4 or 5 because of he suggestions from this forum, I'm happy I spent the extra money to get one road worthy to keep my excitement up!
 
In 2 months it will be 7 years since I started on my basket case TR3. I've spent over $20k on parts, buying as much as possible used. I did almost everything myself. I learned to do things I never thought I would. There have been times when the project stalled, but I have enjoyed this hobby a great deal. I also have a TR6 that is far from perfect, but very driveable (even without first gear). I seriously think I'll be driving the TR3 this fall. They are both worth every penny and second I've spent. I never drove the TR3, but the TR6 has been many places.

You have to decide what you might enjoy, and then commit to it. The folks on this forum will help in countless ways.

Good luck. Make a decision you can live with, there is no right or wrong...
 
A lot will depend on your standards and goals. If scrounging used parts doesn't bother you (so obviously not a show car), then it can be cheaper. I bought my current TR3 in perhaps similar condition : the car had been disassembled for a "rebuild" then the former owner moved away leaving it in his Mom's garage. I'd guess I spent less than $4000 to get it back on the road in time to drive to TRfest 2009; but of course I've put a lot of time and perhaps another $2-3000 into redoing the things I didn't do the first time. The cheap paint job started to fall off, so $1800 for a slightly better quality paint job (where they took off all the old primer instead of trying to paint over it). And I'm currently in the middle of rebuilding the rear axle (which I left alone the first time around). Another few years, and I'll probably tackle the engine as well. (The old one ran well enough that I used it as-is, although I've since had to change the head gasket and rod bearings).
 
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