TR2/3/3A What's a little thing that made a huge difference in your vehicle?

[Snowkilts]

For me it was cinching up the choke linkage. I have always struggled with starting. Always seemed like I had too much revs and not enough choke.

I realized last fall that the choke had a tiny bit of slack in it and tightened it up. What huge difference in starting the vehicle! Just a joy now. Makes me wonder what other little things I have missed.

Honorable mention: 17 years of sweating and straining to get a grease gun on the drive shaft zerk fittings near the transmission, only to find out that there's a FREAKING ACCESS HOLE inside the vehicle that was carpeted over by a P.O. :livid:

 

[NutmegCT]

Best improvement for me? On my 1959 TR3, removing the original (very bent) steel wheels and replacing with Minilites.

Fantastic improvement in ride, control, and elimination of the 45-65mph wobbles!

Tom M.

 

[Geo Hahn]

I wasn't particularly interested in s/s braided brake hoses but when TRF was out of the usual rubber ones Albert sent me a set of braided lines at no extra charge (to get me back on the road).

I always thought the TR3 had good brakes but after the work was done the pedal was much firmer (like, rock hard).

Was that because of those lines? I think so (I did rebuild the calipers at the same time but they were not really a problem prior to that).

 

[Gliderman8]

For me, the big difference came when I installed the HVDA kit in my TR6. Much smoother shifts, lower revs and and extra gear. Quite an improvement over the stock 4-speed.

 

[Snowkilts]

I wasn't particularly interested in s/s braided brake hoses but when TRF was out of the usual rubber ones Albert sent me a set of braided lines at no extra charge (to get me back on the road).

I always thought the TR3 had good brakes but after the work was done the pedal was much firmer (like, rock hard).

Was that because of those lines? I think so (I did rebuild the calipers at the same time but they were not really a problem prior to that).

Wow, that's interesting. Never would have thought of that.

 

[CJD]

For me? A full restoration...made the difference between a brick in the back yard and a car! Not a “little” thing, though.

I’m afraid I do things backwards from most, in that I constantly take care of the little things in my cars long before they have a chance to make a big difference. My wife says the cars run fine and I just look for reasons to get greasy.

 

[NutmegCT]

This is really interesting. So you replaced all the old rubber hoses with braided lines?

How old were the old rubber hoses?

I'd think that just replacing hoses shouldn't cause brakes to firm up - unless there was something else going on (leak, air in lines, rubber degradation allow "swelling" of a line under pressure, caliper pin(s) sticking, etc.).

Thanks.
Tom M.

I wasn't particularly interested in s/s braided brake hoses but when TRF was out of the usual rubber ones Albert sent me a set of braided lines at no extra charge (to get me back on the road).

I always thought the TR3 had good brakes but after the work was done the pedal was much firmer (like, rock hard).

Was that because of those lines? I think so (I did rebuild the calipers at the same time but they were not really a problem prior to that).

 

[martx-5]

When I did the resto on the TR3, I knew that originality was not in the cards, so I went overboard and did a ton of stuff to the car. Included was R&P steering, the HVDA Toyota conversion, engine work...87mm, cam, head shaved 0.085", etc., electric fan, dual braking with Toyota calipers and on and on. However, what impressed me the most were the new, wider wire wheels I bought from Moss, had them sent to Hendrix wire wheel, where he tightened the tolerances on the wires, installed new tires and tubes, shaved the tires and balanced everything. The car drove like it was on a cloud. It wasn't cheap, but worth every penny over the old, skinny wires that were on the car.

Of course, I guess that's not so little. So, another mod that I did while the resto was going on was to address the throttle linkage. I replaced the original bulkhead pivots with self aligning bearings that can be changed out very easily if necessary.

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

Electric Fan.

Cheers
Tush

 

[TomMull]

Since you did say little thing, mine was curing a massive pinion seal leak on the Herald by simply cleaning out the vent. Took some research to find it and then an hour or so to access the thing and clean it but it cost only my time, at zero dollars per hour.
Tom

 

[glemon]

Different series and steering, but replacing the inner steering wheel bushes and the rubber coupler. The steering just felt so much firmer and connected, I had a 4a before the 250 (which I never did the replacement on) so between the two cars I drove for many many years not knowing the steering could feel that good.

 

[Snowkilts]

So, another mod that I did while the resto was going on was to address the throttle linkage. I replaced the original bulkhead pivots with self aligning bearings that can be changed out very easily if necessary.

Those are nice. Mind sharing where you got them?

 

[martx-5]

Those are nice. Mind sharing where you got them?

I got them from McMaster-Carr. The link below shows the type bearings I used. You have to go to the "Oil-embedded mounted sleeve bearings with two bolt flange". I used the 3/8" shaft diameter for the right (passenger) side, which is the diameter of the actuating rod, and 1/2" for the left (driver) side. The reason for the larger size on the driver's side is for the coupler that I made. You can see that in the second pic of the previous post. It's 5/8" with a step down to 1/2" where it goes into the bearing. You can also see where the pin holding it together in that coupler. Also, here's another pic of the left side without the coupler.

EDIT: Please see post #22 if you are considering this modification.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-mounted-bearings/=1crawp7

 

[sp53]

Tropical fan

 

[CJD]

Tropical fan

That’s another part I have been stalking on Ebay for over 5 years!

 

[billspit]

Putting an OD trans in my Spitfire.

 

[sp53]

John try looking at the Triumph GT6 eBay page(Geo showed me that one). I just got real nice one for 80.00. I have an original I got in 1972 and they are the same.
steve

 

[macilona]

As many contributors have stated, many of the suggested modifications are not “small”! I had many of them installed on my TR3......r&p steering, toyota 5 speed, etc. But the ones i found most beneficial were the wizard aluminum radiator and upgraded lighting, front and rear, with the alternator conversion. Good luck and enjoy...happy motoring! Mac

 

[Snowkilts]

Of course, I guess that's not so little. So, another mod that I did while the resto was going on was to address the throttle linkage. I replaced the original bulkhead pivots with self aligning bearings that can be changed out very easily if necessary.

I just ordered both bearings. Thanks! Were you able to mount them in the existing mounting holes?

 

[Snowkilts]

As many contributors have stated, many of the suggested modifications are not “small”! I had many of them installed on my TR3......r&p steering, toyota 5 speed, etc. But the ones i found most beneficial were the wizard aluminum radiator and upgraded lighting, front and rear, with the alternator conversion. Good luck and enjoy...happy motoring! Mac

Could you be more specific on the upgraded lighting? I've been looking at that but it seems like there are a lot of different opinions on it. Anything I can upgrade without the alternator?