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TR parts and Triumph parts, TR bits, Triumph Car Spares and accessories are available for TR2, TR3, TR3A, TR4, TR4A, TR5, TR6, TR7, TR8, Spitfire and Stag and other TR models are available from British car spares and parts company LBCarCo.

Triumph TR3 - On The Road

In October I finally finished (or almost-the sidecurtain frames were shipped to TRF this week for rebuilding) the restoration of a TR3B (TCF 1923). I am the third person I know of who owned and worked on it. I am sure it was off the road for at least 10 years. I have been able to drive it 210 miles since it was finished. October was not a great time to finally get on road. Some of the runs have been a bit chilly but just as much fun as they were in 1966 & 1967. It was a blue 1960 TR3A and it still sounds the same.
I have been a frequent follower of this site and have asked for help from all of you on at least 3 occasionsand got great suggestions to get me the problem of that moment. I want to thank all of you

for the help you have given to me in getting on the road. Many of the Q & A that have been posted since I found this site concerned the same problems I was facing. The archives were also very helpful.
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and experience. I know that I, would not be on the road again experiencing the pure joy, the sound, the feel, the thrill of a TR3 without your help.
Enjoy the holidays.
Gary
Gary

Congrats on your restoration! Having good sidescreens will help you be able to exercise her a bit more until the top can come off again. I have 2 sidescreen TR's, both being pretty staionary for a while. I have an early TR4 that I drive almost daily, tho. When I finally decide to sell it, or it finally has a major problem, I'll join you in knuckle scraping again. I finished my fiberglass hardtop and have almost finished original sidescreens (the thin front windows need to be installed).

I keep dreaming of better ways to seal the opening, still having an opening window, but haven't followed through with them. I'm surprised someone hasn't come up with a better mousetrap to keep the weather out of the sides. One big piece of lexan, same shape as the originals, so you don't have the closed in feeling? Maybe a hole in that, and a window that slides up and down, hinged at the front for different degrees of ventilation and enough room to exchange money at the bank or restaurant drive-up window? Probably too heavy. The old Amco sidescreens with a sheet aluminum bottom instead of the vinyl? (The ones that have front and rear sliding windows) Getting some room for the elbows would be good, bulging the sidescreens out a couple inches would be great. Maybe a whole new fiberglass door with a window winding mechanism, since I'm dreaming. Just for the winter, of course.

Just getting older, I guess. The weather isn't supposed to be shut out completely, that would change the character of the beast.
Tom

Tom I think you have been driving the 4 for too long. You need to get back into the 3's. Top no top, side screens no side screens who cares they are the things that keep us "YOUNG" ( VERY RELATIVE TERM).
I had to put the TR2 away very early this year (end of Sept.) because I had to have a knee replacement. I have been passing by it for the last month wishing I could be driving. This morning I broke, couldn't take it any more. -2 degrees C with a high of +2, but no snow on the roads so I wedged my new knee in and drove to work. It was just like the first day of spring. Tom I know you know that feeling and Gary, welcome to the club of grinning fools.
Brian
B. Towne

Brian, I guess the person was right that called my 4 a midlife crisis car. The 3's are early life crisis cars, LOL. One of these days, I'll be toddling along in a late life crisis TR6!! The 3's really do hold a soft spot in my heart. Just a step above a motorcycle in creature comforts, tho. I've driven the 4 in below 0 F weather, never tried that with a 3, not that it makes any diff once it gets that cold. Glad to hear your knee (the clutch one?) is mending. Sounds painful.
Tom

Tom Nope, the stop and go one. Actually not much pain at all more just discomfort. Nothing left in there to hurt. It's good to know that just like these old cars of ours, the drivers can be restored too.
Brian
B. Towne

I was hoping it wasn't the clutch leg, that would probably hurt more to drive. I remember having to ride my motorcycle instead of driving the VW van after a car accident, couldn't push in the clutch. But I could shift the bike.
Tom

This thread was discussed between 26/11/2004 and 30/11/2004

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