1962 Triumph TR3B - For Sale!
1962 Triumph TR3"B"For Sale - $20,000 firm. Contact me if you are interested.
In January of 2009, I purchased a pretty solid 1962 Triumph TR3B. It took 11 months to restore the car. But it is finally finished. In September, I shipped the car off to Triumph Rescue to have the entire drivetrain rebuilt and a new interior installed (I didn't do either of these the first time around). That work was completed in February, 2012.
History
Triumph TR3's were built between 1955 and 1962 by the Standard Motor Company in the UK. The original TR3s came with a 1991 cc 4 cylinder engine that could generate 100 hp at 5,000 rpm. It had a 4-speed manual transmission with optional overdrive. In 1956, the front brakes changed from drum to disc, making the TR3 the first British production car to have them. Although the car was usually supplied as an open two-seater, an occasional rear seat (which mine has) and a bolt on steel hard top were available as extras.
TR3A
From 1957 to early 1962, Triumph offered the TR3"A", which was a minor update from the TR3. The updates included the new wide front grill, exterior door handles and lockable boot handle.
TR3B
The Triumph TR3"B" was only produced by Triumph in 1962. The TR3B was a special short production run that had the body of the TR3A, but the 2,138 cc. engine and the all synchromesh 4-speed transmission of the TR4. The engine could generate 105 hp at 4,650 rpm, with a top speed of around about 110 mph. The TR3B is a special car because it combines the styling and disk brakes of the TR3A, with the larger engine and smooth shifting transmission of the more modern TR4.
Repairs & Modifications
The one flaw in the design of all TR3's was the handling. The combination of its archaic "worm and peg" steering system and limited wheel travel caused severe over-steering during hard cornering--especially when compared to MG's and Austin Healey's of the same period. For this reason, I had the steering converted to a rack and pinion system which, when combined with radial tires, improves the handling quite a bit. Other modern enhancements include a solid state ignition, a backup solid state fuel pump, a modern reduction gear starter motor and a high output shrouded electric cooling fan.
In addition to the mechanical work, I also had the old paint is stripped from the car, and any rust on the car removed. The car was then painted Triumph's authentic British Racing Green. In the interior, the seats were still in excellent shape. I just needed to have them cleaned, have the red vinyl parts dyed black and a new high-quality carpet kit installed. Someone previously mounted a stereo in the dash where the glove box door used to be, which was removed, and a new glove box door installed. The dash was then repainted black to clean it all up. I had the interior finished off by installing seatbelts in the rear seats so the kids can squeeze in back there. I also had a Moto-Lita wooden steering wheel installed.
Once all the work was completed, I added a new top and tonneau cover installed, and the whole car detailed. It was shipped out to me in November of 2009.
Update: In 2011, I shipped the car off to Triumph Rescue for a badly needed engine and transmission rebuild, and new interior installed.
Print