- Seller: Debra P (Contact)
- Location: West Valley City, Utah
- Mileage: 44,964 Shown
- Chassis #: TS43425
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 1991cc Inline-4
- Transmission: Manual
The Triumph TR3 is about as perfect a British Roadster as you can get. It has iconic looks, simple mechanicals, and a wonderful driving experience. You won’t find roll-up windows, air conditioning, or even power steering on this 1959 TR3A. Instead, you get a pure sports-car driving experience that lets you connect with the car and the road. This example, located in West Valley, Utah, has been parked for years and needs rescue. The seller’s late father bought the car hoping to fix it up, but unfortunately, he never completed the project. Now it’s time to find a good home for it, so it’s being offered here as a Barn Finds Auction. While it’s a project, it has a lot of potential and comes with a clean Utah title in the seller’s name.
The seller notes that one of the brakes is currently locked up, so they can’t roll it out of the garage. It also isn’t currently running, but their father last started it a little over a year ago. The battery has gone dead, so chances are, it won’t take much to get it running again. A tow truck should be able to pull it out of the garage, but it’ll need the brakes done before it’s safe to drive.
While modern sports cars chase stats like horsepower and top speed, Triumph was focused on building an affordable, durable, and fun-to-drive car. The 1991cc wet-liner inline-4 used in the TR3 can trace its roots back to a tractor engine. So, durability and simplicity are hallmarks of this engine. As a wet-liner design, you can change displacement and compression by swapping the piston and cylinder liners. It’s not a small task, but there are plenty of stories of racers swapping liners and pistons at the race track to run their TR3 in multiple classes each weekend. When new, this engine was rated at 100 horsepower and about 120 foot-pounds of torque.
Inside, we find a complete dash with black vinyl that looks to be in decent condition. The original banjo steering wheel with integrated turn signal control is still present and appears to be crack-free. All included parts have been placed in the cockpit for easier transport. Unfortunately, the seats are missing, and we don’t see a transmission tunnel cover. Replacements are available, both new and used, as are complete interior trim kits.
Yes, there’s lots of work to be done here, but this TR has a cool look, and these are wonderfully simple cars to work on. Since all the major systems are present, we would go through the mechanicals and replace just what’s worn out. Hopefully, getting it running only requires a new battery, an oil change, and some fresh gas. We love the way it looks on the steel wheels. They give the car a sportier look than wire wheels, and a set of new retro-style tires would keep that classic look.
We are huge fans of the TR3, with its unique styling, fun handling, and simplicity. Being a TR3A, you get some great improvements like front disc brakes and door handles, but you still get all the classic TR charm. Whether you give this one a full restoration or just do the work to make it a driver again, it will be a fun car to have. The question is, which route would you go?
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