Update – The auction for this Heritage Certified TR3 has ended, with a winning bid of $11,321. This seems like a reasonable price for an original car and we hope the new owner has a blast with it.

Old British sports cars can provide great fun on a tight budget. Austin Healeys, MGs, Triumphs… They are all great cars. Sure the build quality isn’t the best and they have a tendency to rust out, but the parts are cheap and they are easy to work on. This 1961 Triumph TR3 is a little rough around the edges, but is solid and with a little elbow grease could be a great driver. Find it here on eBay with bidding currently at $2,000.

The TR3 is among our favorite British roadsters. The design is very unique and the mechanicals are very robust. TR3 were also very popular in racing back in the 50s and 60s. This particular car has likely never seen the track because it has been in storage much of its life. The seller claims that the previous owner purchased the car back in 1977 and put it in storage around 1980.

There it sat for over 30 years until the current owner purchased it last year. The odometer shows 65k miles and although there is no documentation to prove it, the mileage does not seem unrealistic considering the condition of the car. This Triumph has some rust and dings and it looks like it could have been resprayed at some time in the past. Inside, the seats and carpet are going to need some attention, but are in decent shape considering their age. The blue on blue color combo looks great.

The seller has replaced the fluids and has the engine running, but it still needs some work on the brakes and some new tires. We would probably go through the fuel system too if the seller has not already done so. We would just make sure everything is sorted out mechanically, clean it, and drive it. Enjoy it as it appreciates in value and someday when you are bored you can do a full restoration job. Just be cautious with rust here since the car is from Florida. The undercarriage looks solid in the photos, but you will want to inspect the body to make sure there isn’t any nasty filler hiding underneath.