Many moons ago, when I was spending most weekends in my shop working on car restoration, a friend tipped me to an MGA roadster located just off Wilsonville Road, near Woodburn, Oregon. I didn’t even change from my coveralls, just ran down I5 to check it out. The car was embedded in an orchard but it was very complete. The only thing missing was the keys. We bought it. Then came the hard part: winching it out of the mud onto the trailer. Took most of a Sunday. That car offered up wonderment every day for a while: hey, there’s a squirrel’s nest inside the engine! hey, lookit these extra parts in the trunk! hey, it actually has side curtains! hey, it’s Alamo Beige under all that moss! So it is with our next featured car, here on eBay, this 1958 Triumph TR3. The bidding is a paltry $202.50. The car is located in Naperville, Illinois, fortunately not embedded in mud but very much in the forest. The seller purchased this car over forty years ago and stored it under tarps. Covering a car in humid Illinois with impermeable tarps will guarantee condensation leading to rust. The car would have been better off uncovered. Our MGA was restorable thanks to no cover; this one may be only a donor. As it is, this TR3’s brakes are rusted to its drums, so a winch is in order. I’m having deja vu….
The engine is likely frozen; the seller did fog it before storage but the salutary effects wore off years ago. The engine bay is barren of several parts. The seller says he removed the carburetors when he purchased the car, and now cannot find them. On the other hand, plenty of other parts are available with the car; these have apparently been stored inside. Sheet metal in so-so condition, a differential, a transmission, radiator, grille, dash, and other items are pictured, but there’s more than the seller had space for in the ad. Whoever purchases the car must take all the parts as well. Personally, I think the parts are the value proposition here.
At least the gauges are still present, though rot may have ruined their mechanisms. The seller says this TR3 was a combination of two TR3s when he purchased it forty years ago, another potential pain point. Did problems stemming from that work cause it to be sold in the first place?
Parts are piled into the cabin, offering the thrill of discovery like my MGA. Making the most of this unfortunate situation will likely require an investment in B’laster, a few gallons of carb cleaner, an impact wrench, an impact driver, a good drill set – you know, the usual tools for deconstructing reluctant cars. Oh, and a lot of time. What would you do if this TR3 were dropped into your driveway?
Good project for a young man or woman that has space available and needs something to keep them busy (and out of trouble) for a few years. Most parts are easy to find and fairly affordable. Heck, you can even order new floors from Amazon or E Bay. Could make a nice driver out of the wreck?
My TR3B came from a local junkyard and I’m still driving it.
TR3B is the best, especially if it has overdrive!
TCF series with OD and a restored Hardtop in matching Powder Blue. After 54 years finally did a complete frame off restoration 2 years ago. Even lined the cockpit and doors with Hushmat insulation and a very thin layer under the Wool Headliner in the Hardtop.
With the 2138cc engine and OD I have no problem keeping up with Highway traffic.
$202.50 For a vehicle in the shape this one is, that seems to be about all it is worth.
@$202.50 to paraphrase the color commentators on Barrett Jackson, ” at that price thats well bought and well sold”
I think the question of missing carbs is due to the poor wording of the ad. Here is what was said about the carbs:
“Carbs were removed when it went into storage and stored inside the car in plastic bags which have since gone away”.
As I can see at least one carb in the driver’s seat area in a close-up photo, I suspect the owner meant the plastic bags have gone away, not the carbs.
To answer the question, if dropped in my driveway, I would call the police to report illegal dumping. 40 years outside could not have left much salvageable, but perhaps some parts could be sold by someone – just not me.
Ha ha! Great answer. I would probably sigh heavily and start breaking it for parts.
This car is a TR3A.
Where does the car stop and the earth start?