1961 Triumph TR3A

“ Amazing value against the restoration cost, this car presents beautifully, and is ready to be enjoyed. ”
This TR is one of those rare examples where a diligent (and protracted!) restoration has been augmented by well thought out upgrades which truly makes it a better, more useable proposition for the lucky driver. That’s a combination that can only come from living cheek by jowl with a car over many years. As such this car offers a vanishingly rare opportunity to experience the peak allure of the early TR oeuvre.

Background
John Black is perhaps one of the lesser known captains of the British motor industry. Despite that he was a true mover and shaker who built a solid reputation for getting things done. He moved from Hillman in 1929 to take up the role of joint managing director at the Standard Motor Company. His go-getting influence was decisive with Standard going from producing less than 35 cars a week at the start of the 1930’s to over 50,000 a year by the end of the decade. During the Second World War, Black was a leading light of Britain’s pivotal shadow factory organisation – work that would see him knighted for his trouble in 1943.

In 1944, the now, Sir John Black oversaw the acquisition of the struggling Triumph Motor Company business, relegating it to a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard. Black even temporarily suspended the promotion of Triumph cars in favour of Standards. It was at this time that Black would introduce Standard to the Morgan Motor Company of Malvern as its foremost engine supplier. By now Black had grown a little bored of the Standard portfolio, as it was terribly standard and mainly consisted of stuffy Standard Vanguards and even drab, grey Fergusson tractors. It was worryingly short on glamour, the sort that only a sports car could bring, and Black saw the Morgan deal as a potential entrée to the segment. In 1950 Black approached HFS Morgan and proposed that Standard buy his famous family business.

HFS Morgan rebuffed Black’s offer out of hand so Black used this snub as the impetus he needed to develop his own sports car. By 1952 a prototype, the 20TS, was developed—a two-seater sports car built on a shortened Standard Eight chassis and powered by Vanguard’s 2-litre engine. In 1953 the Triumph TR2 was launched at the Geneva Motor Show. The diminutive sports car not only marked the re-entry of Triumph to the market but also the genesis of the revered Triumph TR lineage.

In 1955 a new and improved TR3 was made available, offering more power and better braking. In 1957 a further revised version of the TR3 was introduced, unofficially but popularly known as the “TR3A.” The full width grill, external door handles and a locking boot catch became signatures of the “A.” The options list was lengthened to include 60-spoke wire wheels. The TR3A proved so popular that the original tooling wore out and had to be replaced.

Overview
This sublime TR3A hails from 1961, the penultimate year of the model’s life. This diminutive sports car comes complete with a remarkable back story baked in. The previous keeper bought the car in 1976 as a rusted out non-runner from a work colleague of his wife. Seventy Great British Pounds changed hands, and the previous owner stashed the wreck in various locations whilst he got on living a life and raising children.

A complete holistic restoration was ultimately put in hand – a project that would last no less than 26-years! The TR has been on the road ever since being used and enjoyed, seen and appreciated. Around 12,500 miles have been covered in the last 20 years or so. As well as a ground up restoration, the previous owner made a number of well-considered upgrades in the process. These include a Remington TR modified front suspension set up including an anti-roll bar with cross drilled up-rated discs and callipers, a TR6 clutch and pressure plate and a rebuilt TR4A gearbox with overdrive on 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Other valuable enhancements include a fast road engine rebuild with an unleaded head conversion, re-cored radiator, thermostatically controlled radiator fan and high-torque starter motor to name but a few.

Estimate: £21,000 - £25,000

View The Current Bid Price HERE