Triumph TR3: The Find
I guess I should start off saying that I think this was a great find, my wife may say otherwise ! You have heard of the famous words "Barn find" ? Well, this car (or some of it) was dragged out from deep within five years of blackberry bushes over growth.
I was at the Fathers day car picnic the year 2000 with my TR4A (Which I have since sold to finance my TVR), in general conversation with a fellow TR owner I found out that some one I knew and a TR owner/collector, had a couple of TR3's out in the back field. There primary purpose was for parts cars which tells you the condition that they were in. I called Stu to ask about them wondering just maybe.... he confirmed what I heard and said to give him a week or so to clear out the bush's. So when the call came I trudged out to see what he had, he warned me it was not much - he was right.
I put on my rose colored glass's and of course saw the good side of all this rather than the not so good side. Bottom line is I drove away a week later with the tub which is a 1958 TS23358L, the running gear and frame from a 1962 and a few bits and pieces he found in his shop, he did not have much left but it was enough to get me fired up. The motor was frozen solid, the first thing I did before rolling (at least it rolled !) it into the basement was to get it steam cleaned.
I will admit though, as I was driving home dragging this thing behind me I was wondering to myself what have I done ! I had a TR3 many years ago (23 or so) and miss it still. I knew it was in rough shape but figured it would be a fun (?) project and at the end I 'd have a nice TR3 to drive. About one year later I had it all built up with all panels on ready for painting... guess I got more wrapped up in it than I was planning.