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Triumph TR3 - TR3A FATHER/SON PROJECT

My 13 year old son and I just aquired a 1959 TR3A that needs alot of TLC. We were wondering what someone can tell us about the car from the VIN# TS61755L. We would like to get this British roadster back on the road in its original colors. Best we can tell it was a light shade of yellow or possibly red. We're in the process of unbolting the body to do things right from the frame up.
Jeff & Sons

From your Commission No. (as it is called in England) your TR3A was built about October to December 1959.

I found that out from the book "Original Triumph TR" by Bill Piggott. Go on line and do a search at Barns and Noble for this and other Triumph books. There is a good one "How to restore you TR3A".

You can e-mail the Heritage Center in Gaydon England where they keep all the archives. For a fee, you can get a "Build Record" or "Heritage Certificate" that will tell you the exact hours on the exaxt day that your TR was "born". It will also tell you the original colours, the extras it had on it and where it was shipped. The web site address is:-

http://www.heritage.org.uk/archive/trace.htm

Join a Triumph Club. VTR (Vintage Triumph Register is one :-

http://www.vtr.org/

TEXAS VTR Chapter are:-

El Paso Triumph Club
1641 Bert Green Drive, El Paso, TX 79936-5301
Charles Beck

Hill Country Triumph Club
8006 Bernard Street, Volente, TX 78641
Bob Kramer, Membership, rgk@flash.net

Red River Triumph Club
2915 Lakeside Circle, Grapevine, TX 76051
Duncan Wood, President, sheila_duncan@msn.com

South Texas Triumph Association
5306 La Cieniga, San Antonio, TX 78233
Kathie Hulka, Membership, hulka@attglobal.net, 210-650-4660

Texas Triumph Register
PO Box 40847, Houston, TX 77240-0847
Mike Hado, Membership, mhado@houston.rr.com, 713-937-9042
Jeff Myers, Newsletter Editor, jtmyers@alum.mit.edu

Ask your questions on this site.

Don Elliott, Original Owner (bought "TRusty" brand new in May 1958), 1958 TR3A,

"TRusty" :-
http://www.tr-register.co.uk/images/memberscars/trusty.jpg
Don Elliott

Having been a member of Red River Triumph Club for many years while living in Fort Worth and going to regional events with the other Tejas clubs, I can tell you there are a bunch of good people to know in them. Much information can be had in brain picking sessions with them. The five state region (Texas and the four bordering states) has a regional convention typically in late April/early May time frame. I would suggest that you go if possible, because that will a good place to pick up information and see some nice cars. I don't know who the host club will be this year, but my favorites were the Hill Country hosted ones because the terrain and roads around Austin made for some good rally driving (especially in the Higland Lakes area) and if you blew the rally you could always bail and hit one of the local wineries.
SteveP

We have the How To Restore Your TR3A book coming. We're in the process of trying to remove the body from the frame right now. Maybe we should wait for the book but this 13 year old of mine is too excited so we're going ahead to try to remove the body till the book gets here. Does anyone know how many bolts we should be looking for to remove the body and where they are all found?

We'll definatly look into finding a Triumph club.
Jeff & Sons

There are 2 body bolts to the frame just under the grille, 2 on the angles under the carbs and 2 under the distributor. There are two on the floor pans up near where your heels would lie. There are 8 on each side at the inner sills just inside the doors, in front of the seats and just be hind. There are 2 in the rear fllor well and 2 at the rear of the frame.

But of course, you will have to take out the seats, carpets, take out the floor tunnel over the gearbox, remove off all the bumpers and bumperettes plus anything else that is holding it from coming off. All the pedal linkages, brake hoses and clutch parts and wiring will all hold it on. Also the rear shocks. There's even more to remove. Tell the lad you want it to be done right and rushing it will only delay things. Take lots of photos (5 or 6 of each item) before you remove it, while it's half removed and then in 3 years you will wish you had taken more. And make lots of sketches. That's where he can help out right now all by himself, unsupervised. In 3 years when he's 16, he won't remember how the flip vent on the hood and door handles go back together. And it's not in the books.

I would say the body bolts mentioned above are the last ones you want to take off. If the floors and or sills are weak and you lift the body, it will sag on you and it will be very hard to get it straight again.

If you don't take it easy right now, you will be advertising your TR3A for sale in 5 years, still all in 40 cardboard boxes.

To see mine off the frame, go to the Montreal Triumph web site and click on both "Member Profiles" as well as on "Member Cars". Scroll down to my name. It took me 3 years, working a total of 1150 hours plus 400 hours help by my neighbour. And I knew the car from day one. It cost $13,000 for new parts plus an extra $5000 for sand blasting, glass peening, the paint products and to have it painted by a pro. And that was from 1987 to 1990. Prices are up since then.

http://www.rucompatible.com/triumphmtl/

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A
Don Elliott

Don:

I looked and admired all your pics and car. You definatly did it right. I wish we could redo it with new parts but momma's kinda watching over our shoulders with the money part of it. We have a pretty rust free car being from Texas. We dont know what that white stuff in your pics is like. In January here it might get down in the 50's at night. I think we have all the bolts you mentioned out. We haven't unbolted the tranny tunnel cover or the rear shocks so that might be the hang up. It looks like you unbolted all the fenders as well before you lifted the tub off. We'll keep you posted and thanks for your help. Your car looks GREAT!!
Jeff & Sons

This thread was discussed between 13/01/2004 and 14/01/2004

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