Triumph TR3 Roadster

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THIS CAR HAS NOW BEEN WITHDRAWN. APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED

Long famed for their rugged reliability and idiosyncratic good looks, the 'sidescreen' TRs have attracted a fanatical following over the years. 

Powered by a virtually indestructible 1991cc 4-cylinder, wet-liner OHV pushrod engine, the gutsy TR2 was capable of a genuine 100mph. Not only that, in it's 1954 road test, 'The Motorcar' praised Britain's lowest-priced ton-up car for returning 'astonishing fuel economy' of 34.5mpg over 1,904 miles.

The TR2 was replaced by the TR3 in 1955, now with 100bhp on tap (5bhp up on the TR2) and front disc brakes. Great fun to drive, its tough boxed-section chassis featured independent coil and wishbone front suspension, a leaf sprung 'live' rear axle and could sprint to 60mph in 10 seconds on its way to a top speed of 109mph.

The final evolution of the line, the TR3A was introduced in September 1957. A slightly updated version of the TR3, it differed mainly in having a wider front grill, exterior door handles, a lockable boot handle and a full tool kit as standard. It was replaced by the more Italianate TR4 in 1961.

As an extract from the Triumph company records in the history file confirms, this particular TR3 was built in September 1957 and was originally black with a red interior. It was despatched new to Sri Lanka, the original Sri Lankan buff log book from 1958 showing that it was first owned by a Mr De Soyso of Colombo who was to keep it for the next two decades.

He finally put the car up for sale in 1980, the advert reading “one owner for 23 years, 22,000 miles from new, immaculate condition”. A Mr Jayosek then acquired the car, only keeping it for a short while before selling it to a Mr Sykes in August 1980 for 27,500 rupees (bill of sale on file).

Sykes brought the car back to the UK in January 1981 and kept it until his death in 1988. It then appears to have spent several years in barn storage before being rescued by a Mr Creyke who entrusted it to John Rawson Restorations of Devon for a body-off rebuild in 2000 (correspondence on file). During the restoration the colour was changed from black to red and a new black interior fitted.

In 2007 the car was offered for sale by Thornfalcon Classics of Somerset who described it in their advert as “believed to be low mileage and lovely throughout”. The car then had one further owner before being sold to the current vendor in October 2008 at which point it still had only 34,000 miles on the clock.

The vendor has used the car regularly but lightly in his six years’ ownership, clocking up another 4,000 miles so that the odometer now reads just shy of 38,000 miles which is believed to be the genuine distance covered from new.

The car has been well-maintained in the current ownership with brand new carburettors fitted in 2008, and more recently new rear shock absorbers and four new tyres. The brake and clutch hydraulics have also been renewed, along with the cooling system which now benefits from a recored radiator, electric fan and uprated five-blade waterpump. Said to drive beautifully with excellent temperature and oil pressure at all times, it is taxed and MOTd until January 2015 with no advisories recorded.

It comes with a full set of weather gear including a recent new hood and the original sidescreens with plexiglass windows which remain in serviceable condition. The comprehensive history file includes all the aforementioned documents, many bills for routine maintenance and most old MOTs back to 1988. A set of chrome hubcaps is also included if desired, but the vendor prefers the look of the plain steel wheels.

Altogether a lovely old sports car with excellent panel fit, few owners and quite possibly a very low mileage, which undoubtedly has many years of useful life ahead of it.