TR3A restoration options

[Bob Horner]

Hello All

 

I've posted before on the forums but in connection with a TR4. However, I've just bought a TR3A (in fact I used to own this car 10 years ago and sold it to my brother in law who has just sold it back to me).

 

Its a genuine UK car and standard other than it comes with a TR4 box and A type overdrive (it popped out of second on the overrun when I had it). Looking it over it is still very sound. The only issues other than a bit of surface rust are that the lower edges of the front wings (which are off the car) need repairing and the passenger side outer sill needs replacing (inner and floor seem ok). The driver's side sill has been done but is in primer. The boot lid edges need a repair. Its not been on the road for sometime but was going last summer around the farmyard.

Otherwise chassis, floors, rear wings doors etc are pretty good. However, if you wanted it to look top notch you would need to respray it. The original build records (supplied via the Register before even I owned it in the mid 90s) show it as BRG but it is now white. Would you return it to its original colour?

 

Because its in the family, he's seen something else shiny to spend his money on now, and I let it go for too little money when I sold it to him, I've got it at what I think is a bargain price £8500.

 

I know this is a "how long is a piece of string question" but I would welcome your views on:

 

(1) Full body resto and current cost

(2) Running restoration bit by bit

 

Part of me is thinking of what the best financial option is were I to sell it in future - making the decision to buy a TR4 was based on how much more useable they are compared to a TR3, and if I'm honest, I may be forced to choose between the two of them - both in terms of time and cost.

 

Pretty happy to get out the spanners but absolutely no experience with bodywork. How viable an option is it to do it yourself?

 

look forward to any comments.

 

Regards

 

Bob

 

 

[Richardtr3a]

You may well end up with taking the body off the chassis. There are often a lot of rusty holes at the rear end. At this stage a plain respray would be a mistake as you or someone else will have to do remove the body in the end. The value will be affected by the chassis condition.

 

There are plenty of members who have been in your position and the general rule is do the best job now.

 

Good luck and we will see what the others have to say.

[billg]

Hi Richard,

 

If you take the body off and refurbish all the running gear, bearings , bushes, exhaust , brakes you will then know that assuming you have checked out the engine / gearbox you will than have relatively problem free motoring. Trouble is that bit alone could take 6 months of your free time if you are working, less if you are retired( with no grandchildren duties!)

 

Coach work repairs and a good paint job will cost you between £5000 and £10,000 especially if you have to buy any panels.

Chroming could cost £500 plus trimming , hood, sidescreen refurb etc could cost £1000 to £2000

 

All this assumes that you dismantle and reassemble yourself. Then there are other bits that can come up, steering box and electrics.

 

If you can weld, panel beat, and do paintwork then you can save a lot of the labour cost, but that then demands even more time.

 

I thought my panel work & paint would cost £4.5k but it came to £9k in total but I had 6 repair sections to be grated in and in the end I was pleased with the work, but it can cause stress in the household!

 

I think I'd get all of my money back mind you as the car only cost me £2.5k

 

It's a big commitment in time and money to take sidescreen car to bits and put it back to near factory condition. A running car can give you a lot of fun even though its not shiny and new looking.

 

Regards

 

BillG@NB

[Guest]

 

 

I thought my panel work & paint would cost £4.5k but it came to £9k in total

Well that's about correct: the actual costs are about 100% over the initial estimation. For parts of the restoration and the whole restoration. The only way to save money is doing all the work yourself. (The Wheeler Dealer approach: counting the total lay-out without mentioning the labour costs...)

 

If you want a restored TR cheaply, buy one that's already restored. If however, you fancy:

- long hours in the garage

- dirty nails

- long hours behind the computer sourcing parts that're made of unubtanium - a TR has a lot of them

- long postings here on the forum

- support from fellow members here

- the satisfaction you feel when you've tackled a job...

 

... then you should go out and restore the car you have. But, make it a proper job. You will regret it when you cut corners (no pun intended here) or you will feel it in you wallet when it comes to selling the car: every potential customer will point out the places you've skipped (i.e. not taking the body off), making it virtually impossible to sell the car properly.

 

Menno

[AlanT]

I'd say this is simple. Depends how old you are. And if you want a car or a project.

 

This will take longer and cost more than you expect.

 

Only you can work this out.

[foster461]

Bob, if your intention is to eventually sell the TR3 then you will never get back what you will need to put into it for a full resto. You have to do that for love, not money.

If the car is structurally sound (floors, inner sills) as well as mechanically sound you can spend some time fixing the other outer sill and the wings, make it look presentable and then enjoy it until you decide to sell it. The next owners can make their own decision based on their goals and resources.

 

The one caveat is that once you get into it in even a small way like pulling the front wings off you can find yourself digging a deep hole and ending up doing a nut and bolt resto anyway so be warned.

 

This is a disease that many of us have caught.

 

Stan

[Andrew Smith]

Bob,

 

Do a running restoration, that way you can still drive and enjoy it (for the most part) - that's what I've been doing with TuRK for the last 13 11 years!

 

Cheers

Andrew

Edited December 16, 2013 by Andrew Smith

[Paul Harvey]

Bolt it all back together, get an MOT and use the car next year.

Decide whether you can live with the sidescreen layout compared to the TR4 and commit yourself to one or the other then.

You can get a decent price for a running car with an MOT, no money for a part restored car, and top money for a fully restored car - as long as it has all been done absolutely right.

Top money will not currently be as much as you spend on the car to get it right.

If you love the sidescreen, and want a proper heirloom for the family in future, restore the car to the absolute original spec including the factory colour and the satisfaction will outweigh everything else.

 

One final caveat, if you really want to drive the nuts off it and have a car that handles and performs like the factory built it - you need a proper TR specialist to do the work. No disrespect to all us amateurs but no amount of research and supply of factory manuals is a substitute for the kind of solid result that people like Stuart achieve from a lifetime of experience. I speak as someone who has owned a TR4A for 35 years and only finally discovered how good they can be to drive on the 3rd 'restoration.'

[Guest ntc]

Just get it legal and running right ,modify nothing and enjoy the real experience of the car as it was intended

[Bob Horner]

Thanks for the replies so far. Given what has been said, I think I may take the running restoration and drive it option. I confess I don't have much of a clue as to the current price for decent cars that are running and sound. All you seem to see these days is top dollar fully restored and basket cases. I think ntc has a point. I'm all for sensible mods to the tr4 (it's already a lhd to rhd conversion - so not as god intended) but I do agree there is fun to be had driving a car as it was made. I used to drive a series one landie and enjoyed suggesting where the wheels ought to go rather than telling it! The tr3a was much the same but a bit faster - I do remember keeping of with a friends modern on the A66 where the speedo indicated a bit over 90! Can't wait to do that again- speed cameras permitting.

 

Just got to convince the wife that it's a dead cert long term investment.

 

Regards

 

Bob

[Paul Harvey]

Dear Wife,

 

It's a dead cert. long term investment. Trust me, I'm a Registrar.

[Graham Harris]

If you want to do the job properly it will need to be a labour of love because you can be sure that over the last 50 plus years every nut bolt screw switch bearing panel has been messed with by some one who had little or no idea what they were doing.The good thing is it can all be put right and the grin on your face when you screw the new rego plates on and take her for a rip is priceless. If you go down this path expect to spend about double what it may be worth when you finish but dont do it to sell do it to keep.

Graham

[Guest ntc]

Bob

Enjoy the read http://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/42956-useless-so-called-upgrade-parts/?hl=useless

[Bob Horner]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll get the old girl going again next year and gradually refurb the running gear. I suppose that sills wings and boot can be done and then get some use out of her. I can then take a long term view as to where to go next. I do need to get the tr4 up to scratch (body and chassis not a problem there) but hasn't had much use over the last 10 years and needs some miles on it to get it dead reliable.

 

Embarrassment of riches really.

 

Bob

[Willie Felger]

Hi Bob,

 

I have owned 3 TR3s and my current TR3A. None has been concours but all have been usable and presentable cars that I have loved owning, restoring and driving.

 

The overriding criterion is that you must be certain that you will like the car when it is done. People can spend a fortune restoring a car only to discover later that they don't like it. Not very likely in your case as you have owned the car before BUT if you and your wife are going to like a TR4 better then I would not invest time and effort in a 3 but would sell it and get a TR4 to begin with!

 

I learned the hard way when I bought a TR6 on impulse, spent 2 years and a little (thankfully) money doing it up only to find that I hated the damn thing and sold it on. Fortunately I got most of my money back.

 

If you are not in a position to do much of the work yourself a restoration is going to cost tens of thousands and you will not get it back, hence the need to be sure you are going to like the end result.

 

Good luck deciding and restoring!

 

Best regards,

 

Willie.

[Bob Horner]

Thanks Willie. I've already got the TR4 and like it. Unfortunately I enjoy driving a TR3A as well! If I had to choose, given garaging arrangements, time etc I would get rid of the TR3A but it would be a sad day. My Dad ran a TR2 in the late 50's so I have always been a bit of a sidescreen TR nut after seeing his photos. I think the answer is run the TR3 on the cheap for a while and then look to restore it properly in the longer term. I'm 46 and not employed by the state so a few years to retirement yet!

 

Bob