1956 Triumph TR3 |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1956 Triumph TR3

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Mileage88,092 on clock
TransmissionManual
Engine2.0L
LocationRochester

AUCTION CLOSED

1956 Triumph TR3

Introduction

Alan Stuart

Professional Consigner

With improved power output and braking ability over its predecessor (the Triumph TR2), the TR3 became a favourite in hill climb races and rallies across the globe.

Produced between the years of 1955 and 1962 Triumph released the TR3 as a direct replacement for the popular TR2, offering an increased power output of ~95bhp and an improved braking effort to boot.

First registered in January 1956, this particular TR3 was originally sold in the United States before being imported to England in 2015 and first registered in 2018.

During those years it underwent a body-off restoration of the framework and chassis, along with replacement lower panels on the front wings, new floor panels, new side panels, and a new boot panel to eradicate corrosion, followed by further rust prevention in the form of undercoating.

Not only has the chassis of the car been restored, the interior has been fully retrimmed by John Skinner, including a tonneau cover. Mechanically the car is sound, having had the engine and gearbox removed and rebuilt during this time also, along with a brand new clutch and brake shoes having been fitted too.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Alan after meeting Roger the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

Having owned a TR2 in my teenage years, when I saw this TR3 for sale by Merit cars in the states I just had to have it - it was the perfect project for me.

Roger has spent his life as a mechanic, meaning he’s somewhat of a dab hand when it comes to cars and having owned the previous iteration as a teenager, he jumped at the opportunity to buy and restore this TR3 from the states.

Once the car was over the border he wasted no time in carrying out the long list of work required, having carried out all the work himself this made the car even more special and truly one of a kind for Roger.

Unfortunately Roger struggles to find the time to drive the car, as it should be driven, and with it spending most of its time in the garage these days he wants to find the car a new loving home where it can be driven as intended.

Roger

Vehicle Owner

Ask Questions

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Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

The exterior of this classic TR3 is full of character and well presented, as expected given its extensive restoration.

Wheels and Tyres

The original wheels were replaced by Roger for a new set of wire spoke wheels, making sure the overall look of the vehicle was in keeping with its time period. These are in great condition and have seen little use overall.

The tyres were all replaced, including the spare wheel, less than 50 miles ago, so the condition of these is absolutely ‘as new’.

Bodywork

During its first few years in the country Roger carried out a body off restoration, replacing lower panels on both front wings, new floor panels, new boot panel, and new side panels. What this means is that there isn’t any rust or bodywork issues to be concerned about, as far as we could tell. The work appears to have been done to a high standard, as you would expect from an industry professional.

It's worth noting that the boot was not closed properly on the left, and so the panel gap is showing slightly larger. We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The vehicle was repainted around the same time as the bodywork was restored, originally the car was green in colour, however Roger far preferred red for the exterior of the TR3, and as such painted it to suit.

The paintwork is in generally good condition, however Roger freely admits it could be in better. There are certainly some signs of wear on the paintwork, however nothing we feel negatively affects the overall appearance of the car and it could be improved in the future.

Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves. The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass windscreen is in fair condition, we did not note any major chips, scratches, or cracks to the item, and the surrounding trim pieces are all in good condition too.

The front bumper does require two new over riders as Roger informed us, however we are led to believe this is a relatively quick and simple job.

Please assess all the images and videos to see the condition on the trim and chrome.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Custom made by John Skinner, the interior of this TR3 is in fantastic shape and hard to fault.

Seats and Carpets

The cream leather seats were custom made along with the rest of the interior by John Skinner Manufacturing LTD of Cheltenham.

This was a floor up interior overhaul, including the carpets, seats, frames, springs, cushions, leather, piping, and tonneau cover. These items are all in brilliant condition and the level of craftsmanship is immediately noticeable in the overall quality of the interior.

Dashboard

The dashboard is in a matching colourway with the rest of the interior, with cream leatherette and red inserts - it very much mirrors the quality of the interior as a whole, with no visible rips tears or wear, and all gauges and switches are in great condition too.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel is the original item, although it has been cleaned up somewhat since it’s import to the UK some seven years ago, it fits very well in the car and does not look out of place against the all new interior.

Likewise the gear stick is in great condition, with the wooden gear knob presenting in fantastic condition.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

Mechanically there is next to nothing to fault with this car, having been subject to a body-off restoration you can be sure that this car is as solid as they come inside and out.

Engine and Gearbox

The engine and gearbox were both rebuilt by Roger, a lifelong mechanic, after being imported from the US in 2015. This included new piston rings and big end shells for the engine and new clutch plate for the gearbox which has overdrive on 2nd 3rd and 4th gears.

You can watch our ‘On The Road’ video above to see the engine start from cold and then in action on the road.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension set up is standard and has not been altered in any way, this all appears to be in good condition and we certainly couldn’t hear any untoward noises coming from the suspension during our time with the vehicle, this can again be seen for yourself during our ‘On The Road’ video.

The brake shoes have been relined around the same time as the mechanical overhaul carried out between 2015-2018 by Roger, meaning the brakes are in good condition, and the drums themselves have been painted red to match the exterior of the car.

The Drive

On the whole the drive the TR3 delivers is very much as expected, being over half a century old the car provides a very raw and engaging experience for the driver. With its ~95bhp engine and overdrive in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears, there is a lot of fun to be had in this car, however with the top down on a sunny day it is quite easy to slip into a comfortable motoring mood and lazily cruise along at your leisure.

We did notice a slight whine from the rear axel and Roger talks about this in the video and the easy fix required.

Electrics and Other

The electrical systems appeared to work without fault during our visit, leaving us nothing negative to report.

The battery was replaced in 2018 as one of the final steps Roger took before finally registering the vehicle with the DVLA on 19.11.2018.

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History and Paperwork

With a trail of paperwork telling us the story of its restoration, this TR3 provides us with a modest account of history since its import in 2015.

With little known about its history prior to being imported to the UK by Roger, it gives us great pleasure to know that Roger has attended to practically every aspect of this car, both mechanically and aesthetically, with paperwork to prove it.

Whilst having carried out the bulk of the work himself, Roger has made an effort to keep track of receipts and invoices for parts and supplies, all of which can be seen in our history and paperwork gallery below, along with a handful of pictures taken by Roger during the course of his restoration.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in high resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.