Triumph TR3

ENGINE 1991cc/4-cyl/OHV POWER 165bhp (approx) TORQUE n/a MAXIMUM SPEED n/a 0-60MPH n/a FUEL CONSUMPTION n/a TRANSMISSION RWD, five-speed manual MoT 12 months from sale ODOMETER 3312 miles

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

These sidescreen TRs had a reputation for being raw and rugged in period, but the various modifications made to this example’s running gear mean that it’s in a different league. It’s a curious mix of old and new, with fuel injection and a five-speed gearbox but a fly-off handbrake and chainoperated door releases. It’s also ferociously quick, with massive torque and scalpelsharp throttle responses. The suspension’s rather harshly sprung, so the lack of seatbelts make you tighten your grip on the steering wheel on uneven roads. Not the easiest car to drive, then, but huge fun.

BODYWORK CHECK

The cream paint does little to disguise the various imperfections, and while it won’t win any concours awards, it is fundamentally sound, having been the subject of a full body-off chassis restoration five years ago. Surface corrosion has struck both the sills where they’ve been caught by the doors, plus the inner edges of the ‘mouth’ where the egg-crate grille sits. There’s also some very minor discolouration around the rear wheelarches, plus pitting to the chrome windscreen surround. It’s clearly been used and enjoyed more than shown off.

HOW’S THE INTERIOR?

The red leather with white piping looks extremely inviting. The springy seat squabs are at odds with the rigid backrest, but the seats themselves aren’t uncomfortable and transmit a lot of the contact the car has with the road through the driver’s backside. Close scrutiny reveals a few small scuffs on the leather-trimmed dashboard and some discolouration to the carpeting around the transmission tunnel owing to ultraviolet light damage.

UNDER THE BONNET

This car’s previous owner has opted for a Webcon electronic fuel injection set-up, which uses a crank sensor, dispensing with the distributor altogether. Likewise, the glovebox lid is just for show and actually hides an ECU. The usual anti-freeze has also been replaced by Evans Waterless Coolant. While it’s not standard, the modifications appear to be well-executed (and there are the invoices from Revington TR showing exactly what’s been done) while the inner wings and bulkhead appear to be free from rot.

THE CCW VIEW

This is without doubt a monster of a car; open up the taps and it fully assaults the senses, the engine doing its best to drown out the wind noise as you hurtle along. And yet, while it has its cosmetic imperfections, it’s clearly been spoilt rotten where it counts, as evidenced by the bill for an eye-watering £33,000 among the invoices in the service folder. This is perhaps not the ultimate sidescreen TR, but it surely can’t be all that far off.