5 WAYS TO MAKE IT BETTER

1 IMPROVE ITS SUSPENSION

There are plenty of options when it comes to making a 3/3A handle more sharply and they needn’t break the bank. Uprated polyurethane bushes are around £150 for a kit and it is well worth considering a front anti-roll bar and stiffer springs. If you don’t fancy upgrades, then simply fitting new dampers and springs will significantly improve matters.

2 FIT RACK-ANDPINION STEERING

Converting to rack-and-pinion steering is a good mod to consider because it will make things lighter and more accurate. The clubs can advise on the various ways of doing this but as an example Revington TR sells a kit for £853. It retains the original turning circle and they can also supply a quick rack with just 2.15 turns between locks.

3 IMPROVE THE TR’S PERFORMANCE

There’s all manner of choices here, and much depends on how fast you want to go and the depth of your pockets. Something as simple as a hotter camshaft is around £200 or you could spend a few thousand pounds on a full-blown Stage 1 kit. A popular way to increase torque is to install larger pistons, 87mm items taking engine capacity to 2198cc; Triumph specialists can provide piston and liner kits.

4 UPGRADE THE TRANSMISSION

A Triumph TR4 gearbox provides full synchromesh and adding overdrive is definitely worth doing, especially if you plan on longer trips. We’d advise talking to specialists or clubs about what’s involved and the potential cost, however. If you can find a good used unit then so much the better, otherwise you’re looking at £800 or so for a fully re-built one, plus the cost of fitting.

5 SWAP THE BRAKES

Converting early cars from front drums to discs is an excellent move and you can buy a kit with everything you need if you fancy having a go at fitting it yourself. If you’ve improved the performance you’ll definitely need better brakes, which could be anything from mildly uprated discs and pads for a few hundred pounds to £1500 or so for a kit that adds beefier fourpiston calipers.