1957 Triumph TR3 Small mouth 4 speed roadster

1957 Triumph TR3 Additional Info:

BARN FIND 1957 Triumph TR3 4 speed "Small Mouth" roadster with rear seatThe car is a 2 owner car with the last time on the road believed to be in the 1980s. Clear title issued January 23 1974. Put a battery, turn the key, pull the switch and the engine turns over but the car has not been started. It spent the majority of its road time in Oklahoma and all of its storage time in Chicago. This is a time capsule car, untouched in over 40 years.Comes with manual engine crank bar, windows, ignition key, glove box key, tool key for hood and trunk, misc service parts and books.
Car is sold As-Is with clear open title. Additional pictures and video of engine turning by its starter available upon request. Non refundable deposit 500 to be paid within 24 hours of auction end. Final payment must clear before car can be picked up.

“The Triumph Motor Company launched the TR3 in October of 1955 as a successor to the TR2, and the new model was powered by the same 1991 cc, straight-4, overhead valve engine as its predecessor. The powerplant had larger carburetion, however, that pushed power to 95 hp, and the engine was mated to a four-speed transmission. New cylinder heads were fitted to the engine during the first 12 months of production, which translated to 5 more hp, and top speeds for the TR3 approached 110 mph.

The car utilized front independent suspension and a live rear axle, and initially had drum brakes on all four wheels. Within the first year, however, Triumph switched to front disc brakes, becoming the first production British car to do so.

Externally the car had low-cut doors and minimal weather protection, which underscored its purposeful, sporting nature. It had a small opening in the front with a deep-set grille that did not compare favorably to competitors like the MGA and Austin-Healey 100. Performance was on par, though, and the car was well received. More than 13,000 TR3s were manufactured between 1955 and 1957, with 90% of those landing on American shores.

Popular optional equipment for TR3s included overdrive, a hard top, and wire wheels. A handful of buyers opted for the occasional rear seat as well.

Triumph executed a visual freshening in 1957, and the cars are now referred to as the TR3A, though the company never officially named this evolutionary model as such. Most significantly, the car’s grille grew wider and became less recessed. Also, headlight treatment was slightly altered, door handles (available on the earlier cars via a “GT Kit”) became standard, a locking trunk handle appeared, and larger bumpers were installed. Mechanically, most of the TR3’s original spec remained. The public responded favorably to the new appearance by purchasing more than 58,000 TR3As during the car’s six-year run. Again, the vast majority of these vehicles were destined for the U.S. market.”

Hagerty.com