1962 Triumph TR3B Convertible

This 1962 Triumph TR3B Convertible was purchased in 2007, to drive and restore. The car appeared to be a garage-kept survivor when I bought it. It had a lot of grease on the suspension and undercarriage, along with undercoating, and that is probably why the car had very little rust. The frame was in great shape, and the body had minor dings and a few small rust holes. The seller drove the TR3 until 2012 and then spent the next three years restoring it. He upgraded the upholstery and dash covering to leather and installed the rear jump seat that was optional when the car was new. The engine was rebuilt, and the seller added overdrive to the transmission, an original option for this model. He also added LED lights for safer night driving. It runs and drives great, and I've kept it garaged.  The TR3B was the second revision to the TR3, which itself was an upgrade over the TR2. The TR3 was the first British production car to have front disc brakes standard. The A and B were references to updated models, but the cars were not officially identified as such. The TR3B arrived for 1962 to close out the series, with just over 3,300 made. About 90 percent of those were, like the seller's car, the fully upgraded model. Verified by the TCF VIN, these cars received a larger-displacement version of the engine and a fully-synchronized transmission, which were shared with the TR4 that had already entered production. The 2.1-liter OHV inline-four is fed by dual SU carburetors and has a 9:1 compression ratio, good for a factory rating of 105 horsepower at 4,650 rpm and 127 lb-ft of peak torque at 3,500 rpm.- the engine is original and initially only needed a refresh in 2010, but that he then gave it a full rebuild in 2019. The car produces normal exhaust on start-up. Once started, the choke knob is pushed in, and the car idles normally at around 800 rpm, he explains. The engine seals were replaced but there is some normal weeping in the engine area and transmission, the seller reports. - there is no weeping around the axle or differential. The four-speed manual transmission is said to shift as designed, with the Laycock de Normanville overdrive operating normally when engaged. - the TR3 had a complete black repaint of the tub and exterior in 2015, and the hood was resprayed in 2022 to fix a few chips and peeling around the Dzus fasteners. The car has no scratches or dents but a few minor chips in the paint. The soft top and side curtains work as designed, and the windshield is in good shape with no cracks. - the seals appear to be fine and affirms there is only minor surface rust on the frame and undercarriage and leaf springs, as seen in photos.- replacing all interior and exterior lights with a LiteZupp LED kit - As noted, the seller upgraded the interior by using red leather upholstery (with white piping) and dashboard trim to replace the factory vinyl. Seats and carpeting are in good condition,, and appear so in the provided photos.- the white soft top is in very good condition and that the heat is working. Gauges are said to be working accurately. The trunk and trunk floor appear very clean. -- that the car's suspension was updated with urethane bushings during the restoration in 2015. Normal servicing (greasing, trunnions lubricated) has been done every 12-14 months,, and the bushings and shocks remain in good condition. The car rolls on 165-HR15 Vredestein Sprint Classic radial tires. The front tires show 2021 DOT date codes but the codes could not be seen on the rear tires, which the seller believes are about eight years old. The chromed wire-spoke wheels with knock-off hubs appear in good condition, with no pitting or curb rash seen in the photos.- the worm-and-peg steering tracks straight and has the normal play associated with these systems. The vehicle's front disc/rear drum brakes have no issues reported.One of the fastest four-cylinder roadsters in its day, this 1962 Triumph TR3B is also the last of the line for this body. This one wears the recent restoration well and is presented with no imminent needs.