1959 Triumph TR - TR 3A

Extensively rebuilt and uprated in 2014

With rare hardtop and soft top

High-performance mechanical specification

Built for sporting use

With the TR2, Triumph had proved in 1953 that a serious sports car needed to be neither complicated nor unaffordable. Two years later came the TR3 – essentially a logical evolution, but one that turned the already purposeful roadster into an even better sports car.

Under the bonnet remained the robust two-litre four-cylinder engine, whose kinship with the Ferguson tractor is so often mentioned. With larger SU carburettors it initially produced 95 hp, later rising to 100. That may sound modest today, but there was little weight to move and a body that hardly seemed inclined to put up much resistance to the passing air anyway. Around 170 km/h was possible. Anyone who had the hood up at that speed probably had other things to worry about.

In 1956, the TR3 became the first volume-production British car to be fitted with front disc brakes as standard. In 1957 came the revised version, today generally known as the TR3A, with its wide radiator grille and external door handles. Triumph itself, however, never officially used the designation.

Luxury was hardly the point anyway. The TR3 sat low, was loud and draughty, and demanded some work at its large steering wheel. That was precisely the attraction. An optional overdrive provided a little relaxation when required without diluting the character. The TR3 was not a sports car merely to be looked at. It wanted to be driven, preferably with some enthusiasm. A thoroughly British roadster: simple, robust and all the more entertaining for it.

Like the majority of its brethren, this TR3A was delivered new to the USA. In 2013, it was shipped from Boston back to the Old World. In 2014, it was acquired by a discerning Parisian collector, extensively restored and substantially uprated. The objective was to create a competitive car for historic motor sport.

The body was finished in dark blue and equipped with a hardtop and wire wheels, while unnecessary brightwork was dispensed with. The engine was tuned in traditional fashion, with a modified crankshaft, forged pistons, twin 45 DCOE Weber carburettors and a sports exhaust. This considerably uprated engine is said to produce around 150 hp! TR3 necessities such as an oil cooler, rack-and-pinion steering and uprated suspension are naturally also present.

The crew travels in rather more sumptuous surroundings. Leather dominates the interior, while the sports seats with harnesses are both comfortable and secure. Several photographs provide a good record of the car’s build.

In 2018, the racer changed hands. Its new owner also appears not to have subjected it to the rigours of serious competition as originally intended, which explains the absence of battle scars and excessive wear.

With this TR3, one can reasonably expect that 150 hp in combination with an enthusiastic right foot may occasionally prove a little frightening. There is certainly no need to enter a sporting event to have fun with it; the bewildered expressions of other road users confronted with its performance potential provide entertainment of their own. The little car is wonderfully nimble, with only its purposeful exhaust note giving away its mischievous intentions.

It turns a man back into a boy and puts the smile of contentment firmly on his face. The Triumph is offered with French papers.