Triumph TR3

Hard top to beat!

THE MODEL

Introduced in 1955 as a successor to the company’s first production roadster, the TR2, the Triumph TR3 was a small, focused little British sportscar built at the Standard-Triumph factory in Coventry, England.

It shared the same basic, underslung box frame chassis as the TR2, but was characterised largely by its increased power and improved braking, and would go on to become one of Triumph’s best selling cars in the TR range.

The Standard built inline-4 OHV engine displaced 1,991cc, and when coupled to a pair of enlarged SU-H6 carburettors, produced an impressive 100 bhp at 5,000 rpm.

Later cars received uprated disc brakes at the front – the first for any British production car – and were offered with a host of mechanical and cosmetic optional extras, including: factory hardtop, removeable plexiglass side screens, electronic overdrive and front anti-roll bar.

Throughout its 7 year production run (1955-1962), Triumph produced over 13,000 original TR3s before the model received its first ‘facelift’ and became known (unofficially) as the TR3A.

And in line with that old saying, “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday”, the success and popularity of the TR3 must be attributed, at least in part, to its long list of national and international motorsport appearances and victories, including:

24h of Le Mans
RAC Tourist Trophy
Monte Carlo Rally
Liege-Rome-Liege
International Tulip
Tour de France
Coupes des Alpes

THIS CAR

Delivered to its first owner in January 1957, chassis 13498 was ordered new in a beautiful colour combination of British Racing Green over Brown Vynide.

Being a later production example, the car benefitted from the all important disc brakes at the front, and was first registered under the same registration it carries today – ‘UOC 748’.

Sadly, we don’t know who the first owner of 13498 was, though we do know from copies of the car’s original log book that as of 1968/69, it was owned by a Mr Martin Walsh of North Finchley, London.

Mr Walsh would go on to own, care for and maintain 13498 for the next three decades, with extensive servicing receipts on file beginning in the early 1990s.

The car’s third owner acquired 13498 around the year 2000 (exact date unknown), and proceeded to document an exhaustive list of new parts and maintenance work throughout his ownership – including a complete interior retrim from the original Brown to the striking Red it features today.

The car’s current owner purchased 13498 at auction in 2018, and decided to commission a complete mechanical overhaul and full engine rebuild with Maulden Garages of Bedfordshire, at a cost of almost £10,000 (see Documentation section below for detailed breakdown).

Since then, the car has covered less than 3,000 miles, and has been fitted with a Brantz International Tripmeter in view of future plans to go historic rallying.

The car is offered with a desirable hardtop and removeable plexiglass side screens, and has just received a full tune up from Classic Performance Engineering.