This Race Prepared Triumph TR3A Is The Perfect Weekend Toy

By Max Holder Mar 06, 2019

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By Max Holder Mar 06, 2019

Being the later TR3A, this model enjoys a more handsome design with front disc brakes and a whole host of race features

The Triumph TR3 was the successor to the exceptionally popular TR2. Although this is a quintessentially British sports car, North America turned out to be its biggest fan. When the TR3 hit the streets, 85% of its entire production run went to North America (like this one) with just 1286 cars remaining on British soil.

The TR3 was the perfect little toy to satisfy anyone with a penchant for the joys of driving. With a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine developing 95-horsepower to the rear wheels, it wasn’t exactly electrifying in terms of pace. What it did deliver however, was character. Cars like these weren’t designed for the quarter mile, they were designed to give the sensation of speed, and to heighten the senses once you achieved that speed.

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In 1957 the TR3A was created as an update. Its claim to fame was that it became the first British production car to come with front disc brakes as standard. Back in '57 everyone was using engine braking as drums were about as effective as using your feet like the Flintstones.

The car featured here is rather different to how the designers intended. Although the vendor advertises it as simply a TR3, it is in fact a TR3A. The points to confirm are the front disc brakes you can see hiding behind the period race wheels, along with the more obvious wider front grille, recessed headlights and exterior door handles, among other small adjustments.

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It's inished in British Racing Green with period Old English White accents, possibly the best colour combination you could find for such a car. As an example of a period race car, the original SU carburettors have been replaced with a set of Webers, and a roll cage is present with archetypal towing hook and a battery isolator switch.

Inside you will find four-point harnesses for both driver and passenger and finally a fuel cell located in the trunk, allowing the TR3 to conform to club requirements for racing endeavours. As the perfect weekend toy for both road and track, how could you resist with such an affordable price-tag to boot?

To find out more, visit the Motorious classifieds where this TR3A is listed for $19,950 (£15,189, €17,646).