Evan:
I'd guess you got more private replies than posts to the list. Those
who have done a full resto often have strong opinions one way or
the other. Those who have ruined marriages have strong opinions
too. ;-) I haven't done either yet, though. Here are some notes:
> I've been lurking for quite some time, but I think it's time I show my
> (virtual) face and pose the most general of questions to the list: to
> restore or not to restore. I'll open the can of worms and explain the
> situation: I have a 59 TR3A I've inherited from my father, who long ago
> began a half-hearted attempt at restoration. Off came the bonnet, the front
> wings, and...then...he discovered gardening, woodworking, etc.
Okay, there's a good reason to restore the car, regardless of it's
condition. Was Dad the original owner? Or did he buy it as a project?
If there's sentimental value, by all means. Restoration is not a
particularly cost-effective way to get yourself a convertible -- but it's
still a worthwhile pursuit. I know a 17 year old kid who's restoring
his dad's '62 TR4 -- rolled by his dad in college. Great to keep it in
the family. On the other hand, don't pay for your father's mistakes. ;-)
That said, I have two boys, 2 and 3 years old. I simply didn't have
the time to restore a car, and I'd rather take them on long weekend
Triumph road trips that spend long weekends in the garage. I bought
a TR6-in-a-box 9 years ago -- just after I got married -- and even then
I didn't have the time. Learned a lot, no regrets... except I wish I'd
kept it and sold all those parts on eBay, I'd have made a killing.
> ...I believe the frame and most of the
> sheet metal for the car are in decent shape, but the rest of it remains a
> mystery. I know the engine has not seized, and that at some point the engine
> was bored out. It looks to me as if had also been in an accident, as there
> are yellow grease pencil marks on the inside of the front wings (as if they
> had been replaced), and the grill had been cut on either side to slip the
> turn signal wires through without re-running the wires. I have no experience
> in this type of project, so I've no notion of how much this will cost, how
> long it will take, or whether my girlfriend will walk out the door in
> exasperation halfway through the project.
I won't take up the girlfriend thing, except to say that my wife had
no problem with any of my old cars -- and my old car thing started
with that TR6 during our first year of marriage. '76 TR6, '77 CJ5,
'47 CJ2A, '60 AH bugeye, '72 BMW. Every car was a little better,
and I lost very little money. They were all drivers, so if I spent time
on them it was just to get them running again. Sometimes I even
send out work I could do myself so I could spend time with Pam
and the kids. A lot of guys restore a car, and they're too attached
to it to drive it. I now buy really nice original old cars and drive them
like they're new. Frankly, I think you and your girlfriend would have
more fun in a car you could drive somewhere THIS summer, not
in two years after a total restoration.
>From what I've seen, restoring a Triumph will cost about 1 1/2 to
twice what it's worth. I could buy a nice TR4 for $10K, or I could
restore one for $15K+. That's cheaper than a Miata either way.
If your goal is to have a fun car to drive, sell the TR3A and save
a few grand more, then buy a good driver. Keeping a sound
Triumph on the road isn't all that expensive, and the cars don't
depreciate so you can protect your car investment. It's not
retirement money, but compared to the money you'd LOSE over
five years with a new Miata, it's a great deal.
--
Steven Newell
Denver, CO
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