Kieth,
You were seeking advice about buying a '59 TR-3. I am certainly not the
formost expert on TR-3's, but I have owned three of them, and I have made
some mistakes.
On the face of it, the car you described sounds like it is in pretty good
shape.
The owner says the 26,000 miles are "original"; so are the other 100,000
miles which came first before the odometer rolled around. I would suggest
you examine it carefully for rust, the floor pan is one area which rusts out,
and it sounds like it has been replaced with non-original sheet metal work.
Places to inspect for rust include:
The battery box built into the firewall
The lower rear area of the front fenders (Dirt and sand collects behind the
wheel-well, staying moist and rusting through.)
The trunk (The trunk lid drains through two hoses running from the "gutter"
to the rear wheel-wells. These tubes get knocked off, allowing water to
drain into the trunk)
The floor-boards (They can collect water, particularly if the car is stored
outdoors)
The TR-3 engine is normally very solid, it will last well and run a long time
with decent care, or even abuse.
As far as price goes, I usually categorize TR's as:
1. Parts / Project Car: Doesn't run, may be partially disassembled. Price
ranges from "haul it away" for a pile of English rust to as much as $2,000
for a mostly complete pile of parts.
2. Driver: Runs and is driveable, but is not restored. Prices range from
about $3,000 for a car which needs a lot of work to as much a $8,000 for
a car which has been well taken care of.
3. Show Car: Fully restored, looking like new. Prices range from $10,000
for a good amateur restoration to as high as $18,000 to $20,000 for a show
winner.
It sounds to me like your candidate is in the low end of the "Driver"
category,
say between $2,000 and $5,000. I hope I have been helpful, I really like the
TR-3 and have had a lot of fun driving and working on mine.
Jim Harroun
'62 TR-3B
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