Having benefitted from the discussions that take place on this
mailing last for the past month, I thought it was high time
for me to introduce myself.
I own a 1960 TR3A, s/n 68638L. The car spent its first 18 years
in California and the next 14 in the Philadelphia area. In the
spring a shop in Southern Ontario brought it into Canada and I
bought it. It (and I) are in Toronto.
The car was in pretty good shape, its chief attraction being
very little rust. I had it repainted and some mechanical work
done (new clutch, assorted general repairs). It looks great and
gave me 1700 nearly trouble-free miles this summer.
I've thought that the TR3A was the most gorgeous car ever since
a friend of mine bought one when I was in high school. With its
top down it was just stunning with its sleek curves, smooth lines,
and "step-into" door. That appearance, coupled with the impression
of speed given by virtue of how low to the ground one sits in it,
made me consider it to be the most desirable of cars.
I've sourced an overdrive gearbox and am having that installed
now. That, I hope, will be the last major piece of work it'll need
for a while. Not that there's not more that could be done ...
I'm not particularly handy, but am learning. Working on the car
has been both satisfying (occasionally) and humbling (often). But
with the help of a good mechanic and the support of different
people in the local Triumph club things are getting better.
Right now I have some questions for which I would appreciate input
from other SOLs:
1) My car was painted using a Sikkens Autocryl paint. It looks great
but seems very prone to chipping. I have several spots where the
red has chipped off and the original white is visible. What is the
best way to touch this up? The paint job is really superb and I have
been cautioned that spraying on more paint will look bad and that I
am better off to go at it with a Q-Tip and leave it at that (even
though it won't be great). Any suggestions?
2) The chrome on my car is not all that hot (little tiny pits with rust
and a general dullness). What is the recommended way of dealing with
this? I thought of having it re-chromed, but the local shops are not
great to deal with and have not been willing to give me any idea of
what it would cost. Other people have said it's cheaper just to buy
new chrome. I would welcome the opinions and experiences of other SOLs.
3) What suppliers do people use? I have catalogues from Moss, The Roadster
Factory, and Victoria & British.
Best wishes,
Dave MacKay
dave_mackay@hp2000.desk.hp.com
|