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The Triumph TR3 was a car built between 1955 and 1959 by the Standard Motor Company in the United Kingdom, during which time 13,377 cars were produced, of which 1286 were sold within the UK while the rest were exported mainly to the USA. As of 2002 there were only 893 registered TR3/3a's on UK roads.

Although the car was usually supplied as an open two seater, an occasional rear seat and bolt on steel hard top were available as extras.

The car was powered by a 1991 cc straight-4 OHV engine which initially produced 95 bhp (71 kW; 96 PS) increasing to 100 bhp at 5000 rpm. The four speed manual transmission could be supplemented by an overdrive unit on the top three ratios electrically operated and controlled by a switch on the dash. In 1956 the front brakes changed from drum to disc becoming the first British series production car to be so fitted.

In 1957, it was replaced by an updated version, the TR3A.

TR3 fact file

Production Period - October 1955 to Summer 1957

Original price (basic model) - £950

Suspension - Front: Independent by unequal length double wishbones, coil springs and telescopic dampers, Rear: Live axle, half elliptic springs lever arm dampers

Brakes - First 4408 models (1955-56): 10 in (254 mm) Drums all around. Remaining 9000 (1956-57): Front Discs; Rear Drums [7]

Original Optional extras - Seatbelts, overdrive, wire wheels, glass-fibre hardtop, occasional rear seat, radio, heater, leather upholstery.

Performance

A hard top car with overdrive tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1956 had a top speed of 105.3 mph (169.5 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 10.8 seconds. A fuel consumption of 27.1 miles per imperial gallon (10.4 L/100 km; 22.6 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £1103 including taxes. [3]

Other figures recorded included:

Speed Time

0 - 30 mph (48 km/h) 3.6 s

0 - 50 mph (80 km/h) 7.5 s

0 - 60 mph (97 km/h) 10.8 s

0 - 90 mph (140 km/h) 28.8 s

From standing to ¼ mile 18.1 sec

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References

1. ^ a b "1955 Triumph TR3". carfolio.com. http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=17523. Retrieved 2008-01-01.

2. ^ a b c Manwaring, L.A. (1960). Observer Book of Automobiles. London: Frederick Warne.

3. ^ a b c "The Triumph TR3 Hard-top Coupé". The Motor. April 4 1956.

4. ^ Original Triumph TR, Bill Piggott, ISBN 978-1-870979-24-5

5. ^ www.tr-register.co.uk

6. ^ Robson, Graham (2006). A to Z British cars 1945-1980. Devon, UK: Herridge. ISBN 0-9541063-9-3.

7. ^ Thoroughbred and Classic Cars Magazine, Sept 1980