I'm wondering if I can get a running or at least 'almost running' TR3
(any year) that isn't a total restoration project (i.e. rust bucket)
for $5k or less...Just something that would be driveable either as is
or with a small amount of work. It wouldn't have to be all original or
even 100% complete--just driveable. It wouldn't even have to look
great; just halfway decent. I'm just looking for something that can be
driven. Maybe it *needs* a restoration job, but can be driven as is
nonetheless. Does this car exist? I've been scouring newspaper
classifieds, online ads, and even eBay for the past few months and
have so far come up dry. Generally what I'll find is either a complete
restoration project/rust bucket/parts car, or a completely restored
car/immaculate original/show winner.
Certainly there's got to be something in the middle? A high mileage
car, faded paint, tatty carpets, missing trim, pitted chrome, and
maybe a few mechanical parts here and there that need to be gone over
or replaced, but still decent. What do you think what I'm looking for
is worth? Am I being completely unreasonable in trying to find a TR in
this price range, or am I just looking in the wrong places? They
certainly don't show up in the classifieds very often, so I'm not
getting a huge sample here. How about a TR4? Could I expect to find a
decent TR4/4A for less than a TR2/3/3a/3b?
I'm just thinking something that looks somewhat presentable (at least
from 20 feet) and will get me from point A to point B without breaking
down. I'm in CA in the SF Bay Area and am thinking it would need to be
around $400-900 less than the $5k mark for the car should it be in
another state since I'd probably need to have it shipped. It's
disheartening because I've found tons and tons of classic 40's, 50's,
and 60's American cars, in immaculate condition, often with completely
restored mechanicals, new interiors, new paint jobs, some even fully
restored, in the $5k range, but no TR's; for the same price as a
beautifully restored '58 Bel Air I found locally I could get a
delapidated TR3.
I've found a few Spitfires, MGBs, and Sprites, but I'm really looking
for a TR (although I wouldn't mind an MGA--but I'd be afraid to say
that on this list)...Maybe my hopes are just too high? I know these
cars are rarer than a lot of the high production American cars, but
these certainly aren't exotic cars we're talking about here, right?
It's crazy because the big Healeys I've been seeing, which my father
assures me were just a few hundred more than the TR's when he bought
his '4A, are selling for like $20-45k plus(!) for a nice example. No
wonder more young people don't get involved in this hobby--they go for
the old American cars instead--these cars are just getting too
expensive, at least in comparison to a lot of other classics. $5k for
a mechanically sound, complete, fully running Mustang, with a nice
interior and a new paint job, or $5k for a British sports car, with
rusted floors, mice holes in the seats, a soft top reduced to threads,
no brakes, and a smokey engine--the choice is obvious. I'd obviously
rather have the rarer, prettier, and much more interesting British
sports car, but is it really THAT much rarer, prettier, and more
interesting? Again; maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places.
Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions, let me know. Any particular websites
you guys go to? Magazines?
Merry Christmas,
Sean
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