TR2/3/3A TR3 on the street for the first time in 10 years

[sammyb]

I finally got around to getting the wheels on the green '59 TR3 and moving it back towards the garage door. Decided on this nice day to try it out.

It took a little longer to get it started this time (a shot of starter fluid took care of it.) I definitely need to bleed the hydraulics better, because the clutch pick-up is instantaneous, and the brakes are soft for the first push. I used synthetic, so I'm not surprised I didn't get it right the first time.

It smoked and smoked for about five minutes, but oil pressure and temp were great. (I had dumped penetrating oil in it when I got it.) The exhaust manifold was smoking, but I think it might be degreaser or paint that got on it.

As it warmed, it had that tight TR3 engine sound.

I think I'm going to take it down to my friend's shop to bleed the brakes and clutch, and adjust the brakes, and hopefully it should be good to go for some spring cruising.

 

[kennypinkerton]

Cool. I always liked the TR3. Good looking car. Have fun!

 

[jayhawk]

I think I have rarely gotten brakes right the first time. It's as if some air hides from me in some special pocket. A good "shake down" cruise will probably be good to see what works and what may need some tweekin'. I'll wish you good luck and few mysteries. My list was pretty long (and a lot more than tweaking) since my TR3 had only about 300 miles of use over 20+ years.

 

[sammyb]

This car had an oil change sticker from early 1996, and there was only a difference of 9 miles from the sticker and the car's odometer!!!

 

[Geo Hahn]

Re: TR3 on the street for the first time in 10 yea

[ QUOTE ]
I think I have rarely gotten brakes right the first time. It's as if some air hides from me in some special pocket...

[/ QUOTE ]

Way to go Sammy!

I recently encountered the problem with bleeding the bleedin' clutch. Have been out of town this week and thinking about it -- perhaps the problem is that I had the front end raised about a foot (so I could crawl under to get at the slave) leaving a pocket of air at the front of the master cylinder. I'll try again with the car level. Other thing I may try is unbolting the slave and bleeding it while it hangs vertically. There's some air hiding in there somewhere.

 

[sammyb]

Re: TR3 on the street for the first time in 10 yea

Geo, that might be the problem -- I'm not sure the car was 100% level. (At least I can't be 100% positive.)

I just want it all bled so I can't go beat on that thing on the streets. Maybe once it's all bled, I'll take the opportunity to go bring my other 3 in to the shop to have someone else replace the synchros, worn-out bronze parts and figure out why my OD has never worked.

 

[Tomster]

Re: TR3 on the street for the first time in 10 yea

is that it in the bottom right corner of the above photo?

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Re: TR3 on the street for the first time in 10 yea

Aloha Sam,

It is amazing how robust those old TR engines are, kind of like the energizer bunny. Congratulations on getting another TR3 on the road. By the way, do you ever have trouble finding your car in a parking lot because you can't remember which one you drove that day? I think I would, but what a nice dilemma.

Safety Fast,
Dave

 

[sammyb]

Re: TR3 on the street for the first time in 10 yea

Tomster,
No, that's the TR3 I got almost three years ago. I wish I had gotten a car like that for the $3750 I paid /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif !!! The one I got is a green '59 with black/white piping interior and steel wheels. No OD.

Dave, I generally lose my car, but only because my brain can't retain any unimportant information, such as "where did I park today?"

The largest problem in the family is someone driving off with one of the car seats.

 

[jsneddon]

Re: TR3 on the street for the first time in 10 yea

[ QUOTE ]

Dave, I generally lose my car, but only because my brain can't retain any unimportant information, such as "where did I park today?"


[/ QUOTE ]

I've had dozens of "cardiac moments" when I've walked out into a parking lot to find the TR3... you just don't realize how small it is until it's parked in a sea of SUV's. I've sworn many times that it had been stolen until I got right up to the parking spot.