Annika, a 1959 Triumph TR3

In April of 2021, I purchased a 1959 Triumph TR3 that was literally in boxes. 25 years ago the previous owner disassembled the vehicle to restore it, but unfortunately, died before making any progress. The purchase came with a body (tub), a frame, many extra panels, and 25 boxes of parts. Given all the boxes, and the fact that some assembly was required, a pleasant Swedish name seemed appropriate.

Here she is after her move-in to the garage, next to her younger brother, a 1974 MG Midget, which I have owned since 1983 and recently restored to the point of once again being street-able.

This site will document my restoration of Annika, with the goal of driving her before I turn 60 (only 4 years to go). This restoration will force me to develop new skills, to hone those I already have, and to balance my desires for seeking perfection and making progress to completion. In addition to documenting my progress, my main motivation for pulling this site together is so my dad, who can’t travel any longer, can visually see my progress and cheer me on.

Once Annika arrived, the first thing I did was move the extra panels, and numerous parts to an off-site location so I had room to work. I have done a first pass through the tub to document which repair sections will need to be purchased to repair existing damage (inner- and outer- sills, battery box, etc). As always, there will be rust damage that will only be revealed once metal starts to be cut. One benefit of this project is the previous owner had the frame and tub sand blasted and primer’d prior to dying, so at least there is nothing hiding beneath paint and grime.

Resources:

Chef Tush has several video series’ detailing the restoration of a 1959 and a 1960 TR3. These are super helpful to any and all who are less familiar with these vehicles. That would include your truly…

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb-ooBW6tgaUs_h8dDfDN6Q

The TriumphExp listserv is full of super knowledgeable and helpful folks who are always willing to read and respond to dumb questions.

https://www.triumphexp.com/forum/tr2-and-tr3-forum.6/

The Plan (v2)

• Summer 2021: Restore sub-assemblies so they can eventually make their big reveals when the frame and tub are ready for decoration.
• Winter 2021: Start Body/Tub rust repairs and continue until complete. When I need a break, work on summer 2021 items remaining. Lather, Rinse, repeat…
• Assemble, drive, or something like that… 😉