It seems that there are plenty of people who can see the potential that is locked away in this 1960 Triumph TR3 because at the time of writing, there are 154 people who are watching its listing here on eBay. The next owner is going to be faced with some decisions. The car is missing a number of important parts, and it also has some rust issues. This leaves it as a blank canvas that could be restored, built into a custom, or it could serve as a parts car. If this is one that you would be willing to take on, then you will find the Triumph located in Warren, Ohio, where bidding has now reached $1,075 in a No Reserve auction.

Finished in Sunset Red, the TR3 does have some rust visible in the floors. It isn’t too extensive, and the frame has been spared from any problems. The body itself looks quite reasonable, although there are trim pieces that are either damaged or that are missing completely. The front bumper is one of the missing items, and while some people might contend that the Triumph looks better without it, a replacement would need to be sourced if originality is the name of the game. A quick search of the internet allowed me to locate a brand new bumper with over-riders for a very reasonable $499, so parts are in plentiful supply.

As far as the interior of the Triumph is concerned, the next owner will be essentially starting from square 1. The car is fitted with an aftermarket roll-bar, but I would be checking to see how well that is mounted before deciding whether it stays or goes. Otherwise, the majority of the dash is present, and that really is about it. Unfortunately, the interior is where things could start to become quite expensive on a restoration. Every item that is missing can be sourced, but it is going to cost money. A carpet set can run anywhere from $480 to $750, depending on whether nylon or wool is the fiber of choice. The cockpit capping can run out at around $330, seat frames are around $380 each, while covers and padding can hit another $1,000 or more if you want to treat the TR3 to real leather. Not a cheap undertaking, I will admit. However, it’s worth remembering that once it is done, it should last a life-time if cared for properly.

What should be occupying this rather empty engine bay would be a 1,991cc 4-cylinder engine, backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. Both the engine and transmission are missing, but the owner does have an engine and transmission that could be purchased separately. Another alternative could be to source a TR4’s 2,138cc engine and transmission to install instead. This is a move that would not be unprecedented, as Triumph themselves did this with the final production runs of the TR3 (sometimes referred to as the “TR3B”). This upgrade provides a useful increase in horsepower and would allow top speed to jump from 105 to 110mph.

So, those are just some of the potential options that would be available to the next owner of this 1960 Triumph TR3. To my mind, the body and frame are simply too good to see the car used as parts. There is no doubt in the world that restoring the car is not going to be a cheap proposition, but a competent individual should be able to tackle the vast majority of the work successfully in a home workshop. If this can be done, and labor costs are then kept to a minimum, then it could well be worth the effort. While it is possible today to locate a driving example in need of restoration work for around $12,000, a really spotless example is going to cost closer to twice that sum. If pristine is your aim, then it is actually possible to double that figure again! The fact that this one can never be a numbers-matching car means that its value will probably never reach those stratospheric heights, but if the restoration work is completed to a decent standard, then a figure in the low to mid $20,000 range is certainly a possibility. That would seem to make this a worthwhile restoration project.