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Barrie Ballantyne's 1961 TR3

 
My love for Triumph cars started in 1964 at 19 years old. I was working for SGI at the time as a clerk and there was a Triumph TR3 in the SGI garage that had been in a head on collision and was a write off. I bought it and took it to Con Richards in Prince Albert who straightened the frame, fixed the body and painted it. After one winter and two summers of being wet and cold, I drove my TR3 to Mann Motors in Prince Albert and traded my car plus 1$ for a 1957 Cadillac Coupe Deville. It was quite an upsize!


I always wanted another TR3. In 1992, my brother spotted a little red Triumph in a garage yard just south of Wakaw on his way from PA to Saskatoon. I drove out to Wakaw and bought it that little red car and drove it home and straight into the garage. This was the start of a three year project!


I slowly started taking the TR3 apart piece by piece. I separated the body from the frame and put it on a cart so I could work on the frame. I rebuilt the engine first slowly taking apart and then cleaning engine parts one by one. I enlisted the help of my son Mark to clean and degrease part after part. When it came to rebuilding the engine I used new 87mm pistons and sleeves, changed all the gaskets and put it back together with a rebuilt head and valves. I then went on to rebuild the brakes and clutch. I kept the Prince of Darkness wiring as original. I then moved on to the frame and cleaned it up and painted it. For the body, I took off all the trim, fenders, boot, and bonnet and started my body rebuild. I manufactured my own new panels for the inner fenders, fender bottoms, pan for under the trunk, roll pan and front floor pan, and welded it all in with new door sills. Once the body work was done I primed it in a black primer and put it back on the frame with new mounting hardware. I took the car out to Dean Holmes Autobody in Prince Albert to paint it. On my first trip out to see it, the car looked like a porcupine with metal puller rods all over it. The paint today is still that paint from 30 years ago. The parts and trim were purchased from Moss Motors. The interior was Moss Motors and Roadster factory. I was finished and my pocketbook was about 18K lighter!


I have had lots of memorable trips with my wife in my car. We went for endless rides for a Sunday ice cream after supper and even hit the highway for a cruise up to Waskesiu a few times to have nachos! I remember driving my Triumph to Saskatoon to attend cruise night. I picked up a hitchhiker just outside Prince Albert and he had long hair. I am not sure this was the ride he was anticipating on his way to Saskatoon that day. I ended up winning best import for the cruise night car show that year.


I have treasured and loved my Triumph TR3 for 30 years. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with ALS in March 2024 and I can no longer drive my little cars. I have however, passed on the love for my cars to my son Mark and my daughters Sha and Krista.

SBCC


Postal Address: Saskatchewan British Car Club
P.O.Box 26015 Lawson Heights
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7K 8C1

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