TR3 Begins Feb 7, 2000
The work on the Triumph TR3 has started! Vintage racing might be less intense than your average road race, but that doesn't mean that you can skimp on safety. The casual, low-key nature of vintage racing means that driving talent is mixed at best. In addition, hustling 30- to 40-year-old cars around the track can lead to component failure very quickly if everything isn't properly looked after.
Tim has been busy installing an ATL fuel cell that was custom-made for the TR3. This particular design doesn't require any major cutting or fitting, so the Triumph can remain unmolested. We've been trying to retain the historic patina of the car, while cleaning and repainting where necessary. The inside of the trunk received a fresh coat of new paint prior to the cell's installation, but the exterior, for the time being, will remain as it has for the last 30-plus years.
Work, Work, Work Jun 14, 2000
Our project TR3 is up and running and ready to make its public debut at Mid-Ohio on June 22-25 for the SVRA MG/Triumph Challenge. On April 21, our 1957 TR3 took to the race track for the first time since 1966. This private outing at Road Atlanta proved two things: first, the old girl has still got it; and second, while she might have plenty of engine, she was a little short on brakes.
As is standard practice in vintage racing today, we converted the heavy, early-style TR3 calipers to TR6 units and replaced the rare 10-inch rear drums with more common nine-inch Alfin drums. The brakes are now up to the rest of this car's abilities. Stories on this car are currently being featured in our "Safety Fast" series of GRM articles. Our April 2000 issue carried some background on the car, and the sport of vintage racing in general, while the June issue tackled the nitty gritty of safety equipment installation. The October 2000 issue will cover performance mods made to the car.
Holding Pattern Oct 20, 2000
With so many other projects going on, our vintage race 1957 Triumph TR3 has started to feel a little neglected. Well, it shouldn't feel so blue, as it performed very well at it's first road race in almost 35 years.
Our publisher's column in the February 2001 issue talks about this first outing with the car. Our vintage race prep series also continues in the same issue.
First Race Apr 5, 2001
Our 2001 Vintage racing season started out with the HSR 24 Minutes of Daytona. This great little support event for the 24 Hours At Daytona is a lot of fun. Designed for cars that have true Daytona history, this event is not a race, but an exhibition and a chance to show off your cars and see old friends. For us, it was a chance to shake the cobwebs out (120 mph on the back straight will shake everything in a TR3!) and get us ready for the vintage season.
Due to magazine deadlines and other travel duties, our first real race of the 2001 season was part of the 12 Hours of Sebring. HSR hosts a support race for this classic event. Co-driver JK Jackson garnered our first trophy in "Millie" with a third place finish in the sprint race. Later in the weekend, Rennie Bryant drove the Saturday morning exhibition and Tim Suddard co-drove the one hour enduro with Jackson on Sunday morning after the big Sebring 12 hour event.
A second place finish and a best lap time of 3:01.568 netted "Team GRM" another HSR medal for a second place finish in the V4 class. Before you get too excited, we were 18th overall out of 28 and nearly 18 seconds per lap slower than the class winner, Doug Campbell in his MGB GT. You can bet we'll be getting a closer look at that car before the season is over.
Settings:
- 15x5.5-in. Hoosiers set at 30 psi all the way around, 1.5 degrees of negative camber, 1.75 degrees castor and 1/16-in. toe out.
- The chassis works real well but we ran out of brakes during the enduro, and are going to test other pads.
- Before our next race, we need to give "Millie" some attention. We need to change to a better seat, modify the roll cage to get a decent foot rest and cure the intermittent overdrive and charging problems.
- A special thanks to Triumph club members Al and Mary Alice Sanders for crewing for us.
Rust Repair May 10, 2001
On Friday May 4, Project TR3 was sent into dry-dock for some R&R. Rest and relaxation turned into rust repair and mechanical restoration. Plans called for a "look see" into the overdrive transmission which was leaking and starting to grind synchros.
What we found was failed shifter rod seals (a common TR problem) and worn synchros. When we originally rebuilt this gearbox five years ago J.K. Jackson used (against his better judgment) cheap reproduction synchros rather than real ones because that is what we had. Our clutch and flywheel looked real good, but our front drive shaft yoke was worn too much to be used on a race car, so it was replaced.
While J.K. went through the brakes, wheel bearings and transmission, Tim decided to gut the interior and add a front hoop (with the the help of expert cage fabricators, BSI Racing). The original passenger seat, rear seat and dilapidated carpet were cute, but as we get more serious about racing this car, we wanted a cleaner and more efficient cockpit, as most of our competitors have. We also wanted to make the car safer and trim unneeded weight. Everything was removed from the interior and the battery will be moved to the passenger compartment for better weight distribution and serviceability.
Another item on our list was to convert the car from positive ground to negative ground and to switch from a generator to an alternator. We'll give you more updates as we finish this work and test out our efforts at Mid Ohio (June 22-24 SVRA event) where we were able to turn two minute laps last year in our first race ever with this car. We are hoping to shave roughly ten seconds off those lap times, as we have both the car and the track a little better figured out.