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[billy in slo]

Hello all, I am billy isbell in San Luis Obispo, ca. I have a 1957 TR-3. Owned since 1970. Has not run since 1974. I don't know if I will ever have the resources to fulfill my dream of restoration and so am considering selling. It is a low mileage 3 owner California car. It has a TR-4 motor and O.D. Tranny in that I never got running way back in '74. It has rust in both fenders at the rockers. I have the black license plates. Wire wheels. The condition is rough.
I am so out of touch I was hoping for ball-park value from you all and is the VTR National in SLO a good place to try and sell it?
Thank you in advance for any help or advice. Feel free to reply or shoot me an email at tobeysdad@hotmail.com
Thanks again.
billy isbell

[TR3driver]

Hi Billy, and welcome to the Forum.  It's a shame you are considering selling your project, but life doesn't always work out the way we wish.

I am by no means an expert, but I think you would be lucky to get over $4k from your description.  I bought my 57 TR3 just a few years ago, also as an unfinished, partially disassembled project, with no visible rust and the original engine/transmission (but also no overdrive) on eBay for under $4k.  Plus with the hard economic times just now, I've seen a lot of Triumphs offered for much less than they would have brought just a few years ago.

In my opinion, the VTR/Triumphest convention in SLO would be an excellent place to show it.  All those beautiful cars around get people to thinking "I'd like to have one of those" and "I could do that".  You may not get a buyer on the spot, but if you bring the car and some cards to hand out; the word will get spread around. 

Of course there are also the free classified ads on this web site, which are another good place to list it.  You could even do both and mention in the ad that the car will be available at VTR for inspection, if you wish.

We could even do an impromtu "tech session" and try to get it running, if you want.  With any luck, I'll be there with TS13571L.

[billy in slo]

Thank you Randell. It would be quite a dissapointment to sell the car at this point. My dad bought it when I was 13 and we share the same birth year (57). I drove the car in H.S. and worked on it daily. I question whether I will ever have the resources to properly restore it or will I watch it rust away to nothing.