Gallery Phil Turner

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Vehicle Model: TR3A         Year:    August 1960        Commission Number: 

State: NSW                        Owned since: 

Phil has purchased this car from David Harries after previously being sold by Otto Feenstra. Otto’s history is shown below this post. 

Phil & Maz have been working hard to fix engine and gearbox issues in preparation for the 2025 Hahndorf concours where we look forward to adding a new chapter to this cars history!

 

An update on Phil’s story

Whenever heavy repairs/maintenance are being done, you’re forced to get as much info as possible from HISTORY. And the latest exercise has enabled me to better identify our TR.  It is in fact an AUGUST 1960 build and not 1961, Despatched from the UK on 25 October 1960 to Standard Cars of Melbourne.
We also concluded that “Otto”, during his major restoration 2005-2007, overhauled the motor and made a number of changes – electronic ignition, ‘tractor’ crank and a modest cam up-grade to name a few 
 
So why all the kerfuffle at this point in time?
 
It started 3 years ago with an Outback Tour I was organising to travel from Cooma to the Australasian Camel Cup at Marree in the far north of SA. (19 classic cars participated).
 
On arriving in Hahndorf on Day 2 of our 15-day event, we were held up at an intersection and the TR was NOT coping with the heat and the gauge went off the charts. Caught in a line of traffic, I had no choice but to reverse on the grassed median strip and, as I mounted the concrete kerb, ripped the sump plug off – END OF TRIP? We’ll not quite. Thanks to NRMA, I rented a trailer and a tow vehicle, loaded the TR and continued with the rest of the group.
 
When back home took the TR to my local mechanic to see what the problem was. Sump, easy to fix – replacement sump. The engine a little different. The head was cracked and the head gasket blown but some damage was seen in the cylinder bore as well. I made the decision and instructed the mechanic to rebuild the engine.
 
It was subcontracted to an engine builder in the ACT. I supplied a complete 87.5mm rebuild kit from the TR-Register. 18 months later, while being test driven by said mechanic, the O/D seized. It went down to TR gearbox guru, Geoff Kelly, who identified some serious issues, so an O/D fix was carried out. 
By now this journey has taken 2 years and cost in excess of $20k (I also got ball joints changed, upgraded the driving lights to period ones and a new heater core made, all in that price).  
 
So I finally get it home only to discover a major oil leak. Back to the mechanic who confirmed “oil leak at rear main seal” and added “seal supplied by owner – no warranty”. At this point I strongly considered throwing in the towel. Our beloved TR has spent more time in someone else’s garage than we have had in ownership. More importantly, we have been denied the comradery of the TR network and participating in events with our TR.
 
But then, just when I thought all was lost, TR-Register members came to the rescue with an offer to help fix the problem. 
So, for the fourth time in this saga, engine out and when the flywheel was removed, the last engine builder had NOT put the seal retaining plate back on the rear of the block. The seal I provided was just flogging around on the crank. Easy fix when you know how. The clutch plate was soaked in oil, so a new plate there and the engine went in with no issues. It’s the fitting up after that which was fiddly.
 
Now with the motor repaired, the install was completed over a 3-day period in August 2025 and the TR was trailered home from the south coast of NSW to Jindabyne – an infamous date to remember, SUNDAY 21 August 2025 – 3 years and 1 month after the head gasket issue in Hahndorf.
 
Ironically, the TR is finally going to get to Hahndorf (I’m being positive now) for the TR Nationals and Bay to Birdwood. I’ll just steer clear of peak hour in Hahndorf and that bloody intersection!
 
PICTURE: Maz Turner and the Trophy for the top award, “People’s Choice” – Terribly British Day.
 

 

Otto Feenstra

I bought the car in April 2005. It was a going concern but in a fairly sorry state. The body was reasonably straight but riddled with rust. The mechanics were good though. The car had already been fitted with rack and pinion steering, alternator and a thermofan.

The car was completely dismantled. The chassis went to Smithees in Batemans Bay for refurbishing. The front springs, shocks were replaced and new adjustable upper wishbone fulcrum points and a new larger dia roll bar fitted. The rear springs were similarly replaced, the lever shocks revalved and a panhard rod fitted. The rack & pinion brackets were upgraded to a more secure design. The cruciform of the chassis was reinforced and minor repairs carried out. The whole unit was resprayed with 2 pack black.

The brakes have been completely refurbished. The original brake and clutch master cylinders were replace with self contained trailer units. The original front calipers were replaced with Hi-lux units for larger pad area. They bolt straight on using TR4 mounts. The diameter of the rotors had to be reduced by 5mm to clear the new calipers. I have used a Laser KB master cylinder and integrated booster to provide a twin circuit braking system. The booster is activated by a Falcon clutch slave cylinder. As the body was being completely restored I was able to make the battery compartment shorter to accommodate a standard 230 long battery thereby making space to house the booster in the traditional location on the bulkhead with the clutch slave cylinder inside the car. A proportioning valve was inserted in the rear brake line to prevent lockup under extremely heavy braking. The whole system works extremely well.

The steering shaft was replaced with a collapsible Holden VH/VK unit. The outer column and inner shaft were lengthened without affecting the overall collapsibility of the unit. The articulated section of the Holden shaft fitted straight on the R&P spline, and because of the size of the universal joints we gained clearance to fit extractors to the engine. I also retained the VH steering boss with the indicator, park & headlight controls and emergency flasher mechanisms. The boss was shortened and partly reshaped to clear the instruments

The original radiator and water pump were replaced with a Volvo unit, electric water pump and new thermofan (thanks to Brian Richards for the inspiration).

The engine was left as is except for the fitting of ceramic coated extractors, TR4 inlet manifold and electronic dizzy (again thanks Brian ). The carbys were completely rebuilt.

The car has been completely rewired with appropriate relays and fuses.

The body was stripped back to bare metal which showed up a lot of bog and crook repair work. There was also extensive rust in the sills, floors and around the rear panels. New inner and outer sills and floors were installed and a lot of repair work was carried out in general. The cockpit wheel arches were also “flattened” to accommodate the square backs of MX5 seats, which also required new seat mounts to be made. The body was finished in 2 pack “Harvest Moon” colour.

Finally the wheels were replaced with new 5.5” chrome 72 spoke units fitted with Dunlop 300E 195/65/R15 tyres.

As far as I am aware the car is a 1961 model. There was no commission plate, however the EB plate was still attached. The engine, gearbox and OD units are not original as replacement units had been rebuilt by the previous owner, thus their numbers are of no use for tracing purposes. The only original numbers on the car are those on the EB plate and diff housing. John Pike has tried to trace details of the car using this information, but has not been successful to date. May be at some stage we will find details of this orphan’s birth.

The car was finished late December last year and I’m now looking forward to many years of TReriffic motoring!