Auction house Historics at Brooklands already had a few years ago Triumph TR3 with Microplas bodywork - Mistral type - on offer. Microplas Ltd. settled in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, UK in the early 750s. The venture was born in the minds of a group of XNUMX Motor Club enthusiasts who wanted to make a simple fiberglass carriage possible for mounting on the chassis of a pre-war Austin Seven.
Successor to the Stiletto
Their first model - listening to the name Stiletto - was succeeded by the Mistral in 1955. And that was also designed in such a way that the carriage also fitted on a Ford Ten chassis. There were - and still are - people who claim that the Mistral looks like a reduced Jaguar XKD. Microplas Ltd. became a success and such that they had to move to a larger workplace. It was found in Mitcham, County of Surrey. In the meantime, people had also seen the opportunity to manufacture such bodies for third parties. Buckler, Fairthorpe and TVR to name the three most important. The Triumph TR3 offered by Historics at Brooklands was built only once.
Very special
The car was put together in the late sixties by a certain Anthony Snapper, electricity engineer. However, the TR3 chassis has been rebuilt at the front and in such a way that the front suspension of an Austin Cambridge A60 could be screwed on. The bodywork has been changed in various places. However, the most striking is the Kamm tail, you know, one of those severed 'butt' for better aerodynamics and handling. The almost 2 liter TR3 engine was replaced by a TR4 engine with a capacity of almost 2,2 liters. A good driving, special car for which the auction house thought it could get between 10 and 15 Mille in British pounds. That didn't work out and thus this car, described in the July 2001 issue of Classic & Sports Car magazine, remained in the books as unsold. A missed opportunity for someone who wanted something special in the stables 'for little' ...
Nice of this Triumph Microplas Mistral once again to hear a summary. Unlike what is stated everywhere, there is none Triumph TR 4 engine installed, but a Standard Vanguard Sportsman engine from 2088 cc. This is demonstrated by the engine number TDD36.E and the specification of the engine contents. There is no TR4 engine with a content of 2088cc. This type of engine was by the way Triumph produced. Also nice about this car is the electric overdrive, which works on every gear. The car was sold in Belgium in 2018 and disappeared from the radar… The convertible top that was once put on is simply attached to the front, as only the English can come up with… But it works.