LETTERS

WHEN IS A PROTOTYPE NOT A PROTOTYPE?

I have read somewhere recently that no prototype of the TR3 was ever built. The author was probably right, although I had thought that I’d once owned one.

It came about this way. I had, during the 1950s, worked my way up through a couple of Austin Sevens, a Meteor and a Singer Nine (4A) to an MG TD. I worked on the latter until, after many valve droppings and some run big-end bearings, it would do a shade over 90mph.

So then I set my sights on 100mph, preferably without the risk of nasty noises from under the bonnet. I researched and reflected on the ship to the UK and decided it had to be a Swallow Doretti or a Triumph TR3. The Austin-Healey wasn’t in contention as I had seen too many of them limping home with the exhaust system taking up passenger space.

I clattered down the gangplank at Southampton and headed for The Chequered Flag. They had a Doretti, but it was clear there wasn’t