For years, David believed that owning a proper British sports car—a classic gentleman’s machine like an MGA or Triumph TR3—meant chasing perfection. Showroom paint, chrome that sparkled, and a price tag far out of reach.
But everything changed when he crossed paths with Mike Pixley and his wonderfully rough MGA at the Mad Dogs & Englishmen car show. That car, patina and all, showed Dave that the joy wasn’t in polishing—it was in driving.
In this episode of Spanners, David shares the story of finding his own 1959 Triumph TR3 and the emotional highs and lows of getting it back on the road. It’s a journey full of grit, learning, and the kind of imperfect beauty that defines the MARS spirit: forget the finish—get it running and drive it.
A heartfelt look at how one weathered old Triumph helped David rediscover what these cars are really about.
The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and amplifies creators from all corners of the car world, including culture, dealerships, collections, modified builds and more.
A transcript provided by AI and edited by a staffer is below.
[Image: YouTube/Michigan Automotive Relic Society]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
Transcript:
Intro
I know where all of my tools are, for the most part. They’re nice cars. The only reason this one is dirty is because it hasn’t been out all year.
My dad’s friends all had MGBs. I thought they were fantastic, and I really wanted a British car of my own. The Spitfire checked all the boxes. This 1980 Spitfire even shared a name with my favorite aircraft, the WWII Spitfire. When I found out there was a car named after it, I thought that was great.
I learned how to work on cars with that Spitfire. Before that, I hadn’t really worked on a car much at all. It just snowballed from there.
Mad Dogs & Englishmen
I took the Spitfire to the Mad Dogs and Englishmen show with my buddy Keith. We were some of the only young guys there, but we noticed another pair of young guys with an MGB. We talked to them, and one of them had an MGA.
The MGA was in rough shape—ratty, torn seats, and it ran poorly. I had always seen the ideal British sports car as something like my Spitfire—shiny and in good condition. I liked to keep it nice, not necessarily baby it, but still take care of it.
Then I saw Pixley’s MGA on the autocross course, just being driven and enjoyed. I realized that was an imperfect car, and I loved everything about it. It was a timeless classic worth tens of thousands, but here was someone just driving it the way it was meant to be. That stuck with me. I thought it would be so cool to have something like that, even though I doubted I’d ever find an MGA or TR3.
TR3 Project Car
Fast forward—this TR3 project came up. The photos made it look complete. When I saw the overdrive switch on the dash, I made an offer within my budget. We negotiated, and I agreed to buy a TR3 project that had been sitting for 25 years, sight unseen.
I wasn’t going to do a frame-off restoration—just get it running and enjoy it. The seller gave me the spare parts, the title, and told me to pick it up from storage up north.
The storage turned out to be a sealed crate, which held in humidity. Under the hood looked like the Titanic—corroded everywhere. But the floors were solid, and for the price I paid, I was happy.
The car had over 80,000 miles and was almost entirely original—no bushings, shocks, or anything ever replaced. Not a good thing in this case. Keith found me another motor from a junkyard. It wasn’t great, but at least it wasn’t seized. I rebuilt it myself, figuring that if someone in an English factory could put it together back then, I could do it in my barn.
First Start
By July, I was able to start enjoying the car. My goal was to take it on the Round Headlamp Rally.
Turn for the Worst
One week after it became roadworthy, I hit a deer. I was only a couple miles from home when it ran out of a ditch. It caved in the fender and bent the headlight assembly. The car was still drivable, but it was badly damaged.
I had two options: give up and take the insurance payout, or fix it. I chose to fix it.
Survival
My first thought was, “I’m alive.” The second was, “I just spent all this time fixing it, and a week later, it’s wrecked.” I refused to let the deer win.
Revival with Friends
Keith, whose grandfather was a body shop guy, offered to help. They spent the summer repairing it, and by September, it was ready for the rally. Despite the damage and setbacks, I finished—and even won first place.
Poetic Reflections
The car isn’t fully restored, and it’s not a show car. But it’s a car I can drive anytime without worrying. If it rains, I get wet. If I take a dirt road, it gets more chips. It’s just a driver.
It all goes back to seeing that MGA at Mad Dogs and realizing it’s okay to have an imperfect old car and just enjoy it. I bought this TR3 because it was the one I could afford, and I made the most of it.
Outro
My classic car ownership has progressed from driving them home to dragging them home on trailers. Ultimately, I just enjoy bringing cars back to life.
