I was just wondering if there are any Peerless / Warwick owners that have done significant mods to their Cars similar to a restomod. I know there are only approx 300+/- in existence but i'm sure certain people have done various major upgrades?
I really like the Peerless GT and would like to purchase one if / when I see one pop up for sale in the US for a reasonable cost. If I got one however I would definitely want to upgrade some parts with more modern touches(like 4 wheel disc brakes for example/ and full coil over suspension, possibly a more robust engine).
1. The car itself is a substantial modification of a TR3 (aka donor car, although TR3 owners don't always see it that way)
2. If you start to look at substantial mods then you will pretty soon realise that the car is limited, in almost all respects by it's chassis. Start messing about with that, and the increased load of more power, stiffer suspension, better brakes or sticky tyres will tear it apart.
3. The best mod ever is that done in period, i.e. fit a Buick 215. This will be a bit of a monster to build, drive in a controlled fashion, stop, keep cool, and insure for use on public roads. And a TR3 engine, for all it's faults, is one of the most robust and powerful of it's generation, reasonably economical, and well supported for spares or tuning bits.
4. A well-executed, period-correct restoration has a substantial resale value that will exceed build costs. A hybrid will cost more and will always struggle to find a buyer.
5. In the end, it's your car, to do with as you will. But there are very few modified cars around because, as a package it's pretty damn good as it is, as you will find if you get to drive one.
Well, I guess I am the one that made major changes to my Warwick. When I got mine, the frame was in such bad shape, that I was faced with making a total new one. Faced with that I decided to up date it in a few places. I felt that if they had stayed in business they would have changed the front suspension as Triumph changed. Peerless/Warwick raised the frame from the firewall forward to give the suspension some Caster. I made mine flat and put on TR6 suspension that had 3 degrees of caster and adjustable lower A arms. I also changed to Rack & Pinion steering. I made the mount for the rack adjustable so as to adjust for no bump steer.
In the back, my differential was rusted frozen and I could not find repair parts for it. So I installed a differential from a Nissan 300ZX with 4:1 ratio and limited slip. I left out the side fuel tanks and used a fuel cell that fitted in the spare tire well. That allowed me to move the truss part of the frame on the side out to the inside edge of the door opening. This allows move room inside. There is a full roll cage installed that ties into the front suspension and back to the rear frame work. To get the body back on with the roll frame in place, the fiberglass floor was removed and a steel floor installed that ties in each square in the frame. Makes a very stiff car. The lever shocks were changed to tube shocks. Being a race car, I didn't need a heater so that area was cut back a little and the engine moved back a few inches.
I have raced it for 10 years and it is a great handling car. I have had a broken axle in the rear that resulted in a lot of damage to the left rear and broke my original rear glass. I didn't want to race any more with the tapered axles, so I made a new De Dion tube and fitted hubs from a 280ZX. This is a axle with no taper and you don't lose a wheel. The half shafts also now have CV joints in place of the U joints.
In 2012 I decided to stop racing it and have been working to make it a street legal car. I had the seats redone as original and installed all the lights. Still have to install upholstery and carpet. Have driven it on the street and it drives good. Still have to replace the race cam to make it better on the street. I will leave it to my son so it will be his problem if he wants to sell it. Over here you first have to find some one that knows what it is.
I'm only in my late twenties but I have a love affair with cars from the late 50s/60s. I like the visceral feel of them being completely analog and the driver experiencing everything the car does. When it comes to mods I agree with your statement of doing things that would be within the period. I've read about the Buick engine swap and that was actually the engine I was thinking of fitting, If there wasn't a smaller/lighter one from a British car from the period. I have a few sports cars that I have fixed up and restored and drive whenever I can. I know that for the most part any money you sink into a car is for "fun" since you aren't getting it back. I view it as a hobby.
Richtr,
Even though you were racing your car, those are some of the modifications I was referring to about making the car just a little bit better. I like the idea of being able to change a few things here and there to make the car drive a little bit more the way I want. I am just gonna stick to it being a street cruiser though so no roll cage for me.
I suppose my first step is going to be to actually drive/get one to see how I feel about it. I know at the end of the day you can do anything you want as long as you have the wallet for it.
Here in England, our motoring regulations (DVLA) decree that substantial modifications to the chassis and suspension can lead to the loss of a road car's identity. This gives us the dreaded Q registration plates, and the vehicle then has to meet modern Single Vehicle type approval legislation. It's a bit of a tightrope to walk, and it's why the rodding scene is far more popular in the US than it is here.
If you really want a GT350, then you need to speak to Ian and Celia. Actions speak louder....
Here in England, our motoring regulations (DVLA) decree that substantial modifications to the chassis and suspension can lead to the loss of a road car's identity. This gives us the dreaded Q registration plates, and the vehicle then has to meet modern Single Vehicle type approval legislation. It's a bit of a tightrope to walk, and it's why the rodding scene is far more popular in the US than it is here.
If you really want a GT350, then you need to speak to Ian and Celia. Actions speak louder....
Yea over here in america any car that's 25 years old or older just has to pass a safety inspection check to be street legal. A car from the 1960s/1970s doesnt have to follow any of our current emission laws so I imagine its even easier to register. The government for most of the country only really cares that you pay the yearly registration/emission taxes aside from that you can do whatever you want.
I definitely plan on purchasing the peerless gt (phase 1 or 2) and not the warwick, because I prefer the look of the peerless. Its just a matter of one coming up for sale, that is in the country and maybe at-least drive-able for the day or so journey to get to a storage garage.
Although Art and I have not jumped into the restoration of #092, I need to agree with Frank! Having looked at the chassis of #092, and even though it is in great shape, I would hesitate to throw many "modern" modifications on the original chassis. I have done a few restorations and have also discovered that one must be very careful about overwhelming the original engineering. I also agree with Frank's thoughts concerning the TR3 engine. Rebuilt and tuned properly, that engine is more than enough for the type of driving and/or racing for which the Peerless was meant. As Art points out to me, the thrill of motoring through a series of tight turns is not always governed by how fast one is going!
Art and I are getting closer to working on #092!! Art has recently purchased and moved into a different which boasts a garage/shop at least 2.5 times bigger than his most recent shop. I believe the plan will be to get #092 out to him so we can start on the body. I will be taking the intake and SUs to him this weekend, so he can start a rebuild of those...
