In the Sunday Times of 5th February 2009 Jay Leno, the American TV star and motor enthusiast, wrote that to own a Triumph TR3 is far better than gilts and shares. I concur.

In the mid 1950s I was employed by Standard Triumph in Percy Place. Our CEO Matt McQuaid called for me. Matt was a brother of Archbishop of Dublin John Charles McQuaid. Matt asked would I be interested in building our first TR3 in our main plant in Cashel Road, Crumlin. All the units had just come in from Coventry.

I had read many articles in Autocar and Motor Sport about this lovely sports car. The following Monday I was seconded up to Crumlin to this huge plant. I organised men to unpack all the parts for me and to hang all the components to the chassis.

I built this car in under a week. All body panels were clamped on and spot welded. I then pushed the car over to the paint shop for final finish. The next job was to fit all the chrome parts, seats, windscreen, door panels, carpets, etc. I filled her up with fuel, water, oil and hit the starter. Vroom, vroom, what a sound echoing around the building.

I soon had an audience of some 200 men all clapping and cheering as I made my exit to do a 40-50 mile shake-down run. On returning, I checked for leaks, retightened all components and everything was OK.

Next morning Matt McQuaid came up from Percy Place to see the TR3. He introduced me to Dennis, a senior tester from Coventry. Dennis and I went out on a final test. The noise in the cockpit was incredible. The rumble of tyres, the howl of the engine and the gale-force wind in our ears– we had to shout to be heard.

Minutes later Dennis shouted to me “Noel, we’re doing 100 mph.” I leaned over to look at the speedo– no seat belts then. Older readers will remember that the average car then was hard pushed to do 60 mph.

The Triumph TR3 was a great success. Most were exported to the USA to help pay Britain’s massive war debt. The few that came here were quickly snapped up. In hindsight, we were very foolish to do 100mph on the bad roads in an almost prototype sports car. Please never do what we did so long ago. Always adhere to speed limits, wear seat belts, never drink and drive (they are a deadly combination).

Check all your lights and don’t forget your tyres. Remember, at any given speed you only have a few square inches of rubber between you and terra firma.

I sometimes think of the old motor maxim ‘What’s the most important nut in all cars? The nut behind the steering wheel.’ This applies now more than ever.

Jay Leno was right– the Triumph TR3 was indeed a beauty. I often look at the many photos I have of this car in my motor archives. Finally, dear readers, may I wish one and all many thousand miles of safe and happy motoring.