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Hi all.

 

Recently acquired a job lot of parts, amongst which was this unusual TR4 front grill.

 

I'm sure I've seen one of these before somewhere and sometime, but I'm blowed if I can remember where, when or what!

 

I appreciate it's somewhat battered and bent, but could be restored if necessary - it looks professionally built or if not made by a professional of some sorts.

 

Can anyone enlighten me a bit further, and advise of potential value.

 

Thanks as always

 

Rich

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Rich,

 

Looks to me like a factory TR4 grille that has been modified to take a pair of extra lights mounted from behind.

Might be a factory special, or might have been modified aftermarket by someone who knew what they are doing and wanted it look 'correct.'

 

Nice thing either way, but hard to put a price on. Quite expensive to restore properly but perfectly doable.

 

If someone can validate it to be a genuine factory item, made for a rally car or something special, it would be very valuable indeed.

Edited by Paul Harvey
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Hi Rich.

 

I had one of these but for a TR4A. I sold it on for £50.

 

If you visit my website here http://tr4a.weebly.com/parts--miscellanea.html

 

You will see mine and another on a TR4.

 

Yours looks better than the reference on the TR4 I found:-)

 

Best wishes.

 

Paul

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Hi Rich

 

Yours looks like an aftermarket version of some description. Does it have any markings?

 

Recently I sold a Mk1 Austin Cooper grille which had two holes manufactured for spot: fog lights. It was a period accessory made by Benelite of Birmingham, but don't know if they also made this one.

 

Regards

 

Kevin

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The radiator of the TR4 is rather small for the size of engine, and modern fuels don't seem to helpthe situation, so restricting the airflow to the radiator is not a very good idea!

Ian Cornish

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Rich,

 

Ian Cornish is an acknowledged expert on TR4 performance cars and his comments suggest the grille is not a factory item.

He would know if such an item was ever produced by them.

 

It is still better made than either of the ones on Paul 'Weebly's website, and seems designed to restrict airflow as little as possible.

Given where the lights are fixed this IS more restrictive than the way they were fitted to rally cars mounted on the bumpers (so air could flow around them.)

 

If someone doesn't want to drill their bumpers and is confident they can handle the airflow issues, I still think these are well enough made to be worth considering.

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Thanks everyone for comments so far.

 

Kevin - I've checked all over and can't find any identifying marks anywhere - I do recall the Benelite mini ones in the 70's and wanted one myself but couldn't afford it so tried to make one myself - got it 90% finished and there it remained till now - I still have it and may one day finish it!

 

Ian - I wouldn't disagree with you about it restricting airflow, so seems unlikely to have been a factory mod and as Paul says, if anyone would know, you would!

 

I still cant believe its home made because it is so well made - none of the joints are welded/glued in any form, but simply pressed together - there are no linishing/hammer marks in the turned over metal so it mush have been pressed together in a jig which would be a bit excessive for a home made job - maybe someone will recognise the maker.

 

Lots of intrigue!

 

cheers

 

Rich

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Hi Rich,

an interesting find.

I would not have thought that it was a factory made item as the horizontal bars have been flattened in a rather course fashion.

Folding that rim back on itself takes a bit of doing - assuming it is folded and not two pieces (front and back) joined together.

 

It looks very functional though.

 

You can now get that Sabrina engine and know what to stick through the holes.

 

Roger

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The Works' TR4 Rally cars used a spotlamp mounted in the centre of the grille on:

a) 1962 Tulip and Alpine Rallies (with a pair of spots mounted below the grille)

B) 1962 Liège, Genva and RAC Rallies and 1963 Monte (with two pairs of spots mounted below the grille!).

 

The low hung spots were very vulnerable, often got drowned and exploded, Graham tells me. But as Lucas supplied them FOC, not a problem!

 

I prefer the arrangement used by the Works in the later Rallies (1963 Alpine, Liège, RAC and 1964 Shell 4000): a pair of spots mounted on a lamp bar and another atop the centre front of the bonnet. The lamp bar is what can be seen on all 3 of the VC cars (see the photo in the latest TR Action), and the cables are run inside the bar. I don't use a bonnet-mounted spot as I don't think it looks very good and I don't want to drill the alloy bonnet.

 

Ian Cornish

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