TR4 Dashboard

[gwr]

When my TR4 was refurbished (rather than restored) little attention seems to have been paid to the fact that it was a 4 rather than a 4A. Consequently, since I've owned it, I've been taking the 4A bits off (like the small over-riders on the front bumper) and replacing them with 4 parts.

 

For the last few months I have been piecing together the bits I need to replace the white painted dash during the winter months - I've still got a few bits to get, so if anyone can point me in the direction of the centre instrument panel, or let me have a template, I'd be very grateful. And the reinforcing strip that goes behind the swich panel!

 

Anyway, to the point of this post. I've had a terrible thought. Is the wooden instrument panel currently fitted original to the car? I've recently been led to understand that some later 4s were factory-fitted with a wooden dash. Is this true, and if so, from what comission number was this option available? My dash is certainly not one of the new, Gucci, burr, veneer, high-gloss efforts. It's a dark, teak-like, semi-gloss job with a seam running down the middle. It doesn't have the cut-out on the lower edge to accept the 4's switch panel. I'll post some pics this evening.

 

Thanks in advance.

[david ferry]

Gordon,

 

Do you have a heritage certificate for your car?

 

If you do then this may tell you if your car was fitted with the optional wooden dash fascia.

 

I have a spare small gauge panel in my spares stash. It has been professionally black crackle coated and is ready to fit.

 

If you are interested in this, please contact me.

 

I may have a sapre of the reinforcing strip behind the switches. I'll have to check. If not, I may be able to find you one from someone else.

 

Again, let me know.

 

Regards

 

David

Edited September 26, 2007 by david ferry

[bob-menhennett]

Gordon

 

My TR4 is a very late ( 1965 i.e. last few months of production) imported from the States complete with a wooden dash.Bill Pigott's Original Triumph TR4/4A/5/6 book referring to Optional extras/accessories, etc ..states "It was not all available all the time, and introduction/deletion points have been hard to uncover "

In his Instruments & Control chapter it states , "The veneered dashboard ( part number 903508 ) was actually available as a special order on left hand drive TR4s from the Autumn of 1964 but no right- hand part was listed.It is possible that the wooden dashboard was even standard on the last few months' production of TR4s for the North American market."

 

Bill also says many TR4s had wooden dashboards fitted retrospectively.

 

My original dashboard was beyond repair and I bought a second hand one at Stoneleigh many years ago which, as it turned out, was a home made example which needed fettling for a good fit.I completely fitted up the whole dashboard, after innumerable coats of varnish and then found I didn't have a hole for the

rheostat switch....I positively "aged" tentively drilling the hole in the finished dash !!

 

Bob

[Tr4Tony]

Hi

 

I believe that the wooden dash was supplied from mid 1964 ish on USA export cars as standard. A lot of the Stateside cars I know are so decked out and I have read somewhere that from Comm no CT38***ish they just came like that .... cant be more specific im afraid as only from a conversation years ago.

 

Someone out there in TRLand will know chapter and verse on this.

 

Regards

 

Tony

[gwr]

Thanks for the quick response, guys. I think I will go back to Plan A and refit the white dash over the winter. I have attached a pic of the current dash just for interest's sake.

 

The central switch plinth I recently received is rather flimsy and doesn't look as if it's as substantial as the original item. I plan to strenghen it with expending foam. Does anyone have any other suggestions to bring this item up to scratch?

 

David, I've PMd you ref the instrument panel and reinforcing strip.

[bob-menhennett]

Gordon

 

I'm not sure that expanded foam would do an awful lot to strengthen the plate IMHO.

You will need to retain the integrity of the perimeter of instrument holes, so that they fit correctly.( i.e don't forget the space required for the metal retaining bridges holding the instruments in.)

My suggestions would be either a sheet metal backing , with oversized holes, made from scratch. and glued to the back of the original

or fibreglass matting carefully applied with resin.

 

Bob

[gwr]

Thanks, Bob. My intention was to use a reinforcing plate (a standard part) to ensure the switches are securely mounted and just to beef-up the surrounding plastic trim using the foam, similar to the arrangement behind the trim piece already fitted to the car. I've never used this foam before - I was considering using some Bostick aerosol stuff, but I don't know if it will provide a reasonable degree of rigidity. I can recall my Dad using a twin-pack mix to fill the voids in model boats (many years ago) and that stuff set pretty hard. However, I've no idea what it was called. It was probably liberated from the shipyard where he worked (that should give you some idea how long ago it was).

[stuart]

Gordon the dash set up that is on your car at the moment is a 4a one as the wood doesnt have the cut out for the switch plinth and the plinth in your photo is a 4a one as well because the 4 one is the other way up so as you say it looks as if it was built up as a 4a.

My 4a when it came back from the states had a 4a back with a 4 wood dash and a 4 switch plinth so typical American fit whatever they could find!

Stuart.

[ianc]

Jon Marshall, the TR4/4A Registrar, may be able to advise on the original configuration.

Ian Cornish

[carld]

Sorry to jump on Gordons queires, I too have had similar problems, I need the strengthing brackets that come from the dash to the switch plinth. Does anyone know if these are bolt on? and better still if they are, has anyone got a pair of them to sell

 

Cheers

 

Carl

[RAHTR4]

Carl,

 

Not sure if the following helps.

 

The metal fascia panel has two brackets which support the switch plinth, these are spot welded an project out from the face of the panel.

 

On top of those brackets is a separate reinforcement plate - item 98 in the Moss catalogue, they list two part numbers dependant upon commission number, not sure what the difference could be?

 

Then on top of that sits the plastic switch plinth, item 96, and lastly the metal trim plate, item 97.

 

On the nearside you should also have a separate metal plate, item 84, which holds the passenger side bottom part of the fascia back to the bulkhead.

 

The only parts I might have as spares are items 98 and 84.

 

Regards, Richard

[Paul Hogan]

Just a quick note, you will find the glove box lock is different and you will need the special hinges that fit it. the ones from the wooden dash wont do it.

 

 

hogie.

[Rhodri]

Gordon- When you say that you will return the dash to white, have you a proper 4 dash to use? On the dash in the photo, the brackets that extend out from the dash to hold the reinforcing plate behind the switch plinth must have been cut down to fit the TR4A plinth. You will have to extend them by an inch or so if you haven't got the proper dash. The reinforcing plate will then fit tightly behind the plinth, so you shouldn't need to strengthen it as the plate will take all the forces. My original? USA 4 has a very flimsy plinth, and I am trying to locate a proper 4 plinth at the moment as mine has split.

 

You may have a TR4A metal dash fitted and I believe that it is different in a few respects- not painted in white, just a dark brown primer, shorter plinth brackets, slightly different steering column hole shape ( pointed at the top instead of circular), and a bracket to operate a switch for the glove box, on the right hand side, I think.

[gwr]

Thanks for all your advice guys. I haven't had the wooden dash off yet, but I've seen enough of what's behind it to know that it's not suitable for anything else other than being hidden behind the current dash.

 

I have an original white dash, glove box lid, hinges, lock etc all waiting to be refurbished and fitted during the winter.

 

I noticed that the part number for the central switch consol changes at some stage for the TR4, so I ordered the later part for my '64 car. But, on offering up the consol to the supporting brackets I notice that there is a gap of about 1/2" between the dash and the top of the consol. Is this because there is a difference between the early and late trim? Are the mounting brackets on the dash different, ie shorter on later dashes. Have I got an early dash and a late central consol? Why does even the simplest job become complicated?

[Trevor S]

Gordon, Sorry to possibly complicate matters further but the vent flap lid operating lever under the dash is a different shape on the 4 & the 4a. I assume therefore you will need to source a 4 lever. The 4a one may well open the vent flap lid OK with a change of wire rod, but I assume the shape was changed due to the changes in dash and presume that cash strapped Triumph wouldn't have changed the shape of the lever for the sake of it if the 4 lever worked OK on the 4a. You say you have a TR4 facia now, so hopefully it came with the correct lever attached as I think it had a press fit fitting. You may want to check this aspect before fitting.

Trevor.

[gwr]

Trevor,

 

Thank you, my white dash came complete with the vent lever and even included the little plastic knurled handle - no 'mini-trunnion' for the vent operating rod, though. I have the rod, for 4 or 4A I do not know. If it doesn't fit/work I have a cunning plan involving a pair of pliers and ultimately a wire coat hanger. I think I can sacrifice originality for functionality in this case. Talk about Zen and the art of classic car maintenance.

[Trevor S]

Good to hear it Gordon, one less thing to worry about.

You've done well to source a rhd TR4 dash panel as I think they are relatively hard to come by. There were certainly none around when I restored my TR4 which was an ex California car. I could only get a rhd 4a panel at that time but luckily I had all the correct parts off the lhd 4 panel before exchanging it, so my conversion was relatively simple as I merely extended the lower central brackets to fit the 4 switch plinth, changed over the vent flap lid lever and fitted a wooden facia which needed a hole drilling for the rheostat.

Good luck, I'm sure your perseverance will pay off.

Trevor.