Jump to content

Newbie - Just Checking In


Recommended Posts

Hello Folks. I have just purchased TCF 1278 L. It has been a 46-year-long quest, since my first car (1958 TR3A) back in 1961 in high school. I know that I will have questions, and look forward to your expertise. For example, the PO had converted her to electronic ignition and rack and pinion steering. She was a basket case when he purchased her, and over a 10-year period, she has become a beautiful automobile. I will try to attach a photo; however, being my first post, the photo may end up in Peru.post-7640-1247150178_thumb.jpg

post-7640-1247150178_thumb.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites
Hello Folks. I have just purchased TCF 1278 L. It has been a 46-year-long quest, since my first car (1958 TR3A) back in 1961 in high school. I know that I will have questions, and look forward to your expertise. For example, the PO had converted her to electronic ignition and rack and pinion steering. She was a basket case when he purchased her, and over a 10-year period, she has become a beautiful automobile. I will try to attach a photo; however, being my first post, the photo may end up in Peru.post-7640-1247150178_thumb.jpg

Nice one George. I particularly like the period stone guards on the headlamps. Its funny that we never used to hear much about 3Bs but just lately there has been quite a few turn up.

Stuart.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Nice one George. I particularly like the period stone guards on the headlamps. Its funny that we never used to hear much about 3Bs but just lately there has been quite a few turn up.

Stuart.

 

We have one in our club, its an interesting model I think, overlapping with the TR4

 

DSC_0039.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Welcome on board George. This forum will become a daily "read" for you. If I can help with answers, I'll give it a try.

 

I feel I have met about 100 TR Register members who frequent the sidescreen portion of this forum. On occasional visits to England, I have met many.

 

For those who may not know, I met George in 1996 at British Car Day in Bowie Maryland, USA the day after the 1996 TRA National Meet where Bill Piggott had been my navigator when we won the fun rally together.

 

George approached and admired my black and red 1958 TR3A and he told me that he had one in the early 1960s which had been the same colour. About a year ago, George got in touch with me and since then we have been writing to each other about this or that TR3A for sale on E-bay or elsewhere. George has finally made an excellent choice and now he's going to feel 50 years younger now that he's once again behind the wheel of his new TR3B. It's not black with red, but it sure looks a beauty.

 

Welcome George.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Nice one George. I particularly like the period stone guards on the headlamps. Its funny that we never used to hear much about 3Bs but just lately there has been quite a few turn up.

Stuart.

Stuart, your post got me to thinking. The TR3B was created, as you know, to appease the AMERICAN dealers, who were afraid that the TR4 - with its roll-up windows - might not sell. So heck, one would think that ALL of the Bs went to the USA and that the Brits never saw them! I don't know.

 

I would be very interested to hear what you Brits say about the B. Did you see many/any of them in 1962, or did they all come over here?

 

I can understand the American dealers' concern. My friends and I had TR3s, MGAs and Healey 100-4s, so anything with rollup windows was HERESY to us!

Link to post
Share on other sites
I would be very interested to hear what you Brits say about the B. Did you see many/any of them in 1962, or did they all come over here?

Although they all (or mostly?) went to the USA originally, a few have been repatriated as a result of the re-importing of dry-state TRs in recent years to replace the rusted-out stock here.

 

I've never been sure of all the differnces between TR3A and TR3B. Apart from the obvious use of 2138cc engines, all-synchro gearbox and smaller brake disks, I think most of the changes are to minor fitments being supplanted by TR4 equivalents. It would be interesting to see a full list of differences.

 

However, I'm sure they all drive the same and give many of us a reason to carry on living :)

 

BTW - how does a car get that shiney? It clearly needs some serious driving (although Don's still looks too smart despite its high mileage).

Link to post
Share on other sites
Although they all (or mostly?) went to the USA originally, a few have been repatriated as a result of the re-importing of dry-state TRs in recent years to replace the rusted-out stock here.

 

I've never been sure of all the differnces between TR3A and TR3B. Apart from the obvious use of 2138cc engines, all-synchro gearbox and smaller brake disks, I think most of the changes are to minor fitments being supplanted by TR4 equivalents. It would be interesting to see a full list of differences.

 

However, I'm sure they all drive the same and give many of us a reason to carry on living :)

 

BTW - how does a car get that shiney? It clearly needs some serious driving (although Don's still looks too smart despite its high mileage).

 

The big difference, other than the gearbox, is the 2 inch wider track. I've always thought that, for that reason, the 3B might be the nicest of the sidescreen cars

 

andy

Link to post
Share on other sites
The big difference, other than the gearbox, is the 2 inch wider track. I've always thought that, for that reason, the 3B might be the nicest of the sidescreen cars

 

andy

They have exactly the same track as a standard 3a. The only difference is the engine on the later series and the synchro box (with a revised mount) and the later type calipers and discs on both TCF and TSF series. Other than the aforementioned lack of bulkhead hole for r/hand steer they are exactly the same as post 60000 cars.

Stuart.

Link to post
Share on other sites
They have exactly the same track as a standard 3a. The only difference is the engine on the later series and the synchro box (with a revised mount) and the later type calipers and discs on both TCF and TSF series. Other than the aforementioned lack of bulkhead hole for r/hand steer they are exactly the same as post 60000 cars.

Stuart.

 

Ah, I stand corrected, I thought they used the TR4 axle

 

andy

Link to post
Share on other sites
I thought they used the TR4 axle

You were probably thinking of the TR3Beta prototype which had a TR4 rear axle.

I have read somewhere that it had a TR4 chassis, but don't know if this is so. I suspect it was just a modified TR3A chassis.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think there are at least 3 TR3B's in the Belgian Club and according to the membership book more than 30 in the Dutch TR Club, but some of them might have migrated to Belgium ;) or Germany

 

As far as I know the TR4's , not the IRS, were built on more or less identical TR3 chassis frames with an added U member under the front suspension tower and some wider body brackets. The axle itself got a bit wider. Sometimes you might see a 4 with a TR3 rear axle, looks like a railway waggon from behind :lol:

Nice car you have George and welcome to the forum.

Edited by jean
Link to post
Share on other sites

The assembly of the TR3Bs was done by another company as S-T were using the production line for the TR4. Therefore there are no records of detailed changes etc. I have heard of TR3B owners finding that the interior vinyl colour was re-sprayed because an interior could have been black doors, red dash, one blue seat cushion and a black one (you get the picture) because they were using up all the left-over stock.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes the 3B's were assembled by an S-T subsiduary, the Forward Radiator Company, thus the "F" in the TSF and TCF commission numbers. The change from TS to TC series indicated an upgrade to the TR4 "C" series 2138cc engine.

 

3B's were only listed in four colours of Signal Red, Black, Powder Blue or Spa White, but towards the end of production you could order and wait for a preferred colour. My former car, TCF2604L, left the factory painted BRG with tan trim and white roof and side curtains.

 

Another little known change was the deletion of leather trim for vynil at the start of the TCF series, although not every car in each series was one or the other.

 

Over the years it was thought that only TR3B's had the wide headlight rims, however it has been established that late LHD 3A's had them fitted as well. Oddly I've not seen any RHD TR3A's fitted with the wider rims, and we have a few late 1961 cars near the end of production.

 

All the TR3B's I've seen had adjustable steering wheels, but a small sample doesn't mean the adjustable column became a fixture, rather than remaining an optional extra as with the 3A's.

 

Watching USA TR3B Ebay listings for some years now, most cars seem to have been non-overdrive, and steel wheel equipped.

 

Regards,

 

Viv.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Overhere in Holland, our Group Leader owns a TR3B. And I'm pretty sure his car is restored to original specification. Yes, with the wider head lamp rims etc. The colour of his car is BRG with a (wine) red interior, s/screens and hood. A very nice combination. Indeed, his car comes without the OD. He insists keeping the car oringal; although he sees the OD's advantages, he will not install one. It's very hard to see the difference between a 3A and a 3B and now Viv tells us that the wider head lamp rims are also installed on some 3As... It will be even harder to spot the difference!

 

Have a nice weekend!

 

Menno

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi George , Just wanted to add my own welcome to the Forum It looks like your patience in waiting for the right car has really paid off judging from the photo. Is the paint laquered or is it just very shiny?

 

It was my understanding that all TR3Bs went to the USA although I dare say the odd one may have ended up elsehwere. The TSF chassis were used for the Italia so arguably you could say some went to Italy as well.

I dare say in Texas your car will get a lot of dry weather driving, so have fun!

Do you know if your original TR survived? Must be a good chance if you were in Texas then also.

Link to post
Share on other sites
...his car comes without the OD. He insists keeping the car oringal; although he sees the OD's advantages, he will not install one.

I can never understand the obsession with originality. If the car is to be used for it's intended purpose (sporting driving?), I would have thought many owners would have upgraded to an overdrive gearbox, especially as they were available as a factory option on other TRs.

Link to post
Share on other sites
I would have thought many owners would have upgraded to an overdrive gearbox, especially as they were available as a factory option on other TRs.

 

That was exactly our argument a few days back during our Group meeting! The man has a great workshop behind his house, filled with all kinds of useful restoration tools. He has his own 4 post lift in his garage! So that's also not a problem.

I think that an OD on a TR is great! Driving along with somebody who's not used to cars with an OD, the feature is a sort of revelation! "An electric gearbox?" or when you flick the switch on the dash without lifting you hands: "Yes, paddle shifting avant la lettre." :lol:

 

Menno

Link to post
Share on other sites

First, thanks for all the warm welcomes, and the "new" information!

 

Secondly, I had to laugh at all the countries I have heard from on just this post! On this side of the pond, "British Sports Car" means the United States and [a little] Canada. And............................oh yes...........Britain. Needless to say, I have egg on my face for thinking in my "war baby" paradigm.

 

Many thanks to Viv for the Forward Radiator info - totally new to me, and I thought that I was well-read onTriumph history.

 

Trevor, I will have to find out about the paint. I have contacted the two POs. Funny you should ask about my 1958 TR. In my old photos, I found one that showed my Maryland 1962 license plate. So, last year, I contacted the State of Maryland to see what they could find. A young lady there, bless her heart, has gone above and beyond the call of duty to find my Commission Number. She is reduced to going thru TENS OF THOUSANDS of micro fiche (horribly tedious task) records to see if she can find my car. And she even refused to deposit the $12 standard fee I sent in with my application. Maybe some day, she will find it...

 

Don, I think that we met in Bowie more in 1986 than 1996!! I had it about 1985 based on some of the old Lotus spreadsheets I had done on Triumph-related data. I can appreciate your input on the interior colors getting resprayed at the factory. NOT TO MENTION THE DEALERS, who played all kinds of tricks to sell a car, swapping out interiors, wheels, transmissions, yada yada yada. When you see a BRG car on the lot with a blue interior, you know damn well...

 

Jean, I am surprised at my being surprised to see a Belgium Triumph Club. Haven't I heard of the famous Jabbeke run? My apologies to les Belgiques (if there is such a word).

 

Menno, sitting there in Holland with THIRTY TR3-Bs !!??

 

Brian, thanks for the poop on the SMALLER disc brakes. I knew that they were different, but I didn't know HOW they were different.

 

And lastly, Brian, thanks for the info on the lack of a right-hand hole for the steering column. Makes sense, if they were all going to America.

 

Like I mentioned, this car has a GM electronic ignition, a rack and pinion steering system, and an electronic fan/thermostat with wires going all over the place. So, I will be hitting you-all up for recommendations; I am sure.

 

Right now I only have two projects, both minor: (1) to get the horns to work (I am going to learn to solder), which is probably due to the "splice" done on the new hot wire to come out of the new steering column and Moto Lita steering wheel also on the car. (I may keep the wheel, as it does have the Triumph shield in the middle.) and (2) to install the pockets on the outside of the door interior panels, as anything put in the door storage drops to the bottom of the door. This will probably involve removing the upholstery, stapling in the pockets, then re-installing the upholstery, as the rivets are not available from TRF.

 

Comments are welcomed!!

 

P.S. The PO told me that the car did not leak oil. I knew better, so I bought a drip pan before I got the car home. As it turns out, I don't need a pan. I need TWO pans! Is it possible for the TAIL LIGHTS to leak oil ???????????????

Link to post
Share on other sites
Hi George , Just wanted to add my own welcome to the Forum It looks like your patience in waiting for the right car has really paid off judging from the photo. Is the paint laquered or is it just very shiny?

 

It was my understanding that all TR3Bs went to the USA although I dare say the odd one may have ended up elsehwere. The TSF chassis were used for the Italia so arguably you could say some went to Italy as well.

I dare say in Texas your car will get a lot of dry weather driving, so have fun!

Do you know if your original TR survived? Must be a good chance if you were in Texas then also.

Hey Trevor, the paint is a base coat, then clear coat.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Don, I think that we met in Bowie more in 1986 than 1996!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I did the restoration of my 1958 TR3A from 1987 to 1990, so it must have been 1996, the same year that TRA was held in Williamsburg, Virginia. I remembe it so well because of my navigator in the fun rally there.

Link to post
Share on other sites
P.S. The PO told me that the car did not leak oil. I knew better, so I bought a drip pan before I got the car home. As it turns out, I don't need a pan. I need TWO pans! Is it possible for the TAIL LIGHTS to leak oil ???????????????

 

 

George

 

Hello and welcome from France, although I am not french but from New Zealand but I live here with my french wife and kids, TRs are well loved and represented over here too :) As you have owned a TR before you know the only time a British sports car does not leak oil is when the sump is empty :lol:

 

Cheers

 

Alan

Edited by Kiwifrog
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, Jean is right: about 30 3Bs in Holland. During the 90s shiploads of classic cars went to Holland. I even know a guy who bought a lot of classics, filling the boot (trunk ;) ) and interior with Levi's jeans, Nike shoes etc. Back then, these items were expensive overhere. So he made lots of money with this enterprise.

 

to install the pockets on the outside of the door interior panels, as anything put in the door storage drops to the bottom of the door. This will probably involve removing the upholstery, stapling in the pockets, then re-installing the upholstery, as the rivets are not available from TRF.

 

Here's an example of the doorpocket on my car. A fellow restorer owns a carpet laying business (is there a term for this sort of work in English?) and he made two pairs of pockets; we traded: I got0ne pair of pockets, I made him a new pair of door panels. He used a good quality cardboard and used professional glue, also used when laying carpets. Be sure to measure the depth of the pockets: too deep and they will touch the inside of the door panel.

 

I bought a few pieces of masonite hard board (the water resistant type) and used a jigsaw machine to cut out the new panels, using the old ones as a template.

 

When the upholsterer did his job, he used small bolts (domed head) and nuts (with loctite) to mount the pockets to the panels. He used a thin layer of foam between the panels and the vinyl, thus covering the (domed) bolt heads. Make sure you install the hook-device for guiding the lock pull cord together with the pockets before you reupholster. (Sorry, I don't have a pic of the guiding hooks, I'm sure a fellow forum member has a decent picture).

 

Menno

 

EDIT: 34 3Bs to be exact. TSF 77L being the oldest, TCF 2628L being the latest. (There are 4 cars with LO at the end!)

 

 

P1000396.jpg

 

P1040043.jpg

 

P1000420600x450.jpg

Edited by Menno van Rij
Link to post
Share on other sites
Hello Folks. I have just purchased TCF 1278 L. It has been a 46-year-long quest, since my first car (1958 TR3A) back in 1961 in high school. I know that I will have questions, and look forward to your expertise. For example, the PO had converted her to electronic ignition and rack and pinion steering. She was a basket case when he purchased her, and over a 10-year period, she has become a beautiful automobile. I will try to attach a photo; however, being my first post, the photo may end up in Peru.post-7640-1247150178_thumb.jpg

 

Hi George, Looks like a nice car. I am owner of TCF1255L and have built a data base of TR3Bs that are still around. TCF1278L has been on file since 2003 with engine CT35663F (must probaly be E) and body EB68598. Both numbers do not match a TR3B, so I maybe the wrong numbers have been provided? Can you update me so I can add the correct info to the 400-plus data of TR3Bs I have in the data base?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Please familiarise yourself with our Terms and Conditions. By using this site, you agree to the following: Terms of Use.