TR3b Gearlever

[John McIver]

Good Morning Folks,

My question is addressed to TR3b owners and other knowledgeable people. The 3b is relatively uncommon here in Australia and I would like to know if they are all fitted with the cranked lever from the TR4 as is mine. Personally, I find this to be a nuisance as the hand tends to hit the lower edge of the dashboard on the forward throw for first and third. Certainly, the tag on the key ring has to be hooked over the starter push, or it is simply in the way. I am considering reverting to the straight lever from the 3a, if not too hard to find, although this may detract from originality.

Regards,

John

[Menno van Rij]

That's odd! I've changed the straight TR3A lever because of the same reason you describe! I bended my lever backwards to give it some angle before I sent it off te be rechromed. (So, I don't use a TR4 lever - it's stiil a 3A lever).

What's more: a straight lever sits more forward than the angled lever (obviously) and I found it uncomfortable to reach for the 1st and 3rd gear.

 

Menno

[stuart]

TR4 one is longer that would be why it hits. A lot of early gear sticks have been bent/adjusted over the years. The very early 2 piece TR2 one is the worst original one for length.

Stuart.

[Don Elliott]

I still have the original gear-stick on the gearbox of my 1958 TR3A when I bought it brand new in 1958. In 1990, I changed the rubber knob with one just like the original one had been. But the original one had become all greasy, gummy and worn after over 90,250 miles from new. I guess it was all the rallies I drove. Some people change the knob for a larger round wooden knob and this may be mounted higher leaving less space for your hand.

 

Like the first rubber knob, I have screwed my new one down as far as I can on the threads. I have never had an issue with the height of it. I never have a dangling bunch of keys to get in the way. I use just a single key, - not even a ring or key fob attached. All this does is interfere with your shifting hand and it would rub away the leather trim on the area below the key along the bottom curve of the dash. This would leave a wear-mark on the leather and concour judges might dock me a point. Even though I have driven over 102,000 miles since re-finishing the restoration with this new interior trim, the area below the key is still fairly clean.

 

In the photo, you can see the space I have as well as the single key sitting in the ignition.

 

Is it possible that your rear gearbox rubber mount it too thick or installed too high resulting in the gear-stick being too high ?

 

I weigh 165 lbs and my hands are a normal size. If some TR owners are heavier build than I am, I can see where a thick hand might present a problem.

 

When I shift from 1st to 2nd and also from 3rd to 4th gear, I don't grab the knob all around with my whole hand. I put my two first fingers together and swiftly pull back on the gear-stick knob with these two fingers pointing straight down - down the front of the knob.

Edited August 28, 2009 by Don Elliott

[TR 2100]

GThe 3b is relatively uncommon here in Australia and I would like to know

if they are all fitted with the cranked lever from the TR4 as is mine.

Personally, I find this to be a nuisance as the hand tends to hit the

lower edge of the dashboard on the forward throw for first and third.

 

My suspicion would be that the first 3B series, TSF, would have the

normal straight 3A gear lever, but the later 3B series, TCF, with the

all-syncro box a la TR4 could well have had the cranked lever.

 

AlanR

[RandallD]

Actually, I think all 3B's came with the straight lever, even with the all-syncro box. I had a rusty late TCF parts car with a blown engine, and it had the straight lever, there is also a restored TCF car in my club and it is straight as well.

 

Regards,

Randy

[TR 2100]

Actually, I think all 3B's came with the straight lever, even with the all-syncro box.

I had a rusty late TCF parts car with a blown engine, and it had the straight lever,

there is also a restored TCF car in my club and it is straight as well.

 

Hi Randy,

 

On reflection, I think you are probably right.

 

Although 3Bs had the all syncro TR4 box, I think the boxes had a

TCF number stamped on them, identifying them as a 3B box, as

against the TR4 boxes that had a CT number stamped on them,

starting from CT 1, identifying them as a TR4 box

 

AlanR

[ianc]

Perhaps you need a gearlever such as that found on the Works TR4 Rally cars - see picture of that on 4VC. Note - the rubber boot needs to be TR3 type, not TR4 (how do I know - the old one split and guess which replacement I bought first time round!).

Ian Cornish

 

[stuart]

Perhaps you need a gearlever such as that found on the Works TR4 Rally cars - see picture of that on 4VC. Note - the rubber boot needs to be TR3 type, not TR4 (how do I know - the old one split and guess which replacement I bought first time round!).

Ian Cornish

 

It would still foul on the dash Ian as the top section curves forward.

Stuart.

[BrianC]

It would still foul on the dash Ian as the top section curves forward.

Stuart.

Depends which gear it was in when the photo was taken - looks like it might have been in 1st.

[ianc]

I have just made some measurements.

With the car in neutral, there's 5.5" (14 cm) clearance between the front of the knob and the dashboard. With the car in 1st gear, it's 3.25" (8.5 cm) from the dashboard, or 2" (5 cm) from the nearest knob on the dash (on the TR4, there are 3 knobs in a row: lights, washer and wipers, then the ignition key and finally the choke). In 3rd gear, it's 3.5" (9cm) from the dash.

Ian Cornish

[vivdownunder]

Hi John,

 

A while back I was chasing another 3B on USA ebay, and I'm pretty sure all the cars I saw had the 3A type gear lever. I was the underbidder on two stunning low mileage cars, so missed on both the 3B's that caught my eye. TCF1253L that has just completed its listing there had the straight lever.

 

Your car arrived with the cranked lever, and there's a chance it's original. Being such a late TCF, the straight gear levers could have run out of stock, and the factory was known to fit whatever they had to keep production (and cash flow) going.

 

If an original 3B younger than yours could be traced in the US, that might tell.

 

Regards,

 

Viv

[John McIver]

Good Morning Folks,

It seems that I have opened a can of worms here and the only likely logical answer appears to be from "vivdownunder".

Like Don, and probably many others, I too have experienced the gooey, mushy, greasy, dirty feel of a well worn 3a gear knob on my 3a in the 60's. It was the first item replaced after purchase of the car with 40,000 odd miles on it in 1964. Indeed, it was a pleasure to use the straight lever in comparison to the TR4 lever fitted to TCF 2650 L. (Perhaps that should now read TCF 2650 O as the car is now RHD and has had overdrive fitted since it's arrrival in Australia.) In the 3rd gear position, the knob is approximately 1/2" below and 1" behind the lower edge of the dash. There is no problem with the rear mount as it has been replaced recently. As Viv, who was the original owner here suggests, late build cars in the US may hold the right answer.

Regards, and thank you for your interest,

John