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Query on ID Numbers


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Hello again

Yet another query I hope you can help with...

 

My old man’s 3A is recorded as being TS72230.

The original engine was TS72389E.

The replacement engine is TSA 419 FR

The Gearbox is TS72441.

 

All logical so far...

 

In the engine bay, however, above the battery, there are two brass plates with the following numbers:

EB 69068

1075289

 

Can anyone shed any light on what these numbers relate to?

 

One of them is similar in format to the chassis / VIN number but I have little idea of what the EB could stand for (only thought is ‘Exchange Body’).

 

Photo of plates attached

 

 

post-11403-0-82734400-1377622429_thumb.jpg

post-11403-0-82734400-1377622429_thumb.jpg

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Hi Malcolm,

The following seems to be the excepted explanation:

EB relates to "engineering build" and the other number is the shell/body number from the body factory. The eb number is usually painted body colour for accuracy and the screws are dome head slots on the eb number plate and flat slot head on the body number plate.

These will not be particularly close to the commission number on later cars but very early cars had almost consecutive numbers.

Note you will have another number on the chassis cross member, Z??

 

rgds

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Bill Piggott explains in detail the meaning of the 2 numbers found on the two plates on page 111 (1st Edition) of his "Original Triumph TR2/3/3A".

Basically:

EB was body number allocated by Standard Triumph, but no records survive - usually higher than Commission Number.

The other is believed to have been allocated by Mulliners to the bare shell - this is the number to be found on the factory build records held by BMIHT, and is higher than the Commission Number.

Ian Cornish

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Brilliant - thanks Fellas. I do remember seeing a number on the chassis, but I didn't make a note of it. Where exactly is it on the crossmember? Is it still visible once the car is assembled?

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Hi Malcolm,

The plate should be on the top of the welded to the front cross member, but is not visible with engine in place. These seem to be chassis evolution numbers with the updates applied. yours should be Z 18, to Z23 or something similar from the age of your car.

 

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Ok - thanks Rod... it'll just have to remain a mystery until the next time it's rebuilt :)

I'll e-mail a sneak preview of the car... not quite finished yet, but getting close!

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Back in 1958 when I bought my TR3A brand new, the uppermost "EB" brass tag was painted body colour. This would have been logical since the bodies were built, sprayed and then shipped to Triumph mostly assembled. The other plate was left bare brass during final assembly. Why paint this one when it would add cost and no value to the finished TR ?

Edited by Don Elliott
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Don,

 

This is what confuses me.

Whether the plates were painted or left as plain brass surely

depends only on whether they were fitted before or after painting.

 

One would certainly expect the Mulliners (body shell) number

to be painted.

The EB plate - fitted by the factory - could be painted or not,

depending on when they fitted it.

 

This does not seem to be consistent with your experience.

 

AlanR

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