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Just Acquired TR4 - Lots to learn


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A local oil change/ tire shop was moving shops and had a 80s era lift for $800.  Got it and installed.  It's great but what a pain to de-install, move and install.  Now it's the fight for what car is on it and shifting them about.  I was not looking for another project when I found this TR4.  But TR4 is one of my "if I ever get a chance I want one" cars and I had to get it.  Too many rebuilds in the works. I fell in love with my uncle's TR4 when I was a kid.  Here is a pic of me and my brother in front of it in 1970.

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Alan - the chassis is in really good shape.  There is floor rust, rust in each of the four cockpit corners, around the edges of the fenders (hidden by someone who covered w body fill and painted over), rust near the brake master cylinder, above the battery box, but it is all fixable.  Doors open and close just fine.  The bones of the car are good.  It was kept road-worthy and driven until early 80s when it got parked.

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Here are some additional pics showing some of the rust.  As I originally said someone painted over everything in red paint, hiding a lot of the rust.  They also over-painted a lot of parts.

 

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That's not rust but probably the remnant of a front right collision. Check the chassis condition especially the turret support section which will tell all. 

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Edited by Geko
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13 hours ago, AlanT said:

Success with these cars starts with the condition of the chassis.  Especially the back half.  A tell tale sign is doors that don't fit properly.

 

You are dead right Alan. If going for a body off restoration it would be worth an expert casting an eye. My doors don't fit well - but in my case it's seriously worn door hinges - just the odd drop of oil over the years might have saved them. Because it's such a long doot even the smallest wear is exaggerated at the closing end.

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Thanks.  There are several areas of suspicion that I have to dig into.  This area is actually the left side and on the back of the wheel well.  You can see body fill work up to the rusted area in the fender lip.  I've got to dig into it.

 

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39 minutes ago, RMP NC said:

Thanks.  There are several areas of suspicion that I have to dig into.  This area is actually the left side and on the back of the wheel well.  You can see body fill work up to the rusted area in the fender lip.  I've got to dig into it.

 

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Love the way someone has run amok with red paint. :D

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have received the Heritage Trust Certificate for my car.  Contrary to what I was told by seller the car was originally signal red w black interior and top.  It had heater, windscreen washers, tonneau cover, whitewalls, and 60 spoke wheels.  No mention of wood steering wheel which mine has and seems to be original. I guess disc brakes were standard then as that is the only other item on it I thought might be special but was unsure.

Manufactured on 6 July 1964 and came to US out of Bristol on the "Hussaro".

At some point in the car's life the colors were swapped as it has a black paint coat under the recent bad red job and they put in all red interior with a white top.  But I suspected after closer inspection it was red originally.  The original grommets and seals feeding cables and wires under the dash into the firewall are all red paint under them, so I was pretty sure it was red.

Now I just have to convince a skeptical state inspection officer that I am not running a car chop shop ring or that the car was not stolen or that I'm not involved in some other criminal activity I'm too uninformed to even know exists.  That I had a valid title from another state in the US makes no difference to the vehicle registration folks in North Carolina.  I am hoping the heritage certificate which confirms all my numbers helps.  I've heard of people having issues with just the fact that the numbers are stamped on plates that are pop riveted to the car vs the numbers being stamped into the actual metal of the car body.  American cars from this era have a metal tag with the vin number stamped on it that's pop riveted in but also in two or three places that number is stamped in the actual body and chassis.  These inspectors like to see that as they expect it.  Clearly I won't have that since TRs don't have that.  I plan to print out the info about how numbering works for these cars in case I need to show them.   Assuming I get past them I will begin the process of restoration.

 

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  • 10 months later...

Just thought I'd update that the suspect damage was caused by a crash does indeed seem to be correct.  Geko was correct in his post - exactly spot on correct.  The left side front wheel and frame turret took a good smack, the frame brace was broken and welded askew, the upper control arms are bent, coil spring has several helper braces inserted, lower fulcrum pin mounts were knocked loose from frame and welded back askew and God only knows what all else is messed up i.  Suffice to say I have found a donor frame and will be replacing that and building up from there.  I have the engine in the shop for full rebuild and I am at work on the rot.  When I have the basic structure put back, I'll lift the body from the frame.  I'll get the front suspension put back on the donor frame and move over the rear springs, etc.  I've got a lot of necessary parts in hand already.  Multiple lines of work converging on what will be hopefully a spring time "put it all together" effort.

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Edited by RMP NC
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1 hour ago, Jase said:

Why not replace the full floor?

Basically I prefer to keep as much original as I can but also the parts I keep are good metal and I simply cut out the bad.  To me that keeps the car together better, less chance for it getting skewed, etc.  Also it is harder to cut the spot welds, grind them clean and fit the total new piece than it is to cut the new piece and weld in just the part I need.  I can piece that floor in and after paint you'd never know it was welded unless you went looking for it directly.

I've done other non TR cars where I regretted making the other decision after fitment issues from poor stamping of metal.  After looking back I realized I threw away perfectly good metal that had the right stamping just because 20% of it was rusted.  Why not cut the 20% out, use the 20% from the new part and keep the original factory spot welds and fitment is my logic.

I did in this car on the RH side cut the full rockers out.  The inside one was really bad front to back and the outside was all body fill over bad rust up to the door crack bottom.  I actually regretted cutting that top rocker part out and on the LH side I am keeping the original inside and outside rockers to where the rust starts; outside it is at the door crack and inside it is about 1 inch down at the door and full removal from the bend right where the front of seat would be and last 6 inches at rear where the corners are just rotten.  That removes concern about the A and B pillars moving toward or away from each other and helps to keeps the factory door gaps.

That's how I work anyway.  I like the original parts, so much better stamped, more crisp and consistent.

Edited by RMP NC
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  • 2 years later...

After more than 3 years work, I was able this weekend to bring the TR4 out of the garage and drive down my driveway a few times.  I got it running on the frame last year, started it all together about a month ago and now have done the first actual short ride, albeit on my gravel drive road.

Clutch hydraulics are a little soft but improving with use and there was a small heater hose leak due to loose hose clamp inside engine bay.  Otherwise, it was a full success.  

I am taking care to break in the rear end as I have all new parts there.  Tags still on wheels from Hendrix Wire Wheels who mounted and balanced the tires for me.  Based on the best wheels they suggested the location on the car where they would work best.  

More shakedown runs to happen.

Two videos:

https://youtu.be/5-Tw9yFAhrw
https://youtu.be/SH65f60H5xE

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Yes I did keep the Formula wheel and it matches perfectly with the dash.  Really pleased with it.

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Edited by RMP NC
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