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Riders on the storm... My 1956 TR3


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Just now, ijonsson said:

I did something similar, but did add relays for lights and horns not to draw a lot of current over the switch and push button.

Thanks. I'm planning on adding relays a bit later. Making do with the bits I have to hand for now. 

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If you can wrangle a length of cord or wire down and under the bottom (layshaft) gears and try lifting the gear cluster. Try at each end. If there is any up and down movement the shaft and bearings ha

Hi all, 15 years after buying my TR6, a spitfire, an abandoned TR6 project and many Land Rovers later, I'm finally back in a TR! A 1956 TR3 with a rather flashy colour scheme. A huge thanks

I just need to paint the chassis where its sitting on the lift pads but other than that...  Mission accomplished! 

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16 hours ago, EliTR6 said:

Roll over bar is bolted in! Dennis is looking a lot sportier 


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Great transformation! Looking sharp!

No minilites, please!
Imho, silver painted wire wheels would look great and would match the grill perfectly!
60 spokes are closer to originality, but I agree - 72 are looking awesome.

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2 hours ago, Hamish said:

Colour coded spokes would be good. 

I think you're onto something here.. B)

New windscreen and hood arrived today. I'm waiting for the punch to fit the hood and have started prepping for the screen transplant. 

It cracked on the first drive with the (very tight) hood on when the passenger slammed the door. Looking closely, you can see that the frame is bent where the crack happened. 

I guess try to bend it back into shape with the glass removed and see how the new screen slides in? 

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53 minutes ago, EliTR6 said:

Dash back in and looking the business! 

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It really does, well done! Very nice. By the way, your Standard Vanguard, quite rare, horn boss looks even nicer with the new black serious looking dashboard, I find.

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On 4/3/2020 at 2:39 PM, EliTR6 said:

I think you're onto something here.. B)

New windscreen and hood arrived today. I'm waiting for the punch to fit the hood and have started prepping for the screen transplant. 

It cracked on the first drive with the (very tight) hood on when the passenger slammed the door. Looking closely, you can see that the frame is bent where the crack happened. 

I guess try to bend it back into shape with the glass removed and see how the new screen slides in? 

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158591734567174.jpg

Anyone have an idea of how to avoid the new screen suffering the same fate? 

19 hours ago, DavidBee said:

It really does, well done! Very nice. By the way, your Standard Vanguard, quite rare, horn boss looks even nicer with the new black serious looking dashboard, I find.

Thanks, maybe all black would be a bit too much. The wood adds a bit of warmth. 

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11 minutes ago, EliTR6 said:

Anyone have an idea of how to avoid the new screen suffering the same fate? 

Thanks, maybe all black would be a bit too much. The wood adds a bit of warmth. 

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Yes, I agree. Sporty too. The dark green bodywork, Connaught Green, I think, will, add further to its looks

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13 minutes ago, EliTR6 said:

Anyone have an idea of how to avoid the new screen suffering the same fate? 

Thanks, maybe all black would be a bit too much. The wood adds a bit of warmth. 

158600660824268.jpg

Yes, I agree. Sporty too. The dark green bodywork, Connaught Green, I think, will, add further to its looks

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1 hour ago, DavidBee said:

Yes, I agree. Sporty too. The dark green bodywork, Connaught Green, I think, will, add further to its looks

Then it wil look like a clone of my TR3a (apart from the fact it's a TR3).

Rgds Ian

 

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21 minutes ago, Ian Vincent said:

Then it wil look like a clone of my TR3a (apart from the fact it's a TR3).

Rgds Ian

 

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Looks really nice, I think. The mahogany and black combination is subtle, and looks classy with the Connaught Green. A period map light and push-pull overdrive switch on far right?

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THe map light is a period one bought on the bay as NOS.  The overdrive switch is not push/pull, it is the correct egg shaped one for the car and works really well, just a flick of the little finger.  The orange dot underneath the OD switch is the indicator for the OD logic box - it comes on if the logic switch has turned the OD off because the box has been through neutral and reminds me to turn the switch off as well.

Rgds Ian

PS It isn't Connaught Green, it is BRG.  When I bought the car it was red but when I started to strip it, I found it had been resprayed and under the wheel arches it was still the original green.  I sent a swatch of the original colour to somebody who mixed me up some paint to match it by eye.  The Original build records (acquired from Bill Piggott later) show it as built 02/12/1959 between 1pm and 4.30pm.  It was British Racing Green with Pearl Leather upholstery and white sidescreens and delivered to USAF - oh and it had whitewall tyres.

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22 minutes ago, Ian Vincent said:

THe map light is a period one bought on the bay as NOS.  The overdrive switch is not push/pull, it is the correct egg shaped one for the car and works really well, just a flick of the little finger.  The orange dot underneath the OD switch is the indicator for the OD logic box - it comes on if the logic switch has turned the OD off because the box has been through neutral and reminds me to turn the switch off as well.

Rgds Ian

PS It isn't Connaught Green, it is BRG.  When I bought the car it was red but when I started to strip it, I found it had been resprayed and under the wheel arches it was still the original green.  I sent a swatch of the original colour to somebody who mixed me up some paint to match it by eye.  The Original build records (acquired from Bill Piggott later) show it as built 02/12/1959 between 1pm and 4.30pm.  It was British Racing Green with Pearl Leather upholstery and white sidescreens and delivered to USAF - oh and it had whitewall tyres.

And very nice it is too. Amazing how perspective can be so misleading.

Now you've pointed it out, I can see the egg-shaped switch. (I know the push-pull would be TR2). I am left wondering if there's any real distinction between the two greens, other than the name. A green with a fair amount of black mixed in, in both cases. One's Brexit Green, the other, Irish...

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We once painted a new MGF for a customer who wanted it the same colour as their father's racing MG.

The two colour swatches of the different racing greens as used by the British car factories in the 50's and 60's was sent to the customer so they could choose, they chose the lighter green - GN25 - like the TR2 or Brunswick/Hunter green.  We finished the brand new car in that colour bodywork, with full leather interior and seats in cream having matching piping, plus a hardtop with cream leather headlining and a contrasting green soft top - The car looked lovely.

At handover the customer rejected the car as the colour was wrong, should be darker they said...They meant GN29 the later dark BRG like the Jaguar Connaught.

Colours

GN25 = British Racing Green

GN29 = British Racing Green (Dark)

Swatches  https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/colour_swatch_BMC_1969

Moral - Be careful with BRG

Epilogue -  We kept the car as a test bed/hack, it was written off on a roundabout in Brum a couple of years later in the pouring rain. 

Cheers

Peter W

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1 hour ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

We once painted a new MGF for a customer who wanted it the same colour as their father's racing MG.

The two colour swatches of the different racing greens as used by the British car factories in the 50's and 60's was sent to the customer so they could choose, they chose the lighter green - GN25 - like the TR2 or Brunswick/Hunter green.  We finished the brand new car in that colour bodywork, with full leather interior and seats in cream having matching piping, plus a hardtop with cream leather headlining and a contrasting green soft top - The car looked lovely.

At handover the customer rejected the car as the colour was wrong, should be darker they said...They meant GN29 the later dark BRG like the Jaguar Connaught.

Colours

GN25 = British Racing Green

GN29 = British Racing Green (Dark)

Swatches  https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/colour_swatch_BMC_1969

Moral - Be careful with BRG

Epilogue -  We kept the car as a test bed/hack, it was written off on a roundabout in Brum a couple of years later in the pouring rain. 

Cheers

Peter W

https://petrolicious.com/articles/a-colorful-history-of-national-racing-hues-british-racing-green-2-of-4

Seems to me that Connaught Green spawned an undefinable green which varies so much from manufacturer to manufacturer.

And this undefinable colour was christened BRG. So there is no such thing.

I suppose it should really be called IRG, but Connaught Green will do.

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2 minutes ago, EliTR6 said:

I take it the shade of green on my tr3 isn't a triumph colour? 

Well, if it isn't, pretty damn close to it.

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2 minutes ago, EliTR6 said:

I take it the shade of green on my tr3 isn't a triumph colour? 

It may well be a Triumph colour but if the build record I have is correct, and I have no reason to doubt it, in 1959 Triumph were calling my dark green BRG.

Rgds Ian

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3 minutes ago, Ian Vincent said:

It may well be a Triumph colour but if the build record I have is correct, and I have no reason to doubt it, in 1959 Triumph were calling my dark green BRG.

Rgds Ian

Thanks Ian but mine was originally beige. I think it was painted green in the early 90s. 

Your 3A looks cracking! 

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As so much that Top Gear touched...not quite correct with the details.

In the book I have "The Gordon Bennet races" by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu from 1961 I think, it describes how that in normal fashion the competing nations drew for the race numbers and the Brits pulled out number 13 ! (who would put that in ?).

Big consternation with Brits protesting that the they were now jinxed ! Being it was the same year as race colours were being awarded also, the authorities suggested that the Brits be allowed to choose Green, the race being now moved to Ireland, it being known to be a lucky colour which would neutralise the unlucky chosen number (which was changed anyway). Napier being the current British racing representative firm used it's dark green which gave the original colour for British Racing Green.

Gordon Bennet was a great self publicist, he was at the forefront of sponsorship and funded a balloon race and also yacht racing. His name was so in vogue and "everywhere" that it entered normal parlance as an exclamation of surprise or purpose.  The Royal Singapore yacht club continued the Gordon Bennet challenge cup races (certainly it was when my book was written) although I'm not sure if that still continues.

Mick Richards

Edited by Motorsport Mickey
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That is a very nice photo!

Quite right. Make the most of what's good. Looking good. Grey skies, howling winds, rain in Ireland. But our TR Family is out there.

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