Restoring tr3

[Brian birchall]

Hi I'm new to tr ownership and am restoring a 1958 tr3 on the heritage certificate it says the colour is flame red iv only seen signal red on the colour charts?. The spare wheel is also body colour is this correct? finally the bonnet has 4vents not 2 and was original flame red when I stripped it back so I think it is the original bonnet any help would be appreciated as  I am not familiar with this model thanks brian

[mike ellis]

Hi Brian,

Welcome to TR ownership, you have come to the best place for help.

Is it a 3 or 3A, 3A production started in September 1957, commission and body numbers would help identification.   Flame red is not a standard colour but S-T often experimented with colours and would sometimes paint a car to the customer's wishes.  TR2/3  * wheels were in body colour and TR3A ones were silver grey.

The four slot bonnet would be from an earlyish TR2.  

Mike

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by mike ellis
*Delete 'spare' as all 2/3 wheels are body colour

[Brian birchall]

Thanks Mike look like it's had checkered history. The vin is ts25111 and is a home market car would it be a crime to leave the four slot bonnet on it fits perfectly I have a good two slot bonnet but the fits now were near as good. Great to work on a British car again last2 rests were a lancia spider and alpine g.t.a

[mike ellis]

Maybe a purist would object but those of us who are more pragmatic would probably leave it.  Having said that the four slot bonnet was discontinued at the same time that the scuttle vent was added, the reason possibly being that the two centre slots would direct under bonnet air directly into the vent when open.  I don't know how significant this could be. 

[Lebro]

How is the bonnet held down ? early 4 slot ones had an internal system (like modern cars) later ones used 2 X dzus fasteners. ?

Bob

[ianc]

U seem to recall that, in the early 1960s, the 4-slot bonnet dribbled rainwater onto the battery of my TR2 - not a good idea.

Ian Cornish

[mike ellis]

Brian, TS25111 would have been built in Dec 1957 probably 2nd week.  What is the registration number, you can PM me if you don't want it on a public forum.

Mike

[Keith Wigglesworth]

Early 4 slot bonnets are wider as the do not have to clear wing beading. The rear is also single skin. I am sure if you put out a request that someone would have a reasonable late one in the shed for a small fee. You would get more for a good condition early bonnet. 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Keith Wigglesworth

[Brian birchall]

Hi Bob funny you should say that it has the 2holes for the druz fixings but the holes are slightly smaller and not big enough to take the chrome outer ring so I will need to adapt the holes . Inside is the same as tr3 as I said it's such a sweet fit on the car that I'm tempted to keep it and I quite like the 4vents

[Rocketman]

1 hour ago, mike ellis said:

Brian, TS25111 would have been built in Dec 1957 probably 2nd week.  What is the registration number, you can PM me if you don't want it on a public forum.

Mike

My 3A is TS25546 and the heritage certificate says 24th December 1957 

[Lebro]

1 hour ago, Brian birchall said:

Hi Bob funny you should say that it has the 2holes for the druz fixings but the holes are slightly smaller and not big enough to take the chrome outer ring so I will need to adapt the holes . Inside is the same as tr3 as I said it's such a sweet fit on the car that I'm tempted to keep it and I quite like the 4vents

Any evidence of there being internal bonnet fasteners in the past (on the bonnet I mean)

Like this:

[Brian birchall]

Yes Bob they have been cut of and I presume holes drilled the previous owner told me it was on the car when they bought the car in 1978 they replaced it with the tr3 bonnet that was on it when I bought it last year. He restored the car drove to Madrid and back and was laid up in 1982 and that's were it stayed untill I bought the car registration is VUK 828. Cheers brian

[Lebro]

The dzus fastener holes on a later bonnet were recessed downwards so that the top of the fastener was level with the surrounding metal, I presume yours are raised, which means the brackets they connect to are also raised higher than normal.

Bob

[Brian birchall]

I plan to make a punch and replacate  the recess around the holes have offered up the bead trim and have a panel gap far to good for a tr3!!

[brydon]

Hi Brian

As Mike referenced above, the centre two vents were deleted when the scuttle vent was fitted, (this was circa 2000 cars after the internal bonnet release was deleted) so the dzus fasteners on a 4 vent bonnet are not unheard of.

I understand the centre vents were removed due to engine fumes entering the cockpit, this would be more noticeable when the hood or hardtop were fitted.

Andrew

[John McCormack]

On 12/13/2023 at 12:01 AM, Keith Wigglesworth said:

Early 4 slot bonnets are wider as the do not have to clear wing beading. The rear is also single skin. I am sure if you put out a request that someone would have a reasonable late one in the shed for a small fee. You would get more for a good condition early bonnet. 

You are right. I just measured my long door TR2 4slot bonnet against the later TR2 and TR3 which have 2 slot bonnets. 4 slot is 180cm, 2 slot is 173cm.

[AJ2014]

I remember Stuart telling us previously that there are at least 4 different bonnets for sidescreen cars.

Ade

[iain]

1 hour ago, AJ2014 said:

I remember Stuart telling us previously that there are at least 4 different bonnets for sidescreen cars.

Ade

+1

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

4 hours ago, iain said:

+1

Agreed.   We have 3 different types in our stores,  not including non Dzus or aluminium.

[stuart]

25 minutes ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Agreed.   We have 3 different types in our stores,  not including non Dzus or aluminium.

Ha ha yes I didnt include aluminium in the 4 often quoted as theyre so rare these days.

Stuart.