Brian birchall Posted December 11, 2023 Report Share Posted December 11, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike ellis Posted December 11, 2023 Report Share Posted December 11, 2023 (edited) 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian birchall Posted December 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike ellis Posted December 11, 2023 Report Share Posted December 11, 2023 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted December 12, 2023 Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted December 12, 2023 Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike ellis Posted December 12, 2023 Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Keith Wigglesworth Posted December 12, 2023 Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 (edited) 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian birchall Posted December 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocketman Posted December 12, 2023 Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted December 12, 2023 Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 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: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian birchall Posted December 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted December 12, 2023 Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian birchall Posted December 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2023 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!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brydon Posted December 16, 2023 Report Share Posted December 16, 2023 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John McCormack Posted December 18, 2023 Report Share Posted December 18, 2023 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AJ2014 Posted December 18, 2023 Report Share Posted December 18, 2023 I remember Stuart telling us previously that there are at least 4 different bonnets for sidescreen cars. Ade Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted December 18, 2023 Report Share Posted December 18, 2023 1 hour ago, AJ2014 said: I remember Stuart telling us previously that there are at least 4 different bonnets for sidescreen cars. Ade +1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted December 18, 2023 Report Share Posted December 18, 2023 4 hours ago, iain said: +1 Agreed. We have 3 different types in our stores, not including non Dzus or aluminium. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted December 18, 2023 Report Share Posted December 18, 2023 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.