TR4/4A Tr4a commission codes

Hi folks,

i just bought a nice "driver" quality Tr4a (without IRS) that I'll restore some day, but for I'm just going to enjoy driving it.

i have a question about the car's commission code. Mine is CT55337L. The cars' title said '66 but that number seems a bit low for a 66. Could the car actually be a '65?

thanks

Jim

No doubt it was completed by the factory in 65. But it's entirely possible it was sold new as a 1966 model. The factory made no real distinction, and before 1968 the dealers would often update the paperwork to indicate the current year model.

One fairly famous non-LBC example is the Ford Mustang. The first "1965" Mustang was sold in April 1964! And for awhile, I owned a "1965" Triumph Sports 6 that was made in 1963.

Congrats on the purchase, I had a live axle 4A for many years in college and my young adult life. They are really solid reliable cars once sorted out, mine would start right up in subzero temps and never left me stranded, though one time the throttle linkage broke and I had to drive home with the idle turned up! Drive and enjoy is the way to go if you ask me, once you make it all pretty you have to worry about where you park it and stone chips on the road and such.

As far as model year goes, what Randall said.

Thanks for the info.

one more question. The commission plate on my car is just plain aluminum.

However I've seen pictures of other plates that painted black with comm no, paint, trim, and the factory address on them.

Could the the black paint and lettering been worn off?

thanks

jim

Tr4aJim said:

...Could the the black paint and lettering been worn off?...

Click to expand...

Yes, Triumph's choice to place the plate right below the fluid reservoirs (on LHD cars) often meant that spilled fluid stripped the black off the plate.

Your codes indicate that the car was originally Triumph Racing Green (25) with leather interior (H=hyde) in black (11).

Here's how mine looked:



And here's the simple jig I made to stamp a replacement:

So it's ok to replace the plate with a new one?

Where did you get the letter stamps?

thanks

Jim

Generally it seems to be okay - but save the original with the other records for the car.

It is also a good idea to secure the new plate with rivets - using screws may be unacceptable to some DMVs.

The stamps I used came from Harbor Freight - okay but not perfect, in particular the '3' will have a rounded top rather than the flat top of the original.

I was going to redo mine but couldn't come up with a template to match the original:

Tr4aJim said:

So it's ok to replace the plate with a new one?

Click to expand...

'OK' is a relative term. Technically, it is "VIN tampering", which is a federal crime. But like so many other things, it is very unlikely that you'll be caught, and even less likely prosecuted. Lots of folks do it and I've never heard of anyone being prosecuted unless they really were involved in hiding stolen cars or something like that. (Here in CA, a car that is deemed to not be worth repairing after an accident is marked as a "salvaged" vehicle, which is worth a lot less money. Changing the VIN means you can sell it for more.)

Up though the 1960s it was not uncommon for states for register initial vehicle sales using the year the car was first registered, not the year it was made.

I believe this issue was corrected when the DOT mandated the modern style Vehicle Identification Number system where the year is coded into the VIN.

Correct, making a new Commission Number plate is a federal crime. A lot of people have done it, but that does not make it legal.

The Roadster Factory sells both style TR4 / TR4A commission plates and you can buy the correct sized stamps on eBay.

For the commission plates go to: https://trf.zeni.net/TR4-GB/165.php

As I recall the correct number/letter stamp size is 6mm. The number stamps can be found on eBay by searching: 36 PC Number Letter Punch 6MM Set Stamp Metal Steel Stamping Kit Wood Tool Case

Not the cheapest punch set, but is looks exactly like the original numbers and letters.

If you decide to make a new one keep the original in your glove box and make a fixture to align the letters / numbers. Also practice on some sheet aluminum you can buy at any hardware store / Lowes / Home Depot before stamping the commission plate.

sail said:

I was going to redo mine but couldn't come up with a template to match the original:

Click to expand...

Looks like what the usuals (e.g. Moss) sell for a 'late TR4':



That is what I used - but, for my car at least, it is not correct. On the plate that was on my car the weight was in Kilos (you can just see the "K" in my photo a few posts back) so the plate I need is like this example which is described as being for a Herald:

Vila said:

...As I recall the correct number/letter stamp size is 6mm. The number stamps can be found on eBay... Not the cheapest punch set, but is looks exactly like the original numbers and letters...

Click to expand...

6mm sounds far too large compared to what was on mine. The stamping set is nice but again, if you have the number '3' on your plate you'll see that the original '3' had a flat top ( Ʒ - like in a deck of cards) the kit shown appears to have a round-top '3'.

BTW - Wikipedia suggests that the flat-top version was used in applications where alteration was a concern as the common round-top version could be altered to make an '8'.

Ok, thanks. Too bad they don't make an overlay sticker or decal, with openings to let the existing numbers show through.

jim

Tr4aJim said:

Ok, thanks. Too bad they don't make an overlay sticker or decal, with openings to let the existing numbers show through.

jim

Click to expand...

FWIW, my wife is studying silk screening as part of an art course at the local community college. Might take some work to find the right ink/paint and so on, but it sounds like the process she is using could be used to replace the black paint on a Triumph commission tag.

Or, you can buy "paper" that lets you print decals in a regular ink-jet printer. Never tried it myself, but might not look too bad.
https://www.decalpaper.com/category-s/2.htm

Could you post a recent pic of the jig you used to stamp the commission plate. Pictures do not open up on this email.
Thanks

Larry S Also do you know what the interior code is for Red assume leather with white piping on the seats?

longhornlarry said:

Could you post a recent pic of the jig you used to stamp the commission plate. Pictures do not open up on this email.
...

Click to expand...

PhotoBucket will restore that link if I pay them $400 per year.

Meanwhile, we can cheat a bit as Google has cached that pic here:

https://tinyurl.com/ybj5ce4u

As you can see, I used a 2x4 that I had cut one edge very straight. Marks along that edge help align the punch vertically and with the spacing the same as original. Practice on something like a Coke can.

Yes, I will move my photos to another host rather than pay ransom to PhotoBucket - but that will have to wait until I have more time for it.