TR2/3/3A Air Deflector Installation Help Needed

[Tinkerman]

So, I finally found my brand new air deflector bought, lo these many years ago. Have no clue as to installation. Some simple instructions and or pictures would ease my way. Thanks, Tinkerman

 

[luke44]

Do you mean the cowl vent door spring? Try these:

Good schematic in post #4
https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?67924

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf...TR3-cowl-vent-door-spring&p=850248#post850248

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?71503-TR3-Scuttle-Vent-Assembly

 

[Geo Hahn]

Or do you mean the fibreboard shroud in the nose/apron?

 

[luke44]

Or now that I think about it, do you mean the plexiglass wings that mount on the sides of the windshield?

 

[Tinkerman]

Yes Geo, I meant the fiber board shroud in the nose/apron. Sorry about the confusion.

 

[luke44]

Yes Geo, I meant the fiber board shroud in the nose/apron...

Funny, I also am struggling with that right now. So now I am trying to justify in my mind just leaving it off, being as I think it came later and would not be right for a 31xxx car.

Does anyone know when this was introduced?

Dick - do you have the nose on the car? Mine's on the bench (total access) and I still can't figure it out.

 

[martx-5]

Put it in or the car will be prone to overheating. When it was introduced because of overheating problems, it was also meant to be retrofitted by the dealers to anyone who complained. It is therefore appropriate for any wide mouth TR3.

As far as fitting it goes, you have to fold the sides in a bit to stuff it into the grille opening. There should be tabs with holes (4, maybe 6?) in the apron for attaching the deflector when in place.

 

[Geo Hahn]

...As far as fitting it goes, you have to fold the sides in a bit to stuff it into the grille opening. There should be tabs with holes (4, maybe 6?) in the apron for attaching the deflector when in place.

6 holes on mine. I marked them here once you figure out it is the apron upside down & backwards:

You can just see the outline left by the bottom edge of the fibreboard. The bottom lip of the cardboard come forward to get to those holes. The replacements I have used (they seem to last about 25 years) had the hole location marked with a dimple.

If your apron did not have one originally you'll have to do some figuring, otherwise the holes should be there.

Either way -- a bit of TR Origami!

 

[luke44]

6 holes on mine. I marked them here once you figure out it is the apron upside down & backwards:.... The replacements I have used ... had the hole location marked with a dimple...If your apron did not have one originally you'll have to do some figuring, otherwise the holes should be there...

No holes on a 31xxx car. This photo helps. Is the bottom lip turned inward into the tunnel created by the cardboard, or outward away from it? I assume inward....

I will check the cardboard (TRF supplied) for the dimples and try to post some pix this weekend.

 

[6TTR3A]

Turned toward the grill opening so you can install the screws it with the apron on the car.
Frank

 

[luke44]

OK, let me show you where I'm at. I have the luxury of doing this off the car (based on my trial and error I'd sure not want to do this on the car!)...I think the pix tell the story...it just doesn't fit as it is. The bottom edge sits flat, but hangs out. There is a large gap at the top....

The only answer I can see is to trim the deflector around the headlight pod so it sits closer to the nose. Thoughts? comments?

 

[luke44]

Geez, looking at my own pix I just noticed a crease by the headlight bucket that I didn't notice before....I wonder if folding it there will have it drop into place? I'll give it a try and post another pic....

 

[Geo Hahn]

Yes it folds there -- but more importantly it also folds at the two seams.

IOW -- it does not bow, but rather it is in 3 flat sections.

I think you may have to install this after the apron is in place -- that is how I have always done it and I really think you need the radiator in place with the apron to make it all fit up.

 

[Gordon_Dedrick]

Believe you will have better luck if you wait untill the apron is installed. The cardboard has to fit tight against the radiator and just needs a couple od screws to secure it to the apron lower panel. It wedges in pretty tight and you need to fiddle with the top to make sure you don't cover some of the cooling fins.
Gordon

 

[Geo Hahn]

Somehow my 1000s of TR3 pics do not include any of this part installed. Here are some shots I just took thru the grille in case they give you some idea.

Perhaps you can also see how you want to fold a lip along 3 sides of the radiator.

Wires for the sidelamps/turn signals go thru those holes in the shroud.

Once you have the apron on but before the grille and overider supports are in place -- it will be obvious... but as noted it must be tucked around the radiator so now is not the time to do this.

BTW -- I believe the fibreboard is generally painted body color. The paint may also help it last longer/be waterproof.

 

[TR3driver]

Does anyone know when this was introduced?

According to Bill Piggott, it was at TS40104.

TS39781LO didn't have the holes when it came to me either, but I believe it had a replacement apron (so maybe they weren't drilled either). It also didn't have any signs of the holes for the letters. (I've been told that replacement aprons didn't come with the letter holes, because they were different for different letter sets.)

 

[Don Elliott]

When I bought my TR3A brand new in 1958, there were no holes for the deflector. In fact, it came before deflectors were devised. I put one on during my restoration from 1987 to 1990. It came in 3 pieces and I secured the top center piece to the two side pieces with brass long stem rivets. Though it was black, I sprayed mine a couple of coats of aerosol black on both sides before final installation. Dick - if you car is red, spray the deflector pieces red. They should be body colour. By now I'd guess that there are another 5 coats of black paint on my deflector. This is for water protection so it doesn't rot or decay. I hold it into place with the two chromed top supports for the bumperettes. I drilled no extra holes. There was a crease in my side pieces that told me to fold the bottom flange forward and the upright flanges backwards to fit up the two sides of the radiatior. Don't drill any holes in the bottom deck behind the grille! Dick - I'll e-mail you some photos. Cheers Don - e-mail me at 58tr3a at videotron dot ca with your address.

 

[TR Mike]

I am also trying to install one of these this holiday weekend. I have a new one from Moss that "almost fits". Does anyone have a picture of one installed. Does the lip around the radiator bend toward the front or toward the back? Is it attached to the radiator in any way? Should it be painted black or the car the same color as the car? Thanks, in advance.

 

[TR Mike]

I just went back to look at my post and I now see pictures that weren't there a minute ago. That is why I prefer to work on cars instead of computers.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Yeah, can take a couple of seconds for the photos to load. Hopefully those answered your questions but in case...

On mine: Lip around radiator bends back. Not attached to the radiator at all. Body color is the paint used.

It's hard to see in the photo but on mine the lip across the top edge of the radiator is folded all the way back, i.e. flat against itself, not at a right angle like the sides. That is what I did to get it to fit well, possibly not correct.