TR2/3/3A Brass tags TR3

[tinman58]

Which brass tag above the battery box gets painted? I think it is the one starting EB but not sure.
The tub is almost ready for paint and I want to make sure some of the little details are right.
Dan

 

[Geo Hahn]

"You are correct sir" (the EB tag is body color).

 

[tinman58]

Thank You--------- Ed McMahon!!

 

[Guest]

Which brings up an interesting question. How about the TR3Bs? They were assembled at Forward Radiator, so what is the poop on them? Top painted? both painted? neither painted?

Just curious, as I will soon be ordering two new plates, and plan to put them on unpainted.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Only one plate on a 3B, and I believe it was painted. Interesting discussion on 3B numbering on the TR Register's Forum.

 

[hermanmaire]

it might not be correct but I think it looks better if there both unpainted.... it looks like a bad repaint with 1 painted over.

 

[Andrew Mace]

I know what you're saying, but the fact is that one body tag was attached to the bare shell, which was then painted and trimmed...then that second, unpainted tag was attached.

 

[Don Elliott]

George - I know you wrote that your TR3B would never be shown in a TRA or VTR judged concours, but I know that you are challenged to get everything "perfectly original". Someday you will be there. The sooner the better. TRA judges will give you a result sheet showing where your TR3B is not "original". That can really help with the answers to your questions and to your next improvement step.

I seem to recall that TRA judging standards (free download from the TRA web-site) allow for both number plates to be "un-painted" without a loss of points. And many owners have one of those ugly plastic battery boxes (trays to collect the overflow battery acid, a non-original item) and the top back of the box prevents any judge from seeing the lower plate anyway. And TRA do not deduct points if you have one of these battery boxes which hide the lower plate. Something to do with "a safety improvement". I don't understand. I never needed one of those battery boxes because I have my voltage regulator set correctly and I don't over-fill the acid level too high so the battery never overflows.

 

[Guest]

Hey Don,

Count yourself in a very minor minority! Your clean battery box after 50 years is a reflection on your stewardship of your automobile. Unfortunately, you were the aberration and not the norm. There should have been more owners like you!

My 1958 was 3 years old when I got it, and the battery box had already rusted thru and eaten the carpet off the right side of the transmission tunnel. The PO probably never knew what hit him until it was too late. I didn't realize that the box could be replaced, so I cut up an old tire tube and lined the bottom half of the box with a double thickness of tube. Recently, on the website for new brass plates, I saw a photo of two plates that had been completely eaten off by a [probably] over-filled battery.

I can remember reading "buyer's guides" on TRs that always started with the battery box and sills.

I have a "no service" battery, which is all I will EVER have, after my - and others' - experiences. A car owner is conscientious enough to keep his battery filled with distilled water, but he is TOO conscientious, and overfills it, leading to all kinds of problems.

Lastly, thanks for the concours information. I may try a concours someday, after I have the "little things" taken care of. Which is insane, because when he gets finished with my rack and pinion steering, electronic ignition, Moto Lita steering wheel, dashboard turn-signal and fog light toggle switches, Monza exhaust, radio with antenna and rear seat speakers, 195 tires, 60-spoke wheels, etc, etc; my proper decals and brass plates aren't gonna matter a tinker's darn. I figure that with my proper decals on the air cleaners (2), oil filler cap (1), and brake/clutch reservoir (1), I may end up with the only 4-POINT Triumph in existence!!

Peace,

George