TR2/3/3A TR3 Hood and Sidescreen Colors

[Papajack]

Got my British Motor Heritage Certificate for Mom’s TR (TS61474L) today, and it confirms a build date of November 5, 1959, and the motor number matches. I was surprised to find the hood (top in USA) color was black. When my dad bought her August, 1961, she had a white factory hardtop, white sidescreens but no hood, frame or even the tonneau cover that was listed as optional equipment. I remember my father buying a tonneau cover from JC Whitney in the spring of 1962. Over the years a well worn white hood frame and a white vinyl hood has been added, but I cannot remember, and have no photograph of Mom’s TR with a soft top of any color. My theory is that the Triumph importer in Port of Entry Houston, or dealer in Oklahoma City, installed the white hard top, changed the side screens for white and kept the hood, frame and tonneau cover. Can any Triumph expert confirm or correct my theory ?

 

[CJD]

That's as good as any theory. In truth, since your Father bought her used, we'll never know who installed the hard top. Could have been the dealer, or the first owner.

 

[sp53]

I bought a very ratty 1958 tr3 in 1974 or 1975 it had a white top and white side curtains with very ratty red wool carpet and interior. When I received the Heritage paper work a couple of years ago, it states the car had a black top and red wool interior. Heck, I am not sure what it means. It could have been replaced in 16 years, but I wish I would have taken a better look at the red wool carpet before I threw it out.

 

[Seth Hensel]

If you post what the color was originally, I’ll give you what Bill Pigott’s Book Original Triumph TR gives as the correct color options coming out of the factory.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Your theory about the importer modifying the car before the first sale is plausible, but I'd say it is as likely (if not more so) that the first owner obtained a factory hardtop either from the dealer or bought/traded with another owner (or wrecking yard, etc.). If the car truly had been built at the factory as a "hardtop" car, it not only would not have had the hood and hoodsticks, but there would have been no holes in the interior panels where the hoodsticks bolted up. In all my years, I think I've only seen one TR3A built that way as original.

 

[Papajack]

If you post what the color was originally, I’ll give you what Bill Pigott’s Book Original Triumph TR gives as the correct color options coming out of the factory.

Signal Red with Red trim (white piping). Black hood.

 

[Seth Hensel]

According to Piggott from SEPT 1958 approx TS37000: Signal Red paint came with Red, Black, or Silverstone Grey trim. The hard top if fitted could have been Black, Signal Red or Sebring White. The weather equipment could have been either White or Black.

Paint Code for Signal Red: Dockers BF 5093, BF 5468, BF 5368, CGR33, or CHR14; ICI HILUX M-048-2859; Pinchin-Johnson PJ 427HS or PJ 427LB; Berger (Ault and Wiborg) 1/8338.