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TR2/3/3A 1956 -1957 TR3 bonnet rivets

mallard

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Does anybody have any information on the two rivets that were used on the back side of the bonnet near the vent holes? My car has that bonnet and my original one has been painted over then primed over that and then run over by my wife with her car. We won't get into that at this time. Bill Piggott mentions in his new book, and the Original Triumph TR2/3/3A book that the rivets were chrome. After I removed the layers of paint and primer from my crushed origianl bonnet they looked like they were painted body color. When stripped to the metal they looked like they were brass. I purchased a replacement bonnet with the rivets and they seemed the same way. I will have to make repairs to the replacement because of rust and fabricate new rivets.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]the rivets were chrome[/QUOTE]

Piggott says this was a "short-lived" phenomenon. To my reading the context of his remarks (four to two slots, flanged trailing edge) suggests an earlier moment (1954).
 
TS13571L has the rivets and no flange (as did TS11xxxL). The ones on TS13571L were not chromed, but I never had the paint off the other car so I guess it's possible they were. But it seems unlikely to me, as the rivets attach the sheet metal to the brace underneath; which was surely painted as an assembly with the bonnet. Perhaps the rivets started out being added after the assembly was painted (ie an afterthought after some bonnets had been assembled) and then all future bonnets had them added before painting (and without the chrome).

I checked three different SPCs; none of them agree with what Bill printed, so I'm not sure what's up with that.

TS39781LO has the flanged variant with no rivets, so I believe that corresponds with P/N 901272.

My factory supercession list shows both 702092 and 900705 as being superceded by 900666. This suggests to me that both of those part numbers came before 901272 and were, as Bill says, short-lived.
 
TS14502 has two unflanged round top rivets...a little chip indicates that they are not chrome under the paint on my car. The bottom side is round/flat and approx the same circumference.
 
I did not think they were chrome. Thanks for the information. Has anyone had any luck with replacing theirs? They look like they are an aircraft style rivet that uses a hydraulic style press. Healeys may have used the same style rivet. I need to remove the cross brace to repair some deep pitting that I'm sure it will be worse after blasting. I was thinking of putting a small weld on the back side and try to make it look correct by grinding. I now these rivets are a pain I'm sure they want to loosen after time and damage the paint. Both of the bonnets I have the rivets are loose. Has anybody used the type of glue that you see on hoods of domestic cars under the braces, instead of using the felt pads?
 
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