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TR2/3/3A 1957 Winchester Blue TR3 Photos Wanted

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mallard

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I'm looking for some photos of Winchester Blue TR3's. I also need interior photos. I believe the factory interior colors were black,blue,stone,and red for cars shipped with hardtops. The original color for my car was Winchester with blue interior and black curtains. I want to change the interior to a light grey (Healey Grey) or maybe red. I would need to see some pictures of a Blue car with a red interior before I could decide. I believe the grey although not original would look great with the Winchester blue exterior because that color has grey in it. Any help with photos or web sites would be a great help. Thanks
 
Many years ago, I met a chap from Williston, Vermont at Stowe "British Invasion" in 1995 had a blue TR3A with a blue interior almost the same colour and it had a very early Comm. No. for a TR3A. He had it repainted exactly as it had been earlier. He bought the TR from his uncle in Penn. who had bought it new so he was sure of the correct colour If you need more details, I might be able to search my records. I remember that he had found a place under the rear something or other where the sun had never faded the paint and the local paint shop had matched this perfectly. You can see a bit of it next to mine.
 

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Thank you for the great picture of the Salvador blue TR3. Winchester and Salvador must be very close to the same. I was thinking that Salvador was a bit darker. A very rare color. When I removed the stone guard from one of my rear fenders I found some perfect original paint that looks just like the paint in your your picture. Salvadoe was discontinued in Sept. of 1956, my car was built in Dec of 56. I wish I could see the interior better. Again thanks for the picture.
 
Very early TR3A were painted Winchester Blue. From the picture the interior blue color is lighter than the exterior. That color combination does not look that bad. I purchased my car in the early stages of restoration. The exterior was in primer and the interior was done in what looked like something out of a boat. It was done to a nice standard but the color and texture was all wrong. I was able to find some of the original material under the dash but it was stained. I would love the see more pictures of that car but after 15 years I'm sure they would be hard to find. Thanks a ton for your help.
 
Mallard,
Whats the build number of your car? My TR3, TS 14502 L was built Nov 29, '56.
You know Triumph published dates when changes were made, mechanical, body style and paint, but they were never to fussy about following their own 'dates' and many cars have been validated with old/new equipment outside of these dates (as in 'whatever is laying around the shop let's use').
As close as you are to the cut off date no one (no judge if that's a concern) would say having a Salvador Blue or Winchester Blue was incorrect for the car.
Your choice although I don't see much diff in the colors but have never seen the two side by side.
Since you have a panel to match I'd take it too a shop with a paint analyzer for a mix.
 
p.s.
That salvador blue car pic I sent was used by the Moss Company in its TR3 catalogue. If you look on page A18 of the present cat you'll see the paint/color where they are advertising the badge bar.
 
I think they didn't change the colour. Thay only changed the name. Salvador sounds Spanish and Winchester definitely sound British. Marketing guys are like that.

BTW, they stopped that (those) blue colours soon into the TR3A build cycle.
 
Don Elliott said:
I think they didn't change the colour. Thay only changed the name.
Click to expand...
Triumph liked to do just that. Pale Yellow and Primrose Yellow were the same color, as were #25 Triumph Racing Green, aka Conifer Green!

Meanwhile, a buddy of mine (thanks, Mike!) found and asked me to pass along this link to a restored Winchester Blue TR3. If you go here , there's a gallery of restoration photos, including one or two showing the original blue under a later red.
 
What a great group of people. I asked the same questions on an other forum 2 weeks ago without a reply. Leave it up to Triumph to change the name of a color. As for using what they have on hand at the time. The frame on my car was green. I could not leave it that way. I do like the grey color in the pictures and may go that route. It't a shame the car came with a new Wilton wool carpet set. The car is not as old as yours my vin # is TS14819LO made in Dec. Thanks again for the great information
 
You're welcome and this is a great site with knowledgable folks.
Only 300 or so cars down the line isn't far off, do you know the actual build date ( I find that interesting btw)?
Great that the car has a overdrive, is it a driving restoration or are you doing the full monte?
Post some pics.
 
The build date for the car was 12-17-56 and dispatched to France. The car somehow made it to Arizona in 57 were it has stayed. The factory fitted equipment were Wire wheels,Blue hardtop with black side curtains, black tonneau, overdrive, and heater. As for the restoration I'm doing a body off. The chassis is all but done except for engine and tranny rebuild. Right now I'm repairing all the small cracks and rust areas in the body tub. Yes this is an AZ car and it still has some rust. I don't know how you see so many cars for sale that are rustfree. My next big challenge will be to remove the large dent in the left rear bumper area next to the spare tire cover. I did not know this was there until I started to remove paint. I removed at least 5 pounds of lead. Not sure yet how I will do this. No luck with adding a picture will try again.
 
Mallard,
As France was still in NATO at that time I suspect a GI bought the car with European delivery. You could ship a car home (free) and avoid any local taxes and any add on shipping fee paid in the States.
I use photobucket and just post the links.
Must be an old repair if it was done in lead.
Interesting that they made 317 TR3s in 18 days @ 14 workdays about 22/23 cars a day which stacks up to the factory reported 25 avg.
Work on the pics as we all enjoy the journey.
Pat
 
Hi Mallard,

If this helps, here are the factory paint codes for the two blues, which tends to indicate they were two different shades, unlike the two light yellows which shared the same codes.

Winchester Blue ICI 2922 or Dockers BF 5944
Salvatore Blue ICI 2759 or Dockers BF 5323

One thing to watch is that these codes were for cellulose paint, and when I rebuilt my first Signal Red 3A, the body shop had to get the original ICI paint code adjusted by their duco supplier for the Glasurit two-pak I had specified.

Viv
 
I want to thank every body for all the information and photos. As for posting some pictures of my project I can't seem to get them on this site. I never had a problem before. I'm sure I will figure it out soon. Again thank you.
 
Where you able to come up with paint mix code(not the paint code but rather what goes into the mix to make Winchester Blue)?
 
I do have some of the codes recorded somewhere just not sure of the location right now. I have a great sample of the original color from one of the rear fenders under the stone guard. I'm still some time off from painting but I would love to see what you have for the paint codes. Please PM me for my email address or post on the forum, I'm sure there are others that would like to have the information as well. Question, did you just leave a comment on members cars with DCTRA today? It would strange to get two hits like that in one day from different sources.
 
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