TR2/3/3A Aluminum door capping for tr3

[sp53]

Has anyone seen these type door capping. They do not have the cup for the buttons and I am not sure if they are an aftermarket product or not. I talked to Marv and he has seen them, but does not have any. I would like to get one.

Steve

 

[CJD]

That's what I have on the TR2...I think it was for the wood topped doors and was tacked into place. Sorry, I don't have any extras.

 

[mctriumph]

They did fit the same as steel ,but were junk. They corroded something terrible due to electrolious . Move on.
Mad dog

 

[CJD]

The steel were used on the later, all-steel door tops. The early doors were wood topped doors, with the wood cup shaped to fit the aluminum caps. I don't think they are interchangeable...at least I can't picture how they would be, given the differences in the door tops. Mine have negligible rust after 68 years...which is good since all dash caps and rear scuttle caps are aluminum too. Since they also fit inside the sidescreens, I have trouble imagining electrolytic corrosion being significant?? At least no worse than the steel floor boards if you drive in the rain with no top.

 

[mctriumph]

The steel capping will interchange with minor fussing. If you dont think electrolysis is a problem ,get a big Healey and learn.
Mad dog

 

[sp53]

Maddog I live in Washington State and have webbed feet, so find me a oxidized one and I will be your new best friend.

Steve

 

[CJD]

If you dont think electrolysis is a problem ,get a big Healey and learn.
Mad dog

And...which forum are we in? May I suggest adding zincs if your Healey is always wet? My car sat in an open field from 1984 until I bought it in 2012. The caps are still fine.

Good move, Steve...find the right part and no "fiddling" is required. I don't see any in ebay, but I am sure a couple will turn up...

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/j377/cjdurant/DSC03066.jpg

Bummer...photobucket is at it again. They do not provide the img links anymore.

 

[CJD]

Well, good news/bad news. TRF shows they have them, but the price is way out of line. I would be tempted to fashion them from scratch at these prices:

Right side 800586, left 800585, $134.95 ea

Surely a couple will pop up on Ebay

 

[sp53]

I found a pair for a 100.00, but I think the aluminum type were used only on Triumph tr2 from 1955 back to 1953. I am not sure of 56 and 57, but they were not used in 1958. MD is correct it would not take much to modify the later ones to work, just remove the cap on the end. Around here in Washington state aluminum oxidation is not a problem because we do not salt the roads.

In a tropical climate aluminum oxidizes quickly. A buddy of mine and me used to put those aluminum gutters on houses back in the 70ites and people would say aluminum does not rust. He would say they have never been to Vietnam. He was a bartender at the officers club in 1969 and would through the cans out back and they turned to white powder.

steve

 

[CJD]

By the parts manual, the caps changed at least twice, for at least 3 different types. The main key is if you have wood or all metal doors, as the wood gets tacks on top to hold it, and the all metal door uses screws inside the trim panels. The parts manual gives the change points, but I have never seen a comparison of the cap differences. If you figure it out, post some pics for us!

Of interest, I follow the curator for the battleship New Jersey on youtube. Most ships use zincs to sacrifice for corrosion, when the ship is in the ocean. The New Jersey is in fresh water, so the curator says the zinc needs to be replaced with sacrificial aluminum to help the hull. I can vouch that the aluminum thermostat housing does sacrifice itself in our cooling system!

 

[mctriumph]

I restored a 55 tr2 some years back . Badly corroded arm rests. (and everything else) We went back with steel as few, if any , people know the difference.
We also never did find the OE air cleaners.Other than that we went concourse . I was heartbroken when, after he passed away, his
widow had me take this beauty to auction. The numbers matching motor alone had cost close to 10K to build. 500 hours of professional
metal work and no expense spared on the interior. fetched 25K I told her to refuse the bid, but she needed to move on.....
Mad dog

 

[mezy]

The steel capping will interchange with minor fussing. If you dont think electrolysis is a problem ,get a big Healey and learn.
Mad dog

Or an early range rover, ally door skins on steel frame, they wpould literaly blow holes

 

[sp53]

I took some pics from a tr2 and some from a 1958 tr3 and near as I can tell they are the same except for the end cap button.

Steve