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TR2/3/3A Anyone have a pic of a properly painted tr3a engine

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Got_All_4

Got_All_4

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Getting ready to paint and detail my engine. I know there has been discussion on engine block colors but I know mine was originally black. It's the other parts I'm concerned about.
Thanks for any help.
 
That list is right about some things, but quite a few that I have doubts about. Only my TR4 is original so I cannot say for sure that TR3s were the same, but it seems odd that component finish would change with the TR4 when the components themselves remained the same or similar.

Another source is the TRA Judging Standards and Restoration Guidelines: https://www.triumphregister.com/TRA Guide Binder 2004.pdf

But I don't accept any source as the last word; there are just to many variables and too many cars to ever close the book on this subject.

For the engine block, in addition to the paint color you might also want to research the letters and numbers often hand-painted on the right (starter) side of the block.
 
This'll be ballpark. Sure many will correct any errors...

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Like the oil filter adapter...

And this is the exact factory lettering:

 
I know its supposed to be flat black, but mine's a driver and I painted the block with high temp red to see any oil leaks. Looks nice too. (After more than 40 years with one, sometimes the cynical part of me thinks that's why they painted them black, to hide the oil leaks.)
 
Funny...I've been sitting here going through the TR3 engine pics to find decent ones. This week I replaced the cams in a modern twin cammed Harley Davidson. The Harley is a highly engineered work of art...all aluminum, dry sump oiling, vacuum crankcase, roller lifters, 100HP out of 2 cylinders...truly an amazing feat of engineering having no extra metal or weight anywhere. The TR is a basic lump of iron in comparison. But, I bet the TR3 engine in the pic will be running long after the Harley engine dies a natural death.

 
What paints did you use. I've not had much luck with the spray can paints for engine blocks especially with rust coming through.
 
I actually found that the cheaper spray cans ($.99 at lowes) bond better to dirty metal than any of the expensive paints...like PPG and rustoleum. I use rustoleum if I can get it spotlessly clean, like after sand blasting. If I can only wire brush the block I use cheap rattle cans.

If I have a lot of clean parts, I use PPG epoxy primer with the spray gun.
 
Rustoleum says only up to 212 degrees. The 250 I put on the road 10 years has spots where rust is coming through and that was a new block. Just cleaned up it well and sprayed it with a couple of cans of hi temp engine paint to give it a nice coat. There is some rust in the pours of the castings. I used some metal prep to clean it out but not much luck. I'll keep looking or more suggestions.
 
John
Your engine is beautiful. If there are any complaints about your work you have my permission to smack them with a spanner!
 
I got paint from the shop that did the machining on the engine. I think it works great and has held up well so far. Aervoe Engine Enamel, High Performance Formula gloss black good to 500F.
 
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