TR2/3/3A gauge/panel refurb TR3A

[NutmegCT]

Gentlemen -

After much colorful language and gnashing of teeth I've got the panel back together.

Last week I removed all the gauges, cleaned out the crud inside and out, polished the chrome and lenses, then cleaned, sanded, primed and wrinkle-painted the panel.

Slowly put it all back together this afternoon, reconnected the battery, switched on the ignition and ...

NO SPARKS! NO SMOKE! NO BURNING SMELL!

All the gauges are now functioning, switches and indicator lights bright and happy.

I pulled the wiper switch and the panel lights came on. I pulled the panel switch and the wiper came on. Minor detail - but fixed now after more gnashing of teeth.

Think I'll go for a drive tomorrow. How novel.

Compare the first pic (before the work) to the second (about an hour ago). I think there's a bit of improvement.

Tom

 

[Guest]

Nniiiiccceeee. That's what it's all about.

 

[Brooklands]

You should be very proud of this accomplishment. The dash looks great! Great job Tom.

 

[TR3driver]

You probably know this, but JIC :

Unless you have the later panel light rheostat, the panel switch goes in the top hole. With the rheostat, the wiper switch goes in the top.

But likely no one will ever notice either way. Just switch the knobs.

 

[Brosky]

Nice job Tom!! It looks really good.

 

[Don Elliott]

Tom - I notice that your key has a round thingy and it probably has something else hanging on it - like 17 other keys ?

I use a single key with no thingy or chain on it. I don't want that hanging thingy swinging back and forth scratching up my nice leather bit that is just below the key.

Don

 

[NutmegCT]

You probably know this, but JIC :

Unless you have the later panel light rheostat, the panel switch goes in the top hole. With the rheostat, the wiper switch goes in the top.

But likely no one will ever notice either way. Just switch the knobs.

Randall - no I didn't know about that. I don't have a rheostat, so I'll switch the switches.

Question: I read in my spiffy new (!) Piggott TR2/3 that single speed wipers did not have the autopark feature. The autopark was only on two-speed wipers. Sound right? I've got the single speed switch, but the later driver-side wiper motor.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement folks.
Tom

 

[DougF]

My single speed has autopark.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Nice work. Is that a new choke knob? Sort of stands like new. If so and you wish it to have the patina of the others you have 2 possiblilities... remove it (usual pin fitting) and go with the old knob or use a bit of light sanding to dull the finish.

I also see that the choke knob is rotated a bit (i.e. won't hold its correct orientation). This usually occurs when the little moon-shaped sliver of metal that holds it in its withdrawn position has fallen out. That sucker will fall out whenever the cable is pulled out past its normal distance. Nothing is holding it in place except the thick portion of the knob/cable fitting. Without it the cable notches have nothing to engage so the cable wants to slide back in (and rotate). If you can't find iton the floor a replacement can be made or perhaps salvaged from your old cable.


On your wipers -- do they park but just not at the bottom? Or do they just stop where they are? The former suggests an adjustment to that cap on top of the wheel box is needed, the latter that someting is amiss, possibly w/i the wheel box.

Like Don, I carry minimal keys... a separate ring for every car. I also like a period DAV tag to match the period plates so call me anal...

 

[TR3driver]

Question: I read in my spiffy new (!) Piggott TR2/3 that single speed wipers did not have the autopark feature. The autopark was only on two-speed wipers. Sound right?

Nope. Early cars did not have self-park, but the change to single-speed with self-park happened well before 59. Don't recall the change point offhand, but it should be in Bill's book. The wiring harness changed as well, since the self-parking motor needs a green wire (powered whenever the ignition switch is on).

The two-speed wipers appear to be a very rare option; I've never seen a TR3A that was fitted with them. In fact, I have a suspicion that the unpopular option was quietly dropped when the panel light rheostat was introduced; as the two-speed wiper switch is quite a bit larger in diameter than the single-speed; and there isn't room behind the panel for both of them.

If anyone has an original two-speed wiper switch for a TR3/A, I would be interested in buying it (even if it doesn't work). I've got a motor (from a TR4) but not the switch.

 

[NutmegCT]

GeoHahn: I also see that the choke knob is rotated a bit (i.e. won't hold its correct orientation).

Actually the knob is rotated for the "slide" function. To lock it in position (on one of the internal notches) I turn the knob to be correctly vertical. By the way, I found the old knob and put it on. Thanks for the suggestion.


GeoHahn: On your wipers -- do they park but just not at the bottom?

Wipers don't stop at all unless I turn the wiper switch off. There's likely a wire leading from the "auto park" commutator in the gear housing that's causing the problem. I don't know what to look for, so I haven't investigated it. Interesting about the discrepancy (?) in the Piggott where he says only the two speed wipers had autopark.

Randall - does the two speed wiper switch pull out a second notch? Or does it rotate? Mine just pulls out for on/off. I switched the panel and wiper switches back again, so they're properly placed.

Thanks all.
Tom

 

[TR3driver]

Wipers don't stop at all unless I turn the wiper switch off.

That's actually the way they are supposed to work ... they only "self park" with the wiper switch off and the ignition on.

There's likely a wire leading from the "auto park" commutator in the gear housing that's causing the problem. I don't know what to look for, so I haven't investigated it.

If you have the original type motor, the wire should lead from a terminal on top of the gearbox through a hole in the housing, through the field housing and to one of the brush holders inside. I forget offhand which terminal number it is, but it's the same terminal that gets the wire from the switch on the dash. Both the park switch and the dash switch ground that terminal to make the motor run.

Interesting about the discrepancy (?) in the Piggott where he says only the two speed wipers had autopark.

I'll have to dig out my copy, as I don't recall that. I take it you have the later edition, that only covers TR2-3B ?

Randall - does the two speed wiper switch pull out a second notch? Or does it rotate?

I'm not absolutely certain on that point, since I've never found a TR3/A with the 2-speed wipers as original equipment. But I believe the 2-speed switch rotated rather than pulled.

Mine just pulls out for on/off.

That's correct for the single speed. The switch is actually the same switch used for the panel lights (on earlier cars without the panel rheostat).