Happy Birthday to ...

[NutmegCT]

"TeeYah"
Commission: TS47527L
Engine: TS48235E

Per my British Motor Heritage certificate, TS47527L rolled off the Coventry line on April 9, 1959. Departed Alexandria Dock, Liverpool England on April 30, 1959, for North America aboard the vessel "Canadian Star".

Interesting trivia: The Canadian Star was actually Canadian Star II; the original Canadian Star had been torpedoed and sunk by a U-boat in 1943.

And after fifty years, BCF helped me bring her back to enjoy her "dotage". In honor of TeeYah's 50th, I've made a donation to NAMI, (www.nami.org), an organization which Basil supports and volunteers for.

Take a look at some of the work I've fumbled my way through over the last couple years since I got the car. None of this would have been possible without the help of Basil and BCF members.

Thanks guys!

One other thing - now she runs GREAT!

Thanks all.
Tom

 

[14dna]

Happy Birthday TeeYah

Looks pretty good for a fifty year old.
You've done well Tom, Congrats

Dave

 

[kodanja]

LOOKS LIKE A YOUNGSTER TO ME!

 

[TR4nut]

Beautiful Tom!

Randy

 

[Dennis]

Simply beautiful! Good job!
Dennis

 

[PeterK]

Happy 51st birthday to ours TODAY (thanks for reminding me to look it up.)

Destination Hawaii (1 year before statehood) April 9th 1958!!

There is no departure or ship information on our BMH certificate though.

 

[SteveTR]

Tom,

Happy Birthday.

You did a great job.

Cheers.

 

[Twosheds]

Looks good!

Many happy returns!

 

[Don Elliott]

Tom - You have done quite a nice job on this car. I seem to remember that the previous owner was on this forum quite often for a year or more before he sold it. From his exchanges, it almost sounded to me that the car he sold you was in really good shape. But you have improved it much further.

You say the ship was the Canadian Star. Does it list the port of arrival or just North America ?

As you know I bought my 1958 TR3A brand new in May 1958 here in Montreal. Officially, my TR came from Coventry as "TS 27489 LO" but all my Quebec registration papers read "8 TS 27489 LO". the "8" was added here in Canada. That was to prevent unscrupulous salesmen selling a 1954 (for example a VW beetle) as a 1958 and so on.

The extra pre-fix numeral 8 is stamped on my Comm. No. plate. See photo of my original plate which is still on my car.

Does yours have a "9" as a pre-fix numeral ? If it does, it was imported and sold during 1959 somewhere in Canada. If there is no "9" stamped there, it did not come into Canada when new.

 

[Perrymip]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]One other thing - now she runs GREAT![/QUOTE]

That impresses me so much. These cars have that same torque and purr they had when new. They inspire affection.

 

[Don Elliott]

Tom - Another thing I noticed. Your TR3A has the same oil filler cap on the valve cover. Most TRs delivered to USA had a filler cap with three indents for fingers and thumbs. At TRA, I always lose part of a point because the US judges say that it's not from a TR. I know mine is the correct one because it came that way and I still use the original one.

The oil filler caps on cars delivered to Canada and Australia were like yours and like mine. That's another reason I felt that maybe yours came into Canada.

 

[Don Elliott]

And here's a typical US oil filler cap. Why S-T used different caps for different markets, I'll never guess.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Don, it's probably the same reason various Standards and Triumphs had different air cleaners for different markets...whatever <span style="font-style: italic">that</span> reason might be!

 

[Tinkerman]

Great job Tom! Gives you a good feeling when it all comes together.

Good on yer, Tom, Tinkerman

 

[NutmegCT]

Thanks for the compliments gents. I wanted my TR to look like "a 50 year old car that was well taken care of."

Don - the certificate shows shipment to Cal Sales, Portland. I assume that was Oregon? S-T seems to have bought up many of the distributors in 1960, but from my reading it sounds like Cal Sales had the rights to USA distribution from the Mississippi westward. That's a LOT of territory!

There's no "9" (or "8") added to the commission plate. Reads exactly "TS47527L"; otherwise looks just like yours.

My oil filler cap is just like yours - no finger grips. Of course, as I didn't purchase the car new, I can't verify that cap has always been on the car.

Tom

 

[TR3driver]

Why S-T used different caps for different markets, I'll never guess.

I'm still not convinced they did. My 58 TR3A (registered as a 59) had exactly the same cap as yours when it came to me (I repainted it silver); and AFAIK it was always a CA car. Of course it might have been changed, but what are the odds of someone here buying a cap off the shelf identical to the one your car was shipped from the UK with?
And before someone else points it out, these caps are NOT the same as the "flat top" caps fitted to earlier cars. Those had a slightly different profile, and an additional slot on the back.

Parts shortages were common in those days; so my guess is that these caps came from an alternate supplier to the factory.

 

[drooartz]

Happy Birthday!

1959 was a good year for our little cars (Tunebug turns 50 on November 20, 1959). You've sure done some nice work on that car.

 

[Brooklands]

Happy Birthday TeeYah, and great job Tom. Fagin and I are in awe of you both...