historical note on Piggetts book

[MDCanaday]

I just a copy of the very fine new book of Tr's by Mr Piggett.Looking at the production changes on the tr4's I was surprised to find that the last of the road draft vented cars was CT 14234 E.My Tr4 numbers matching motor was comm. #14275L this is 41 cars latter,but came from the factory with the vent tube. In all truth,when I had the engine down, it was very apparent that the motor block had been repaired at the factory before it was shipped.A square was cut out of the water jacket on the carb side, and brazed back shut, then machined and the head re-installed. This could explain why it came out after the cut-off.The British Motor Heritage says the car was built on 9 12 1962, with a motor # of CT 14256E .
I wish I had a good picture of the repair, it was the darnedest thing I have ever seen done to fix a casting flaw.This would make it the last road draft car to be shipped out of the factory.
MD( mad dog)

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

white space, white space!
too hard to read...

 

[TR3driver]

This could explain why it came out after the cut-off.

Yup, the engine was pulled from the line for repair, then installed in a later car after being repaired. Such incidents were not uncommon, both for motors and entire cars. It's a common assumption that cars were built in commission number order, but many were finished out of order.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:] I wish I had a good picture of the repair, it was the darnedest thing I have ever seen done to fix a casting flaw.[/QUOTE]Me too! I wonder if the inserted square was the same one that was cut out, or if they cut a patch from another (scrap) block. The latter seems more likely to me.

 

[MDCanaday]

You are right Randal,the motor had to be brazed (in an oven ??),the square was all brass just over 1inch on all sides.it had been finished on the water side and the exterior,then milled (rather badly) for the headgasket to seat. It had only 52k on it when I got it and still had original hoses and even one original tire!You cant see the patch because of the exhaust manifold...As odd as it is, this never leaked or caused any problem with the gasket.
MD(mad dog)