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TR2/3/3A Phillips Head Screws

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Tinkerman

Tinkerman

Darth Vader
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This my not be the place for this question but, here goes. I know that General Motors adopted Phillips head screws for it's Cadillac mfg line in 1936. I have not encountered any of these screws in the rebuild of my 1960 TR3 A. Does any one know if any were used in the production of the TR 2 through 3B line of cars?

Just Curious, Tinkerman
 
There are a couple, but not very many. Generator field poles and point plate to distributor body is all I can think of offhand. And even those may be some other cross-head pattern, rather than Phillips.

Phillips drive was basically created for convenience in mass production, and was more expensive to manufacture as well as the licensing fee. Plus, as I understand it, there was considerable pressure from the British government to use British content if at all possible. Phillips was an American invention.
 
The '49 has straight slot and required drilling out in most places. No way to get a nut off a rusty bolt, I finally just gave up and drilled anything I found with a slot head. The painful part being Whitworth threads in most cases, so I had to buy a tap and die set to clean up with. Thank you Harley Davisson for using these.


Wayne
 
TR3driver said:
Phillips drive was basically created for convenience in mass production, and was more expensive to manufacture as well as the licensing fee. Plus, as I understand it, there was considerable pressure from the British government to use British content if at all possible. Phillips was an American invention.
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Could that be why the screws that so many of us have damaged with poor Phillips screwdrivers were, in fact, Pozi-Drive?
 
For years I've re-stated the story about Whitworth threads being a completely different thread. (I've had 10 or so British cars)
I was recently disabused of that notion. Turns out my TR3 is rife with regular old 1/4"X28 sae fine thread bolts and nuts!
Never had a problem finding them at ACE, the Favorite Shopping Place!
Thom
1959 TR3 #34909L(O)
 
I laid in a large supply of SAE course thread bolts and nuts and THEN found the same thing that Thom did, on my TR3A. I got many of the ones I needed at ACE. I did find another company in this small town that delt with fastners so I was able to get some of my stuff from them. I did buy my 1/4 28 body panel bolts from TRF because they had the correct length and the pointy end for ease with hooking up with all the captive bolts they used.
Anyone want to buy a Large amount of assorted size, SAE coarse nuts and bolts, sigh..............................

Cheers, Tinkerman
 
Someday I'll find the source again, but I remember reading years ago that Sir John Black, head of Standard, specified that as many "SAE" fittings as possible -- rather than the older Whitworth, BSF, etc. -- be used on the Vanguard, which was intended from the start to be a "World Car." There were exceptions, of course, especially on proprietary components from suppliers such as Lucas, Jaeger/Smiths and others. But unlike those who struggled in vain to find Whitworth bolts for their MG-TD at their local hardware store, postwar Standard and Triumph owners had a much easier time getting replacement nuts and bolts!
 
Wayne, that must have been a very tedious undertaking! You are to be commended for sticking with it!

Cheers, Dick
 
Thanks Dick, it's real surprising how many Whitworth types show up in the later model MG and Triumph's, but a lot of metric fit and mechanics they that is the mixture of bolts and nuts. The TR6 had the last few I can think of on the carbs, bottom nut on float chamber in the early ones, which was really just a plug. I for one was glad of the Phillips head in cars and woodwork.

Wayne
 
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