TR2/3/3A Tr2 getting it back on the road

[Rubicon]

Well I posted up in the welcome section, but since I'm trying to get my tr2 back on the road I'm here now.
So I've got lots of questions but I'll ask as they come up instead of all at once, some seem to answer themself as time goes on. But first, since my car is going into the body shop, hopefully end of the month, and the shop wants the eng/trans out of it, can I pull them as a unit or do I have to separate them? He also wants the wiring removed, and as the wiring is original to the car, I want to replace the harness with a new one. Who makes a cost effective and complete harness that is easy to use and install? I don't want original, as I'm gonna make this car a driver, I want reliable. I will be doing an alt upgrade when the time comes. So originality is not a huge concern but I would like it to look good and possibly correct.
A bit about the car, I've owned it now for 8 years or so maybe 9, never driven it! It is a very rough car and was stored outside by the PO so the cancer got to it. I've made it run, and have been collecting parts to get it back on the road. The deal came up that I couldn't pass up so it's getting done a bit faster then I thought. Had to finish the house first before I could do the car.
The eng and trans will come with me to work so I can do a quick rebuild over the winter, and hopefully be back in the car this spring/summer. Lots of work ahead for me but I'm looking forward to it.

Ill try and get some pics up as the car sits now, and as I go along.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Welcome to the Forum! Photos of your car are always enjoyed, more so as it is a TR2.

It is common practice to pull the engine and gearbox as a unit if both are to come out. Of course you'll want to coordinate reassembly of the body with the reinstall of the drive train as one affects the other.

I used the wiring harness offered by Moss -- looks original and has been totally reliable the past 14 years since. Most electric faults seem to be the connectors more than the wiring - but if everything is clean and tight those should also present no problem.

Some use a non-stock harness from Advanced Auto Wire and they can tell you more about that - I do not know if Dan offers a specific TR2 kit but I suppose any TR kit would work and give you more functionality (if that is desired).

 

[BillyB62]

There is also a very recommended outfit in Pennsylvania called British Wiring that you can source your wiring harness from. I plan to replace my harness this winter and that's where I will get mine. I bought my generator to alternator conversion kit from them and was very pleased at the support when I got stuck.

https://www.britishwiring.com/

 

[BillyB62]

BTW - welcome to the forum. You will find many folks here are chomping at the bit to help get another LBC back on the road. Good luck and although I'm relatively new to Triumphs compared to many of the forum members, ask away!

 

[2long]

I would take a look at a book by Roger Wiliams called "How to Restore Triumph TR2/3/3a". That one seems like it would be a good resource for your stage of restoration. If you can't find a copy I can loan you one.

Dan

 

[Rubicon]

Thanks for the welcome. I got the book from Roger Williams, as well as the factory shop manual ( hard copy, and soft copy versions) just haven't had a chance to look to far into them. ( been awhile sice I've read them as well). I'm just heading out to empty out the LBC and start getting it ready to go.
Thanks for the advice on the wiring harness, I'm not looking to be adding anything really to the car so a factory style one should be good for me.
Geo Hahn -was the moss one complete? Did you have to buy other harness? Did it tell you what wires were what, we're they labeled? ( I'm colour blind to some colours so it can be a challenge sometimes lol) any other issues with it? Was it the correct length, or did you have to modify it some?
Anybody use the Victoria British one?
billyB62 - thanks for the link, I'll look into them as well, not sure who to go with just yet. But glad to hear of the support from them when you ran into trouble! That's counts for a lot,

 

[Rubicon]

As promised here is a pic. Trying to post more the. One, but ipad won't let me for some reason.


Well it seems to have let me

 

[Rubicon]

The hood and fenders are in the shed, as well as the windscreen. So it's all there but very rough.

 

[Geo Hahn]

...Geo Hahn -was the moss one complete? Did you have to buy other harness? Did it tell you what wires were what, we're they labeled? ( I'm colour blind to some colours so it can be a challenge sometimes lol) any other issues with it? Was it the correct length, or did you have to modify it some?

The harness I got from Moss did not include the sub-harness for the front lights, I made my own. Also, as I recall, I had to make the sub-harness for the instrument lights including the grounds that go to the speedo and tach. Neither was a big deal. Do not discard your old harness as there will likely be some correct color wire and old connectors in there that may prove useful down the road.

No labels or instructions on the Moss harness, but since the typical TR2 wiring diagram contained in the manuals is very literal (as opposed to schematics used on later TRs or current tracks used on German cars) it is pretty easy to see where everything goes (though color-blindness will make it a challenge). I laid the whole thing out on the floor in the shape it would have in the car and made my own diagram just to be sure I knew every wire and connector. If you do that you could add labels as you go for easier assembly later. I'm guessing you'll have time on your hands while the body work gets done.

The wires were the correct length except for the area around the control box & fuse block -- there they give you a couple of extra inches. I connected those w/o shortening anything then went back a year later and trimmed to exact length. Wanted to be sure all was okay - you can always make them shorter later.

Moss (and possibly others) offer a choice of wire insulation: lacquer braid or cloth bound. Lacquer braid is possibly correct for your car and perhaps mine too -- but I went with cloth bound as the colors on the PVC insulation are easier to read and the insulation possibly longer-lived than the lacquer which (in my experience) deteriorates over time and leaves you with hard-to-identify colors.

It is possible that several vendors get their harnesses from the same source so price shopping may make sense unless someone has had an issue with one supplier -- it's also a good idea to watch for the sales.

Thanks for the pictures -- a challenging but worthy project.

 

[Rubicon]

Thanks for the quick reply. I've got lots of time to do this, lol. I've had it this long what a couple more years. I have lots of time to fiddle with things at work. I got the eng ready to be pulled sometime this week/next, I just need to find a crane and a stand or I'll have to use the winch off the jeep to lift the eng/trans combo out and onto a moving dolly so I can get it into work with me.
The harness in the car now is very rotten with extra wires added in and spliced! So I'm not gonna reuse it, I've had my share of British wiring issues! I'll have to watch for a sale and order one up.

 

[CJD]

Welcome fellow TR2 restorer! We look forward to following your progress. Yours looks much better than mine...but I still think a spring drive may be optimistic. As you get into it, you will find quite a bit that needs attention.

Cheers!

 

[trrdster2000]

Welcome to the greatest forum for LBC, I so look forward to your journey. My first ride in a Triumph was a TR2 in 1955, never got over it.

Good luck, Wayne

 

[Rubicon]

Welcome fellow TR2 restorer! We look forward to following your progress. Yours looks much better than mine...but I still think a spring drive may be optimistic. As you get into it, you will find quite a bit that needs attention.

Cheers!

i have to have lofty goals lol. I don't think I'll be driving it anytime soon, I'm still doing house work and that takes priority at the moment. But it is going into the body shop as the deal I have is now so I'm doing work to get it there. I'm expecting lots of issues, but that's part of the fun I think.
Trrdster2000- thanks for the welcome.

 

[Rubicon]

Now into my next question lol! How heavy is the eng? Once it's stripped down can one person move it/lift it? Or am I gonna need an eng stand for the rebuild while it's at work?

I see there are no build threads, what did you do to your LBC threads, so either I'll keep updating this with progress pics or I'll start a new one with how it's going.

 

[Kleykamp]

Welcome! You will want a stand for the engine. Not a one man job. The stand will allow you to turn it as needed. Rolling around in the floor trying to get the engine apart is not fun. Interesting to see the pics. Yet another teal blue TR. Seems like that was a popular respray color in the 70's. Of the 3 TR3's I've had, all were some variation of that color...and also were originally powder blue. Do some "small" jobs in there to help see some success and keep the interest going, but you may already know that. Looking forward to watching progress.

 

[CJD]

At age 54 I can lift the bare block...if I am alone and I have to. If help is available, I don't hesitate to ask for it, though. I'd estimate the bare block at about 125 to 150 lbs.

 

[toysrrus]

Hi Rubicon,

Glad to see you found your way here & posted some pics. As I had mentioned; You`ll get the best help here vs. anywhere else in the world relative to bringing your TR back to life.

Have Fun & Best Wishes.

Russ

 

[mgedit]

Welcome and good luck with your project. I went through similar journey with my early 56 recently. Many similarities to your TR2. A new harness came in the boxes of parts with my car but no idea of origin. Needed headlight harness in addition to main harness. Cheers, Mike

 

[Rubicon]

Well I'm chasing a engine hoist and stand right now as I don't have any of those, the last LBC we did engine work on was my brothers sprite and the 2 of us lifted it in and out of the car. Plus I'm trying to pull this one a a unit with the transmission. I got it all ready to go yesterday bolts are loose, just need the equipment now, but then it sits until I get back on night shift, or I can sneak it into the hangar during the day (usually the weekend).
Once the engine is out, it's gonna sit as I need to do the daily drivers for the wife n me, to get them ready for the upcoming winter. I'm not looking forward to that season!

 

[TRWisco]

Wow. That looks like quite the undertaking. Good luck on the engine pull and everything else for that matter.