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TR2/3/3A TR3 engine numbers

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bfitz

bfitz

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engine number TS 19354E
head number 302137
anybody know what year these parts are?
also- what is the correct color scheme for the hood badge on a 1960 TR3? red/black or blue/white?
thanks for the help
B
 
Hey Bfitz -

Engine number looks like a '57. My '57 is TS16348E. Not sure about the head number, though. I believe the hood badge should be blue and white - that change occurred in '59.

Mickey
 
Aloha bfitz,

Mickey is spot on as usual. Commission numbers TS15014 through TS22013 were manufactured in 1957 up into September when the TR3A started production with TS22014. I suspect, but can't confirm it that the number on the head is a casting (part) number. On my MG engine the raised numbers casted with the head is a part number identify which engine it goes with. The blue and white shield began with TS41874 sometime in early 1959. My reference source is the Moss Motors TR 2, 3, 4 & 4A catalog.

Safety Fast,
Dave
 
Dave, you're too kind! The Original series books are fantastic tools for restorating these cars. I've got the TR3/4 and the MGB editions, and have found them to be extremely helpful in identifying changes, color combinations, equipment, etc. Can't recommend them highly enough. Great photography, too. Well worth the thirty or forty dollars they cost.

Mickey
 
The blue and white badge would be correct, or at least not incorrect. Some cars built in mid '59 had a 3 color badge where the "TR3" and bottom bar are black and the 'open book' (yes, I believe that is an open book) is blue & white.

IIRC TR4 heads have a number on a boss in the casting on the manifold side, but I don't recall finding a number on my TR3 head. In any case, I don't think head numbers are either sequential or unique.
 
Hey guy's, this may sound stupid but which "original series" book is Mickey referring to,I can probably squeeze $30.00 or $40.00 bucks out of the wife and I can use all the help I can get out here in middle earth.
 
Hi Winston -

The books are a series published by Bay View Books, or MBI Publishishing. Original MGB, Original TR3,, etc. They are available from Moss, Little British Car Co., and probably are on Amazon. If you need particulars (ISBN #'s, etc.), e-mail or PM me.

Mickey
 
Note that the original "Original" Triumph book (by Bill Piggott) covered the TR2 thru TR6. Later they split the material into 2 volumes, the second of which is TR4/4A/5/6 and presumably has more info. Paperback version is Moss item #213-285 at $24.95.
 
Hi all,

I believe the "Original TR" books you're refering to are the series by Bill Piggott. I agree, they are excellent. Within the past few years, his older TR2 through 6 book (last printing 1991-ish) was revised into two different books with expanded info on the TR2/3 in one, TR4/4A/250/5/6 in the other. He also published "Original TR7 & 8" recently. For good prices, look on Amazon.com. Or check eBay (but be careful, prices vary wildly!).

I also highly recommend the new "How to Restore" series from Roger Williams, along with a separate series of "How to Improve" books. The latter is for those who want to go Vintage Racing or perhaps just want to Hot Rod their TRs. The former is more aimed at authenticity and compliments the Piggott books well, in fact he wrote the foreward in some of them. The "Restore" books are more model specific: one for 2/3, another for 4/4A, a third for 250/5/6 and a fourth covering TR7 & 8. Roger has also written extensively about MGBs. One of his "Improve" books covers TR2 through 4A. Another covers TR250/5/6.

Rogers's books are heavily illustrated and very up to date with good British parts source info and a smattering of U.S. parts sources.

For anyone with dreams of doing laps, the Kas Kastner tuning manuals are now compiled into one book, I noticed TRF has it, possibly others do as well.
 
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