TR2/3/3A TR3 Tunnel cover

[Gordo]

Would anyone have a good picture of the right side of a tunnel cover?

I'm in the middle of rebuilding mine and I have a depression (dent) on the right side that I'm not sure belongs there or not. It's one of those border line things in that it looks like it belongs there. I'll try and get a picture of it on here Saturday. Wife has the camera today.

Thanks, Gordo

 

[TR4]

Not sure but isn't that to make room for the handbrake?

 

[Don Elliott]

Here you are. The black tunnel with the padding is from my own early TR3A which has the dip stick and filler on the RHS. The green one is from the late TR3A we did and I cut a hole on the LHS of the tunnel to make it easier to fill the oil via the small threaded plug up high on that side. The rubber plug is the same as used for the jack hole in the floor.

 

[Tinkerman]

I'm sitting here looking at mine, at the extreme right front there is a bulge and towards the rear there is a piece cut out of it for the emergency brake but I see no dents whatsoever. How big is the dent and where is it positioned in relation to the emergency brake cut out?

Tinkerman

 

[martx-5]

I have one of the right side here. I don't know where you're looking in particular, but if you can tell me what area you want, I have the tunnel out of the car and can take some more pics.

Edit, yes I had to do a repair...it was rotted out at the forward end...no lip left.
The tunnel fits in the car.

 

[Gordo]

Thanks for the help guys.

The pictures are exactly what I needed. Looks like mine has a dent I need to knock out. It is on the right side between the lift the dots about 3/4 of the way up and the length of the dent is about 12 inches.

What made me wonder is it is such a "nice" dent!

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[Twosheds]

What made me wonder is it is such a "nice" dent!

Maybe some PO modified the tunnel to make clearance for an aftermarket passenger seat?

I made just such a modification to the tunnel on the racecar with a BFH (calibrated, of course) but to both sides.

 

[Gordo]

This morning I was looking at Ebay and there is a powder blue 3 for sale and the tunnel has no carpet or padding on it.

That car "seems" to have the same "nice" dent I do. I'm thinking now that it is supposed to be there. Maybe for hand clearance on the brake lever?

It's going to the dipper on Monday so once all the junk is off I'll be able to tell a little better. I'd hate to knock out a factory "dent".

Gordo

 

[Tinkerman]

Ya know, its no big deal. Leave it in there if you want. No one but us on the forum and you will know about it and we wont tell, heh.

Tinkerman

 

[Don Elliott]

What do you mean "to the dipper" ? If you are planning to have it chemically dipped to remove the rust, think twice before you do it. I have heard that the acid (or whatever) will stay in all the overlap areas and all these joint areas and spotwelds will dissapear with time. Both of the TRs that I restored were sandblasted on all the rigid stuff and the panels were shot at low pressure with glass beads and resin shot blast.

 

[TR4nut]

Not sure if it helps, but I picked up a TR3 trans cover in pretty good shape recently - I think there is a subtle dent or shape on the tunnel to accommodate the emergency brake:

Randy

 

[Don Elliott]

I notice that both the photos of the rusted tunnels with the dents have at least one screw hole that was not there when it left the factory. Maybe some PO installed a radio and a console and had to dent in the tunnel to make the console fit. Or maybe he had huge hands and fingers and felt he needed more space. Who knows ? As someone noted above, no TRA or VTR judge will see the dent once you put the carpet back in.

 

[TRclassic3]

This may give another perspective.