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TR2/3/3A TR3A License lamp mounting?

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AHS

AHS

Senior Member
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Hi guys, I'm hoping someone can help me understand what the correct parts and mounting are for the license lamp. I did a search and found this problem listed elsewhere, but no solution other than drilling holes in the body, and that's just silly. There's got to be a correct part that I'm missing.

I have a new standard Lucas chrome & glass lamp which appears to be the same as all the British cars used from around 1950 to around 1970. It has 2 small #8 studs and requires the wires to come through a third hole near one of the studs. In the MG/AH cars I'm familiar with, this mounts on a cast aluminum plinth which then bolts to the body. I'm told the TR3A has no such part and it mounts directly.

Well the holes in the body are much too big and a slightly different spacing. Since the studs in the lamp are so high, even if I would use huge fender washers on the studs, part of the lamp would overhang the spare tire door. The lamp needs to be mounted higher.

I would greatly appreciate a picture or description of how this is supposed to look.
Thanks,
Andy
license lt small.jpg
 
Those two (big) holes are for the wires. Some cars got one, some got two. You appear to be missing the small mounting holes.

Here's what mine has (just the left hand big hole):

holes1_zps08d9fab1.jpg


Another view:

holes2_zps7c647c90.jpg


Installed (not mine):

holes5_zpse7d8fe59.jpg


A friend's TR3A that I was using for reference (you can see he has two big holes + two small):

holes7_zps87c489bb.jpg


A measurement on the two small holes (I think the tape was covering the RH big hole):

holes8_zps36857742.jpg


A measurement showing the relationship of the big & small hole on the left end:

holes9_zpsc8c38c1e.jpg


I wonder if you can see or feel the remains for those two small holes on the inner side of the panel. The body guy who did my paint thoughtfully welded up a lot of the holes on mine which is why I happened to have these photos.
 
Oh, in case it isn't obvious -- the wires go through that nub/button on the right side of the gasket in your photo. You poke a hole in it to run the wires through and that nub forms a grommet to seal the big hole. Looks like you will only be using the LH big hole.
 
Thanks Geo, you are absolutely right. I got a light in there and I could tell that the holes were covered over with a thin layer of body filler. They opened up easily with a drill bit by hand. I have no one to blame but myself on this one as I did all the body work!

Your pictures were a big help.
 
Scheese, I feel left out. That is the one thing that fit my car like it was made for it. Amazing.
Dick
 
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