TR2/3/3A TR3A year?

[Geo Hahn]

Mine (TS47901L) was built 4/15/59 (about to have a birthday) which may have been the last day for the pre-50000 cars. I have never seen an exact figure of how many numbers were skipped but it may have been close to 2000.

 

[HerronScott]

Frank and Jim,

It will be interesting to see how the real build date compares. I've attached a shot of this future project car.

Scott

 

[HerronScott]

Mine (TS47901L) was built 4/15/59 (about to have a birthday) which may have been the last day for the pre-50000 cars. I have never seen an exact figure of how many numbers were skipped but it may have been close to 2000.

Do you know which of the two commission plates they show at TRF you have on your TR3A?

TR3A commission plates

Mine's been painted over so I can't tell if it had the later one although I'm assuming that would be the correct one.

Scott

 

[Don Elliott]

I have never seen CNP33 before and I've never seen one like this on any TR3 or TR3A. Mine shown below is the original one which has been on my 1958 TR3A for 51 years. When I was doing mt restoration from 1987 to 1990, I bought a new blank one like CNP32, and then I noticed that the fonts were different. Note the "3" to the RHS on the top line. Also other differences. So I cleaned up my original one and put it back on.

 

[Andrew Mace]

I'm with Don on this. I don't think I've ever seen a commission number plate with "Serif" typeface on any postwar Triumph or Standard! The plates on TS71909L, TS736524L and TCF1564L (all sold off now :frown: ) were all like Don's.

 

[angelfj1]

yes, actually TS58476 LO
I received the BMIHT certificate in the late 90's. This car had a few interesting things we found. The frame was painted red underneath all the crud. It also had the holes and captive nuts and dome bolts for aeroscreens although this was eliminated from normal production. I remember asking the original owner about this. He told me that back in the late 50's he did a bit of motorcross and gymkhanas, etc and he traded in his older TR3 smallmouth which had original aeroscreens. He said Triumph charged him $75. dollars to supply his new 3A with the holes ready for the aeroscreens. I sure wish he saved the bill of sale, but by 1988 when I bought the car the paperwork was gone and the dealer was long gone.

I realize that I am close to the major change in body shell tooling, etc. However, my car has all of the characteristics of the earlier cars before the transition, including:

no plinth under bonnet and boot hinges
wooden door frames
screw terminals on electrical equipment
sloping rear deck
flat section reinforcing in boot lid vs round tubular
dzus-type wind-screen attachment
etc, etc, etc
so, being 1500 or so cars below the transition saved me. I prefer the earlier design - it's a bit more crude

 

[angelfj1]

From what I remember, the first company to have these plates reproduced were Cox & Buckles Spares, way back in the early 1980's when Peter had his shop in Surrey. They eventually merged and later were acquired by Moss.

These plates are close but definitely not exact.

Theoretically, it is illegal to modify a commission plate, so regardless of condition neither TRA nor VTR deduct points for knackered plates.

 

[TR3driver]

Theoretically, it is illegal to modify a commission plate,

I thought that too, but the US code, at least, does have specific exemptions for the vehicle owner; an agent authorized by the owner; or someone doing a repair where the "tampering" is reasonably necessary for the repair.
https://law.onecle.com/uscode/18/511.html

State law may be different of course. In California, it appears that you must obtain permission from the DMV first:
https://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cacodes/veh/10750-10752.html

 

[HerronScott]

Thanks for the information on the differences between the original and the reproductions (at least from TRF). Does anyone know if Moss Motors is getting theirs from the same source? I can't imagine that many companies making reproductions of these.

Alternatively, is there a way to remove paint from one without removing the original paint?

Scott

 

[apbos]

Fine sanding (1500-2000 grit wet) will get you through the layers. If the # are raised (and I think they are) you can do what I did with my Roadster plates. Stipped, then light coats of paint. Then fine sanding until you get the finish you want and then a coat of clear.
Before

During

After

 

[Perrymip]

That's a pretty impressive before and after series. I feel like I need to devote a decade to studying intaglio or Renaissance medallion restoration before I'd even feel qualified to try.

But, no, neither the numbers nor the lettering are raised by the time we get to TR3.