TR2/3/3A TR3B - Register it as a 1962 or 1963?

[af3683]

I have a TR3B which is being restored. The orginal paperwork for the car lists it as a 1963. Since the TR3Bs were produced from May 1962 to October 1962, and my commission # is in the middle of the production run, I'm thinking about trying to register it as 1962 since I'm sure it had to have arrived in the US in 1962 not 1963. I would appreciate any thoughts that anyone might have. Thank you.

Art

 

[NutmegCT]

Art - if your DMV clerk is picky, they may want some kind of proof of the "vintage".

I got the British Motor Heritage certificate for mine, which shows the year of manufacture. Far as I know, Standard-Triumph didn't specify "model year" on their roadsters.

https://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/

Tom
how's the snow situation down in Guilford?

 

[ekamm]

Mine was built in Aug. '59 but not titled until 1960 so it has always been considered a '60. I'm not sure that the clerk would have caught it but all of the documentation has always read 1960.

 

[af3683]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your response. I don't have the British Motor Heritage Certificate, although it is something that I should probably buy. I wonder if they would accept some other kind of "proof." It is snowing lightly with maybe an inch or two on the ground. Where do you live in CT?

Art

 

[NutmegCT]

Art - if DMV asks for some proof of the year, what do you have already?

Here in eastern CT they do a quick VIN lookup (and can never find it as the number is non-standard for today). If it doesn't appear, they look at whatever documents you have. Old title, bill of sale, etc.

It really depends on the clerk you get. Some use "preponderance of evidence", others your word, others need something "official".

That British Heritage certificate will show year/month of manufacture. But it's really the DMV clerk these days that decides what to put on the registration.

Tom
eastern CT (near Putnam)
light dusting of snow. I'm sure that's all we'll get

 

[af3683]

Tom,

The Bill of Sale that I have says 1963, but I'm not really certain what the previous registration said. I was wondering if I could just modify the year on the Bill of Sale.

Art

 

[TR3driver]

Eric's situation is extremely common; as it was standard practice back then to date the car from when it was sold rather than when it was made. My "59" TR3A was made in 58, and my "57" TR3 was made in 56. Most obvious example was the Sports 6, which was sold as a 1965 model but made in 1963!

But my experience has been that, for cars that old, the DMV isn't too picky and will use pretty much whatever it says on your paperwork. From their point of view, it doesn't make any practical difference. My suggestion would be to go to them first ... if they want more proof, they will tell you what is acceptable. To some extent it depends on which clerk you get anyway, and they are always happier if they can send you away a few times first.

If you really want proof, fabricate a "STC" plate and pop-rivet it somewhere. These were apparently added by some dealers starting in the early 60's, to "prove" the car's model year.

 

[Andrew Mace]

I'd leave it as a '63 if I were you. As Randall notes, cars were often "titled" in the year of first sale. Back in the mid-1980s, it might have made the difference as to whether or not one could obtain "Historical" registrations and insurance (New York long has used "over 25 years" as criteria for their plates). Now, it makes no difference. I think of this sort of thing now as part of the history or provenance of the car.

Fact is, the 3Bs didn't sell very quickly when new. Sales of the earlier 3A models had fallen off before that, and the TR4 was already established by early 1962 and doing ok in sales. The early Heralds were the same way in the US; they didn't sell very quickly. I have a very late "1st series" 948 Herald convertible first sold and titled in 1962. I also have a 1200 sedan titled in 1962, although it would've been built and shipped to the US long after the 948 convertible!

 

[Brooklands]

My TR3B was built May of 1962, but is titled and insured as a 1963. I still had a plate for the front that says 1962, and that is how I normally list it when showing it locally. I really don't care what Penndot calls it, to me it is a 1962.

 

[TR4nut]

A friend of mine in my club here just retitled his from 63 to 62 - he used the Heritage certificate to verify the build date. One of the incentives was that he had a set of good 62 Texas plates which were black - in 63 the plates alternated to white which didn't look as good on his car!

 

[PSUTR3B]

Art

 

[PSUTR3B]

Art If you have a choice, it is a 1962. As you point out,there were no TR3B's made in 1963. Its rather like the dark side of the moon! There are no 1963's--they are all 1962's.
Gary

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

I was wondering if I could just modify the year on the Bill of Sale.

I would not modify the bill of sale! That is the proof you own the car. If someone decides it is not valid, what are you going to do then?

As someone else said all the TR3Bs are '62s. The difference between the build year and the license year is normal and expected in most LBCs.

 

[Andrew Mace]

As someone else said all the TR3Bs are '62s. The difference between the build year and the license year is normal and expected in most LBCs.

Inasmuch as they were all built in CALENDAR YEAR 1962, they were '62s. Again, though, since it was allowed at the time (before various Federal regulations 'dictated' model year designations), the dealers could title them when sold. Think about it: the average person would rather buy a 'brand-new' 1963 TR3B than a 'leftover' 1962 TR3B! :laugh:

Along somewhat similar lines, I often get a chuckle out of US owners of early Spitfires who claim they own 1962 models. The car was introduced in England in late fall 1962, and the US introduction was in January 1963. Would anyone rushing to their Triumph dealer in early 1963 willingly buy a 1962 Spitfire? Probably not!

 

[AngliaGT]

I too,would register it as a '62.I went thru this with
our '60 Anglia.It's registered as a '60.I wish i had corrected
this when I first registered it.

- Doug

 

[TR3driver]

Think about it: the average person would rather buy a 'brand-new' 1963 TR3B than a 'leftover' 1962 TR3B!

And even today, next year's model typically goes on sale 2-3 months before the new year. So up to 1/4 of any given model year was actually made the year before.

 

[Andrew Mace]

And even today, next year's model typically goes on sale 2-3 months before the new year. So up to 1/4 of any given model year was actually made the year before.

Exactly my point! I've already heard mention of 2011 car models in current advertising! :wink:

 

[toysrrus]

Hi Art,

As mentioned by Gary; There never was a `63TR3B. When & If you ever decided to sell the car; That probably would be a "Huge" question that would be proposed by the potential buyer and cause everyone grief; Especially You, The Seller.

I had a `62 E-Type Rdstr not that long ago (Don`t ask why I still don`t have it). All the paper work from PO showed `62 to include title. I got my Hert. Cert. & She was built in `61. Yes; Flat Floor, Welded in Louvres and Side Bonnet Locks (VIN 875190). I still have the cert. framed & hanging in my Family Room. Anyways; I brought the Title & Hert. Cert to Penndot (PA). After much "Procastination" on the clerks part; They finally approved my "New" title to read `61. What made that happen was the "Hert. Cert".

Now in SC; I have a `57TR3. I have "Mixed" paper work from a "Registration to a an Official Title". I brought everything into the DMV here and again; After some "Procrastination" they made the VIN # correspond to the year. If I had "Nothing" to show them; I would have had to physically bring the car down for them to physically see the VIN Tag on the car & give them my desc.of the car. It would have been OK with them.

So; Ea. state has its own quirks!

Bottom Line; Title it a `62 if you can from a "Re-Sale" standpoint if anything.

Best Wishes,

Russ

 

[luke44]

...... The orginal paperwork for the car lists it as a 1963....Art

Hi Art..... There never was a `63TR3B. When & If you ever decided to sell the car; That probably would be a "Huge" question that would be proposed by the potential buyer and cause everyone grief........Bottom Line; Title it a `62 if you can from a "Re-Sale" standpoint if anything.....Russ

Hmm...Russ, I completley disagreee. If you think about it, all cars made in say November or December of any given year will hit the dealership and be sold as the following year model year. So there is nothing unusual about a car being titled as a different year than the year is was manufactured. Even today.

If Art has paperwork showing it as a '63 then that's it. The paperwork is valid. The year of production is a non issue. In the case of the 3B it may well have not hit a dealership until '63. I've seen several '63 3B's - it's no big deal and the whole thing about production year vs titled year is well documented in the TR3 history books.

But if I ever found out a title was changed to a different model year after having a year of title of model year x for decades and then suddenly changed... now that I would question - <span style="font-style: italic">why was it changed?</span>...that would be the real discrepency. Is it this a tag/vin switch? Or some parts car that is a re-body? Red flag man. Go with the paperwork you have. It's the year of first titling.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Art, one other thing you might consider... many states allow a vehicle to use a 'Year-of-Manufacture' plate on the car, i.e. an old plate from the same year as the car.

My TR4 was a 9/64 build but originally registered as a '65. When I got the car I had the Arizona MVD title it as a 1964 since there were no '65 AZ plates (they used a sticker every other year).

If you can and think you migh do this -- even if there are both 62 and 63 plates for Conn you might look at how their color scheme works with the car.

BTW -- I got my old plates from a collector in Connecticut who was very helpful in providing me with choice of numbers and a reliable evaluation of condition.