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TR2/3/3A Triumph tr3a Apron removal

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aaronf30 said:
I dont even know where to start. Do i just dig at the seem with a screw driver?
Click to expand...
That's where I would start, to find out what is in there. Next step will depend on what you find.
 
I suppose for a quick check you could offer a small magnet along that seam and see if there is a dead spot possibly indicating the presence of filler. You'll want the magnet to be quite small (one of those 1/4" diameter rare earth ones) and you can weaken it a bit by adding a couple of layer of tape to it.

What you're hoping for is a strip of non (or weak) magnetic attraction along the route of the seam (those brazing was mentioned and I think that is also non-magnetic.
 
I would use paint stripper to see what is under the paint.
 
Heat makes the best stripper too.

By the way, excellent catch, Don...I was so busy looking for bolts I missed the elephant in the pic!

Aaron, I would bet its just filler holding it together. If it needed to be welded, there would likely have been missing bolts and obvious damage, making the weld necessary. If you use a propane torch you can quickly soften the paint and filler so it will easily scrape off with a chisel or putty knife. Only heat enough to soften the plastic, but not do much to discolor the metal, or it will warp. It only takes 170 degrees Fahrenheit to soften the filler. It's also the only way I know of to unglue a close fitting panel like this.

Learned this from many years of restoring plastic cars...
 
Yes that is were I would start first.
 
Just to be clear, the entire front of the car would need to be repainted at least once you start applying heat or the grinding wheel. Please consider the costs and time of getting the car back to even a reasonable level of fit and finish...

It may be easier/cheaper to try and remove the entire front sheet metal as a unit, including the fenders???

May I ask why the front apron must come off?
 
Thanks for the warning. I do plan on having the whole car repainted, I want to take the apron off just so I can get everything out of the engine bay to have it repainted. Really my concern here is I really wanted the body work done by someone else while I took everything else out, not attempt these things myself. Taking both fenders off is actually what I was trying to do. I think I've got most the bolts off for that as well.....do I need to get the ones behind the door hinges???
 
I would just take 80 grit sand paper and sand though the paint along where the seam is supposed to be. 80 grit will cut pretty quickly through the paint. You should then be able to see if the seam was just filled with bondo. If bondo, I would run masking tape down the imaginary line and use a box knife to "V" out the seam. Then take a block of wood,put it next to the fender where it meets the front apron and give it a whack.(not so hard to bend the wing). The bondo should be thin enough to crack. It was pretty common for people to just fill seams on these cars and especially on TR4 rear wings rather than take a fender off to remove the fender bead. In the 1970's "restoration" just meant a paint job. If it's welded together then....hmmm....maybe a week or so with a drimmel cut off wheel? Definitely need to see what's there first.
 
There is a bolt under the dash at the rear of the fender. It is located thru a hole with a rubber plug.. good luck on that one.
 
Haven't looked at your photos, but. Bumper bolts OUT. All bolts thru inner wing from bottom OUT. All bolts thru outer wing (fender) flange into inner wing very loose or out. all bolts thru outer wing into apron OUT Spread fenders enough to drop a screwdriver thru a bolt hole in the inner wing so as to hold them apart. 4 bolts thru the aluminum spreader bar at rear of apron OUT. All tabs on chrome molding straight. Lift spreader bar out of brackets on inner wing. Should do it. Bob
 
aaronf30 said:
Taking both fenders off is actually what I was trying to do. I think I've got most the bolts off for that as well.....do I need to get the ones behind the door hinges???
Click to expand...
Yes, just take the doors off to get to them. Probably best to remove the sealer plate at the back of the wheel well first, so you can soak all the threads with PB Blaster.
And don't forget the bolt that is only accessible through the hole from the inside.


The workshop manual actually covers this reasonably well; you might want to get a copy if you don't have one already.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2H...NGUzLWE4NzMtMGRkODRkYzU3MDU1/edit?usp=sharing
 
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