TR2/3/3A Which frame is correct for early TR3

[mallard]

I have two top frames for my car and need to know which one is correct for a 1956 TR3. I think it's the frame on the right. If you look at the pivot arms you will see they are not the same. The frame on the right even has a snap on each side on the inside of the center pivot arm. It also looks like I would need to remove the triange shaped mounting bracket from the one on the left if I'm correct. I'm sure this is one of the many changes made over the years.

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Keith

I have two 56's, don't remember the rack having that sharp bend and do remember the pinch point when you pulled the the frame forward to finish raising the top. I thinking the one on the left. Will look at my cars this week, both are stored at my mothers.

Marv

 

[TomMull]

Keith,
I don't recognize the frame on the right but can say with reasonable certainty that the frame on the left fits the later cars (including TR3As). I was aware of several changes to the hood but didn't know about frame changes through the years.
Tom

 

[Vaark01]

Keith,

My '62 B has a frame like the one on the left.

Paul

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

+1 on the one on the left being like the one in my '62 B.

 

[HerronScott]

Keith,

Can't you match the mounting bracket on the top frame to the mounting point to the body? It sounded like you might have already tried that since you mentioned "removing" the triangle-shaped bracket from the one on the left.

Scott

 

[Geo Hahn]

I agree the one on the left is like the frame on my TR3A so perhaps it's the one for a '3.

Possibly the one on the right is for a TR4? I didn't put mine up to check (anyone who has a TR4 will understand why) but the snap you describe is correct for a 4 and the 'knee' looks about right. I did find one picture where you can sort of see the frame:

 

[TR4nut]

I think Geo might have it - don't have my car to check but that looks a lot like my frame in my memory anyway.

 

[Tr3aguy]

I have two....one for a 58 and one for a 62...both look just like the one on the left.....I spent a bunch of time sanding the darn thing....

 

[Andrew Mace]

If both of those frames are in original paint coating, then neither would be absolutely "correct" for an early TR3. Top frames tended to be body color until sometime in the TS70000 range.

 

[Banjo]

Every TR2-3 I've ever seen had a frame that looked like the one on the left. I think Geo's right. the frame on the right looks like an early TR4.

 

[alfa33047]

Mallard, I have never seen the frame on the right on any early TR-3. I have only seen frames like the one on the left... Pat Ballogg in Wickenberg has an early TR-3, he might know. Good Luck, Bill C. Mesa, Az.

 

[mallard]

Well I guess I was wrong on that one. It sounds like the one on the left is correct. I'm not sure which one came with the car, but now I'm thinking it was the one on the left because it is bent in a few places. I got one off ebay some time back but I don't remember which one it was.

Well I decided to look at the parts diagram and it clearly shows the one on the left to be correct. I should have done that first.

As for the color they both look like the Tan is the original color. This car was sold as a hardtop car from the factory so I'm not sure if it would have been deliverd with any of the soft top equipment. The frame may have been purchased later.

 

[vivdownunder]

Fairly sure sidescreen hoodsticks remained the same part number from TR2 to TR3B.

1956 TR3 hoodsticks were usually painted red or black rather than every available body colour. As Andrew said, beige was the standardised colour for late TR3A/3B hoodsticks.

The left hoodsticks therefore look to be late TR3A/3B. Those triangular brackets attach it to the inside body. From memory of the TR4, its hoodsticks had that dogleg in the uprights, as shown on the right pic.

Viv.

 

[Guest]

The frame on the left is for a TR2-TR3. The one on the right looks like a TR4 frame that has had the tri-angle shaped body mounting brackets removed. Checked them against my TR2 And TR4

 

[Andrew Mace]

This car was sold as a hardtop car from the factory so I'm not sure if it would have been deliverd with any of the soft top equipment. The frame may have been purchased later.

Likely so. I've only seen one "confirmed" original hardtop-only car, a 3B at that, and there was no evidence that a softtop frame had ever been near the car, let alone installed.

 

[TomMull]

Andy,
Right, most were body color, but as far as I can tell from the computer image, either of these could be pearl white or similar original color. I don't know what color Keith's car is. Also, my guess is that although a few of the very late original hood sticks came in black, most were body color, even on post 70000 cars. Perhaps the TSF and TCF cars had black hood sticks?
By the way, Keith, your shop appears alarmingly tidy. Mine looks lie that only in my dreams.
Tom

 

[Member 10617]

Here is the frame on my 58TR3A. It is original to the car.

 

[mallard]

George and Ed thanks for the pictures. They do confirm what everybody is saying about which is which. Now to try to straighten things out. Anybody need a good hood stick for a TR4?

George you sure look very happy in that picture.