TR2/3/3A Wood on frmes

[Got_All_4]

What are those blocks of wood for on the TR3 frames? One of mine fell out a few years ago and wondering if it should be replaced?

 

[bobhustead]

Other than the tops of the doors, I don't know of any wood in a TR3.
Bob

 

[martx-5]

There's a couple of small wooden blocks under the tonneau rail cappings.

 

[Geo Hahn]

If a piece of wood fell off the frame - I suspect someone was trying to jury rig something. Possibly a banging exhaust or a substitute for the lower rubber buffer on the front suspension.

As noted, a couple of wood bits on the body - but those have a distinctive shape, very un-framelike.

 

[CJD]

There actually are a couple blocks...one on each side on the top of the rear quarter rails. These give the support for the thin-metal caps along the top edge of the cabin. I am sure you can do without, but if anyone (like my daughter) doesn't use the door and climbs over the top a lot to get in and out, the caps may crunch down.



Each is held in with a long brass sheet metal screw.

 

[Tropical TR]

Are these wood pieces available anywhere?

 

[Got_All_4]

Here is what I was talking about. I was at one of my customers today and he is restoring a 59 TR3A and took a look at his frame. No wood in his. I showed him mine and he said he thinks those were installed to stiffen the frame for racing. As I remember there was on one the passenger side too but fell out many years ago. Looks like they were pinched in there by the two frame flanges above and below.

 

[donbmw]

Nothing like that was on my 59 frame when I was restoring mine.

Don

 

[charleyf]

None on my '59,or on the '58 donor frame or the '62 3B that I restored earlier.
If they wanted to "stiffen"the frame they would have welded on a extra plate. To me wood would be better as a buffer. But in that location a buffer to what?
Charley

 

[CJD]

Well, you stumped us all!

It does look like something gouged the block pretty good. Any idea what was rubbing on it?

 

[Geo Hahn]

That's w new - doesn't seem like it would do much stiffening but cannot think of another purpose. Seems like an inappropriate thing to have hanging on (or falling off) a raced car.

The dendrochronology lab at the UofA could tell you the age of the wood.

 

[Got_All_4]

If your talking about that darker spot that runs along the edge it's just discoloration. There are some dents on it but nothing. The other side for the most part just rotted off.