According to Bill Piggott's book, Original Triumph TR, the budget "teardrop"
locks were started on the TR-2. "By the time production began, a central
key lock was also fitted to the boot lid, providing three separate means of
locking! The key was the same as the ignition key, unlike that for the
glove box lid on early cars. This arrangement continued until the TR3A,
when a separate, external, key-lockable boot handle was fitted centrally and
the budget locks were deleted." My car TS 14465L has both the teardrop and
the center handle. The exterior teardrops used to be available from the big
3. They were fairly inexpensive, but I haven't looked at prices recently.
Can't tell you about the locks themselves. The signal lamps are the same
diameter, but are flat, like you mentioned. They are also available from
the big 3. They were "clear" which were actually opaque.
Pete
'56 TR-3
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-triumphs@autox.team.net]On
Behalf Of Dan Buettner
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 5:33 PM
To: triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: TR3 originality questions (& parts wanted)
I've been making some progress on my TR3 lately (well, if you can
call further disassembly progress...), and have also been spending
some time comparing the car to Moss and TRF catalogs.
(I haven't got any books on the TR3 yet, as I thought they would make
good items for the Christmas want-list. Anyway...)
I've noticed the following two things which appear to be incorrect
for my car (1957 TR3, TS15098L, small-mouth, Girling front disc
brakes):
1) Trunk lid does not have two "budget locks" with "toilet seat
escutcheons"; instead it has a single locking handle in the middle
(and a rather nice, though aftermarket, luggage rack). This car
should have the two budget locks, yes?
2) Front signal lamps are bullet-shaped and clear. This car should
have much flatter lenses, kind of like buttons, I believe -- anyone
else know? And what color should they be?
And finally -- if these are the incorrect items for my car, does
anyone have correct ones they would be willing to sell or trade?
And, of course, if you happen to have an early overdrive transmission
just laying around... ;)
Dan
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dan Buettner - Des Moines, Iowa - mailto:danb@thelittlemacshop.com
1977 Spitfire, FM64159U. Runs & drives, but shakes like crazy, needs new
tires, and blows smoke. Lots of it.
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickndan/gmachine/greenmachine.html
1957 TR3, TS15098L. Undergoing a frame-off restoration, begun 9/99.
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickndan/TR3/TR3.html
1988 Honda Civic 4WD Wagon. Gets me to work every day. No home page yet.
|