Jerry,
My car wore it's original paint when I bought it. It had the
upper valance painted flat black ( it may have been semi flat
I didn't look to carefully before I DA'd it off) . At first I didn't
think
it was original since it appeared to be brushed on. After asking
around, I've had equal answers yes and no, including a no from
the restorer of the best TR 250 I've ever seen (N.O.S. striped hoses
and Good Year redlines).
But I painted mine, for three reasons:
1) my car seemed to be quite original and had it;
2) "The Triumph TR5/250 and TR6 Companion", an EXCELLENT
book (TRF part number RFP36) states, on page17, "The area behind
the grille was also given a black finish, making the front aspect look
altogether more tidy;
and 3) a very knowledgable gentleman who ran a British restoration
shop near Tampa, Fla, and specialized in TR 250's replied that yes,
the factory did paint the upper valance black, and without my asking,
further added they were painted by brush.
On my car, the black paint was underneath the grille mount contact
areas, as well as underneath the area the headlamp bucket gasket
contacts, so if the DPO painted this, he was even more anal rententive
than I, which is just not possible.
If you would like a pic of how I painted mine, like which area to
paint, e-mail me privately, and I will send you one.
JOE IV
TR 250
WALLINGFORD, CT. USA
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