Hi Jonmac
Why the smile after "rustproofing"? Did I miss something funny? ;)
Seriously though, that is a great explanation of why the body-in-white
numbers exist. Now, can you tell us anything about what they mean? Were they
sequential, or do they carry a date code, or... maybe just a string of random
digits? Do you know the meaning of the "ZS" prefix on the TR4 body-in-white
numbers?
Are there any records of these numbers? (Piggott says no)
Cheers
-Nick Wolf
'62 TR4 ZS 010966 (missing commission number and body number)
> From: "John Macartney" <standardtriumph@btinternet.com>
> Raymond Hatfield wrote:
>
> > Out of curiosity, what is the significance of the "body-in-white"
> number? And
> > why is it called that?
> > Inquiring minds want to know :)
>
> As this relates to Standard-Triumph (though its the same for many
> other mftrs) after the body was
> made, dipped for rustproofing :) and passed off for manufacturing of
> the rest of the car, it was
> sprayed an 'off-white' colour. This was mainly to protect it from the
> elements as it was transported
> from the body plant to the main assembly plant. For Herald / Spitfire
> / GT6 this was about 2 miles,
> for TR about 130 miles and for all other saloons made by Pressed
> Steel, about 70 miles. At that
> point, the only identifier for the car was the body number and this
> was only superceded when the
> commission plate was fixed to the body. Thus the term 'body in white'
> describes a car that is just a
> painted shell, full of sharp jagged edges and the doors held shut with
> bits of twisted wire.
>
> Jonmac
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