[TR] tr3 or tr3-a grill preference

[tr3driver at ca.rr.com]

---- L1J1S at aol.com wrote: 
> hello, i want to know if there is a preference to a small mouth grill vs. a  
> large mouth grill. aside from the fact that the large mouth grill provides  
> more cooling to the engine,

Actually, the original large mouth grill provided somewhat less cooling to the engine.  The factory had to widen the slots in the grill (a change apparently not reflected in replacement grills) and add the cardboard air deflector to improve air flow.

> does the appearance of one take preference to the  
> other.

I'd have to say that's definitely personal preference.  Myself, I kind of prefer the 'small mouth' look, as the later cars have too much shiny metal up front for my tastes.

However, the aftermarket anti-roll bars mount to the supports for the later front apron; so I'm going to keep the 'wide mouth' apron on my 'new' TR3 (at least until I can fabricate some other means of mounting the sway bar).

> i own a tr3-a with the large grill, but i personally love the small  
> grill. to exchange from one to the other> would i destroy the value of the  car?  

Depends on how "correct" the rest of the car is.  As a "driver", I'd say it wouldn't reduce the value at all.  But of course you would get badly dinged at a concours Triumph show.

BTW, the later inner fenders (wings) don't leave enough room for the early "flat face" turn signals.  If you put a TR3 front apron on a TR3A, you'll have to either cut holes in the inner fenders (as the TR3 had) or possibly there is enough room for the 3A "bee hive" turn signals.

Randall