[TR] reCarefully Cleaning a TR3 Engine Block

[Dave Willner]

I had heard a story about the guy who supposedly painted these blocks awhile 
ago (disclaimer), and his nickname name was "One arm Dick."  I heard he had 
been in the war and lost an arm and this was his job, working in the foundry 
doing odds and ends and what he was able? Anyone know more about this, can't 
recall where I heard nor can I validate if it is true or not, just a story I 
seemed to recall....?

Dave Willner
Stroudsburg, PA
59 TR3A Apple Green
70 MGB BRG
70 BSA 441 Victor Special


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Macartney" <standardtriumph at btinternet.com>
To: <triumphs at autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 7:37 AM
Subject: Re: [TR] reCarefully Cleaning a TR3 Engine Block


> Just spoke to one of my old engine machine shop friends on this issue. His 
> recollections are now
> (like mine) getting a bit dim but he does remember vehicle model types 
> being painted on cylinder
> blocks before they arrived at the factory from Birmid - the Foundry.. They 
> were then left outside
> for up to six months 'to weather.' Basically, this allows the casting to 
> stabilise, making it easier
> to machine and less likely to shatter. I remember these towers of engine 
> blocks very well. In the
> mid-fifties, there were many similar looking blocks that in fact weren't 
> actually the same - having
> subtle differences for TR's, Vanguards and Fergusons. These were 
> identified by painted marks - viz
> TR3, VAN, VDIE (Vanguard disel) and FER, so this painted number would 
> probably have been applied at
> Birmid enabling the truck driver to know where to offload them. Did he 
> care?
> After machining, the blocks had a quick blast of black paint - over the 
> rust and grime! However, any
> blocks with i/d marks didn't get painted around the painted number. My old 
> chum doesn't know why but
> said the many that did get overpainted often had the mark replicated in 
> chinagraph.
> So it looks as though those with engine blocks still bearing the original 
> identity can sleep soundly
> knowing the number was painted by the foundry company and not 
> Standard-Triumph. Would this mean that
> the marks are even more *valuable* at concours point-scoring?
>
> Jonmac
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <CarlSereda at aol.com>
> To: <triumphs at autox.team.net>
> Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 8:49 AM
> Subject: [TR] reCarefully Cleaning a TR3 Engine Block
>
>
>> There is 'TR4' hand written in orange paint on the original block of my 
>> '63
>> TR4. I had it 'hot-tanked' back in 1974 when engine bath solutions were 
>> still
>> strong and yet the handwriting is still 60% intact.
>> So far I've only used keroscene this time around.. and a narrow wood 
>> chisel
>> inside the crusty water jacket. I will thoroughly clean all oilways and 
>> repaint
>> the block around the original ID marks in there is no iron showing.
>> I will only need to bring the block to a machine shop for installing cam
>> bearings if I can't locate a proper bearing tool for the new Vandervells.
>> Regards,
>> Carl
>> **************