[TR] Very early 3A question

[TeriAnn J. Wakeman]

On 10/18/14, 7:51 AM, wbeech at flash.net wrote:
>   
> 2. No "TRIUMPH" lettering across the front.  These are both TR3 attributes
> and my question is this car too far away from the break point for these to
> be considered correct or has someone been blending cars?
>
We had this discussion on the list about 20 years ago.

Triumph TR3Bs and maybe a few very late TR3As used the ribless TR4 style 
lettering that had mounting studs in a different location from the 
ribbed TR3 lettering.  Starting when the second set of lettering went 
into production Triumph manufactured factory replacement front valances 
without holes for the lettering.  When a TR3 came into a shop with front 
valence damage and a new factory replacement was ordered it came without 
the lettering holes.  The shop was supposed to drill the proper set of 
holes for the lettering.  Dealers probably had a hole template and 
drilled the holes and non-dealer body shops probably didn't drill the 
holes.  So all a front valence that does not have holes for lettering 
tells you is that the front valance was replaced sometime between around 
1963 and when the factory ran out of replacement front valences.

My initial thought on the replacement boot lid is that someone likely 
had a luggage rack and loaded it too heavily denting the boot lid.  
Factor boot lids are not overly strong and it doesn't take a huge amount 
of weight to leave dents where the luggage rack sits. Of course it could 
have been from rust issues but the whole vehicle would have a number of 
rust issues before a boot lid would need replacing.

If you are looking for a decent driver those two items shouldn't be an 
issue.  If you are a rivet counter interested in concourse those should 
be easy fixes.

TeriAnn