[TR] 3 questions

[DAVID MASSEY]

 Great story, John, as usual.
Sometimes we forget about what technologies were not yet available.  Back in those days plastics were not as prevalent and were rather expensive.  The alternative to this process was to stamp steel.  In fact the TR3 tunnel was steel and it was the switch-over to the TR4 where this fibre-based process was introduced (at least to the TR line).  Sure, they could have used glass-fibre but the set-up time is more along the lines of an hour rather than 30 seconds.
These days vaccu-formed thermoplastic parts are cheap, resilient, water-resistant, long-lasting  and don't smell of fish.  I'm sure B-L would have loved it had it been available at the time.

Happy Hagmany
 
Dave 


 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: John Macartney <johnbmacartney at gmx.com>
To: triumphs at autox.team.net
Sent: Sat, Dec 31, 2022 6:57 am
Subject: [TR] 3 questions


I have very vivid memories at age 16 of going with my Dad to a UK company called Prestfibre and watching the tunnels and instrument panels for Herald and TR being made. 
The solution of mashed paper, cardboard was spread over a male former made of perforated zinc and then the ‘goop’ was covered by another inside shape former to which pressure and heat was applied. Thirty seconds later a sort of tunnel or panel was pulled off the inner former and placed in a pile alongside to cool. What stands out most in my memory was the stink of raw fish as fish glue formed a large part of the ‘goop’ mixture. Unfortunately the fish odour lingered around each assembly for many months and made the cars in which they were later fitted to stink of fish as well!
It took a very long time - at least two years - for Prestfibre to find an alternative glue whi ch didn’t stink of fish and while the cars themselves no longer smelled of fish, the durability of those ‘goop’ fabricated items were by no means as long lasting. I guess that’s why y’all are considering alternatives?

Jonmac

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