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Triumph TR3 - Att TR3B Owners

As most of us are aware, many quirks can be found throughout the annals of TR production, especially in regards to unreported changes in production techniques and the use of a hodge podge of differing parts and manufacturing practices.
Recently, (Nov 2002) I received an e-mail from a fellow enthusiast who was in the midst of a restoration of his TR 3B. Charlie Devangine (TCF 726 L), reported the presence of a curious red paint marking on his 3B engine and upon closer examination a clearly visible TR3 had been hand painted on the RHS of the engine block in large letters. After photos were taken, Charlie e-mailed them to me and I in turn e-mailed a half dozen or so 3B owners to ask if they too had any such markings.
Sure enough, 2 other 3B owners Ashley Southgate (TSF110 LO) and Craig Harris (TR3B TCF 1730 L) e-mailed back confirming the identical markings on their engine blocks. We can assume that given the same identical markings being found on a car at the beginning, middle and toward the end of the 3B series that most if not all TR3B engines were marked in such fashion at the factory or at the engine supplier.
If you are the owner of a 3B, and your block hasn;t been repainted, I would kindly ask that you check your block just below the drain tap for any red paint markings and let me know what you find. A picture of the marking can be found at http://www.rucompatible.com/triumph/images/Dcp_0546.jpg

Thanks

Barry Shefner
59 TR3A 0TS47675L
Maintainer of the TR2-TR4 Website http://www.rucompatible.com/triumph/
Barry Shefner

Barry - You're not the "maintainer" of that fabulous website, you're the "Web-Mechanic".

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A 8TS 27489 LO
Don Elliott

Barry, I just saw this thread today and took a look at a block I just got. It's TSF1E and the painted on TR 3 you mention was there under all the accumulated grime. Must have been doing it from the start of 3B production. Maybe they were doing it before also. I have engine # TS79700E also. I'll look to see if maybe its there on that relatively late 3A block. The engine in my TR - TSF210L is TSF137E and it was sent to the machine shop and got hot tanked a couple of yeaars ago so I can't check it. Anyway, interesting thread and pretty cool that my stuff is related.

Regards,
Marty
Marty Scott

A follow up to my last post. The 3A block TS79700E also has the painted on TR3 on the block just like my 3B block. As I believe it was manufactured before the start of TR4 production, this adds a little more murkiness to the issue. Any comments?
Marty
Marty Scott

Marty,

Very interesting stuff especially with respect to the late TR3A engine being marked as well! Kind of puts the kebosh on the marking being limited only to the 3B's and opens a whole new area as to how far back in production that this marking began to appear.

Thanks for the info

regards

Barry Shefner
Barry Shefner

I was reading my copy of Original Triumph TR2/3/3A by Bill Piggott the other night and there was a mention on page 67 (I believe) that said the painted on TR3 was applied at the factory to distinguish between TR3 motors and motors designated for Vanguard saloons which apparently share the same engine block with the TR series of cars.

Seems to me they could just have looked at the engine number on the block.

Have a great weekend folks, Marty
marty scott

This thread was discussed between 21/11/2002 and 27/12/2002

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