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Triumph TR6 - Data plate on scuttle

I've held off asking this here so as not to burden y'all with such mundane and arcane trivia, but having NO luck elsewhere discovering a plausible answer...here goes...: the body number plate is affixed to the right bulkhead/scuttle/firewall (whatever) in the engine compartment. On my 71 immediately below that plate is evidence of another like plate having been affixed. It is no longer there, but the two rivet holes are and there is an impression (less dirty) that clearly indicates that another plate about the same size as the body number plate was there at some point. I've discussed this with several on the BBS offline and no one seems to know what the purpose of the 2nd plate was. TRF's parts catalogue I which has an excellent discussion of Commission/Engine/body numbers etc is silent on this. Just a nagging unanswered question. Anyone have any ideas?
db
Doug Baker

Doug
Just saw a '76 TR6 with 2 plates on the fire wall. They definitely appeared original as this is an original unmolested 6 other than the engine has been de-smogged. Could not really make the numbers out as they where covered in original paint. They where put on the body before it went to paint. There was not a small number plate at the bonnet prop rod. She brought the car over to show me and asked how much should she ask for it. I think I talked her into not selling. Next time I see Corrie, will get the numbers off the plates. Both had CF in the numbers/letters and neither was the same number as the commission number.
Rick C

Any other '76 owners out there with 2 plates?
Rick Crawford

Here's my theory on the plates . . . on my '72, one has been painted body color and the other was not (it's bare aluminum). So, the painted one is most likely the body ID. Perhaps the unpainted plate ID is a chassis sequence? I'll have to check my numbers to see if it matches the engine to rule that out.

Rick O.
72 TR6
Rick Orthen

As I stated in my original post, I've asked this about and received a plethora of comments, but few definitive answers. Richard, your's is the first instance of actually SEEING a 2nd plate!! Here's what Garth Jupp of Rimmer Bros had to say...

"I have had a look at our TR6 in the showroom, and there is a second set of holes above the body number plate. As for the second plate we don't have one on our car. I am led to believe that on the Federal [NA cars, I guess] cars there was a secondary plate with emission control information on it. [Here's the interesting part]There are however two body numbers fitted to the car, the "body in white" number [meaning before being painted]which is fitted to left rear near the bump stop, this is for the body when it is in bare metal. the one in the engine bay is for after it is painted and in a numerical series roughly equivalent to the commission numbers."

"The body-in-white number is stamped on a metal tag welded to the body under the left rear wheel arch, in a horizontal position adjacent to the bump stop turret." This info is in Original Triumph TR4/4A/5/6 by Bill Piggott ISBN 1-901432-04-1"

NOW, I have not yet looked to see if I have this "body in white" tag on my body but will when I get back to the shop. Anyone out there have this tag?
db
Doug Baker

Doug,

My 72 - tr6 is the same as Rick's : one painted in (original) body color, one bare aluminium.

PS: my TR6 is imported from the States

Eric
Eric de Lange

Doug

On my 75 (CF30283U) there are two plates as you described and they both have numbers on them (I shall check out the numbers and post them). If you go to my home page http://users.eastlink.ca/~lesgilholme you can see a photo of the firewall & plates.

Les
lw gilholme

Well Doug, Looks like you might get your answer.
Rick O. I did do a quick comparison to engine number and neither was engine number.
Rick
Rick Crawford

Doug

I was browsing the web and came across the following site http://tr6.danielsonfamily.org/

Check out the 2005 updated pictures, it clearly shows 2 plates.

Les
lw gilholme

OK, so it's established that there are/were indeed two plates. For what purpose? Maybe Richard Crawford will offer insight when he analyzes the numbers on his. Richard has also brought up that there is a plate near the bonnet prop rod on the right inner wing well on his 71. His has a number, but not the body number!! The mystery deepens. Steve Pike has not chimed in yet...he problably knows the answers.
db
Doug Baker

Doug
Ok I went out to garage and numbers on the plates are as follows. Top Plate reads T28441CF and the bottom one reads 30100CF. Hope this helps, if anyone else knows what the numbers mean I too would be interested.

Les
lw gilholme

On my 74.5 TR6 (CF30116UO) I also have the 2 plates. The upper plate is aluminum in colour and bears number T28022CF, which is the body number as cross-referenced with my Heritage Trust Certificate. The lower plate is painted in the body colour and is number 29679CF which does not match any other numbers I have found on the car (engine, tranny etc).

It is interesting to compare my numbers with Les' as my car has a commission number 127 before his.

Martin
M Burtt

Oops, that should read my commission number is 167 before Les'.

Also, I just noticed that if you look at the Production Data page in the Moss catalogue (page 3), the diagram of the Body Number shows two plates.

Martin
M Burtt

I have a '74, '75 & a '76 sitting in the garage. Each has the two plates. The upper is plain and the lower is painted in the body color. I was once told that the upper plate is the frame number and the lower is the body number which would make sense as it was attached to the body prior to paint.

BUT, this does not agree with Martin's cross reference to his Heritage certificate. And, in reducing all three to piles on pieces, I have never seen a number on the frame.

TRF mentions a, as in singular, 'body serial number' in their blue catalog. Charles states that this is indeed the body number and will have the same suffix (CC, CP, CF or CR) as the commission number. He also states that no attempt was made to corelate the numbers.

I am now totally confused. Then again, there are those folks that would say confusion is my normal state!

Will the real answer please stand up?????
Yellowdog

My 74.5 (CF30209 UO - Jan 1975 production date) also has two plates. The top one (unpainted aluminum) reads T28360 CF and the bottom painted to match the colour reads 30560 CF.

Moe
Moe Blakey

My '75 has two plates as well. The top one aluminum and the bottom one painted body color- pimento red. The CF number on the title is CF29496U. I will need to check the two plates on the firewall and see if they match. -- don't know their significance.
Kent Bracken

Excuse the typo on my CF number-- it is actually CF 39496U.
Kent Bracken

My 73 has both plates. Neither match the commission or engine#.

Tony
T Cofer

Mine has only one and boy does it feel cheated!
Don
DON KELLY

Sorry, Ive been operating pretty much in JAFO mode for the last several days. The only sure answer that I have is that mine has one plate and no provision for a second on that bulkhead. The emissions plate is installed on the right hand wheel well and that is it under the bonnet. This could be tied to some variance depending on whether or not the car went down the line on the right or the line on the left or it could be tied to some regulation regarding vehicle identification that kicked in at a specific date.

So in the true spirit of I'll show you mine if you show me yours, mine is from July of 1970, CC56209L with self added A Type "O". Your turn......
SteveP

This thread was discussed between 16/08/2005 and 17/09/2005

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