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Triumph TR3 - Adding a Heater

I'm accumulating parts to install a heater in my TR3A (none there before). I have a line on a heater core with a "very small hole" in it. Can these things be reliably repaired? If so, what's the right way to get this done? Do any of you out there with heaters derive benefit (psychological or real) from your warmers?

Thanks,

Bill Stagg, 1961 TR3A



Bill Stagg

Bill - My original heater core also developed a small leak and when I was restoring mine in 1987 to 1990, I happened to mention this to a chap while I was on a business trip in England. He reached over a handed me core core for a TR heater. When I got it home, I found out it was all gunged up inside with rusty sediment. Finally it came clear and it's been in for 13 years. I was never able to solder the leak properly. Ask at a rad shop. But I'd keep looking too.

Try Bob Kamholtz at e-mail:- ECOD@vci.net Mention my name.

Try Paul Oglesby in Madisonville, KY 270-825-2994

I drive my TR3A from April 1st to October 31st. Then I cancel the license for the winter and Quebec refunds my for the winter months that "TRusty" is in storage. But I drove my TR in winters from 1963 to 1972 and the engine wouldn't heat up very much, so there was not much heat in the car. The defrosters never really clean the frost off the windscreen. I leave the valve open all summer, because Louise, the lady who lives with me (for the last 37 years) get's cold in the car, because I never have the top or sidecurtains on.

On hot summer days, the heater comes in handy to cool the engine because the radiator is at it's limit in summer when you stop for a few minutes in traffic, like at the US border or on the approach to a bridge.

That's why I installed a 12" shrouded "Kenlow" electric fan I bought in England. There are other makes cheaper in USA. It is installed in front of the rad and I left in the original fan for originality. When I see the temperature rising, I click it on. The fan pulls the temperature down from 225 F to 180 F in about 2 minutes. You don't want to overheat your engine in the summer.

Thus endeth the first lesson on Heaters.

Don Elliott, 1959 TR3A
Don Elliott

This thread was discussed on 29/10/2002

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