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Triumph TR3 - vin and body numbers

Trying to properly ID an old TR3 for a friend. The vin plate is missing but there is what looks like a body or chassis ID just above and to the left of the battery box. The number thereon is 2256/TSF. Can that be used to determine the vin number and the year??
I believe the car is a 1963...but a mechanic is saying it's a 1958.
Worse yet, the police have impounded the car and the wrecker company is trying to seize it. My friend has had the car since 1978 but has lost all paperwork. The state is requesting we properly id the car and then we can proceed with registering, insuring, titling, etc.
Thanks,
Dave
DMS Scott

Further possible ID help: the vin number may have been TCF1839L based on an old insurance card from 1974. What year,model TR would that have been??
Thanks,
Dave
DMS Scott

Dave-Both TSF and TCF prefixes were used on the TR3B, which started production in 1962, but may have been registered in 1963. I think they were put together to use up left over TR3 components, as the TR4 was already being produced. Probably, the most rare of the TR3s. The mechanic is wrong, earlier TRs had TS prefix commission numbers. Others more learned, please chime in.
Berry
BTP Price

That body number would seem to correspond with a VIN of TCF1839L. The first of the TR3Bs, had TSF VINs on them and it looks like those body numbers were followed through with the TCF series. The problem is, that there was not real correlation between body numbers and VINs, just an approximation. If you add the 284 TSF TR3Bs made to your TCF1839, you get 2123, which is close enough to your body number to make it all legit. The same holds true for the engine numbers. They are close to the VIN, but not the same, usually several hundred off. However, the car is definitely a late TR3B. TCF1 was built in May of '62, and the last TR3B, TCF2804 was built in Dec of '62. As stated above, it was most likely registered as a '63. The "L" at the end of the VIN means that it is Left hand drive...I would go with the old insurance card as proper ID of the car. It is the most compelling evidence that you have.

BTW, the TCF series came with the TR4 2138cc engine and full synchromesh transmission. That's why they went from TSF to TCF.
Arthur A. Liefke

This thread was discussed between 22/07/2010 and 28/08/2010

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