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Triumph TR6 - new bezels for tr6 tacho and speedo

Hi fellow TR'ers

Does anyone know where i can get 2 new bezels for the SMITHS tach. and speedo? pref. in the UK, but
if not, then abroad it will have to be.

I'm doing some tidying up and decided to do the dash.
I can get the 2 inch temp/oil gauges etc. ok but the company i spoke to only goes up to 4 inch. (the tr6
pair are 5 inch).

I would prefer to buy new rather than have the originals re-chromed as they are scratched and pitted.
All help/comments gratefully received

Regards

Bob
bob whitehead

Bob

You mention rechroming, are you sure the instruments should have chrome bezels? I have a TR6 which was registered in April 1969 and the bezels are satin black. I have owned the car since 1975 so am quite sure they are original. I wouldn't have thought Triumph would have gone back to fitting chrome bezels, Perhaps they fit chrome bezels to cars destined for some export markets, it would be interesting to know.

Anyway, your TR6 would look original fitted with black bezels and they may be more easely obtainable.

John
John Walker

John

I too have had my TR6 since the mid 70's and haven't touched the gauges before now.
Mine is a 73 model and i understand Triumph did change the bezels from a black to chrome.
The inner bevelled part (from the glass to the lip) is actually matt black with the top lip and outer part that goes back to the dash cutout being chrome.
So far the bezels i have found do not have the black insert,that is something i will have to add.

regards

Bob
bob whitehead

Bob and John
The TR6 had 2 changes happen to gages beginning with model Commission CFI (1973)not to mention that also the US destination 6s had the knobs changed to words and also the change in headlight and wiper switches. The 2 changes where, 1, going from matt black to chrome. I beleive this included all instrument gauges. The second change is that the gauges (the needles) went from pointing down to pointing up....why??? Bob ,interesting point about bezel being matt black and chrome...I am 1971 so am all matt black. Where to get..good question. Maybe a swap meet. I would think you will have to buy the full gauges as no one will sell you just the bezels. I think you would be surprised how well a good plating house can restore yours. The scratches and pits will disappear. You could apply the black yourself (paint)either to the ones you have rechromed or the ones you have found. Also consider that if you come across the pond to get them, the speedo will be calibrated in MPH not KPH.
Regards
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Bob your TR will be original with the chrome bezels, don't let John talk you into converting

And I quote from my TR6 book by Steven Rossi and Ian Clarke (this has been abreviated)

Chapter 5 "TR6 at home" (re: UK market)

For 1973..."The car's interior also came in for attention. Seats were covered with a coarser grained material and given a head restraint provision...the steering wheel was reduced by 1/2 inch diameter...By far the biggest change was that of the instrumentation and switching. Lost were those good old classic look instruments replaced by those used in the Dolomite range. They were still positioned as they had been for years but the ammeter was exchanged for a fashionable battery condition gauge (voltmeter to you and I). As with the other cars, instruments now had chrome finish bezels..."



I think it was BL way of cost cutting by sharing parts between lines and I take it that the Dolomite model was a higher volume car (never seen one this side of the pond). One interesting side note is that on my 1975 TR, I take it the the person responsible for labeling the speedo was out for one too many pints at the pub. I have a dual speedo ie MPH and Km/hr and the conversion is fine up to 60 MPH as a 100 km/hr is indicated near abouts,HOWEVER at 85mph it shows 125km/hr and that actually should read 140km/hr. Here in the 'colony' speeding is highly enforced and the difference in traveling at a 125 and 140 on a highway would be receiving no ticket and the other resulting in a very hefty fine along with substantial demerit points. Our limit is 100km/hr but you are ignored if you keep it at a max of 125, on the otherhand going 140 you are going to be nailed and the cops don't accept the line "oh officer my speedo must be wrong".
steven

Rick - Most people think that UK has gone metric - well they have - except for "MILES". When you drive over there, all road distances are still posted in miles and everyone still talks MPH.

Don
Don Elliott

Don
Sounds like the Brits are more mixed up than us..thanx for setting me straight. Maybe when they start to drive on the RIGHT (yuk yuk) side of the road they will go metric.
Rick
Rick Crawford

Rick

Throughout historical times, all people walked and rode on the left. If you were walking in Sherwood Forest and met a friendly person you didn't know, you still walked past him on the left with your right hand up to show you were not carrying a dagger in it. He did too, of you would quickly be at the ready.

When Napoleon conquered Europe all the way to Russia, he forced those who lost - to drive their horses and wagons on the right - this was new in the world - to show that they had been conquered. It was an open sign of submission.

In 1945, when WW II was over and all the roads in UK and England were in need of repair, some Europeans suggested to Britain that with so few cars on the road, it would be the ideal time for them to switch over to the left hand side.

Winston Churchill with his cigar and usual eloquent manner, answered, "Nevaah, in the history of the British Empire, will the British (the conquerers) drive on the side of the defeated !!!!".

And that is why the Brits will never ever drive on the left.

BTW, did you know that more countries drive on the right than on the left, Aussie, NZ, India, HongKonk, Singapore, Japan, you name it.

I have driven in UK quite often and the differences really heightens ones awareness of driving. You can never day-dream about other things. If you think driving a TR is exciting - BOY, any sort of driving over there is a thrill !!!

Thus endeth the history lesson of the day.

Regards - Don
Don Elliott

If you think the Brits are mixed up that is nothing compared to most countries in the Carribean. They drive on the left (like the mothership) however they usually drive cars shipped from the US and thus are left hand drive...if there was a case to change sides this is it! Right turns or passing on a highway must be hell.

steven

Bob

Try Speedy Cables

Unit 14 Merchant drive
Hertford SG 13 7AZ

01992 581600

Simon
Simon

Don
Well see..you does get more learnded as you gets olderer each day. Me thanx ouy for letting I kno this truthfully correct and accurate historical tale.
(seriously..thanx for this neat tid-bit of info...you do learn something everyday).
"I promise never to make fun of the Brits(or Scots) again other than people that worked in Coventry or at Lucas".
here endith the reply
Bestest Regards
Rick
Rick Crawford

Thanks for that Simon

Looks like they can sort me out a couple of bezels

Bob
bob whitehead

This thread was discussed between 07/12/2001 and 10/12/2001

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