TR7 opportunity

[Gilles]

Ok I need your advice...

Is a TR7 a valuable car? Is it reliable? funny to drive?

A black with MOt is for sale two blocks from home for 3600 Euros and I begion to have interest in...

[Steve Pyro]

These are typical quirky British Leyland cars of the 70's and 80's.
Is it a convertible or fixed roof?
The bodies rust (British Steel!!) and the engines can be prone to overheating and cylinder head problems.  Having said that, parts are still available over here and they are a bit different to a normal car with their wedge shaped styling.
3600 euros - about £2000
More like £1000 to £1500 in the UK for a reasonable one.

[hgb]

British classics are usually a bit more expensive over here on the continent. It's got something to do with the stearing being on the other side and the cars being rarer. However, I would rather go for the more refined TR8 than for the TR7.

[Gilles]

Is it a convertible or fixed roof?

It's a convertible...

... however I would probably sav a few more money and invest in a Spit or an MGB !

[Matt Harper]

"British classics"

Given that nobody else has stepped up to the plate, I feel it incumbant upon myself to point out that there is no way - no frickin' way that the Triumph TR7 can be described as a British classic.
They were shite and there's no getting away from the fact.
Most factory TR8s ended up in US dealers and they were much maligned also. I'm not qualified to slag the factory V8 car, because I've never driven one, but the modified TR7 (with a 3.5 Range Rover engine) was also piss poor.
Each to his own, I suppose, but let's get it straight, the TR7 wasn't, isn't and will never be a British classic, unlike previous TR derivatives (and some of them were pretty ghastly an'all).

[wishy]

Hi Gilles

The TR7 can be a fun car....however,the convertible is more desireable.....Here in the Uk the TR7 was an oddball car which Leyland got the design wrong....so they are not  that collectable over here,but in France it will probably pull the birds!!!!.,...even Texans

Things to be aware of .........the engine is half a Triumph Stag.Check that it has always had antifreeze in the cooling system as the head can have serious corroson damage.The other thing is if the engine has cam chain rattle it will need replacing straight away.

The other thing to look for is body rot.

Apart from that have a look at www.tr7-tr8.com.....and for spares www.rimmerbros.co.uk


Wishy

[wishy]

Sorry Gilles

One other thing the gearboxes can be noisy..........mainly because Triumph use the same box in the early TR's

Wishy

[Matt Harper]

Well there you have it.
Sounds like Wishy knows a thing or two about this nail of a car.
Warped/corroded head, flailing cam chain, rowdy gearbox.
He's been kind and not mentioned recalcitrant headlamps, seizing brake calipers, noisy diff, weepy water pump, hood leaks, earthquake-like scuttle shake, flaky heater. Other than that, it's a little jem (assuming the body hasn't rotted off).
A chick magnet it ain't.
This car is a turd, let's just get used to it.

[Rhino]

Remember the late great Tony Pond in a TR8.
Didn't he complain the car wasn't geared high enough on the Isle of Man because he was on the limiter for much of the time in fith gear!!!!!
What a man.

[pretzel]

Have to agree with Wishy and Matt
I suppose it was a classic in a way - i.e. this car was one of the 'classic' achievements of the UK's nationalised motor industry in the Seventies. Poor design, poor development etc. etc. The results speak for themselves.

I had a Triumph from that era - a Dolomite Sprint - and it was exactly the same in a lot of ways.  

Don't do it Gilles, there are many better choices for your Euros.

[hgb]

"British classics"

Given that nobody else has stepped up to the plate, I feel it incumbant upon myself to point out that there is no way - no frickin' way that the Triumph TR7 can be described as a British classic.
They were sh**te and there's no getting away from the fact.
Most factory TR8s ended up in US dealers and they were much maligned also. I'm not qualified to slag the factory V8 car, because I've never driven one, but the modified TR7 (with a 3.5 Range Rover engine) was also piss poor.
Each to his own, I suppose, but let's get it straight, the TR7 wasn't, isn't and will never be a British classic, unlike previous TR derivatives (and some of them were pretty ghastly an'all).

I didn't want to express it that directly. Matt you're right, the TR7/8 is nothing like its predecessors. I have a TR6 and have once driven a TR7. You can tell the difference in the price.

[Andy Zarse]

Oi! Gilles! NO!

The TR7 is the Commer of the sportscar world. Total rubbish! It was designed by a chap called Harris Mann, who was also responsible for the Austin Pricess, need I say more?? Unlike it's predecessor the TR6, which was a bit of a hairy chest motor, the 7 is very limp wristed. It is not even a hairdressers car, it's the hairdresser's receptionists car!

You should look on ebay Uk in the car section to get a feel for price. Many are going for £100, "spares or repairs" or abandonned project cars.

Also many of the early examples were painted in lurid colours, usually lime green or chocolate brown.

Awful, avoid like the plague!

[Gilles]

....so they are not  that collectable over here,but in France it will probably pull the birds!!!!.,...even Texans

If I really would like to pull the birds, I'ld save my money and invest in a XK120 roadster (but it's quite not the same budget) and as soon as the birds are in my cage, I sell it back and buy a C-Type/D-Type replica !!!

[Kpy]

Seriously Gilles -  the car is an Essex hairdresser's car!

[Gilles]

Seriously Gilles -  the car is an Essex hairdresser's car!

Did you read the september issue of classiccars magazine... they wrote an article about Essex as the paradise for Ford drivers in the 60's/70's !!!

PS: still no news of my AH subscription. How do you except I improve my english only by reading the French version ?