Spotted in the carpark of Halfwits
Discussion
Oi!
Not all the TR7's were crap, mine was lovely - once I repaired every bit of the engine, clutch, gearbox, electrics, bodywork and interior.
In my opinion, they should all have been convertible and with a V8. Then they would have deserved a little respect, but with a wheezy 2.0 engine and that cut off coupe roofline, it was a bit of a disaster. The convertibles are not a lot dissimilar to the TVR Wedge.
Not all the TR7's were crap, mine was lovely - once I repaired every bit of the engine, clutch, gearbox, electrics, bodywork and interior.
In my opinion, they should all have been convertible and with a V8. Then they would have deserved a little respect, but with a wheezy 2.0 engine and that cut off coupe roofline, it was a bit of a disaster. The convertibles are not a lot dissimilar to the TVR Wedge.
ooh dodgy ground there mate......
TVR Wedges are similar in that ,they too have four wheels and often a soft top (and use same headlight motors)
other than that ,WEDGES;
a) Go fast
b) Handle well
c) Sound simply stunning
d) Draw admiring glances
e) Stay in one piece for more than 5 years (bodily anyhow
)
TR7s on the other hand ,don't......(TR8 almost better than fair.....but still an insult to prior TR cars 6,5,4,3,2 etc.)
TVR Wedges are similar in that ,they too have four wheels and often a soft top (and use same headlight motors)
other than that ,WEDGES;
a) Go fast
b) Handle well
c) Sound simply stunning
d) Draw admiring glances
e) Stay in one piece for more than 5 years (bodily anyhow
) TR7s on the other hand ,don't......(TR8 almost better than fair.....but still an insult to prior TR cars 6,5,4,3,2 etc.)
Having owned a TR7.....
If I am honest I was never a great fan of the sweeping styling swage that was on the side of the car.
2 litre engine simply did not have enough power. They should have used the Sprint engine for the base model.
Springing was a bit too soft. I fitted harder springs and Koni dampers which improved it no end, but that is not saying much.
The car was never easy to drive. It had an 88 inch wheelbase and had significant compliance steering from the rear. It constantly needed steering input to keep it straight, even on a motorway, which made it quite fatiguing as well. Because of the short wheelbase there was always a lot of pitching motion in the car, and you couldn't get rid of it without adjusting the dampers to the point where ride became very uncomfortable.
Overall - as a 'sports' car for American girls to go shopping in it wasn't bad. It was nice driving it at a medium pace with the top down. When I was sold mine I was under the impression that it would be a low powered version of a decent rally car. I was wrong. The day I sold it was certainly one of my happiest....
If I am honest I was never a great fan of the sweeping styling swage that was on the side of the car.
2 litre engine simply did not have enough power. They should have used the Sprint engine for the base model.
Springing was a bit too soft. I fitted harder springs and Koni dampers which improved it no end, but that is not saying much.
The car was never easy to drive. It had an 88 inch wheelbase and had significant compliance steering from the rear. It constantly needed steering input to keep it straight, even on a motorway, which made it quite fatiguing as well. Because of the short wheelbase there was always a lot of pitching motion in the car, and you couldn't get rid of it without adjusting the dampers to the point where ride became very uncomfortable.
Overall - as a 'sports' car for American girls to go shopping in it wasn't bad. It was nice driving it at a medium pace with the top down. When I was sold mine I was under the impression that it would be a low powered version of a decent rally car. I was wrong. The day I sold it was certainly one of my happiest....
Heres one for all you tr7 fans then.....
V12, oh yes i kid you not.
www.team.net/TR8/mp/html/body_grinnall_v12.html
V12, oh yes i kid you not.
www.team.net/TR8/mp/html/body_grinnall_v12.html
Having also owned one myself, I'm wondering whether this is the same car we're talking about.
Yes the styling was different - especially at the rear end, where it was downright ugly, but this could easily be fixed with a Rover SDi rear-light conversion by S+S IIRC.
The standard engine was underpowered, as the car was designed for the V8 & the Triumph engine was too heavy and under-cooled.
Anyway, on to the dynamics - this car was a doddle to drive fast - both on country roads and on motorways. Back in those pre-camera days, it would sit quite happily at 120 on a motorway all day. Never noticed any problems needing steering input - mind you mine was a hardtop - I know that the ragtops were a bit prone to scuttle shake. This was a car that I felt completely confident in chucking round a wet country road without any fear that it would bite back - when it became a TR7-V8 (after 3 engine rebuilds of the Triumph engine) - it just got better.
Having driven many of the various TRs, I reckon that a TR7 V8 hardtop is probably the best handling out of them all & sounds good too...
Yes the styling was different - especially at the rear end, where it was downright ugly, but this could easily be fixed with a Rover SDi rear-light conversion by S+S IIRC.
The standard engine was underpowered, as the car was designed for the V8 & the Triumph engine was too heavy and under-cooled.
Anyway, on to the dynamics - this car was a doddle to drive fast - both on country roads and on motorways. Back in those pre-camera days, it would sit quite happily at 120 on a motorway all day. Never noticed any problems needing steering input - mind you mine was a hardtop - I know that the ragtops were a bit prone to scuttle shake. This was a car that I felt completely confident in chucking round a wet country road without any fear that it would bite back - when it became a TR7-V8 (after 3 engine rebuilds of the Triumph engine) - it just got better.
Having driven many of the various TRs, I reckon that a TR7 V8 hardtop is probably the best handling out of them all & sounds good too...
Wacky Racer said:
There is a firm about 1 mile away from me, which for the last fifteen years has specialised in doing up TR7's to "as new" condition.
so they look on the whole good, apart from a dodgy paint finish on an extremelydodgy choice of colour and with little niggling problems like detatchable rear-axle assemblies and holes in the floorpan... that sort of thing?
And was there not a firm a few years ago that used TR7s as the doner car for a Daytona replica complete with Jag V12. So realistic it was (allegedly) that Ferrari threatened legal action unless they stopped producing them. So the TR7 does have some uses other than supplying headlight motors and ignition switches for TVRs.
littlegearl said:
There is a firm about 1 mile away from me, which for the last fifteen years has specialised in doing up TR7's to "as new" condition.
so they look on the whole good, apart from a dodgy paint finish on an extremelydodgy choice of colour and with little niggling problems like detatchable rear-axle assemblies and holes in the floorpan... that sort of thing?
Well, the holes in the floorpan are part of the air conditioning system......Very advanced for the 1970's...
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