Any TR7/8 owners here....

Any TR7/8 owners here....

Author
Discussion

300bhp/ton

Original Poster:

41,030 posts

190 months

Wednesday 6th March 2019
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They seem to be getting rarer. Mine is in need of some serious TLC. And really don't see many these days.

HWADD

2 posts

66 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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Hi

I’m a fellow tr7 owner living in Newcastle upon Tyne unfortunately the headgasket went only a few weeks after I bought it!! But it’s nearly fixed now though. He is a 1981 DHC in navy blue with 100,000 miles on the clock!!




HUGH

Wacky Racer

38,160 posts

247 months

simontdo

87 posts

153 months

Thursday 21st March 2019
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Yep. I have one.

Just waiting for some better weather,

300bhp/ton

Original Poster:

41,030 posts

190 months

Thursday 21st March 2019
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V8 or 4 cylinder?


Here is mine. This is my 2nd one. First one I bought in 1999. This one I got in 2001 and converted it to a V8 later that year. It was my daily driver for many years.

It did have a 3.5 with a cam and Offy with 500cfm Edlebrock, made 230hp (flywheel est) and 219ft lb on the rollers. Went pretty well. Clocked it at 144mph, which is plenty in a TR7! Also running 2.8 Capri front brakes.

Sadly the oil pump expired and knackered the engine. Currently running a late 3.9 with a serpentine belt. Stock cam, but same bolt on mods. I estimate maybe 200hp, Although in reality it feels just as quick, certainly has more low end grunt.

Also running a 3.9 diff at the moment, my 3.08 also expired. I do have a 3.45 waiting to go in, which I think will be the best of both worlds. The 3.9:1 diff makes for a brilliant rally style B road basher, but lacks top speed and cruising ability.

Rear suspension is pretty sorted with poly bushes and good springs/shocks. Front needs redoing as it's still on the old Shore70 bushes and some knackered shocks/springs (Spax or similar). Really want to fit roller bearing top mounts and uprated ARB's too.


Biggest issue is the body work has degenerated over the past few years. Really needs a new bonnet, boot lid, door skins and outer sills. It's still solid structurally though.





Being a FHC with no sunroof I think it's fairly rare these days.

simontdo

87 posts

153 months

Thursday 21st March 2019
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It's a TR8, imported from California.

I got it in 2013 and spent a fortune restoring it.

It's fairly standard, the Cats/EGR stuff have been removed, it has tubular manifolds and the later Rover Vitesse type ECU. Other than that, still the original 3.5 efi engine.

I had a couple of converted TR7V8s back in the 80s/90s, that drove awful. I think a lot of it is down to who's kit and what cross-member and brakes you have.

This drives really well, the power steering helps. The brakes are still st though.

carl926J

108 posts

141 months

Saturday 30th March 2019
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1981 TR7 DHC in a very pretty Vauxhall/Opel Blue. Bought it early last year with 55k on the clock and a bit of a leaky hood. Spent most of the last year trying to track down a front o/s clonk on rough road/speed bumps - still trying. New polybushes, springs, shocks all round, new head gasket middle of the summer. Really hoping to get more miles on it this summer. Still puts a smile on my face every time I get in it though. biggrin


Jammez

663 posts

207 months

Tuesday 2nd April 2019
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1977 FHC with a sunroof here.

Bit of a stalled 1UZ conversion at the moment as a Range Rover Classic rebuild & now a house move have got in the way! Still, new house has a thumping great shed so I'll be able to get back on it once I finish the house!






300bhp/ton

Original Poster:

41,030 posts

190 months

Tuesday 2nd April 2019
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Very cool. Have seen a coupe on the world wide wedge forum a number of years back.

I think if mine was a 4 pot, I'd consider this as an option these days.

Jammez

663 posts

207 months

Tuesday 2nd April 2019
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The 1uz is an awesome engine. 300bhp no probs for £375 (the whole Lexus!)

300bhp/ton

Original Poster:

41,030 posts

190 months

Tuesday 2nd April 2019
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Jammez said:
The 1uz is an awesome engine. 300bhp no probs for £375 (the whole Lexus!)
Yeah I did buy an engine for another project. Stock they are 260-280 depending on exact model. Not many bolt on mods available cheap though. Although they take boost well.

But a lot of work if already Rover powered. However if on the slant 4 and wanting V8 power they certainly are an option and in the UK a lot cheaper than a Chevy LS.

What gearbox are you running?

tr7v8

7,192 posts

228 months

Tuesday 2nd April 2019
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Used to have one hence the user name. had mine 3 years as a rolling project, it then got hit by a Securicor truck. Was getting rebuilt when Robsport found the shell too far gone. Was then reshelled into a California shell. I did the engine & front suspension rebuild. Engine was soft 4 x 4 cam, Defender lump with 8.35:1 CR had skimmed heads to 9ish to 1 & Offy 360 with Webber 500 4 barrel. Went very well, now lives in the IoM.

A few pics.





Edited by tr7v8 on Tuesday 2nd April 19:48

Jammez

663 posts

207 months

Friday 5th April 2019
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What gearbox are you running?
[/quote]

Sticking with the standard auto for the time being, eventually I'll get a manual for it. People seem to go for the Toyota R154 but they are pretty expensive. I think there's some BMW options too but I haven't explored it to much at this stage as I need to keep the costs low initially.

tr7v8

7,192 posts

228 months

Friday 5th April 2019
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Jammez said:
What gearbox are you running?
Sticking with the standard auto for the time being, eventually I'll get a manual for it. People seem to go for the Toyota R154 but they are pretty expensive. I think there's some BMW options too but I haven't explored it to much at this stage as I need to keep the costs low initially.
Looking at a BMW 3 series conversion the other day with a Lexus lump. The adapter from the US to go V8 to MW box was pretty cheap. And BMW boxes are quite common & easy to get.

300bhp/ton

Original Poster:

41,030 posts

190 months

Friday 5th April 2019
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Interesting about the BMW gearboxes, I'd not come across this before. Do you have any links?

I did buy a Lexus engine (separate project). I did find someone who had made an adapter to a Rover 5 speed manual. But the box isn't really up to it. But the cost of a Toyota box was too prohibitive for the project.

BTW - what auto box when you say standard? Standard Lexus or Standard Rover/BL?

//j17

4,480 posts

223 months

Friday 5th April 2019
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Driftmoto in Kent do 1UZ/2UZ/3UZ to BMW diesel gearbox adaptor plates for £325 - https://www.facebook.com/driftmotouk/

tr7v8

7,192 posts

228 months

Friday 5th April 2019
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300bhp/ton said:
Interesting about the BMW gearboxes, I'd not come across this before. Do you have any links?

I did buy a Lexus engine (separate project). I did find someone who had made an adapter to a Rover 5 speed manual. But the box isn't really up to it. But the cost of a Toyota box was too prohibitive for the project.

BTW - what auto box when you say standard? Standard Lexus or Standard Rover/BL?
Weird quoting format there. it isn't me doing the build. This was the place for V8 to BMW box adapter https://www.pmcmotorsport.com/4,adapter-toyota-1uz...

Jammez

663 posts

207 months

Tuesday 9th April 2019
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Something odd going on with the quoting so I'm not bothering!

On my 1uz conversion I'm using the standard lexus auto box so it's pretty much a complete transplant of the running gear & ecu.

I'd found a couple of links to the BMW mounting plates for a range of 5/6 speed boxes so that's definitely a possibility further down the line

This kind of thing seems readily available now which wasn't a few years ago when I started the build.

https://www.pmcmotorsport.com/4,adapter-toyota-1uz...

300bhp/ton

Original Poster:

41,030 posts

190 months

Tuesday 9th April 2019
quotequote all
Jammez said:
Something odd going on with the quoting so I'm not bothering!

On my 1uz conversion I'm using the standard lexus auto box so it's pretty much a complete transplant of the running gear & ecu.

I'd found a couple of links to the BMW mounting plates for a range of 5/6 speed boxes so that's definitely a possibility further down the line

This kind of thing seems readily available now which wasn't a few years ago when I started the build.

https://www.pmcmotorsport.com/4,adapter-toyota-1uz...
Good luck with the build, will be interesting to see what you make of it once running. Not sure I could do an auto in a TR7 myself though.

How have you mounted the engine? I assume you've adapted the stock TR7 subframe to locate the mounts in the correct place?

Jammez

663 posts

207 months

Thursday 11th April 2019
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Yeah auto wouldn't be my ideal choice but it's just a cost thing a the moment. I know it will end up with a manual but I just don't have the funds!! The classic Range Rover has eaten a chunk of them!

You're right on the subframe I've just used a combination of the Lexus mounts & the original TR subframe. I toyed with the idea of actually hanging the engine from the chassis rails as they were in exactly the right position & are certainly substantial enough but it was another level of complication!