the guy who traded in a TR7 for a 'project' MGB

[ACW30445]

http://jalopnik.com/395389/insert-briti ... riumph-tr7

Along with the 'usual' type comments such a post would inspire.......
This rings ~100% true for me.

The lower compression emission spec American wedges definitely don't get as good of gas mileage as their European and other market counterparts but that should be expected really.


"I had a yellow '76 TR7 coupe for 3 years back in the mid 90's. I found it for $400, about 50K miles on the odo, parked under a pine tree... anytime I smell wood chips, I'm reminded of it. Once I bled the clutch master cylinder, it was drivable. On its voyage home, the right pop-up headlight started bobbing up and down, winking at everyone around. Thing was, it was broad daylight and the lights weren't even turned on.

Once I rebuilt the twin Strombergs and chased down a few other electrical bugs, it turned into a great car. I say that with a perfectly straight face... a great car. I must have been made on a "Wednesday", because in 30K more miles, I rarely had any trouble with it. Granted, it wasn't a Toyota and required regular basic maintenance to stay happy, but nothing too involved or horrific (always reguarly oil your carbs). It even passed state emissions tests.

It was zippy, stylish and no one else had one! All the cheesy 70's graphics and badges had been left off when the paint was resprayed by the previous owner, a real improvement, it also made it unidentifiable to 90% of the people who saw it. It had enough interior and trunk room for a bachelor to use for grocery shopping and to take to the laundromat, so it was a great daily driver. The only real downside was the crappy, crappy gas mileage for such a teeny little car... 24 MPG on a good day. My Econoline will do 20, and I could have parked the TR7 in the back of it!

I sold it to buy an MGB cuz I wanted a convertible, thus descending me into PCH. Stupid, stupid, stupid... selling a perfecly running car for peanuts to buy a basket case. That stupid B sucked up at least $4K and was hardly driven more than 500 miles, ever. Sold for a pittance to a guy who had to push it onto a trailer."

[FI Spyder]

I think the milage is pretty good even compared to my Integra with it's smaller engine. I've gotten 40 mpg out of it and I don't think I've ever gotten that out of my Integra (brochure milage is 36 mpg.) Of course that depends on your driving techniques. It'll pull me up the Malahat in 5th gear (if I go a little over the 50 mph speed limit) but I would like to have 9.25 to 1 pistons to have just a touch more power. My 4 speed auto Integra will shift down a gear unless I'm going well over the speed limit to keep the rev's up.

So far reliability is there, any problems have been mine,
1. I cracked wiper parking switch actuating lever when cleaning it so it broke causing constant wiper action.

2. Wiper walked up arm when end flew off. (A Trico not a Triumph part.)

3. Starter wouldn't crank, corroded plug that relay plugs into. (I had cleaned it before but obviously not well enough.)

4. Everything went dead when braking at stop sign because I hadn't left enough slack on one of the wires to alternator so the torque of motor pulled it off and I was running on battery for however long. (A push got it going).

5. No clutch action due to faulty new clutch hose. (blame quality of aftermarket parts.)

Other than those problems that can be traced directly to me it's been dead reliable including a 890+ miles drive back from california were it had been stored for 7 years.

Most people who adversely comment about the TR7 speak from what they've read not what they've experienced. They know little about maintenance and trade their cars in every 3 years rather than keep them 18+ years.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[bmcecosse]

Well said FI Spyder!
And yes - the TR 7 is way better than an MGB - my mate has one and even he agrees the TR is the better car! And, his car is in similar condition to mine, yet he had to pay 5 times as much for it - and has spent a 'lot' on it in the last 3 years. Put it this way - if we go to an event together - we go in the TR 7!

[mb4tim]

I dunno, I wish I could get my B restoration done. My heart still belongs to the B.

-Tim
http://www.morSpeedPerformance.com

[bmcecosse]

One problem for me - is that my head sticks up above the screen in a B! And of course - at classic shows there are rows and rows of identical Bs - and very few TR 7s - I'm often the only one ! And always have a string of visitors asking about the car.

[mb4tim]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bmcecosse</i>

One problem for me - is that my head sticks up above the screen in a B! And of course - at classic shows there are rows and rows of identical Bs - and very few TR 7s - I'm often the only one ! And always have a string of visitors asking about the car.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

All true, but I had a 70 B as my first car...what I can I say, I got suckered.

Maybe I'll feel differently once I figure out what the deal is with my 7.

-Tim
http://www.morSpeedPerformance.com

[Rich in Vancouver]

I have had both, and they are both good cars.
That said...Both the TR7 and MGB can be "Bad" cars. It comes down to the
individual car, the individual owner and, of course, the owners' expectations.

Rich

FWIW: I currently own both a TR7 and an MG (not a B) and between them they keep me pretty darn busy, and broke!
Between them they have had over 80 years of DPOs so neither MG or Triumph can really be blamed for any problems that may occur!

1975 TR7 ACL764U

[Ferris]

I just sold my MGB to get a second TR7 [:D]

The B was a good car, and certainly it had a classic shape. But, behind the wheel, it was positively agricultural by comparison - there was no doubt as you drove that this was a design rooted in the 1950's. I enjoyed looking at it more than driving it.



------------------------
It's true! Bob IS my uncle!

Kevin Anderson
(2)1980 TR7 DHC
1990 Jaguar XJ40

[PeterTR7V8]

Kevin, I can echo those thoughts exactly with regard to the GT6 I had for 15 years. 18 months after trading it in for a TR7 V8 I wish I'd done it years ago even though sometimes I wish I'd bought a different 7.

I reckon Harris Mann must have been a keen sci-fi fan. The 7 looks like it cam from a different planet when compared to the GT & TR6.

[Hasbeen]

I loved my MG TB, [1940 DHC, with wind up windows]. Cool, and
luxurious in 1958, but I doubt its little 1200cc engine really got
it up to the 104MPH the speedo once hit.

The 1500 MG TF was great, but none compared with the new Morgan +4
I bought in 62. It raced well, but the suspension was a bit hard.
You really needed a pilots licence on a bumpy road, it spent so much
time off the ground.

I was never tempted by TR4s or MG Bs, they always looked too much
like a sedan/saloon, after a very low bridge cut the roof off, I
prefered my open wheelers, even if I couldn't drive them on the
public road.

After 35 years of driving senible cars, utes, & trucks, I sold my
horse truck, [show jumping kids] & went to look at a TR7. 20 minutes
later I was driving it home. I went back the 120 Km the next day by
train, & taxi, to get the car I'd driven up to look at the 7.

That was almost 9 years ago, & I've seen nothing since then that I'd
prefer as a daily driver.

Hasbeen

[paul w]

I,ve driven a few different MG's - i like 'em,esp.that v8,but none of
them come close too the comfort/refinement/usability of our wedges.
A well looked after MG,i'm sure will be nice to own,just as a poorly
maintained one will be a pain and same can be said of any classic.
The MG will never tick all the right boxes for me,where as the Bullet
does!
I once drove a Midget to Durham and back from Essex,damn near killed
me!Half deaf and doubled over! In a seven,you'd arrive relaxed and
relishing the long drive back.How many two seat cars can you say that
about that are 26 + years old?
The other usable and reliable classic that i'd recommend is a Reliant
Scimitar GTE.It's a sports car and estate all in one.


It's a 3 litre v6 with bags of room and power,much better than an MG
IMHO!! AND...you can fit a Rover v8 in there if you feel the need...

See ya. Paul

[FI Spyder]

Driving 60 miles in a Spitfire is like drving 400 miles in a TR7.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[Underdog]

I have both and love each one for different reasons. My MGB has quite a few mods done to it and I still prefer it's handling feel to the TR8. The MGB feels more like an overgrown go-cart. I'm planing on larger swaybars for the TR8, at some point, to help in this regaurd. Either will be a PITA if in neglected condition.

72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.