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busheytrader · Postby **busheytrader** » 26 Sep 2009 21:55

In the mid eighties I bought my 7 DHC as it was the best performing affordable 2 seater convertible that could be used everyday. (Pop up lights and memories of the V8 rally cars may have helped)

I bought my 7 two weeks before my 25th birthday. It stayed in my neighbour's garage uninsured until 00:01 on my birthday as the insurance was Â£100 cheaper that way.

The V8 conversion and suspension / brake mods (I did them) completely transform the car into another league. Performance wise, the car punches way above it's budget and embarasses many of the expensive sports cars. More smiles per mile. The V8 rumble is so intoxicating.

I built it, I can fix it, I can strip it, I can rebuild it.

We've been together for 23 years...........

Adam

TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes, Anti- Dive, Capri Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 5 Spokes and Cruise Lights. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991

Rich in Vancouver · Postby **Rich in Vancouver** » 27 Sep 2009 01:11

I have always been an MG guy but had my first experience with TR7s while working at a British auto repair shop in the early 80's We worked on most models of British cars including TR6's, Spits, GT6's and worked on a few out of warranty 7's. I enjoyed driving the TR6s but didn't care much for the styling and found the smaller Triumphs a bit too tight but I took a liking to the 7.
A couple of years ago I closed the locksmith business I had been running and went to work for the government. Due to that I sold my truck and needed a commuter car. A boring car wouldn't do and it had to be something I could work on myself. A 75 TR7FHC was advertised locally and I went to look at it. It had been off the road a long time but started when jumped and the price was right so I bought it. After getting to know it I found it was literally rust free, and was one of the first 1000 TR7's built so I now have another collector car to keep my 1955 Supercharged MG-ZA Magnette company.
After a lot of work the TR has turned into a fun and reliable daily driver. I just have to show a bit of willpower and keep the mods to a minimum in light of it's low build number. I have decided that a V-conversion is out of character for this Speke car but maybe one day it will become a Sprint recreation.

Cheers,
Rich

1975 TR7 ACL764U

Raider · Postby **Raider** » 27 Sep 2009 08:44

I remember seeing the car for the first time on "Midlands Today" or whatever it was called and thought, "wow, that car is fabulous". I was 15 at the time.

Pop up headlamps - very exotic and Emma Peal's Lotus Elan had had them so that was a big plus too.

For some reason I desperately wanted BL to succeed and had loved the Dolomite Sprint so here was another car that showed progress.

My brother was into rallying and Roger Clark et al was winning everything in Mk2 Escorts but I thought it would be good to see some variety. (Don't get me wrong, I later had a Mk1 escort, a Mk2, a Mexico and an RS2000)

Then BL went rallying with the TR7 using a Dolly Sprint engine - hurrah. And no-one was or will ever be in the same league as Tony Pond driving a TR7.

Now I have 2 TR7s - a FHC with 16valve engine as a tarmac rally car in the early works colours and I love it.

FHCs by the way, should never have a sunroof!

I always looked down on DHCs as being a bit naff. Well I have one of those now too and it's just fine as a soft touring car.

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Project Manx 2010 - I wish I could drive a TR7 like Tony Pond
North Yorks/Lancs border
http://raidertr7.blogspot.com/
TR7 Sprint FHC tarmac rally car - Speke built ... Barnoldswick modified - there's a big difference!

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 27 Sep 2009 08:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Raider

...I always looked down on DHCs as being a bit naff. Well I have one of those now too and it's just fine as a soft touring car ...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Sorry that I spoiled you in Scotlandshire last year [:p]

<center>

1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
1980 TR7 DHC (my first car currently being restored)
In parts a 1980 TR7 PI DHC, 1981 TR7 DHC, 1981 TR7 FHC
http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/</center>

Raider · Postby **Raider** » 27 Sep 2009 17:36

You did Theo - and now I can't wait till I have my licence back

The Alps beckon[:)]

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Project Manx 2010 - I wish I could drive a TR7 like Tony Pond
North Yorks/Lancs border
http://raidertr7.blogspot.com/
TR7 Sprint FHC tarmac rally car - Speke built ... Barnoldswick modified - there's a big difference!

busheytrader · Postby **busheytrader** » 27 Sep 2009 17:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">[i]
Pop up headlamps - very exotic and Emma Peal's Lotus Elan had had them so that was a big plus too.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Mmmmmmmm.............Emma Peel...........Mmmmmmm[:p]

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 28 Sep 2009 17:34

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Raider

...The Alps beckon[:)]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Might be an idea for my DHC's shake down trip somewhere (early) next year [:D]

<center>

1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
1980 TR7 DHC (my first car currently being restored)
In parts a 1980 TR7 PI DHC, 1981 TR7 DHC, 1981 TR7 FHC
http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/</center>

mitchelltjohn · Postby **mitchelltjohn** » 01 Oct 2009 16:34

I love these personal stories of how TR7 interst was sparked off - there's got be more..

standard 1981 DHC

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 01 Oct 2009 18:49

Well as a very small lad one of the very few people in our street owned a Herald 13/60 convertible. The Triumph marquee has never left my mind since then.

Years later (late 70's) there was a Java Green TR7 FHC in a neighbouring village which I saw every day on my way to school. I had to make a detour to see it though.
Whilst in the army (national service) there were several (very nice FHC) around, but the ultimate was an article I read about the Grinnall's way back in 1985, I was hooked.

Bought my first car in 1988 (mainly because everyone who knew about cars told me they were crap), a very early Dutch TR7 FHC and have had a road going TR7 ever since ....
The original plan though was to drive the DHC for a year and after that pull it apart, restore it and drop a V8 in, how ignorant I was. In the end I used it and worked on it (and learned a lot from it) for 10 years before I put in storage in a barn in 1998. The body was now so bad that it wouldnâ€™t pass the MOT without some serious welding.
By then I had restored my first TR7, 't Kreng which I have been driving ever since. This car was actually bought as an accident write of car, to be used as a spares donor for the DHC. Turned out be to good to scrap so decided to restore it to original spec. How planes can change.

But next year the DHC will be back on the road again after lying dormant for nearly 12 years and a .... euhhh ... re-spray I think I called in my weblog. For the restoration I used the shell from a Californian DHC I bought from a friend a few years ago.

But still no V8 ...

<center>

1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
1980 TR7 DHC (my first car currently being restored)
In parts a 1980 TR7 PI DHC, 1981 TR7 DHC, 1981 TR7 FHC
http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/</center>

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 01 Oct 2009 19:14

In the 70's I was into the wedge shape. I was going to buy a 240Z but on the way I stopped into AMC dealership and bought a '71 Javelin the first year of the Coca Cola bottle shaped car. After I eyed the Lotus Esprit having seen it in the James Bond film. I liked the TR7 and wanted to buy one but was diswayed by the build quality reports. I planned to build an Aztec 7, a wedge shaped gull wing fiberglass body on a VW pan with RX2 rotary engine. I had the components but moved out of province and sold the lot before starting the project. I had heard the TR7 was a convertible which did away with the confusing lines of the hard top and the availability of a V8 but before I knew it the car was no longer in production. After aquiring two Spitfires meant for restoration in 2003 I decided to buy a TR7 in 2005 that was ready to drive. There non in our car club. In 2006 a new member had one and by summer I bought mine. By 2008 there were a half dozen or more in the club. Now what I need is more storage space but that is hard to come by on my land and it limits my collectors obsession.

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

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