tr7triumph.com

Let's face it, it isn't all love. Sure 99% is a good majority but what is that 1% of non-love that you wish you could change about your car.

For me it is just 2 things.

1. the bl[:(!][:(!]dy headlights. As soon as you fix one the other goes wrong. Then they both work on the headlight switch but when you flash them to some idiot who has overtaken you on a double yellow line & cut you up in the process, only one lamp goes down. Its like trying to tell someone off while you have spinach on your teeth.

2. The door is too high. At 5'10" + 3/8s it is not particularly comfortable to have my elbow out the window & given that the original TR was designed specifically so the driver could touch the ground while seated I feel this is a deficiency in an otherwise marvellous car.


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To do list:
Upholstery/Motor/Gearbox/Suspension/Brakes/Carb/Tyres../Gearbox/Paint/Cam+Motor
Done......./done./done....../done......../done../done/done/redone.../done/under way
Blog: http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8548

Never had any problems with my headlights, I keep waiting for them to fail and they are just rock solid and as for door being to high I think of a TR7 owning friend who sat in a Jensen Healey said he felt he was peeking over the dash through the windshield which reminded me of the time I rode in a Sprite in a parade and I felt I was peeking over the edge of a bath tub. Count your blessings.

The thing I like least is the notchy second gear when cold and the shrunken hood cover, not really it's fault, it's original but still looks like new but I guess I'll have to replace it anyways as I can only put it on with a hair dryer and it packs the hood too tight.



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

I dont dislike it exactly,but i dont really understand how or why B.L.
decided that after the bumpers and window surrounds were to be a modern look black,that they then thought it'd be good to surround the
windscreen with the only chrome on the car.Surely it should be black
as well?
What is badly thought out is the fuel filler,just right to catch all
the rain water,which promotes rust if the drain hole blocks and dilutes
the 97 ron so your wedge refuses to start on an early workday morning.
Oh,and the placing of the tape/cd/radio,so that it never quite fits in
the space alloted!(esp.with all that loom spaghetti in there)

See ya. Paul

Yes I forgot about the filler. Has anyone figured out a way to stop the slosh when it overflows - apart from being careful of course.

And on that subject I like to get the maximum from a tank of gas so I try to fill mine to the brim but I can never manage it. It fills up, then it goes down a bit. You add more & it goes down a bit. Even though you can see the level in the filler pipe it never stops going down when you add more. I've looked under the car & it isn't coming out so where is it going? I always get fed up before I can get that last cupful in.

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To do list:
Upholstery/Motor/Gearbox/Suspension/Brakes/Carb/Tyres../Gearbox/Paint/Cam+Motor
Done......./done./done....../done......../done../done/done/redone.../done/under way
Blog: http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8548

We suspect the fuel drain down is back filling the charcoal cannister for the fuel vapors from the carburetors. Until this theory is confirmed, we have refrained from filling it up to the gunnels.

Old road tests from long ago mention the slow fuel fill-up as well.

Mildred Hargis

<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 paul w</i>

... What is badly thought out is the fuel filler...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The fuel filler design can be perfectly enhanced using the Newton Equipment Aero range cap (http://www.newton-equipment.com/Aeronew.htm).




Owen

I think Owen brings up a point. Many of us have found ways to modify the problems out of our cars that BL built in. The creaky plastic dashboard used to bother me. However with the new 3.9 and louder exhaust, I don't seem to notice as much. [:D] The frt suspension layout is a pet pieve of mine. I think a proper lower A arm would have been better than using the swaybar. The racers and some of you have also fixed this area. I'm going to do Poly Bushes and see if that tightens things up.

Some TR8 specific gripes. They have this wonderful alloy engine and proceed to hang a bunch of weight on the nose. Power steering, air conditioning and the infamous iron weights in the bumper ends (DHC). Every stock TR8 I have seen has the nose draging the ground by now. The stock induction system is a real power robber too.

I think the Wedge cars beg to be modified and rightly so. I myself wouldn't have much interest in mine if it were still bone stock. In it's present form it has true sportscar performance. Stock was more of a luxury roadster with lackluster performance.

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

I don't particularly care for the way the front nose piece and fenders are all welded together and to the inner fenders. I'm sure it was done as a cost saving measure but it makes repairing these things MUCH more difficult, IMHO.
Aaron



Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.

OK, you asked what I'm not fully satisfied with. <u>I</u> think:
1.
They should have hot zinc dipped all the parts when they were new - instead of forcing us to do it now when the cars
are some 30 years old! OK, it makes it easy to get ones renovation to a higher quality standard compared to what once
left the assembly line - but the other way round would have been so much sweeter! <u>This</u> is how all the add-on parts should
have looked at the assembly line:


2.
A more modern approach to the physical design of fuses and to the relay fitment wouldn't have hurt. With all (<u>most</u> at
least!) of them in <u>one</u> relay+fuse centre and the various control switches only controlling the relay's coil current. Would
have made servicing sooo MUCH easier! Not to mention the sheer size of the loom branches when there is only 0.5mm2
(roughly AWG20) wires going to/from the switches etc.

3.
A larger tank, filling up <u>all</u> that available space to the limit, (and made out of stainless or a suitable plastic) would have
improved on the range of the TR8, which as it is, is appalling (At just, say 600km or a tad under 400 miles, at best.
<u>I</u> would have liked a more decent 1000km/600miles...*) - just look at the contemporary Jaguar XJ6/12 who had <u>two</u> huge
tanks to get a nice range for GT travelling! And that's what the TR8 is (in its original form), a nice <u>long distance traveller</u>...

*
I need to fill up three times just to travel the length of the E4 (1650km/1025mi) through Sweden
- and I still haven't left the country! Some GranTurismo!? [:(!]
<font size="1">And let's not to talk about what our friends in America have to stand going cross country...</font id="size1">

<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 TR7Aaron</i>

I don't particularly care for the way the front nose piece and fenders are all welded together and to the inner fenders. I'm sure it was done as a cost saving measure but it makes repairing these things MUCH more difficult, IMHO.
Aaron



Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I think the reasoning for that was to make the unibody a more ridgid structure. New unibody cars have bolt on fenders but the upper beams are more substancial. On them the front fenders don't really contribute much to the strength of the body shell.

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

I have had sooo many TR7/8s and the one thing I find for a coupe is the rear parcel shelf always shrinks and wrinkles and the headliner glue stains. I know you replace the headliner not an issue but the replacement rear shelf for the coupe is not the best and to find a good one is rare. And last.....the gas tank placement! I think BL could have made it slide in and out of the trunk/boot for easier removal somehow.

Michael
1980 TR8 FHC/Works Rally Project

If it is broken then fix it....if it is not then make it faster!"

The crap 3/4 rear view visibility on the FHC.

I know those plastic covers on the B pillars are part of the ventilation but I have always wondered how the car would look if there was a glazed panel there instead. Sure would be easier to see over your shoulder when pulling out of a junction!

Tony

<font size="1">1981 2L FHC Cavalry Blue
1980 3.5L V8 DHC Jaguar Regency Red - sadly sold!</font id="size1">

Just to take a different viewpoint, think how boring it would be if our cars were like super reliable German creations. We wouldn't need this forum, coz there would be nothing to chat about. I reckon the best bit about owning a TR7/8 is the fact that despite the obvious failings they have we still luv'em!! After I sold my TR7 I had to wait 12 years to get my TR8. Wouldn't swap it for the world.[:D]

Andy
1981 UK SPEC TR8

That's it, that is what Abner has complained about for years. Which brings up the thought, has anyone ever thought to ream out the plastic panel and install a port hole or paralleogram piece of glass in the steel frame to give us a better view? We have never understood the ventilation argument for a car with the windows down so much.

Anything can be done, Lord knows collectively we on this forum have done a bucket load. I can't see how it would be too hard nor too expensive. I recall seeing a port hole window in some customizing magazine several years ago. Cutting a hole in the plastic would be easy. The last part is cutting and filling the area in the dogleg panel and cutting a hole in the inner trim panel to fit.

Wouldn't that be about all there is to it? With the port hole assembly in hand, I see this as an easy weekend project. Abner says he sure would like to be able to see what's about to run into him.

Mildred Hargis

Cannot believe no one has mentioned a) The water pump, how ridiculous to have to remove the inlet manifold and carbs to change the water pump. and b)The distributer location, the 2 bolts holding this are the most awkard items on the car, I have a cranked spanner for this now, I slipped once and broke the carb jet.

Andy
1980 DHC Cashmere Gold
1981 FHC Persian Aqua Blue
www.andys-tr7.co.uk