(re)Introduction...

ColoradoTR8 · Postby **ColoradoTR8** » 18 Feb 2010 16:44

Howdy all, its been quite a while since I was last here. Started a new identity while I was at it (forgot my former user ID and password, but had hardly any posts with it anyway).

I live in Loveland Colorado, just north of Denver. My wedge, I've owned it going on five years now, is a 1980 TR8FHC (very early TCN150 series car) and has been in Colorado since new. It also has a sliding glass sunroof that was installed in Leonia NJ before it was delivered to Colorado. This sunroof was best known from the "Southern Skies" special edition TR7 sold in the Southeast sales area of the US, but was available for all US coupes from early 1976. Of the known TR8 Coupes, mine seems to be the only one with the sliding glass roof.

Along with the sunroof, my TR8 also has air conditioning, rear defrost and luggage rack. Not being a big fan of the luggage rack on a wedge coupe, and the trunk being quite a bit larger than earlier TR's, I've replaced the boot-lid with one that has never had a rack fitted. This way I can keep the original lid with the rack fitted. If I ever need the rack, it takes about ten minutes to switch them out.

I am the third owner of this TR8. The first owner only had it for two years, the second owner for 23 years. It has been very well maintained, and driven quite often. The odometer has just passed 162,000 miles and the car has never been restored. There is some rust in the front wings (down low) and the base of the spare tire well but that is all. Otherwise, the car is very solid.

I live at just under 5,000 feet (1524 meters) in altitude and regularly drive the car over 9,000 (2743 meters) feet in altitude. At least once a year I drive over Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, which is the highest continuous paved road in North America with a peak altitude of 12,183 feet(3,713 meters). I've also driven it up to the Mt. Evans summit parking lot, which is the highest non-continuous paved road in North America, at 14,134 feet (4308 meters) is just 130 feet below the summit of Mt. Evans. The parking lot there is 20 feet higher than the summit of Pikes Peak. The carbs still work at 14,000 feet in case you were wondering. Some of you are also on the Club Triumph site and might remember me posting about Mt. Evans over there a few years ago.

Anyway, hope to visit here on a more regular occasion.

Be seeing you all...

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 18 Feb 2010 17:13

Welcome back. I had won an eBay TR8 preproduction coupe but didn't meet the reserve. Still keeping an eye out but can't realy get serious unless I get more storage space.

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

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 18 Feb 2010 17:29

Welcome back indeed
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ColoradoTR8

... The carbs still work at 14,000 feet in case you were wondering. Some of you are also on the Club Triumph site and might remember me posting about Mt. Evans over there a few years ago ...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I indeed do remember that post, sounds like some great driving.
Found that carburettors aren't an issue at higher altitudes as long as you keep the engine running.
Remember when I was in the Alps over the years that I sometimes had difficulties with starting the engine above 2500 meters.

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, currently being restored)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

ColoradoTR8 · Postby **ColoradoTR8** » 18 Feb 2010 20:30

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

Welcome back indeed
[quote]Originally posted by ColoradoTR8

... The carbs still work at 14,000 feet in case you were wondering. Some of you are also on the Club Triumph site and might remember me posting about Mt. Evans over there a few years ago ...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I indeed do remember that post, sounds like some great driving.
Found that carburettors aren't an issue at higher altitudes as long as you keep the engine running.
Remember when I was in the Alps over the years that I sometimes had difficulties with starting the engine above 2500 meters.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

At 12,500 feet it still idled just fine. at 14,000 feet I had to keep my foot on the gas pedal slightly to keep it running. Unaided, it would stall. Restarting at 14,000+ feet did require a little more effort than lower altitudes. We, those of us at higher initial altitudes, tend to run a little more ignition advance than lower altitudes. Typically about 1 degree per 1,000 feet.

PeterTR7V8 · Postby **PeterTR7V8** » 18 Feb 2010 23:43

Welcome back. I lived in Golden & later Denver CO many years ago & I love that part of your country. I found it very familiar as a young Kiwi & there are some good drives up in those Rockys & in the foothills. I used to thrash my poor Spitfire round those roads. Great fun as long as I remembered to put the top up at 3PM! A TR8 makes a much better tourer though.

I wouldn't think that starting a car at the top of Mt Evans would be a big concern. If you haven't been able to crash start it by the time you got to the bottom of the mountain there must be something more wrong with the car than just the timing - LOL.

silverseven · Postby **silverseven** » 19 Feb 2010 01:22

nice looking coupe, welcome back!

Ron.

RJS · Postby **RJS** » 19 Feb 2010 03:52

Welcome back.

I know your area well. I grew up a little north of you in Laramie. I live in Arizona now, but still try to get up north every summer.

Rob

John Clancy · Postby **John Clancy** » 19 Feb 2010 08:56

Do we go through Loveland on the way to Breckenridge? I'm pretty sure there's a 'Loveland' on the way there from the airport.

Next time I'm over I'll ask the coach driver to call in!!!

<center>[url="http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/sales/codenamebullet.asp"]Buy the story of the Triumph TR7/8 on DVD here[/url]</center>

Urchin · Postby **Urchin** » 19 Feb 2010 13:09

If you haven't already, consider joining the Triumph Wedge Owners Association [TWOA]. It's a good group that grew out of the TR-8 Club.

Most of the members seem to be TR-8 owners, too, and they might have members in your area.

Jeff

Jeffrey Aronson
P.O. Box 90
Vinalhaven, ME 04863
USA
'80 TR-7 Spider
'66 Land Rover Series II-A [2]
'66 Corvair Monza
www.landroverwriter.com

ColoradoTR8 · Postby **ColoradoTR8** » 19 Feb 2010 17:08

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

Do we go through Loveland on the way to Breckenridge? I'm pretty sure there's a 'Loveland' on the way there from the airport.

Next time I'm over I'll ask the coach driver to call in!!!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's Loveland Pass ski area. The city of Loveland is about 50 miles north of Denver. The 2011 Vintage Triumph Registry annual meeting will be in Breckenridge again. I was on the planning commitee for the 2001 event in Breckenridge. I also have a restomod 1972 TR6 that I have owned going on 20 years.

ColoradoTR8 · Postby **ColoradoTR8** » 19 Feb 2010 17:10

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

Welcome back.

I know your area well. I grew up a little north of you in Laramie. I live in Arizona now, but still try to get up north every summer.

Rob
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I actually grew up in Wyoming. On a small ranch (about 25,000 acres) just south of Chugwater. I'm sure you heard of it if you grew up in Laramie. [:D]

ColoradoTR8 · Postby **ColoradoTR8** » 19 Feb 2010 17:19

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

If you haven't already, consider joining the Triumph Wedge Owners Association [TWOA]. It's a good group that grew out of the TR-8 Club.

Most of the members seem to be TR-8 owners, too, and they might have members in your area.

Jeff
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Been a member for a few years. Also on the wedge mailing list.

There are 8 TR8's that I know of North of Denver. More in and South of Denver. Close to twenty TR8's that I know of between Colorado Springs and Cheyenne along the I-25 corridor. That still leaves quite a bit of Colorado where there could be a few more scattered around. I also know of at least that many TR7s in the same area. Very few of those owners are members of the TWOA that I am aware of. TWOA treasurer confirmed very few members in Colorado a few weeks ago. Thinking about trying to get all the Colorado wedge owners together sometime though. At least get a good list compiled.

RJS · Postby **RJS** » 20 Feb 2010 03:29

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

Welcome back.

I know your area well. I grew up a little north of you in Laramie. I live in Arizona now, but still try to get up north every summer.

Rob

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I actually grew up in Wyoming. On a small ranch (about 25,000 acres) just south of Chugwater. I'm sure you heard of it if you grew up in Laramie. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I have been to the Chugwater Chilli Cookoff before, but that was a LONG time ago. Go POKES!!!

Rob

John Clancy · Postby **John Clancy** » 20 Feb 2010 08:27

Saw a snow covered TR7 in Dillon a few years back. Looked rather strange with about a foot of snow on it!

What date will the Breckenridge meeting be? Don't suppose I'll be there skiing at the time though.

<center>[url="http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/sales/codenamebullet.asp"]Buy the story of the Triumph TR7/8 on DVD here[/url]</center>

ColoradoTR8 · Postby **ColoradoTR8** » 22 Feb 2010 16:33

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

Saw a snow covered TR7 in Dillon a few years back. Looked rather strange with about a foot of snow on it!

What date will the Breckenridge meeting be? Don't suppose I'll be there skiing at the time though.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The 2001 VTR meet in Breckenridge was the third week of August. I would expect it to be about the same for 2011, I'm not on the committee this time around so I can't say for sure right now. Weather in October can be too unpredictable at 9,000 feet.

Shawn

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