Spot the 'factory' question ?

[overandunder]

Sorry for the odd title.

I have read the (very useful) buyers guide about which cars are from Canley and which from Solihull, but looking at cars to buy has left me a bit confused.

I thought that cars with the 'laurel leaf' graphics on the bonnet were all Canley built and '81 onwards cars with the small round badge fitted were Solihull built - is that right?

I have spotted a few 'X' reg ('81) cars which have the 'laurel leaf'?

Is there a definite way to know which factory a car came from?

[PeterTR7V8]

TR7-8
Model Commission Body Engine Gearbox Diff
TR7 USA/Can 75-76 ACL CL CG CG
TR7 UK/Eur 76-78 ACG CG CG CG
TR7 USA/Can 77-78 ACW CV CG CG
TR7 Sprint UK 77 ACH CH CL CH
TR7 V8 77-78 ACN
TR7 Conv. USA/Can ACT .....GT CV CG CG
" 5 speed CL CH
" Auto 027M CT
TR7 UK 78-79 TCG CG CL C*
TR7 USA carb 78-79 TCW CV CL C*
TR7 USA FI 78-79 TCW CK CL C*
TR8 Fed manual TC@ 10E 15A CK
TR8 Fed auto TC@ 11E 051N CK
TR8 calif Manual TC@ 12E 15A CK
TR8 Calif auto TC@ 13E 051N CK
@ = N for Coupe, V for convertible
TR7 Convertible
USA/Can78-79 Carb TCT VV CL C*
USA/Can 78-79 FI TCV CK CL C*

* = L for 3.45:1,H for 3.9:1, T for 3.7:1

Cars with A.. commission number prefixes were built at Speke, T.. at Canley, SAT at Solihull.

http://club.triumph.org.uk/prefix1.htm

http://www.trdrivers.com/tr7___tr8_vin_numbers.htm even better.

[prlee]

I believe Canley and Solihull TR7 production did overlap for a while. But you will also find that Canley cars were still for sale after Solihull production stopped, so you can have Canley cars registered later than Solihull.

Mine is a 1981 Solihull car but is W reg. Other signs of a 1981 Solihull car other than the badge are the square hole internal door lock knob, push button boot release and gas struts to open the boot.

But the only way to be sure is from the VIN no.

Check out the Rimmers catalogue Page 5.

Pete
81 DHC (Undergoing minor body repair)
79 Spitfire (Current Main drive)

[Beans]

<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 prlee</i>

... gas struts to open the boot ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
They were used on Canley cars to ...

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, currently being restored)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
<b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">My Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

[overandunder]

Many thanks for the replies. SAT prefix on the VIN code looks favourite!

Is this normally riveted to the off-side front strut turret?

Thanks again.

Rob

[FI Spyder]

<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 overandunder</i>

SAT prefix on the VIN code looks favourite!

Is this normally riveted to the off-side front strut turret?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's not true either. The only way to tell is if the last letter in VIN (not number) is an A it is built in Solihull, if it's a T is built in Canley. My VIN tag is on windscreen post LH side viewed through the windscreen.

My Spider (build date July '80) is built in Solihull, has a laurel leaf (as all spiders do), VIN starts with TPZ. There was an overlap of several months when production overlapped as production ramped up at Solihull. While many (later) 1980 models had FI for the California market I did see an original Californian Spider (by serial number) that had carburetors so it seems the early ones had carbs. Not sure when all the CA cars were switched to FI as it was available before hand as an option.

So while it seems that the only way to determine a Solihull car is by that final VIN letter (A).


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

[John Clancy]

With all the cars from any factory now being so old it will make little to no difference with regards to which is the best to buy. If a car has survived this long it's odds on it's a good one.

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

[overandunder]

<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 John Clancy</i>

With all the cars from any factory now being so old it will make little to no difference with regards to which is the best to buy. If a car has survived this long it's odds on it's a good one.

<center><b>[url="http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/sales/codenamebullet.asp"]Buy the story of the Triumph TR7/8 on DVD here[/url]</b></center>
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Good point. The appeal of a late car is that it will have all the production improvements.

[prlee]

My choice was for a late TR7 model because I waned the most recent Triumph sports car to replace my Spitfire.

Other cars considered were:-

MX5 - too many around
BMW Z3 - Nice but I would need a regular haircut.
Merc SLK - like it lot but no boot space
MG TF - Just wait for the head gasket to go and engine out to replace the alternator.
TR6 was considered but too expensive to buy and not a car I would want to run for 15K miles a year.

The late TR7 has a modern influence while still being a classic and last of the breed.

The TR7 is not a small car, I reckon it is the same footprint as my 7 seat VW Touran.

Pete
81 DHC (Undergoing minor body repair)
79 Spitfire (Current Main drive)