Hi.
My experience with a TR7 was not good. It was only about five years old when
I bought it but it needed...
Sills, floorpan edges, repairs to bulkhead below screen, repairs to bonnet
and nose panel, new doors (not just skins), a new rear deck panel, repairs
to the bootlid and boot floor and, worst of all, repairs to the rear
bulkhead where the trailing arms were attached. All this was down to rust.
The car also burst its radiator, suffered a siezed water pump (nasty,
internal thing) and needed a brake rebuild.
Mine was a 4-speed, with about 70K miles on. When attempting to get 100 mph
on the M6, No.4 main bearing welded itself to the crank. At this point,
*after* the damage was done, the oil pressure gauge went to zero. Went home
on the end of a tow rope that day.
Got lucky then; bought, for very little, a 16v Sprint motor form a rally
Dolomite which had been rolled end over end. Fitted it, together with a
5-speed 'box. The TR was then quite good but the brakes weren't up to the
power. In those days (late '70s), the only upgrade was expensive, Lockheed
4-pot calipers. I sold the car instead.
Overall, it was an experience but I wouldn't have another TR7, even the
drophead. Compared to a B, they're ugly and very much a sheep in wolf's
clothing.
So now you know what *I* think, for what it's worth.
Cheers,
Dave H.
Can I Telework for you? See what I do, at...
http://www.angelfire.com/biz4/davtel/index.html
Troubled by a phobia? Know someone who has one? Go to...
http://www.psychomotor.co.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: Simon Matthews <simon_atwork@hotmail.com>
To: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2000 6:08 PM
Subject: TR7s and their problems
> The other problem with TR7s is that the engine was known for overheating
and
> warping the head. In general, they had many quality problems with early
> cars.
>
> Thus, often when these cars are for sale, the ad will say 'new head
gasket',
> which may indicate more serious problems.
>
> Many TR7s in the UK have been upgraded with the Dolomite Sprint engine --
a
> 16 valve engine with very impressive performance. I have no idea why
Triumph
> did not offer this, except perhaps that it would have undercut sales of
the
> TR8.
>
> Simon
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
>
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