I love how you appreciate the BL cars of the 1970s. I remember the TR7 in my neighborhood in the late 1970s / early 1980s here in the USA. Someone who worked nearby parked it on the street, but that wasn't the only one. There were others around, and its a car that made an impression on me. There was something charismatic about that car, despite me not being a sports car guy as a kid. And for someone like Steph, who enjoys the artistic expression of stylish retro looks, this car was so absolutely unique and not afraid to be different. Love the plaid seats, and love the java green paint! Gorgeous!!!! The car is too...🙂
I bought one of these back in 1974... I think it was a 75 model but I chose the same green color. I absolutely love that car. Of course just like all Triumphs back then, if the rear end starts to slide out on you there is no getting it back especially doing 85 on a 35 mile an hour corner. Well.... I hit a stump broadside which flipped me almost straight up and then down a 45-degree embankment 100 or 150 feet from the road. I never hit the ground but instead wedged upside down in three trees. It took the tow company 3 hours just to get it unstuck out of the trees. The entire top of the car was crushed down to about dashboard heights except for a small area over my head and shoulders. I didn't get a scratch. Once I got out of the car, I jumped to Earth and surveyed what I had just survived. Before I even crawled on my hands and knees to get out of that canyon I dropped to my knees and thank God for sending the angels to keep me from being killed. If you could see how crushed the car was, you would shake your head and say there must be a God.
Lovely 70’s colour, always loved the styling of the TR7, it’s a real shame the British workforce ruined the motor industry back then and I hope those people are happy with themselves ! i often drive past the old Speke plant location in the train and always feel a little sadness of what has happened to British Leyland and Rover 😢
I once owned a TR7. The main issue to me was over heating. The British Leyland block cracked by Inferior metal which was notorious and over heated with BL triumph engines. I loved my TR7. I'd still have one again though because it was a beautiful car x
The project name for the TR7 was "bullit" and it sold well despite moving production to three different plants as BL restructured in the 70s. What killed it essentially was a strong pound £ v $ back in the early 80s just as its problems were essentially sorted and its V8 Tr8 had come on line to great Acclaim... BL pulled the plug on the Tr7/8 models as by 1981 each one was losing them money... The drop heads are great looking too..
This was the car my dad bought when he turned 40! Red TR7 with red tartan. In1979. Cured mid life crisis. Now he is 80 wish I could get it back for him to have another spin in it! Enjoying your unique reviews.
My dad had a pimento red TR-7 he bought new in '75 in Detroit and drove it till he traded it in 1984 for a Ford Econoline full-sized van. This was the car of my youth. I used to lay in the back shelf when mom and dad and I went out, or sit between them on the center console. Amazing.
I've had two of these back in the day 1st was a 1977 on a R plate in bright yellow 2nd was a 1981 on a W plate in metallic blue , loved them and now miss them so much .
As for the window wipers, my late father's 1977 Marina had exactly the same. Even the door release handles are the same in the Marina both on the interior and exterior.
When I was 8 years old there was S-reg red TR7 coupe parked in a driveway near to where we were living in 1980. Couldn't take my eyes off it. That was the first time I ever saw a Triumph. I hadn't been interested in cars prior to that sighting. So really, it was a TR7 that started my love affair with cars.
What a fabulous car! Internal politics (after production had been moved twice) killed the TR7, which was a massive shame. The TR7s I remember are the yellow one Joanna Lumley drove in the second series of The New Avengers (it replaced an MGB), the blue one Martin Shaw drove in the first series of The Professionals and different blue and yellow ones which appeared in a few episodes of Return of The Saint. All were British Leyland supplied press cars.
You look back now and think if only BL could have delivered a solid reliable TR7 to the USA instead of dealers out there having to rebuild the ones supplied and constant strikes over here they would have had a massive hit on their hands.
@@artiexr222, yes, it could have been a real hit, but poor industrial relations, build quality and misplaced marketing efforts sent it to an early grave!
Sadly British Leyland is a perfect metaphor for British industry and one of the reasons we have ended up where we are. You are cool Steph, just stating the obvious 😉
here it is almost 2021. i am here to proclaim now that this is Steph's greatest video and car. the only rival for me might be the commer van. love her style and love that car!
Great channel, without trying to sound patronising I think it’s great that many younger generation are into many of these classic cars. Bearing in mind that most of these cars were built before many of the younger enthusiasts were even born, the classic car market has nearly always been the preserve of middle aged men so it’s great to see younger enthusiasts keeping these vehicles in tip top condition to be enjoyed for many years to come
Beautiful looking TR7. Great colour too. Just found your channel, & subscribed 'cus you seem very cool, fun, & down to earth.. & classic cars are unique, & have a lot of character! Great video!
There are some TR-7 cars in Australia. There was also a TR-8 which was a TR-7 with a Rover 3.5 V8 engine, I believe most were built for export to North America. P.S. That shade of green paint and the matching tartan (!) trim is so 1970s!
When I was a kid, the TR7 was the coolest car on the road. I loved it. Then again, anything with a sloping bonnet and pop-up lights was basically a Lamborghini.
...and one appeared in the first episodes of The Professionals. Although the TR7 looks great, I'll always love the Ford Capri 3.0... or even the Ford Escort RS2000... :-)
I still remember when I was a young man and saw the TR-7 commercial with the triangular garage and thinking that it was a near looking car. I still think it would be nice to have one and I prefer automatic over standard transmission. I would have to drop an engine with more horsepower into it to ensure it has enough get up and go for the modern highway. Thank you for making this video.
I always wanted one of these, I drove one but never bought one. There were so many rotting to pieces even when they were so much newer. Such a shame because they were so amazing looking.
I had a Java Green TR7 just like that (it was a 'S' reg) in the 1980's. Always had an issue getting it to idle in cold weather - until some smart guys in a backstreet garage figured out the timing marks were placed wrong. Maybe it was a Friday afternoon car!
Imagine getting into one of these having just test driven an MGB back in the day. Incredible to see the chasm in development. (Disclaimer MGB owner who loves it).
I very much wanted one of these before I got my license. And then the TR-8 came out, with a convertible version no less! This video could've been 20 minutes more and I'd still want more! I'm quite impressed that this example seems to have none of the corrosion that this model tends to succumb to.
I know you won't reply but ,my Grandfather worked at the Cowley plant Oxford in the 1960s.and 70s. One day half of the factory went on strike, again, because half the guys In the factory had chocolate biscuits and the other side didn't.
Love the tr 7 and your cool sixties look. Sadly tr7 s are like hens teeth in nz. But i love my 76 2500 tc (just repainted). The 2.5 is a mix of sports car and sedan. I would love you to drive one of those in your videos. Thanks Daniel
Great car, great view if the viaduct and very well presented Steph. Keep these videos coming. I remember my uncle Malcolm having a brown one and it dropped a valve on the way to Thruxton, luckily on a mile or 2 from home. We did not get there obviously, but I would love one of these cars now. What would we do without your videos.
Hi Steph, we are kindred spirits. I am BL crazy also. I'm currently working on an Ital van which I hope to have on the road within a couple of years. Great videos & keep up the good work!
Hi Steph, I just subscribed to your channel after I stumbled upon the Rover 827 video and now I have watched 4 videos already. Love your style, love the cars. Seventies and eighties are my era, so keep them coming! The TR7 was such an icon to the little boy I was back then. Keep up the good work and I will keep on following you. By the way, I drive a classic too, a Citroën BX. Ciao from Rick in Holland.
The TR7 actually outsold the TR6. It was very roomy and had a fascinating and high revving slant 4 engine with a jackshaft operated water pump. Awesome sounding engine. The 5-speed was a very good transmission unlike the 4-speed. The car also had modern integrated air conditioning. My '77 FHC had an excellent electrical system. BL moved the fuse box inside the glovebox vs inside the engine bay and added several relays to help it along. Compare to the MGB's , the oil leaks were non existent. The car really only had two problems. They were major problems. The factory workforce was quite often capable of SHODDY workmanship. Also, the sheer design of the engine and cooling system cauased massive overheating and terminal engine damage. Perhaps owners putting water instead of antifreeze caused this problem. In the final year, there was a FUEL INJECTED model that I heard was very nice.
Nice video. Remember these when they were new! The finish on them was awful! They were never the most reliable and warranty claims were ridiculous! Another problem was died in the wool hairy chested TR men were never going to accept the TR7 after what had gone before, it was really a Spitfire/GT6 replacement rather than TR. ohh, it was a frustrating time to be involved in the British car scene! Keep up the good work, loved it!
Nice to hear from somebody who remembers the early days! Always interesting to get different people weigh in on stuff like this because for me, I can’t see why this car didn’t get more attention and accolade. Thanks for the kind words on the video too 🥰
@@idriveaclassic My neighbour had one brand new same colour with a large Triumph logo on bonnet. She had the coolist car on our road. My parents had a Chrysler 180 maroon with black vinyl roof.
The warranty claims I've heard were due to the rampant HEAD GASKET failures and they couldn't be repaired. The heads were aluminum and the blocks were iron and you can guess what happened. They rusted themselves together. There were head bolts on one side and angled studs on the other. The bolts seized into the head and were impossible to remove. To make matters even worse (impossible, I know), the cylinder would not allow much of any skimming to correct any warp as a result of overheating.
@@stringer-ik1pc owned two, an early one and a late model one. I also worked in a JRT dealer at that time. Loved the cars, but they were both pretty unreliable, especially the early one. Mainly silly wee things. They both had rust problems as well.
When i was 21 years old, i moved house from Gloucester to Bristol in one trip in my 1978 TR7. It was pretty well packed with an ironing board sticking out the sunroof. Could not do that today, with all the crap my wife and kids have bought over the years. Kept it for 4 years replacing it with an XJS V12. Always regretted selling the car which i bought for £1000 and sold for £1000.
One of the teachers at my old high school in Norwich had one of these. That too was R reg and in the same or similar shade of green. This was back in the early - mid 1990s so the car was well over a decade old by then. There's a slim chance that it may even be the very same car as the owner bought it from East Anglian Car Auctions. One of the other teachers drove an X reg Skoda Estelle. Now there's a great one for you to try Steph, if you haven't already!
Now come on Steph, you *know* the Morris Minor is the best car ever, not the Metro (that’s the second best car ever!). But the Metro did rather save Austin Rover’s bacon and enabled them to keep going for a few more years. Great video again!
Hahahaha. As if you were playing attention that closely 😂😂😂. Thanks again for the kind feedback on the video. I do love morris minors but the heater in the metro is superb.
Love the TR7!Went to look at omen when I was a young lad, and it looked in really lovely nick... until I saw the hole in the sill I could fit my hand inside! It was also frighteningly dangerous handling too, so clearly needed some work.
I remember these being imported into the U.S. during the late 1970's the last of the great Triumph TR sports car series TR 7-8 if i am not mistaken its been so many years, i personally am a lover of the the TR-6 which had come before these for nostalgic reasons .
Lovely TR7 and an amazing review, thanks Steph! I have a 1980 TR7 tin top in black, which is a genuine UK limited edition model called a Premium. It is one of only 400 made for the home market and I love it!
Had a 1979 Coventry-built FHC one in Australia, bought in 1995. Unfortunately, I found it to be under-powered (we got the 92 bhp US-spec engine, with all the emissions stuff on it), under-braked and under-tyred. The 5-speed box was ok, but the diff ratio was too short. It had the British steering wheel and was finished in yellow with red tartan trim and black carpets. I fitted quite a number of upgrade parts (thank you, Rimmer Bros) including the US-style side repeaters. I almost bought a convertible, as I liked the style but the scuttle-shake put me off. I got very close to buying a blue FHC which had the Leyland 4.4 V8 in it and uprated brakes; that went very nicely, but there were issues with the registration and engineer's certification. Would I buy another TR7? No - but before someone says that I'm biased against Triumphs, I should say that I've owned both a 948 and a 1147 Herald and I that used to work in Triumph's Gearbox Plant, in Radford.
My dad owned a TR7 in the late 70s. It was one of those cars he listed after but I don't think it lived up to his expectations. He had the engine out in the kitchen of all places for a rebuild. His red TR7 was later replaced with a yellow MK2 Ford Capri 1.6 S before going for a sensible MK1 Mini Metro.
had one in 1980 for 3 years other than service items spent nothing on it totally reliable. it was nice to drive underpowered though. good on fuel. It did have a bad water leak into the cabin [never cured] Nice appraisal
I test drove one back in the mid 70s when it first came out . Same colour as well. P reg . Was thinking of trading my Triumph Toledo in for one but couldn't afford it.
I had a blue one SJW545S around 1986. I drove it to Southern Italy And back.It had a specialist fitted 16v dolomite sprint engine and 5 speed box.I vaguely remember selling it to a Bank manager from Sheffield who was moving down to London and was buying it to commute into the city and back. I remember him saying the SJW on the reg was his sons initials. It went like stink!
I drove them back in the day, heavy gearchange, unwilling stodygy engine, low geared heavy steering. I really could not get on with them. Interesting to see what you think of them.
I liked this video. I liked that your commentary matched what you filmed. They only lasted 6 years and you questioned why. How about the fact that the design dated really quickly, they were badly built, when they were built that it is and when they were exported to USA their emissions regulations just zapped alot of their performance. But I think that the biggest killer were all the hot hatchbacks that gave just as good performance while being reliable and practical. It's a pity it took BL so long to produce a hot hatch themselves.
Sat In a tr7 at a motor show in the 70s when I was a kid...remember red tartan...and I went for a test drive in the 80s in a tr7...but sadly I never owned one.
I had auto and it was red I liked it being auto gave it a nice quality feel, only auto I had till now I have a Audi tt after many years love car evolution.
Awesome video, but please note JoannA Lumley as Purdey was actually on THE NEW AVENGERS, long overdue in HD, on Blu-ray (save that lame CYBERNAUTS sequel on a CYBERNAUTS Blu-ray now out of print) and 4K, as the show was shot on week shot on 35mm film. And speaking of toys, Revell did a TR7 model kit and Dinky a die cast version of Purdey's TR7 and a red TR7 appeared in the last episodes of the series when they wound up the show in Canada.
Was that the Thornton Viaduct we saw at 6:17? A bit of trivia for you. The Thornton viaduct was used in the Last of the Summer Wine episode "Three Men and a Mangle" in 1987.
Great little video along with your Toledo review, fancy making a Dolomite video? I have a 1972 1850 upgraded with a 2 litre TR engine, I think you'll love it, I've posted photos of it on your FB page. 😊
i fitted a glass sunroof in a Java green TR 7 in 82 , had to test drive it, first time i had ever seen 120 mph in a car i was driving . Much faster than my herald . :)
Another great review. Been working my way through your channel. Not a cool person? 60's look knowledge of old cars and a positive comments section perhaps you need to look again.
That tartan interior was probably in tribute to the Bay City Rollers. The TR7 was a bit different from the TR1 to TR6. They were all classier cars TBH, but the TR7 has its own unique appeal. It didn't suffer from having its chrome bumpers replaced by plastic.
First model kit I built was a Triumph TR-8. That's not a typo, the TR-8 was a TR-7 with a Rover V8 engine. These weren't common cars. Most of them were used for racing and rallying unsuprisingly. I think the steering wheel on that example is a U.S. spec one. Most UK TR-7's had a very different wheel.
Nice vid...too cute😍...going to crack-on with breakfast now! (on the other side of the pond)....wishing I bought a tr7 that sat under a tree in Palo Alto California for 20-30 years....but I hesitated and lost🙁
From late 77 to late 79 l worked as a mechanic at a BL dealership. So l saw the last gasp of the BL sports cars. It made me so sad. I felt that it didn't HAVE to happen. Just like the demise of the American auto industry didn't have to happen. I never liked the looks of the TR7-8 but l mostly liked the way they drove. They were quick and nimble although the suspension needed a rethink. Too much body roll, squat and dive. The engines chronically blew head gaskets to the point of absurdity. All that said l would proudly drive a nice one today if available. I would re-torque the head gasket at every oil change, and a firmer front anti roll bar along with struts and rear coils and shocks.
TR7’s were quite nice to drive, but had shed loads of annoying problems, not least the tendency to overheat and warp the cylinder heads. Suffered from following the TR6 which was a ‘proper’ sports car and it originally should have been an MG.....which didn’t go down well with the traditional Triumph buyers. The TR8 solved the power issues but it was too late to save both it and BL by that time. I had a ‘76 4-Speed for a few years and then a ‘74 TR6 for about 20 years. The TR6 was way better in my opinion. Why they never put the Dolomite Sprint engine in the TR7 was a mystery to everyone at the time. Might have been something to do with the USA emission regs.
This was my first car and as much as I appreciate the walk down memory lane. This car was just awful. So many problem's. The car overheated constantly and went through 2 engines in it. Still haunts me.
Nice review of a lovely car. Shame about the bolshy shop floor workers but it wasn't just them of course, Management & Design had issues too. That's quite an attractive viaduct there, can you say where it is or it's name please ? 6:15
The Triumph TR7 was the car dreams on my walk to junior school back in 1976.
I love how you appreciate the BL cars of the 1970s. I remember the TR7 in my neighborhood in the late 1970s / early 1980s here in the USA. Someone who worked nearby parked it on the street, but that wasn't the only one. There were others around, and its a car that made an impression on me. There was something charismatic about that car, despite me not being a sports car guy as a kid. And for someone like Steph, who enjoys the artistic expression of stylish retro looks, this car was so absolutely unique and not afraid to be different. Love the plaid seats, and love the java green paint! Gorgeous!!!! The car is too...🙂
I bought one of these back in 1974... I think it was a 75 model but I chose the same green color. I absolutely love that car. Of course just like all Triumphs back then, if the rear end starts to slide out on you there is no getting it back especially doing 85 on a 35 mile an hour corner. Well....
I hit a stump broadside which flipped me almost straight up and then down a 45-degree embankment 100 or 150 feet from the road. I never hit the ground but instead wedged upside down in three trees. It took the tow company 3 hours just to get it unstuck out of the trees. The entire top of the car was crushed down to about dashboard heights except for a small area over my head and shoulders. I didn't get a scratch. Once I got out of the car, I jumped to Earth and surveyed what I had just survived. Before I even crawled on my hands and knees to get out of that canyon I dropped to my knees and thank God for sending the angels to keep me from being killed. If you could see how crushed the car was, you would shake your head and say there must be a God.
Lovely 70’s colour, always loved the styling of the TR7, it’s a real shame the British workforce ruined the motor industry back then and I hope those people are happy with themselves ! i often drive past the old Speke plant location in the train and always feel a little sadness of what has happened to British Leyland and Rover 😢
We didn’t know how good we had it
Feel the same, although I am not british. My uncle always bought british cars... Made in England had that kind of appeal
I once owned a TR7. The main issue to me was over heating. The British Leyland block cracked by Inferior metal which was notorious and over heated with BL triumph engines. I loved my TR7. I'd still have one again though because it was a beautiful car x
Great Vid. Love the TR 7 probably my favourite British sports car.
The project name for the TR7 was "bullit" and it sold well despite moving production to three different plants as BL restructured in the 70s. What killed it essentially was a strong pound £ v $ back in the early 80s just as its problems were essentially sorted and its V8 Tr8 had come on line to great Acclaim... BL pulled the plug on the Tr7/8 models as by 1981 each one was losing them money... The drop heads are great looking too..
This was the car my dad bought when he turned 40! Red TR7 with red tartan. In1979. Cured mid life crisis. Now he is 80 wish I could get it back for him to have another spin in it! Enjoying your unique reviews.
Ahhh no way!!! Thanks for your lovely comment x
My dad had a pimento red TR-7 he bought new in '75 in Detroit and drove it till he traded it in 1984 for a Ford Econoline full-sized van. This was the car of my youth. I used to lay in the back shelf when mom and dad and I went out, or sit between them on the center console. Amazing.
When I was about 3, a TR7 was the first car I ever lusted after!
what a gorgeous car, lovely colour as well
Thanks Matt!! Hope you enjoyed the video 😊
@@idriveaclassic it's definitely the best part of a sunday seeing you review another car.
I've had two of these back in the day 1st was a 1977 on a R plate in bright yellow 2nd was a 1981 on a W plate in metallic blue , loved them and now miss them so much .
As for the window wipers, my late father's 1977 Marina had exactly the same. Even the door release handles are the same in the Marina both on the interior and exterior.
Very Interesting Video. I love the Old British cars, They have so much character!
Thank you! I totally agree with you 🥰
When I was 8 years old there was S-reg red TR7 coupe parked in a driveway near to where we were living in 1980. Couldn't take my eyes off it. That was the first time I ever saw a Triumph. I hadn't been interested in cars prior to that sighting. So really, it was a TR7 that started my love affair with cars.
Tartan trim should be standard in every car!
Ha. So true.
Only in scotland tho
Golf GTI still does....
@@paullacey2999 I was going to say - very GTI.
remember seeing these in my youth, really loved them, just such a stylish car.
What a fabulous car! Internal politics (after production had been moved twice) killed the TR7, which was a massive shame. The TR7s I remember are the yellow one Joanna Lumley drove in the second series of The New Avengers (it replaced an MGB), the blue one Martin Shaw drove in the first series of The Professionals and different blue and yellow ones which appeared in a few episodes of Return of The Saint. All were British Leyland supplied press cars.
You look back now and think if only BL could have delivered a solid reliable TR7 to the USA instead of dealers out there having to rebuild the ones supplied and constant strikes over here they would have had a massive hit on their hands.
@@artiexr222, yes, it could have been a real hit, but poor industrial relations, build quality and misplaced marketing efforts sent it to an early grave!
@@lloydvehicleconsulting It was a hit, it was the best selling TR of them all !
A yellow TR7 also features in the BBC comedy series, The Detectorists.
@@fp4man542, yes indeed! Never watched the show myself, sadly...
Sadly British Leyland is a perfect metaphor for British industry and one of the reasons we have ended up where we are.
You are cool Steph, just stating the obvious 😉
Good work Steph! Love your article in Practical Classics! 👏👏
here it is almost 2021. i am here to proclaim now that this is Steph's greatest video and car. the
only rival for me might be the commer van. love her style and love that car!
Great channel, without trying to sound patronising I think it’s great that many younger generation are into many of these classic cars. Bearing in mind that most of these cars were built before many of the younger enthusiasts were even born, the classic car market has nearly always been the preserve of middle aged men so it’s great to see younger enthusiasts keeping these vehicles in tip top condition to be enjoyed for many years to come
How did I miss this one?
My favourite all time car 👍 Purdy probably helped sway the decision when I was a young lad 😉
My mate had a silver convertible. We used to pose on Great Yarmouth sea front in it in the mid 80s! 😂
Beautiful looking TR7. Great colour too.
Just found your channel, & subscribed 'cus you seem very cool, fun, & down to earth.. & classic cars are unique, & have a lot of character! Great video!
Aww thanks so much!
There are some TR-7 cars in Australia. There was also a TR-8 which was a TR-7 with a Rover 3.5 V8 engine, I believe most were built for export to North America. P.S. That shade of green paint and the matching tartan (!) trim is so 1970s!
When I was a kid, the TR7 was the coolest car on the road. I loved it. Then again, anything with a sloping bonnet and pop-up lights was basically a Lamborghini.
...and one appeared in the first episodes of The Professionals. Although the TR7 looks great, I'll always love the Ford Capri 3.0... or even the Ford Escort RS2000... :-)
I still remember when I was a young man and saw the TR-7 commercial with the triangular garage and thinking that it was a near looking car.
I still think it would be nice to have one and I prefer automatic over standard transmission. I would have to drop an engine with more horsepower into it to ensure it has enough get up and go for the modern highway.
Thank you for making this video.
I had one in the late 80s same trim inside I brought all the parts to convert it to a v8 ln other words a tr8 what a beast on the road.☺
All your videos are fantastic I love them. Very well put together, informative and fun. Thank you.
I always wanted one of these, I drove one but never bought one. There were so many rotting to pieces even when they were so much newer. Such a shame because they were so amazing looking.
I had a Java Green TR7 just like that (it was a 'S' reg) in the 1980's. Always had an issue getting it to idle in cold weather - until some smart guys in a backstreet garage figured out the timing marks were placed wrong. Maybe it was a Friday afternoon car!
Imagine getting into one of these having just test driven an MGB back in the day. Incredible to see the chasm in development. (Disclaimer MGB owner who loves it).
I very much wanted one of these before I got my license. And then the TR-8 came out, with a convertible version no less! This video could've been 20 minutes more and I'd still want more!
I'm quite impressed that this example seems to have none of the corrosion that this model tends to succumb to.
I know you won't reply but ,my Grandfather worked at the Cowley plant Oxford in the 1960s.and 70s. One day half of the factory went on strike, again, because half the guys In the factory had chocolate biscuits and the other side didn't.
Love the tr 7 and your cool sixties look. Sadly tr7 s are like hens teeth in nz. But i love my 76 2500 tc (just repainted). The 2.5 is a mix of sports car and sedan. I would love you to drive one of those in your videos. Thanks Daniel
Another fantastic video review from my favourite car reviewer! Love, love, love the tartan interior. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much Jim!!!!!
nice to listen to a true enthusiast. thanks for posting
Thank you 🥰🥰🥰
Nice video as always. Almost bought one in the USA back in 1980 Cool car.
Great car, great view if the viaduct and very well presented Steph.
Keep these videos coming.
I remember my uncle Malcolm having a brown one and it dropped a valve on the way to Thruxton, luckily on a mile or 2 from home. We did not get there obviously, but I would love one of these cars now.
What would we do without your videos.
Can you help me with the name of that Viaduct please ? Or where it is.
Hi Steph, we are kindred spirits. I am BL crazy also. I'm currently working on an Ital van which I hope to have on the road within a couple of years. Great videos & keep up the good work!
Thanks David! Good luck with the van
Hi Steph, I just subscribed to your channel after I stumbled upon the Rover 827 video and now I have watched 4 videos already. Love your style, love the cars. Seventies and eighties are my era, so keep them coming! The TR7 was such an icon to the little boy I was back then. Keep up the good work and I will keep on following you. By the way, I drive a classic too, a Citroën BX. Ciao from Rick in Holland.
Thanks so much Rick!!!!
Another great video nice to see around Leeds when you're driven not lived there for a long time
The TR7 actually outsold the TR6. It was very roomy and had a fascinating and high revving slant 4 engine with a jackshaft operated water pump. Awesome sounding engine. The 5-speed was a very good transmission unlike the 4-speed. The car also had modern integrated air conditioning. My '77 FHC had an excellent electrical system. BL moved the fuse box inside the glovebox vs inside the engine bay and added several relays to help it along. Compare to the MGB's , the oil leaks were non existent. The car really only had two problems. They were major problems. The factory workforce was quite often capable of SHODDY workmanship. Also, the sheer design of the engine and cooling system cauased massive overheating and terminal engine damage. Perhaps owners putting water instead of antifreeze caused this problem.
In the final year, there was a FUEL INJECTED model that I heard was very nice.
I think they were made in Speke, Liverpool.
I don't know if you are aware, of their reputation in UK; whether true or not.
My doctor had one of these when I was in my teens. It was maroon!
Nice video. Remember these when they were new! The finish on them was awful! They were never the most reliable and warranty claims were ridiculous! Another problem was died in the wool hairy chested TR men were never going to accept the TR7 after what had gone before, it was really a Spitfire/GT6 replacement rather than TR. ohh, it was a frustrating time to be involved in the British car scene! Keep up the good work, loved it!
Nice to hear from somebody who remembers the early days! Always interesting to get different people weigh in on stuff like this because for me, I can’t see why this car didn’t get more attention and accolade. Thanks for the kind words on the video too 🥰
@@idriveaclassic My neighbour had one brand new same colour with a large Triumph logo on bonnet. She had the coolist car on our road. My parents had a Chrysler 180 maroon with black vinyl roof.
The warranty claims I've heard were due to the rampant HEAD GASKET failures and they couldn't be repaired. The heads were aluminum and the blocks were iron and you can guess what happened. They rusted themselves together. There were head bolts on one side and angled studs on the other. The bolts seized into the head and were impossible to remove. To make matters even worse (impossible, I know), the cylinder would not allow much of any skimming to correct any warp as a result of overheating.
@@stringer-ik1pc owned two, an early one and a late model one. I also worked in a JRT dealer at that time. Loved the cars, but they were both pretty unreliable, especially the early one. Mainly silly wee things. They both had rust problems as well.
When i was 21 years old, i moved house from Gloucester to Bristol in one trip in my 1978 TR7. It was pretty well packed with an ironing board sticking out the sunroof. Could not do that today, with all the crap my wife and kids have bought over the years. Kept it for 4 years replacing it with an XJS V12. Always regretted selling the car which i bought for £1000 and sold for £1000.
One of the teachers at my old high school in Norwich had one of these. That too was R reg and in the same or similar shade of green. This was back in the early - mid 1990s so the car was well over a decade old by then. There's a slim chance that it may even be the very same car as the owner bought it from East Anglian Car Auctions.
One of the other teachers drove an X reg Skoda Estelle. Now there's a great one for you to try Steph, if you haven't already!
I’m thinking about purchasing one. Would you guys say this is a good starter classic car?
Now come on Steph, you *know* the Morris Minor is the best car ever, not the Metro (that’s the second best car ever!). But the Metro did rather save Austin Rover’s bacon and enabled them to keep going for a few more years. Great video again!
Hahahaha. As if you were playing attention that closely 😂😂😂. Thanks again for the kind feedback on the video. I do love morris minors but the heater in the metro is superb.
Love the TR7!Went to look at omen when I was a young lad, and it looked in really lovely nick... until I saw the hole in the sill I could fit my hand inside! It was also frighteningly dangerous handling too, so clearly needed some work.
I remember these being imported into the U.S. during the late 1970's the last of the great Triumph TR sports car series TR 7-8 if i am not mistaken its been so many years, i personally am a lover of the the TR-6 which had come before these for nostalgic reasons .
Lovely TR7 and an amazing review, thanks Steph! I have a 1980 TR7 tin top in black, which is a genuine UK limited edition model called a Premium. It is one of only 400 made for the home market and I love it!
Cheers so much Simon. It’s an early review so not as polished as my newer ones
Had a 1979 Coventry-built FHC one in Australia, bought in 1995. Unfortunately, I found it to be under-powered (we got the 92 bhp US-spec engine, with all the emissions stuff on it), under-braked and under-tyred. The 5-speed box was ok, but the diff ratio was too short. It had the British steering wheel and was finished in yellow with red tartan trim and black carpets. I fitted quite a number of upgrade parts (thank you, Rimmer Bros) including the US-style side repeaters.
I almost bought a convertible, as I liked the style but the scuttle-shake put me off. I got very close to buying a blue FHC which had the Leyland 4.4 V8 in it and uprated brakes; that went very nicely, but there were issues with the registration and engineer's certification.
Would I buy another TR7? No - but before someone says that I'm biased against Triumphs, I should say that I've owned both a 948 and a 1147 Herald and I that used to work in Triumph's Gearbox Plant, in Radford.
My dad owned a TR7 in the late 70s. It was one of those cars he listed after but I don't think it lived up to his expectations. He had the engine out in the kitchen of all places for a rebuild. His red TR7 was later replaced with a yellow MK2 Ford Capri 1.6 S before going for a sensible MK1 Mini Metro.
Great review! That explanation for striking comes across as something management would say. I suspect there might be an employees perspective.
My brother owns a tr7 here in Australia. Very cool car.
My brother had 1 years ago when I was a kid and I remember thinking it was the coolest car I'd ever seen
Another brilliant video. Thanks Steph Pete 🇬🇧
I had one in green, I painted it red. I loved that car even though I had to work on it more than I drove it.
My first car was a 1979
TR7 in Java Green. Loved it when it wasn't overheating.
had one in 1980 for 3 years other than service items spent nothing on it totally reliable. it was nice to drive underpowered though. good on fuel. It did have a bad water leak into the cabin [never cured] Nice appraisal
I prefer the "hard top" to the convertibles.
I test drove one back in the mid 70s when it first came out . Same colour as well. P reg . Was thinking of trading my Triumph Toledo in for one but couldn't afford it.
I had a blue one SJW545S around 1986. I drove it to Southern Italy And back.It had a specialist fitted 16v dolomite sprint engine and 5 speed box.I vaguely remember selling it to a Bank manager from Sheffield who was moving down to London and was buying it to commute into the city and back. I remember him saying the SJW on the reg was his sons initials. It went like stink!
My automotive high school crush!!
I remember when these were new. I quite like them.
I drove them back in the day, heavy gearchange, unwilling stodygy engine, low geared heavy steering. I really could not get on with them. Interesting to see what you think of them.
The small steering wheel threw me but I enjoyed it actually. Felt very ‘toy car’ and I loved that 😂😂😂😂😂
I love the story about the stolen fridge. It's like something out of Are You Being Served?.
Hahahaha I know!
It was also funny when they investigated where loads of missing paint went.
They found half the houses in the area were painted BL colours !
Yellow TR7 in the avengers... dark blue TR7 driven by Lewis Collins in "the professionals" (CI5) before Bodie got the MK2 escort RS
I liked this video. I liked that your commentary matched what you filmed. They only lasted 6 years and you questioned why. How about the fact that the design dated really quickly, they were badly built, when they were built that it is and when they were exported to USA their emissions regulations just zapped alot of their performance. But I think that the biggest killer were all the hot hatchbacks that gave just as good performance while being reliable and practical. It's a pity it took BL so long to produce a hot hatch themselves.
Hey Steph just found your channel and it's really great... love of the unusual vehicle.
Aww thanks so much
Sat In a tr7 at a motor show in the 70s when I was a kid...remember red tartan...and I went for a test drive in the 80s in a tr7...but sadly I never owned one.
Excellent stuff! Nice to see the Bionic Golly in action, too!
Yeah he’s taken a break from other 70s activities such as smoking with the windows closed, listening to football on the radio and striking.
You are a cool person! Great review of a great car. Always loved Triumphs from being a child. I've had a number of Triumph 2000s, MK1 and 2. Dean.
Cool car, great video. Keep up the good work. 👍👍👍
Thanks so much!!!
I had auto and it was red I liked it being auto gave it a nice quality feel, only auto I had till now I have a Audi tt after many years love car evolution.
Beautiful car
Cheers Ian!
An old boyfriend of mine had one, same colour same year. Very fun car. We called it Kermit. 🐸
Honey, you are adorable! Love your accent and your videos... are so very good.
Vauxhall also used the tartan on the VX490, mine was in red tartan.
God what luxury! Would love a tartan interior
@@idriveaclassic Dreadful car steph, unreliable, body rotted, and it was only four years old !
Awesome video, but please note JoannA Lumley as Purdey was actually on THE NEW AVENGERS, long overdue in HD, on Blu-ray (save that lame CYBERNAUTS sequel on a CYBERNAUTS Blu-ray now out of print) and 4K, as the show was shot on week shot on 35mm film. And speaking of toys, Revell did a TR7 model kit and Dinky a die cast version of Purdey's TR7 and a red TR7 appeared in the last episodes of the series when they wound up the show in Canada.
Was that the Thornton Viaduct we saw at 6:17? A bit of trivia for you. The Thornton viaduct was used in the Last of the Summer Wine episode "Three Men and a Mangle" in 1987.
Retro and Beautiful. The Tr7 ain't bad either 😉
Mistake mate. Steph's a self proclaimed feminist.
Great little video along with your Toledo review, fancy making a Dolomite video? I have a 1972 1850 upgraded with a 2 litre TR engine, I think you'll love it, I've posted photos of it on your FB page. 😊
i fitted a glass sunroof in a Java green TR 7 in 82 , had to test drive it, first time i had ever seen 120 mph in a car i was driving . Much faster than my herald . :)
Wow that’s amazing!!! Bet it was a bit scary at 120 😂😂😂
Another great review. Been working my way through your channel. Not a cool person? 60's look knowledge of old cars and a positive comments section perhaps you need to look again.
Hahahaha thanks Alan!!! I always feel super uncool 😂😂😂
That tartan interior was probably in tribute to the Bay City Rollers. The TR7 was a bit different from the TR1 to TR6. They were all classier cars TBH, but the TR7 has its own unique appeal. It didn't suffer from having its chrome bumpers replaced by plastic.
First model kit I built was a Triumph TR-8. That's not a typo, the TR-8 was a TR-7 with a Rover V8 engine. These weren't common cars. Most of them were used for racing and rallying unsuprisingly.
I think the steering wheel on that example is a U.S. spec one. Most UK TR-7's had a very different wheel.
Love the TR7 but only in soft-top form, they looked stunning. This one is more hit and miss for me. The front view looks fantastic though.
I had one... so cool
My cousin was a mechanic. He said apart from the *FRIDAY CAR*..... with minor electrical faults; they were fast machines
3:25 the other lil sports car was an Esprit! must've been wedge day
Another great vid & love your excitement over the Italian peep peep🤣🤣
Nice vid...too cute😍...going to crack-on with breakfast now! (on the other side of the pond)....wishing I bought a tr7 that sat under a tree in Palo Alto California for 20-30 years....but I hesitated and lost🙁
From late 77 to late 79 l worked as a mechanic at a BL dealership. So l saw the last gasp of the BL sports cars. It made me so sad. I felt that it didn't HAVE to happen. Just like the demise of the American auto industry didn't have to happen.
I never liked the looks of the TR7-8 but l mostly liked the way they drove. They were quick and nimble although the suspension needed a rethink. Too much body roll, squat and dive. The engines chronically blew head gaskets to the point of absurdity. All that said l would proudly drive a nice one today if available. I would re-torque the head gasket at every oil change, and a firmer front anti roll bar along with struts and rear coils and shocks.
Everything you’ve said is totally right. Couldn’t summarise better myself.
TR7’s were quite nice to drive, but had shed loads of annoying problems, not least the tendency to overheat and warp the cylinder heads. Suffered from following the TR6 which was a ‘proper’ sports car and it originally should have been an MG.....which didn’t go down well with the traditional Triumph buyers. The TR8 solved the power issues but it was too late to save both it and BL by that time. I had a ‘76 4-Speed for a few years and then a ‘74 TR6 for about 20 years. The TR6 was way better in my opinion. Why they never put the Dolomite Sprint engine in the TR7 was a mystery to everyone at the time. Might have been something to do with the USA emission regs.
This was my first car and as much as I appreciate the walk down memory lane. This car was just awful. So many problem's. The car overheated constantly and went through 2 engines in it. Still haunts me.
Nice review of a lovely car. Shame about the bolshy shop floor workers but it wasn't just them of course, Management & Design had issues too.
That's quite an attractive viaduct there, can you say where it is or it's name please ? 6:15
Love it I had a banana yellow one in 1986.
That is a very poetic rendering of the colour..