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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 พ.ย. 2024
- Of all British Leyland's strokes of genius and failure, none seem to evoke quite as many mixed emotions as their '70s wedgy sportscar - the Triumph TR7.
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Yet another insightful look back at our motoring past from someone far too young to have been around at the time. The increasingly well scripted and smoothly presented output of this channel is I think a credit to its creator. Indeed, although obviously made on a shoestring and very much a 'one man band' effort these videos remind me strongly of the kind of the broadcast quality stuff Quentin Wilson used to produce for the BBC some years ago now - and I mean that in a good way!
Thanks Gary, that's very kind of you to say :)
Yes definitely!
well said !
yes, Quentinesque but without the pomposity
@@TwinCam For someone so young you have an excellent knowledge about the British car industry.
I had a TR7 from new. I used it for my daily commute from West Sussex to Wimbledon for 2 years (500 miles a week). I then took it to Oslo for my daily commute. Oslo gets to minus 30 degrees C in winter & other than needing to fit studded tyres & a block heater to stop the engine freezing up, it never let me down. I remember it fondly.
so it was a triumph basically?
Buddy had a new TR-7.. thing was in the shop mor than it was on the road
My grandad has a 1980 drop top he’s had from new. He used to daily it for years and it has about 120k miles. It seems to keep going
I worked for Leyland Australia, (A division of BL International), in the 1970's and was lucky enough to have a Triumph TR7 in British Racing Green as a heavily subsided lease car. I can still remember the joy in driving this car for quite some time and much preferred it to the Triumph Dolomite Sprint, (which in Australia you could have in any colour you liked as long as it was yellow with a black vinyl roof!), which I had previously. At the time we were making the Leyland P76 which was the only wholly Australian designed car to ever be produced here, and it was a great shame that due to our parent company's woes the local business also failed.
It's amazing how a 43 year old American can have a very similar taste in cars as a much younger British chap. Your videos have become some of my favorites. The fact that you actually have the cars in front of you to show us the details as you describe them makes it that much better. I enjoy other channels that focus on British cars, such as Big Car/Little Car. But he doesn't have the cars physically there, so it's not the same.
Welcome aboard Sir! You are most welcome.
(p.s. I'm in Chile....Not really relevant I know. But maybe helps explains ones passion for older cars...Mmm?)
40 years ago I had a friend who had a TR7 like this and after we got off work at 6AM we’d cruise the highways for an hour or so going up to 100 mph. What a blast we had…loved that car. Then one dayhe traded it for a Dodge Charger 2.2 and the good times were over…
Given this was designed 50 years ago, in my opinion it has stood the test of time better than almost any other design of that era.
Agreed
@@Martin_in_Cheltenham absolutely where
No
I remember the commercials for the TR7. " the shape of things to come" as it pulled into a wedge shaped garage.
wow, did the garages still build for those cars???
Bought a brand new TR7 convertible when they first came to the US. I was living on Cape Cod, Ma. Just a tremendous car. It was a head turner for sure. Didn’t” want to get out of it. Drove it every chance I could. Girls loved it,put 75,000 miles on it in three years. As soon as the odometer hit the 75,000 mile the car fell apart. Everything possible mechanical on it “crapped the bed”. I had tears in my eyes when it was towed out of my drive way. Oh well.
Some really sweet memories though. I am now driving a Porsche 987. Great car.
My Dad used to make these in their Speke plant, Liverpool. People always blame the unions for the failure of this car, but I remember being stood outside the plant, with my Dad when they were on strike. They were struggling to get the parts to make the cars, machinery wouldn’t work, designs would not match and a whole load of other problems that had nothing to do with the actual workers, but designers and management. It still holds a special place in my heart and always thought they looked so cool and still do. Thanks for bringing back a lot of happy memories.
I would totally agree with you on that. I'm sure it was the Bean counters fault, especially when it came to that crappy Lucas electricals. My best friend had a brand new 1981 TR7 5 speed. I absolutely love that car except for all the electrical problems that car had and we're talking brand new. Unfortunately that car spent more time in the shop getting fixed. Then it did on the road. But it was still a blast to drive!
I remember when they came out. Biggest problem was the Datsun 280z really had them beat in the market. Smoother more comfortable and esthetically desirable, mechanically last forever. Datsun totally took the customer base that triumph was shooting for.
My best friend had a brand new 1981 TR7 and I got to drive it more than he did. I have to admit I do have a special place in my heart for that car even though it had the dreadfull Lucas electrical & ignition amplification system, It was still fun to drive! Thank God it had the five-speed manual because the automatic would have been a dog! Just to see you drive it and hear the engine noise definitely brings back the years. I have a BMW 645 CI in grant it it's light years in technology ahead of that 1981 TR7, That old TR7 left an impression on me. Great video!
Brilliant video. As a young lad about 9 years of age, one of these lived around the corner from my Mum and Dad’s house. It had a private registration plate that were my initials. How I wanted that car. I just had to make do with my Corgi TR7 rally car!
RON 5R ?
I had a convertible of the same year and colour as the car featured. I loved it at the time, my first sports car even though the brakes could fade badly with constant use and pushed hard. Definitely a comfortable ride.
I owned a Speke built rot box in 1996. Within a week of ownership the cylinder head warped because of the incorrectly positioned header tank that could remain full of water with an empty radiator. It took two head skims and months off the road to discover the ongoing cause! So bad was this car, I decided to buy another in 1980. A Canley built masterpiece. It NEVER let me down over 12 years of ownership - not once! I wish I still had it 😭
Something doesn't compute... "I owned a Speke built rot box in 1996", and then "I decided to buy another in 1980" (which lasted you until 1992). Did you have a time machine?
I had two TR7’s - a fixed top AND a covetable. They were an absolute ball to drive. Never felt heavy to me. I flung them around like go carts. Stable and clean tracking at 100 mph. Reliability was not bad at all, and parts and mechanical access was simple and accessible for regular repair and maintenance. I wish I still had them. My pup Doc liked to ride on the utility shelf behind the seats. Wish I had gotten a TR8 but practically started to loom heavy.
An interesting video, well presented and researched. I suggest the featured TR7 DHC (41 years old judging by the number plate) is in need of steering maintenance if the presenter feels it’s steering is heavy at anything above parking speeds. The TR7’s steering is light and communicative (not dead from feel as described) once on the move. Also if you’ve grown up with power steering and not used to manual, you won’t be used to moving the car before turning the steering wheel. I’ve had my TR7 DHC since 1986 when small cars weren’t expected to have PAS like larger upmarket cars. It’s a generational thing. Over 30 years ago I converted mine to an uprated TR8 specification. It’s an absolute riot!
Excellent overview of the TR7 and the reasons at the time for the decisions made. I remember first seeing one just a few months after they came out and it looked like a spaceship sitting in a car park full of sixties and seventies saloons. Despite the lack I of driving g feel you mentioned, I still want one.
Thanks Paul :)
I've had two of these and loved both first when I was 18 years old ,and I still have a soft spot for the TR7 , they were a massive part of my younger years , still a beautiful car in my opinion.
Thanks for sharing this really took me back 😀
Yes had mine in the 80's.
Yep. Still a beautiful car IMHO.
It was 1979 when my parents bought me a TR7 , I really enjoyed it too, it was a lot of fun to drive and the girls in College loved riding on it, but after a while the car started with constant electrical problems and the intonation of both carbs was a headache... But I still loved it, you know how it is when you´re young and you don´t care that much.
Unigue looking, but not in a bad way. If I hadda find something not great, it's a little stubby looking maybe. And the wheels were never what you'd call amazing looking.
The ones on this one however really help the car out. (who made those?) Its color doesn't hurt either.
The wheels are original fitment alloys
Ah, the TR-7. As much as Internet pundits try to put it down and call it a miserable failure, it was not. It deserves better than the reputation it has today, but you can blame BL for that. At least it keeps prices low even today, as even mint examples tend to be around the $6k mark. Personally love the Coupe's styling quite a bit. Weird, whimsical, wonderful! Chuffing review too, mike quality's noticeably improved.
Thanks for the feedback Jake :)
The mic quality is a funny one. This video was actually recorded before the last few, but circumstances have meant it's not too bad for some reason. Funny.
Indeed. It's certainly a failure by its predecessor's standards, but all in all, they still sold loads of the things!
British Leyland: Turning great ideas and even better designs into ownership disappointment and commercial failure.
@@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13 That's exactly the problem. The TR-7 wasn't a commercial failure at all. It was the single most sold TR model ever. Also, the ones built at Canley and Solihull tend to be much better quality-wise than the Speke-made ones.
@@jakekaywell5972 "better than the Speke built ones"
Wow! There's a surprise!
Those c#nts couldn't make a turd look good in a wedding dress.
Although they tried.
Nothing out of Speke was good at that time.
I was there. Bastards. All of them.
Love these as well!
There was a gold one that used to cruise the same streets we did when I was at college in the 90s. Not sure what had been done to it as the driver nevrr stopped to talk to us, but it had wide tyres, dual twin pipes, had the loudest burble, and could keep up with motorbikes... and I loved it's retro wedgey shape
My first car, a 1976 in 1982...that was also my introduction to the mechanical operation of automobiles. I remember going to school with the Triumph Service Manual on the top of my stack of books.
I have owned several Dolomite 1850s and loved them, but I was disappointed in the two TR7s that I had; I could never understand why. But you have clarified the anomaly - the TR7 is too much like a saloon when I was expecting a sports car.
As an MGD GT it would have made much more sense.
My 1981 Canley car was 100% reliable handled well I really enjoyed it H d a horrid water leak into the cabin. I think it looks better now than in the eighties Great review
I remember when this debuted….in the States we thought it way ahead of its time….some people wouldn’t have it…we young ones knew it was the new wave!
Yeah , right, that turned out well didn't it!
@@patagualianmostly7437 it had its day…but the overheating issues were there…and sadly too few BL dealers who really knew how to work on them….still folks bought them and liked them.
Had 2 of these when working for BL. A Canley built fixed head in bright Vermilion, and Solihull drop head in a darker red. I didn't think the steering was anywhere near as heavy as the XR3i that replaced them, or the TVR I got after that. None of these had power steering. The kick back on the TVR if you hit a pot hole could wrench the wheel out of your hands if not paying attention.
Both TR7s had issues. The first had bad paint and leaking coolant hoses which the dealer never fully fixed. The 2nd one stopped on the Oxford ring road due to a shorting LT lead in the distributor, and later developed worn synchomesh on 3rd gear, after only c30K miles. I remember there was an incredibly annoying squeak from the draught-excluder type strip around the instrument glass (plastic) that never got fixed. Still, not quite as bad as the Speke built cars many BL managers had foisted on them. Shame they never brought out the planned Lynx hatchback version, or the TR8 in the UK.
I’m glad you picked up that the TR7 was a car of its time - a 70’s car with everything that went with that. In the late 80’s I bought a used Canley car which I used for my daily 180mile commute. It was a good comfy car and was reliable for the 3years I used it. Eventually I wore the bing end bearings and piston rings and actually changed them from underneath the car with the engine still in situ - the things you did in those days. It was a solid car and did exactly what you expected of it.
Not only was the TR7 an aesthetically setback, but also technically. The TR6 was an aesthetically masterpiece, with the suspension to boot, at a time when Aston, Maserati, Alfa and many others were still resorting to live axle. That was all downhill from there.
@@DakarBlues I'm sorry but the earlier TR series were (in My opinion) never good looking cars! They managed to make the averagely good looks of the MGB and MG Midget look great by comparison!
So, can you swap the Saab engine, into the TR7?
@@ramblerdave1339 why not a Vauxhall C20LET? That'd be rapid and in my opinion a better block than the Saab, especially if you get the Cosworth head block, strong like an Ox and good for 300+ hp easily.
@@DakarBlues the TR6 in my opinion was just a boring copy of all the other cars at the time, round lights and too similar to the other BL two seaters.
The TR7 was much better looking, I wish Triumph was still around and they could make a modern redesign of it.
In the mid 1980s my friend's brother collected him from school in a TR7 that had been traded in to his parents garage. It looked cool, sleek shape, popup headlights.
Thanks for the great video! I am just finishing up an engine rebuild on an '80 TR7 DHC 30 year garage find. I have owned several Triumphs throughout my life including a 2 TR3's, several Spits, 2 GT6's, and 2 TR6's. I have made some mild performance upgrades on the 7 engine and replaced the marginal water pump and circulation arrangement with an electric system.Hoping the car will be a nice driver. Being a bigger guy I am amazed at the roominess of the car. I was one of those who never really recognized the TR7 as a "real" Triumph but I have come to appreciate the design and am happy to see a real following developing.
In "77 I bought a '76 TR7 I think around $2200. Drove it about a year before selling for a bigger car. Loved it until the mechanical fuel pump failed. $300 for a replacement. Dad installed an electric inline pump for about $30 and it worked perfect.
Another curse of this car not pointed out was the extremely common electrical failures. I had a best friend who's father owned one for nearly a decade that I'd known him. It sat in a garage, a stunning, shiny yellow TR-7. But it never saw the road because they could never get the electrical gremlins sorted. I always liked the look of the car. Not extremely pretty or staggering, but just a good looking car. Even in the 90's when I saw this car, it didn't look out of place or dated even though the bubble car era was beginning.
I always loved the TR7, and I remember them going on sale when new. On British Racing Green was always a stunning car. It was the radical styling more than anything that made it get such negative press.. of course being a 70s BL car the rust issues were seen evident and I know lots of owners in the 80s who literally watched them disintegrate into little heaps of ferrous oxide where they were parked up. I myself have always thought the TR 7 was a great car and a future classic.
Superbly presented and thoroughly researched. Would be great to see a review of a Gilbern Invader sometime.
How interesting to hear this young chap speaking so eloquently about cars made decades before he was born. I reckon he has a bright future ahead in motor journalism .
Thanks Kieran, if ever I get offered one, I will! :)
Thanks Phil, that's very kind of you to say.
@@TwinCam And a Bond Equipe! (And I can offer you one ;) )
Anyone remember trying to drive a TR7 in the snow? Even with a slight dusting the rear wheels would spin and you'd go nowhere! 😂
I had one in North Idaho, in the winter it was almost undrivable.
Yup!
ⁿ⁹
I drove mine in Illinois in 6"'s but really had no problems
I had mine in Ohio and it was fine in snow with all-season radial tires on it. 'Course, there *was* that one time I did a 360...on black ice...on I-90 in Cleveland - but it slid through it straight as a ruler and I ended up in the same lane I started in. God grants fools luck, cuz he sure never gave us any sense! :-)
The TR7 was a car of it's time built in a period when BL was riddled with strife,unwilling changes,etc the TR7 was never given a chance and died the death of a thousand cuts,only now a properly built and maintained/upgraded is being appreciated for the good car that it is
Loved the wedge and pop up head lights. As a child i was envious of the bloke owned the corner shop. He had a white one it reminded me of the lotus elite (james bond). It definitely influenced me buying a 1991 Celica GT (I'm a sucker for pop up head lights) still my favourite car I ever owned.
There was one in my dads garage (at work) for years. Just standing there. Fresh red paint very low mileage, but with engine trouble (don't remember what it was). The owner abandoned it. Refused to get it and it just stood there. Year after year. I sat in it thinking I would buy it. But I went to university and had no money to buy it, repair it, or drive it. Then it disappeared. Just scrapped.
Another great presentation Ed, I had a DHC in the early ‘90’s. Used it and abused it for two years then sold it on. I’ve had countless cars since, even ventured into Porsche territory. The problem with modern sports cars is most of the time they are just too fast. They become very frustrating as you hardly get beyond second gear before you run out of road. I’m now back with a nice DHC again and loving it! Simple car with no silly modern driving aids to ruin your driving experience, I would say get one while you can, not many left now and gaining more and more interest.
Thanks Andrew :)
I certainly agree regarding performance, see my video on the Hyundai i30 N!
Just this morning, I had a ride out in a friend's one-day-old BMW M240i. Wonderful six-cylinder machine, but far too quick for public roads. Scary.
In looking back to this TR7 after the TR6, I never could get an answer to my question of why BL could not get a inline 6 cfyinder engine to up the Horse Power this car really needed. Excellent video of explanation.
I always thought they were a great looking car, still do.
I had a 1976 TR7 back in the 80's, green with dark interior. I loved how it handled, but didn't like it's build quality and lack of power. I had to carry a flashlight ( electric torch ) in the car because the dash lights would quit working at times. One night while parking it I turned off the lights and the right headlight wouldn't go down, that took a while to find the short. One day, as I was getting out, the drivers door fell off ( the pins fell out of the hinge ) in front of a group of people. When ever I met another TR7 owner the common greeting was, "So, what problems have you had?". I got rid of it after a year of a love/hate relation with it.
Years later I was looking at a Convertible TR7 ( Yellow w/black interior) and when I tested the headlights they went up, I turned them off and they went down.... then back up and right back down. They wouldn't stop, I pulled out the key but they keep on going up and down. The owner took his hands and pushed down on the lights and held them down until they quit. He looks at me and sheepishly says, "Ya, sometimes they do that". I thanked him and walked away.
Great comment Robert.
To be fair, it was ‘replacing’ the TR6, a true classic, I detested it’s replacement, however, as the years roll by, I get it, the TR7 was of its time.
A great video 👌
Thanks Gary.
I remember these when they were new, and compaired to most of the drab designs of the time, this was like it was from another world, loved them, still do.
One of my favorites when I was a child, had a model kit of it as well. The styling is I guess a bit unusual but I always liked it, though to my mind the convertible is more striking. This one here is in a really lovely colour and is either well kept or a great restoration job.
The video flatters my car. It's unrestored and has many blemishes. But it is used all year round.
I was a wee boy when the TR7 came out and I loved it! It looked so modern and cool. The Tr7 and the XJ-S both suffered from the same problem……..their predecessors were universally loved.
My first car. Occasionally, I dream it is still waiting for me in my garage.
I remember playing with a beige toy version of these as a kid and I lost it down a drain in Norwich.
I remember crying, but i eventually 'got over it'.
A fellow Marine in our squadron owned a red TR7. In 1978 we drove from South Carolina to New York. Middle of the night, I was driving, and the dash was dark. I read the temp gauge as the fuel, and we nearly ran out of gas in a back road near Virginia. It was a fun car to drive. You felt really low to the ground compared to the other vehicles. Good times back then.
My friends' dad across the street had one of these when we were kids - two of them actually, one was strictly for parts. The "running" one I only ever saw move about 3 or 4 times, but it looked cool sitting in their garage and we used to play in it.
Great vid, very enjoyable on a dull Sunday morning.
Thanks mate 🙂
I had a TR6 and a TR7. Loved and still love the TR6. I put a TON of aftermarket and essential parts into my TR7 to make it "more" reliable but it still was a bit fussy. It has some cool wedgie aspects but that wedge has some drawbacks whilst driving around town. Now I have an MG-A and an MG-B that have been restored and they are also both fussy cars... Love them.
The TR7 is one of the few cars that has aged well and to me looks better now than when it came out in the 70s. A great video -many thanks.
Yep, I had a Speke built 4-speed version in 1980 and quite a few things went wrong with it, overheating, pop-up headlights, door jammed open, etc…….however it was great to drive and handled superbly. Kept it for a couple of years and loved it but chopped it for a motorbike. Some years later had a TR6 and kept it for 14 years, which was more powerful but more difficult to drive.
Great review and bang on accurate. I owned a White W Reg in the mid 1980's. The steering was soulless. But I still loved the car. Really like your reviews. Yiu should be on TV
Thanks John, that's very kind of you to say :)
I'm one of those US sportscar fans who was a Triumph fan at the time. I was an older teen, driving a used 1969 GT-6 Mk.2 (called the "Plus" in the States). The new generation of sportscars from Japan really piqued my interest! Datsun Z and Mazda RX-7. I loved the TR-7, when it arrived I thought, "At least they're building modern cars now." But the build quality on the early Speke-built cars was so horrendous that they were pretty much doomed once 'the word came out'. An aside: back when i was Club Racing a friend of mine raced a TR-7. Was better in the corners than the 1st Gen RX-7, but didn't have the pace on straightaways. That 16v head might have made a difference here in the US. I've heard of conversions on a TR-7, but never seen one. Dolly Sprints are so rare over here that they're worth more as collector cars than engine swap "donors". Great channel! I've subscribed.
I remember here in the USA TV comercials in 1970s ( '`THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME``) driving out of a wedge shape garage LOL i allways liked the TR7 i thought its cool looking car.When you think about it,the style of the car wasn't bad just look at the fiat x19 the porsche 914.T he TR7 was a very popular car in the USA ,we American love brintish sports cars.
Great vid with tons of good info. Well done chap.
And don't forget the TR7's factory rallying exploits with Tony Pond at the wheel.
Don't worry, I certainly didn't! I just need to try and control the length of these videos or we'd be here all day!
Hopefully, if I can find enough footage, there will be a video on Leyland Special Tuning and Motorsport.
Great look back at the TR7. My first ever car and loved it. Even the insurance was reasonable at the time. Mine was a Yellow W plate with a full length sunroof very similar to that except for the green tartan interior. I used that to commute every day for a couple of years and never let me down (could even get the gold clubs in the boot when needed). Thanks for the review. Happy memories indeed.
I really envoy your videos. Great job on the TR7. When it was being sold here in the US, I was driving a Scirocco... and worried I was missing out on the TR7... come to think of it, I wonder if the name "Lucas" did more to hurt BL sales in the US than anything else...
Ah Lucas, the Prince of darkness.
😂🤣😂
I remember the TV ads of the time "TR7, the Shape of Cars to Come" - "Then Went".
I love TR7/8's but never been bold enough to take the brave pill.
Top quality video as always.👍
Take your time join the tr register and find a good one, I had a very late one and loved the thing.. it's comfortable easy to live with parts a silly cheep. Anyone can work on it...... Just make sure it's been driven and looked after... If it's been restored and rust proofed then all the better.... They are easy to tune, they can be turned into a sports car if you want.
Thanks John :)
I think, as @thesoupdragon1968 said, they're rather dependable cars nowadays. They're of an age where build quality is a none issue, as so many have been messed about with, and parts are plentiful. The TR7/8 communities are massive.
The 2L TR7 was too heavy up front, so much so it made the rear wheels spin with just a dusting of snow on the road. The 3.5L V8 TR8 only made that worse. They worked well with a couple of bags of concrete in the boot. 😅
Thanks for a BRILLIANT review. I am currently rebuilding a 1976 Fixed Head Coupe that we pulled out of a barn and love everything about it.
Thanks for explaining the socio political factors on US legislation (hard top, bumper), fuel crisis (engine size)
The design is Modernism (as opposed to modern) which is why all (early) interiors are entirely man made plastic or vinyl, there is no wood, leather, organic fabric or chrome to deliberatley reject the pastiche of earlier periods of wire wheels, wood trim, chrome bumper. Which is why it is hated by so many earlier TR owners.
Even the tool bag is a black plastic rectangle (rather than a traditional cotton tool wrap)
And I love it,
Thanks Marco, very kind of you to say :)
All the best with your project!
I remember walking past one of these every day on my way to primary school in the early 80s. I always thought it looked weird especially in 70s yellow. I quite like the look of the fixed head model but perhaps it could’ve done with some buttresses at the back. All in all a potentially great car knackered by being born in to the BL world
Thanks for another great watch. This past summer at a local car show I got a ride in a TR3..... It was like riding on a roller skate with a 5.0, I could reach out over the door and touch the road - - - what a insanely fun ride.... The TR7 reminds me a bit of the 83 Corvette, a door wedge. Thanks for posting another piece of automotive history.
Thanks as always Mike.
@@TwinCam Hmmm Maybe do a TR3. Time for breakfast.......
Got to say that my TR7 which is absolutely brilliant has really great feedback on steering and the engine runs like a train. Perhaps it's an issue with your car of the day!
I absolutely love mine and it's ace!
It will depend a lot on the tyres fitted…. Older sizes these days will be obscure budget Chinese offerings unless you shell out for quality reproduction OE tyres.
This was my first car. Mine was a 1976 and did not adorn the wreath or those wheels, rather it was similar to the red one that you showed briefly (mine was blue with the silver factory striping on the side). The reason that it was my first car is that my parents could not deal with the repairs anymore and they gave it to me as I cut my teeth on car repairs as I turned 16. There was not mention of Lucas in this video which no doubt added to the demise of this car. The problems were simple, yet important things. The vacuum system was flimsy and thin and always coming apart. I had a bolt fall out of the main gear in the differential and lock up the rears at speed only to find that they were ALL loose despite having steel fold-ups on them. However, the absolute worst part was the 13-tooth reverse idler in the trans. Parallel parking uphill was a sure disaster waiting to happen. A tranny repair in 1983 was about $1,500 USD at that time. I found a British junkyard in San Pedro (CA- US) that had a pile of old British gears out back. I got to know the guys running it and they would let me climb up the piles of gears to find TR7 replacements. I would find spare laygear, 1st gear, and idlers in the piles (those are the 3 that were destroyed every time the idler shattered) and store them up at my house. I left many of the bell housing bolts out so I could get the trans out quickly. I could remove the trans, rebuild it, and get it back in by myself in a day (those 50 pesky needle bearings gave me grief every time - butter was the trick!). There was also the headlight issue - in the year of my car BL used a primer paint on the headlights that was inferior. The tops would start chipping and rusting from the front of the tops where that black trim was. It was only used on the headlights, so the rest of the car was fine. This was corrected in subsequent years.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the car and it did (for better or for worse) teach me a lot about fixing them. I simply tired of the mechanical issues and donated it to a university as a project car - with the trans out again due to the idler. I believe that Triumph eventually made a rebuild kit for the trans with a more robust idler, but I was not aware of it at the time. Sadly, the TR8 was reportedly a very solid car with many of the issues of the TR7 addressed. However, the legend of the TR7 had essentially sunk BL and the 8 really never got a chance.
I did indeed really enjoy this trip down memory lane. There were many facets of the interior that I had forgotten about.
This car stands as a perfect summation of the mess that was BL. It should have been great but was barely adequate. The looks were truly shocking at the time, we looked at it and just had to gawp in a speechless, stunned state of dismay. It has aged very well though. Can't believe I would have ever said that, but there you go. The drophead was really nice. The TR8 was epic. Too little too late agin BL. Good job ED. ANother excellent video. Thanks very much.
Thanks as always :)
Had a cousin that owned one here in the states. I was 13-14 at the time, and it was the first time I ever went over 100mph in a car. I think he hit 112mph in it. I was both terrified and exhilarated at the same time. Thanks for the memory.
I think its a lovely looking car.
You have good taste. It looks great!
Ok, just off first impression, I actually love it😂 my grandfather would hate it.
If you take every element of the TR7's styling individually, you'd deem it a true "butterface" of cars. But somehow, all the bad styling choices put together, add up to something that is actually not bad looking.
I was thrilled that Ed featured my car on his channel. Thanks to you Josh my Tr 7 will forever be known as Butterface. Glad you like my car.
I've been watching this channel for maybe 3 years now - intereestng to see the progression. Good to see some driving test added to the mix, though your essays are still well crafted. As for the TR7, they made quite a splash here in the US - initially. But, aside from playing with the pop-up headlights (immensely fun), they just weren't that .... exciting. Small tractor motor. And despite the obvious interior creature comfort upgrade vs. a TR6, it didn't have nearly enough of a GT feel inside. Not enough to overcome the other obvious quality issues. That said, I do run into TR8s at local car shows and could probably be tempted by one. Totally chnaged the fun factor.
Bl**dy hell !! what a brilliant appraisal of wedgie my driver for the last 20+ years ..... ( Canley built TR7 Drophead owner)
Thanks Barrie :)
Thoughtful and well observed review. You captured the reason I passed on one of these cars when they were new: it just wasn't fun. I'd enjoyed various British sports cars in prior years and I was disappointed with the TR7s lack of lovableness.
these clueless TR7 reviews infuriate me, regurgitating the same old guff he’s read off the internet. As for the steering, it is anything but ‘dead’ and the weight of it could be any number of things, including the driver…
Lmao I’ll await your review 💀
I love BL cars and own two of them, but if you believe it’s just ‘guff from the internet’, then you do you 🤣
I have to admit i agree with you. The TR7 is great fun to drive! Looks great, & in my experience, is very reliable, comfortable, & is just very cool! Love it!
I'd like to ask actually - as it enrages you so much - what is this 'guff off the internet'?
Unless you have a Tory MP's relationship with the truth, what's wrong with the facts I present here?
That's some pretty strong kool-aid you're drinking if you think a guy who pretty much raves about BL cars for a living is at fault for it driving like shit lmao
Your best video yet, imo Ed. Thanks very much. Based on your points raised for the failure of the TR7, it would be interesting (to me at least: ) to see a video telling the story of the customer research BL did before launching any particular car.
I loved the late TR7 I owned. Although the steering was a little heavy it was confortable and great fun. And yes it was ver striking. Thanks for highlighting this underrated car
A friend of mine bought one when they first came out and insisted I test drive it (I used to like to scare him in my car). I noticed the same disconnection until I got to the last corner before the road went back to straight and flat. There was a raised portion on the camber right at the middle of the curb. If I went too wide and hit it I would bottom my suspension. I went wide in the TR7 and it just absorbed it. No bump steer, no bottoming. I agree with the rest of your opinions about it.
Back in 1986, a friend of mine and I took a cross country (across America) road trip in his 1980 convertible TR7. In retrospect, it was a crazy idea. The maintenance log was actually longer than the trip log. We spent two days in Denver. Not because we wanted to be there, but because that's where it broke down badly enough that it needed a couple days to fix. Then we went through the Rockies, and it barely made it to altitude. The handling was great on the Pacific Coast Highway, but the entire trip was dicey to say the least.
I'm an American who owned a 1978 TR7 and I think this review is very fair and accurate. Mine was a good car overall, except for the overheating issue. The comments about the heavy steering and solidly planted feel are very true. There was a back country route I used to regularly drive at over 100 mph at night with total confidence.
I never looked at mine as an actual sports car. I would have bought a Spitfire for that. To me, it was a sporty executive car - the sort of thing an up-and-coming single man in his mid-20s would drive. Not conservative from the outside but still very comfortable on the inside. I never drove a TR8 but they should have gone to that right from the beginning.
It absolutely should have been a successor to the MGB, that would have made a lot of sense! Even at the time, I couldn't really see how it was a follow-on to the TR6 in any way.
I used to own one of the last of the TR7 convertibles and thoroughly enjoyed it but my wife found it rather heavy to drive. I chopped it in exchange for a new Toyota MR2 and what a revelation that was!
I had a 1976 model in early 90s, I put in a 455 olds, 2 speed power glide, 3.08 posi from a mustang, with dual exhaust out the back. The engine fit under the stock hood with a 14" diameter air cleaner, what a ride.
I do believe I was the same age as you are now when I dreamed about owning a TR7 when they were launched.
I ended up with a Ford Escort.
Love the videos from Australia 🇦🇺
As a newly commissioned Marine 2nd lieutenant I bought a 1978 inca yellow TR7. The overheating problem was caused by the bi-metal ( aluminum head and iron block) chemical reaction with the antifreeze radiator solution clogging the radiator and decreasing the efficiency of the cooling system. I had the radiator bored out and started using an antifreeze that was compatible with the bi-metal engine and the overheating problem went away. The car had quality control issues from the factory but it was a fun car to drive.
i still remember when i was a little boy and a total spitfire fan... the dad of a shool-mate had a white one and to me as e boy in germany it was the coolest thing on earth... and how shocked little me was when i saw the first tr7.... giving it a good look now, on your video-images, after all those years... little me was not better than the press of the day... i didn't understand this car. i still love the spitfire to this day. but i realy came to love the tr7 too after all...
This was my very 1st car ! A 1976 Tr7 in 1978 ! Mine was sunset orange with black racing stripes ! A young black kid going into my junior year of college...My brother in law looked at it and said : "A young man's dream come true" ! It was such a dream to drive and the seats were extremely comfortable with such lumbar back support ! I'm now 66 years old and people to this day in 2024 still bring up that car ! My cousin in Charlotte , NC loved it so well , he bought one off the show room floor ! Great car , Great time of life ! Thank You Christ Jesus ! Thank you my beautiful parents that supported me and thank you British Leyland for creating this great car ! Beautiful memories 🎉 ❤
Really enjoyed the video, that was a great historical overview and nice honest look at the car itself. I’m just about to start a full renovation of my 1981 convertible , really looking forward to getting it back on the road next summer.
Owned a 74 Hard Top and I loved it. I know own a 68 Spitfire MKIII. In the process of cleaning up so I can play. Illinois now in Georgia. Thank you for posting this video!
I remember popping into our local Triumph dealers when the 7 came out. I remember being quite shocked, build quality was poor, paint was worse, no grunty sprint engine ,and half a ton of copper wire under the dash. The following year whilst on a train from London to Liverpool , every unused siding, closed down factory in fact just about every rentable piece of ground was covered in 7's wrapped in plastic sheeting god only knows how many But I recon I must have seen in excess of a thousand and they were just the ones I saw from my window, how many did I not see on the other side of the train and in places not visible from the line. The thing was I was not surprised in the least, I thought the car was over priced and had too many really ugly features to attract sales in the numbers anticipated. In the standard red blue and yellows the car was generally offered in it looked naff the dash looked like it had been purchased from a rejected Datsun portfolio, and the drive train and under pinnings looked to be a penny pinchers ensamble. Doomed to failure before it ever came to market ..
There was also a high performance sprint model.This used a 16 valve cylinder head instead of 8 valve.The 16 valves were operated by a single overhead camshaft same as the Dolomite sprint and triumph got Coventry Climax to design the head.Most 16 valve heads use two camshafts but Harry Mundy came up with a great design which kept the head compact while still using the same block.The increase in power was needed to keep pace with the competition which mainly came from BMW.
I just picked up a 79 convertible 2 weeks ago here in Canada. My first British restoration (my hands only) so I'm quite excited!
Great video. I have a 69 TR6 so I’m slightly biased but I think the problem is, as you said, that it followed the 6. The 6 was the quintessential LBC with its sweet motor and drop top style.
If the 7 was introduced as a Targa, it would have been compared more like the Fiat X1/9.
Doesn’t mean that coupes were not beloved…Mustangs and Camaros and Firebirds weren’t drop tops since the second gen came out in 70, but later in the decade they came out with the popular T-Tops which suited the bill much better than any sunroof.
A TR8 ragtop is a different animal altogether.
I had one while living in Motortown USA. Loved it. Wish I had one today in 2022.
That's why I chose to collect MGBs. The reliability for MGBs far exceeds the Triumph. The root problem was Build Quality. Employees at Triumph were constantly sabotaging the cars. Constant strikes also had Management and the work force working against each other.
Solid is a word that I have never heard in relation to a TR7 😂. Interesting review. I remember seeing these back in the day, usually in a similar colour to this with periodic rust blemishes.
Being the English man that I am. I feel that the English sense of sensibility ALWAYS shines through in these cars. This is a true 70s early 80s English creation that shot towards the battling intercontinental markets of the time. A fashion or fad of sorts . As many challenges and difficulties that these cars put us through, the TR range of cars will always hold a place of pride and belongng in the expanse of UK motoring history and a place that I will always hold quiet close to my heart. In my eyes the TR7 is and always will be, an iconic piece of British motoring. Thank you
Excellent video,well presented and executed, the car you drove is it from a viewer or is it for sale from a garage. Keep up the excellent work 😀😀
I remember this era, some of the most persistent criticism was that the car had mid-engine styling but did not have a mid-engine layout. A Fiat x19 was regarded as having cornered the high-tech corner of the sports car market.... the TR7 with its somewhat similar styling but old-fashioned Powertrain layout was considered unexciting from the beginning. Add to that the fact that there was no convertible initially available the car was DOA in the US
Had one in the 80's and did the engine swap for a Rover V8, there was a guy in Evesham that did sold all the parts ( before Grinnall) he must have had contacts with BL ( tuning, rally or special vehicles department) had a few interesting vehicles, including a V8 Sherpa
It's a stunning car with an incredibly modern look. My dad had a '75. Owned it till '84 when he bought a van. I've owned three MX-5s and an MGB over the years. Now, I have two MGBs. The TR-7 car lit my British sports car fire.