Bringing Home Another One...No Trailer Required (this time....)

[@robertmorales391]

Congratulations Tush. Looks like a very honest car, especially good is that it has no major rust issue. On the video even the paint looks good, I’ve always been a fan of the wedge cars. The exhaust sounds like my C4 corvette. Good buy. Enjoy the car !!!

[@JHolewka]

Sweet purchase Tush! Let’s hear it!

[@indyme2]

Not fair! No trailer required. Very clean and solid. Great buy, Tush!

[@cheftush]

@@indyme2 I know…crazy eh?

[@indyme2]

@@cheftush I think I understand crazy, lol.

[@DEMOGarage]

Wow nice that TR8 is in nice shape! Bet that extra HP is fun. I drove a Pageant Blue ‘79 TR7 in high school. That road you shot the video on is a wonderful dramatic contrast.

[@rickdaniel8478]

Ha ha ha ! He said too fast 😂😂 Zoom zoom and a extra zoom ! Boys and their toys .

[@erikboer9443]

Really rare cars. And it's not easy to find a decent example. I had a carburated one a few years ago. It was good fun to drive. Hope you will enjoy it 😊

[@RustyBeauties]

Yeah… not my cup of tea shapewise, but it is fast :) I am glad you like your new baby! Enjoy

[@not-fishing4730]

TR8, nice score! My brother had one of the first TR7s in California and it was a problematic car. It was much less dependable than my '74 Fiat X1/9 or 79 Alfa Spider.

[@philtucker1224]

That’s a lot of capacity for such a small car Dave, - you won’t have too much trouble driving up steep hills! 👍😁

[@cheftush]

@@philtucker1224 I think I could do that in 5th gear 😉

[@neilrogers8931]

That looks like a very fine purchase David. I think people don't like wedges because they're not a traditional TR. I have a TR3A and a TR8. They're very different cars and I like both of them. TR8s don't really stand out like the earlier TRs because they still look relatively contemporary. I read an article years ago that said people didn't like the MG TF when it came out because it was too radical a change from the TD! You're right about TR8s being pricey cars. I remember the last 1982 models sold in Calgary were $20,000.

[@cheftush]

@@neilrogers8931 Thanks Neil, you have the best of both worlds with the 3A and the 8. They couldn’t be more different could they ? 😉

[@richardpeacock1197]

Back in the day, I replaced my 1974 Spitfire with a Datsun 280Z, enchanted by its high technology. Didn’t even know they made a TR8 at the time. Current me wishes I had the TR8 from new and had kept it pristine. Nice buy David.

[@projectpacer]

I never really liked the TR7 shape and it honestly in my opinion was pretty gutless. However the TR8 when it came out I thought it was brilliant to put a reliable V8 in small car. Taken straight out of the play book of Carrol Shelby. The 3.5 Buick engine is awesome almost as reliable as the Dodge\Chrysler 225 slant 6. At the time I thought that power plant would save the English car industry, but I digress. Love the new addition. Wish you were going to start on your other TR8 soon, but totally understand having too many projects going at the same time. Good luck on the new acquisition and hope you have great times this summer driving it.

[@craigwiest772]

Always good to have one you can drive right out of the box. Sounds great. Time to move to a house with four garage stalls.

[@cheftush]

I need to stop buying cars to buy a bigger house 😉

[@craigwiest772]

@@cheftush that is a dilemma, I guess I’d rather you had cars.

[@philtucker1224]

@@cheftushjust buy a bigger garage with a “chauffeur’s lodge” above it! 😁

[@philtucker1224]

Dave, could you/would you consider fitting the U.K. style bumpers?

[@barry6274]

Well that came right out of my neighborhood , and I didn't know it was there. Looks pretty nice sounds great and goes like stink. All we can say is welcome to the family I guess. Congratulations!,

[@johnsharonwhitaker9242]

I read an interview with Tony Pond in TR Action (magazine of the British TR Register) who rallied TR8s. The sound of the car, particularly on special sections through forest, is specially remembered. Tony Pond is worth a google. John at Erickson MB.

[@cheftush]

@@johnsharonwhitaker9242 I see they are still rallying replicas of Tony’s car to this day.

[@BruceBoschek]

My childhood dream, a Triumph that goes like a Corvette! Isn't that cool? I had not realized that Rover made such a large displacement V8. The car looks to be quite clean, too. And certainly very rare. Nice one, David!

[@cheftush]

@@BruceBoschek hi Bruce, apparently you can get the Rover V8 all the way up to a 5.0 with the same block…different bore and stroke combinations.

[@BruceBoschek]

@@cheftush Ah! I wonder how many people know or remember that these engines began life as a BOP (Buick-Olds-Pontiac) compact V8 in 1961, a 215 ci lightweight aluminium engine.

[@nicktomasi392]

I don't know, Elin did have a smile when bring the car back!! Maybe, in the future, he will find a rusty beauty TR8 to restore. Triumphs seem to grow on us!!! At my old age I just purchased two more cars. This is one vice I am addicted to!! >

[@cheftush]

@@nicktomasi392 awesome Nick! What did You buy….and, will You adopt me? 😉

[@nicktomasi392]

@@cheftush 1968 Conifer/Racing Green Triumph 250 ,& 1970 Signal Red GT6+. Both are beauties!

[@nicktomasi392]

Will adopt you if you will restore all the other cars in my pole barn. LOL!😊😊

[@cheftush]

@@nicktomasi392 love it. Bring the TR250 to the TRials Nick. You have my personal invitation 😉

[@flylear45]

Engine sounds great. Nice pick-up Tush!

[@wtbm123]

Looks clean , and sounds good

[@cheftush]

@@wtbm123 she’s fun to drive!

[@alanm.4298]

Another one joins the herd! 😄 As you mentioned, the "Rover V8 engine" (as it has widely come te to be known) originated with Buick in 1960. It.was expensive to make, so they only offered it for 3 years. It also was used in some Oldsmobile and Pontiac models. It was Rover (not Triumph) who initially acquired rights to use the engine design in 1965. That licensing passed on to British Leyland when it was formed in 1968. The main reason Rover was attracted to the all-aluminum engine was it's light weight. In fact, at just over 300 lb. it weighs the same or a little less than the 2 liter 4-cylinder and 2L to 2.5L 6-cylinder engines in our beloved TRs. I'm not certain which manufacturer under Leyland first used the V8. I know the MGB GT V8 was offered from 1973 to 1976. Besides Land Rover's Discovery, Range Rover and Defender SUVs, the V8 also was used in Morgan and TVR sports cars. I think its first use in Triumph was in 1978, in TR7 V8. Those ultimately became the TR8, but perhaps 150 were built as TR7 (probably for marketing purposes)... enough to homologatiom requirements for production class rally competion under the FIA. That 4.6L upgrade by TWS is interesting. I'm a little surprised at the Holley 4 barrel carb... I would have thought they would use either the original fuel injection or the Holley Sniper. We'll, I'm sure it has more than enough performance even with a carb! I do like the look of the larger wheels. I always thought the 13" wheels looked too small on TR7s and TR8s.

[@cheftush]

@@alanm.4298 who knows, it might go sniper in the future. I think eventually I might like to upgrade the rims to 15 inch…not a great selection of tires left in 14 inch…

[@philtucker1224]

@@cheftush agreed! The 14s are already a vast improvement on the ( very under-wheeled ) 13 inch models, but 15s would look absolutely brilliant in my opinion 👍

[@davidfidler1174]

Congrats Tush!

[@cheftush]

@@davidfidler1174 looks a lot like Scott M’s I think.

[@davidt50]

Oh so jealous! :-) I want to find one like this. Amazing find Tush!!

[@cheftush]

@@davidt50 Thanks David!

[@shaunlaughy7903]

Congrats! Looks like a fun machine!

[@cheftush]

@@shaunlaughy7903 hey! How’s it going…yes sir, it’s nice having a little V8 to play with.

[@shaunlaughy7903]

I remember picking up the first 8 with you. Good to see you'll have one to enjoy immediately while that one works its way up the chain for full restoration. 👍

[@cheftush]

@@shaunlaughy7903 yeah, remember how hard it was on the drivers side to get it moving…it was so close to the wall and the tires were flat and wouldn’t take air….fun times 😉

[@shaunlaughy7903]

@@cheftush yes, indeed!! 😁

[@philtucker1224]

(I thought Elin would give it some beans!) - That’s a damned fast car David! 👍🏁😁

[@cheftush]

@@philtucker1224 yeah, I’ve been pretty careful with it…can’t say I’ve had the pedal to the floor for more than a couple of seconds…1/2 throttle is enough for me 😉

[@soup1448]

That looks like a lot fun! Good find!

[@oiygfdxssfgg]

It sounds good

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

Great car… perfect usable rolling renovation project. The rear axle looks pretty feeble to handle a tuned 4.6 engine…. and it looks weird to see McPherson front suspension without an A-frame lower control arm but I suppose most cars are front wheel drive with a lot of extra loads front to rear…..

[@cheftush]

@@johnmoruzzi7236 could be a week point John. Depends on my right foot I guess 😉

[@frankmgallo]

Not my favorite but sounds great and it’s pretty quick. Good luck with it and enjoy it and keep them on the road

[@Andrewcc.]

Very nice, I m a fan.

[@cheftush]

Thanks Andrew!

[@joshonthetube]

Sounds to me like Elin enjoyed his drive- you might have to sell him your other one!

[@cheftush]

@@joshonthetube the only problem is that he hates them 😉

[@joshonthetube]

@@cheftush I think he'll come around after hearing that engine a bit more..

[@ericpfiffner5615]

Nice find Chef, has to be an absolute hoot to drive! I expect a better burnout video in the near future 😎

[@jimconklin8040]

Wedge, No Convertible, OK! Have you tried popping up the headlights yet? She looks to be in good mechanical shape, sounded great!

[@cheftush]

@@jimconklin8040 yes sir! Headlights are perfect. Even the fogs work!

[@TheLostWrenchGarage]

Yeah a fun little pocket rocket that can get you in trouble when you mash the long pedal!!

[@cheftush]

@@TheLostWrenchGarage yes, I’m trying to be responsible….a 16 year old Me would have shredded the tires off it by now. 😉

[@TheLostWrenchGarage]

​@cheftush oh don't we know it! You said you are going to get new tires!! You can be a 16 again for a little bit.

[@davidwarr8600]

What is that road? A test road for line painters? Congrats on the TR8. It looks like a very good one. While the TR7 never got much love it did out sell the TR6. Both the 7 and the 8 are now receiving some worthwhile recognition. I would like to know how you keep all your vehicles maintained. It must be a full time job.

[@cheftush]

@@davidwarr8600 hi David, yes, it’s a testing area for spray equipment and product durability. I keep a journal for maintenance on the cars. I try and rotate them in an out of the garage every couple of weeks so they each get some use during the summer. Most of the cars are pretty well sorted so they just take regular maintenance instead of heavy maintenance/restoration.

[@davidwarr8600]

@@cheftush thanks for the very quick reply. I do the same thing except I only use a couple of my cars each summer. I bought a PT Cruiser four years ago and still haven’t got it on the road. At close to 76 I am thinking of letting some of the cars go. I did sell my E-Type 8 years ago. Still have two other Jags and the GT6 that we bought over fifty years ago.

[@peteredwards9147]

You know they are fast when you spin the wheels changing to second gear

[@andrewward3752]

Not a motor sound one typically associates with a Triumph!

[@redfoxclassics]

Slightly disappointed it wasn’t a 7 as then you’d be pretty close to completing the full TR set :D

[@cheftush]

@@redfoxclassics I’ve almost bought a 7 before…FHC with the Roll Back roof.

[@redfoxclassics]

@@cheftush I think I actually prefer the FHC as the roof really works with the shape of the car. Have you heard of the Grinnal V8 conversions? Don’t know if any were ever exported, in fact I only learned about them the other day when I saw the one belonging to my colleague. His has full Rover SD1 running gear.

[@cheftush]

@@redfoxclassics I actually like the FHC as well…about 10-12 years ago, I had the opportunity to buy a white, FHC TR8…kicking myself that I didn’t get it at the time. Yes, I’ve seen photos of the Grinnal conversion.

[@holger5555]

I think Cheftush needs a bigger garage for all this cars he has.

[@cheftush]

@@holger5555 absolutely!

[@automotivegrace]

Fantastic. Congrats. Is this your first "No trailer required" classic car purchase? I know what you mean about the looks. I turned down my uncle Ken's TR8 when he offered it to me. I regret that now. Another difference to TR7, I believe, is a quicker steering rack. Great car with minimal work required.

[@cheftush]

@@automotivegrace it’s only the 2nd that drove home…the first that I’ve driven personally. Fid drove my TR250 home for me.

[@TR4Ajim]

I never realized the wedge cars weren’t IRS

[@cheftush]

@@TR4Ajim yep, solid axle.

[@David-wy9jl]

I can see how this car would grow on you.

[@andrewward3752]

I imagine there are emission control requirements in play in your neck of the woods. Are you gonna have registration issues given the engine swap? Here in California headers would be a definite no no, even if the cats are still in place

[@cheftush]

@@andrewward3752 already registered Andrew. I made sure that was a condition of the sale.

[@philtucker1224]

Dave that section of stripey highway seems weird to me in the U.K.? Why is it like that please?

[@cheftush]

@@philtucker1224 hi Phil, it’s a paint testing area…I think they just test spray paint there and maybe gauge how it holds up under the weather.

[@stephengent9974]

The bumpers look hideous, apart from that it is OK.

[@cheftush]

@@stephengent9974 I can’t see the bumpers when I’m driving it. 😉

[@philtucker1224]

Was there a story about why the owner had to change from the original V8 engine?

[@cheftush]

@@philtucker1224 no story Phil that I could gather. I have the previous owners records of the build and his name…I’m hoping to run into him one day.

[@paulbarton7886]

if your going to drive this you'll have to learn to say aluminium properly.... 🙂 , only joking, nice car

[@cheftush]

@@paulbarton7886 lol yes aluuuuuminium.

[@davidwarr8600]

And you need to learn you’re from your.