The ugly truth about the Triumph TR7

[@rustybearden1800]

As a former owner of a brand new 1980 TR8, right out of the showroom I can tell you that, upgraded with the Rover 3.5 V8, these cars were wonderful. Comfortable, roomy, agile and quick with a lovely supple ride and laser accurate steering and perfectly adequate brakes. The TR7s had more Lucas electrical issues and build quality issues. I never had any problems except for an early run of glitchy solenoids. It was one of the best and most memorable cars I've ever owned and I still lust for one to this day.

[@ngc-fo5te]

Amazing what you can convince yourself of when getting nostalgic.

[@UguysRnuts]

A BL exec bought the final TR8 off the assembly line and loaned it to me for a movie. The acceleration was startling. Despite the wedge aero, I found myself becoming airborne across high crowned intersections. One of the funnest cars I've ever driven, even compared to the pre production prototype Acura NSX, Honda gave me soon after that. The Triumph combined poise with power in the most sublime way and the top down experience harkened back to my father's TR3.

[@rustyturner431]

Just a few notes from a fellow who managed a US Triumph dealer when the 7 was current: 1) Any criticism of the car's styling misses the fact that it was VERY current in the 1970s, when wedges were everywhere (even in exotics). 2) The interior was vastly superior to any of the competition: it was spacious and comfortable and the A/C (a rare factory item in a 1970s sports car) worked splendidly. 3) The labor troubles just CRIPPLED sales: over the years 1977-79 we got about half as many cars as we could have sold. 4) Not nearly enough comment has been made about the huge differences between the later (1977-on) cars and the earlier ones. The 5 speed gearbox and improved brakes and suspension from the SD-1 absolutely transformed the car. 5) The engines weren't so bad as many have said, but they were VERY sensitive to maintenance/servicing. We found that, if you did the pre-delivery servicing properly and stressed to the customer the importance of continued maintenance (which really wasn't unusually rigorous or expensive), the units were quite reliable. If you neglected those items, the engines were awful! 6) By the time the drophead and the 8 came on the scene, it was too little and too late. The poor reputation (even when not really deserved) had severely reduced demand, and the market was indeed changing, and BL had only itself to blame for not having done a better job. Pity.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Thanks for this, that’s great insight and reinforces / adds to what I’d found (and in some cases remembered). Pretty much all the whole 1978 model year’s production was lost, which my chart showed but I perhaps understated in the voiceover; and yes, there were a _lot_ of improvements when production restarted in Canley. But the exchange rate turned increasingly unfavourable by then, as well as the reputational damage as you say.

[@rustyturner431]

@@GrandThriftAuto 1978 supply problems probably did more to kill the car in the USA than anything else. We didn't have any times when there were none, but went from 20-30 sales per month to 5-6, and people got tired of waiting. Then, when the 8 and the drophead came out, the waiting lists grew again, but the supply never came close to catching up to demand. Patience is not an American virtue...

[@johnmohanmusic]

@Rusty Turner. Thanks for sharing your info. I owned three MGs (1967 MGB that rusted away, 1974 Midget that I had in High School and a 1979 Midget that I bought new during my first year of college in 1980). I tried doing all the typical aftermarket stuff to that poor '79 Midget (took the cylinder head off and had it milled down to increase the compression ratio, headers, Free Flow Air Filter, punched out the guts of the Catalytic Convertor, and a Monza Exhaust). I created an unreliable, still-slow monster that I ended up ultimately trading for a new Capri RS with 5.0 and 4 Speed. In one of the last of my many trips to the BL dealer to attempt to right all the wrongs on that poor Midget, the Service Manager told me if I wanted the kind of performance I clearly wanted, I shouldn't be trying to get it out of an MG, but rather I should get a TR7 or better yet a TR8. I think he was right.

[@proto57]

"Any criticism of the car's styling misses the fact that it was VERY current in the 1970s, when wedges were everywhere (even in exotics)." I disagree that anyone who thinks this car is ugly today is simply "missing the fact" of wedge shaped cars generally. I was 18 when this was introduced, and I and my friends had already owned several British sports cars... me, several Sunbeam Alpines, a couple of TR-4's (still have one of these... CT507L), and an Austin Healy Sprite; my family and friends owned MGB's, a Midget. And I lusted after various wedge cars from Europe... Pantera, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and so on. Point being, I was immersed in the sports car scene at an early age, and owned them, drove them, drew them on every available scrap of paper. I read everything about them, saw them in the races at Lime Rock and Watkins Glen, and raced them ourselves. So we were QUITE aware of the styling options, and wedge cars, and conventional cars, too. Yet almost universally, we thought the TR7 was a clunky, unfortunate, atrociously fugly design. It was not and is not well proportioned, and did not evoke the clean balance and lines of other wedge cars, not in the least. Even back then it appeared an ignorant parody of them. "Current" as it may have been, it was a really bad interpretation of the wedge concept, and still stands out as a great example that trying to copy something one does not fully understand leads to a result that is worse than if you didn't even try.

[@Lightw81]

@@proto57 perfect summary. Too short and tall for that style, whereas the TR6 was bang on for those proportions.

[@markmeridian3360]

Good video. The TR7's poor reliability wasn't just the fault of the design and assembly, many of the components were pure garbage. I had a '76 and became intimately familiar with the local British Auto Electric shop as many Lucas (Prince of Darkness) parts failed. I had an electrical fire that destroyed the wiring harness, had both headlights fail simultaneously, had an alternator fail. Other components were just as bad - a failed wheel bearing, a failed fuel pump, failed air injector, etc. Despite liking the car immensely, as the thing was in the shop every few months I had to get rid of it.

[@a760541]

Ditto my P38a Range Rover.

[@apexdesigns3136]

Lance from the detectorists has made the TR7 “trendy”

[@GrandThriftAuto]

I hardly watch television so I’d missed that - I’ve heard it’s a great show though so I shall have to go and watch it now 😊

[@veritasvincit2745]

The last show I enjoyed before I completely abandoned television. The TR7 in it was a sweet touch.

[@stevewood2326]

I did wonder how he got his ex-wife and her mum to bingo, though.

[@chazsach6594]

@@GrandThriftAuto You won't be disappointed.

[@spitfires1979]

But the car was chosen very deliberately to suit Lance: what would a single, lonely, balding, middle-aged man with quirky hobbies choose to drive in a low-budget mid-life crisis? Far from making the car look cooler, it’s another nail in the car’s coffin! The poor old 7 will never be cool or sexy like its predecessors were but it’s still nice to see one on the show.

[@keithyoungquist4906]

This is a really informative and well produced video of the TR7, with great vintage footage and in-car camera work. I bought a new 1980 TR7 in the Persian Aqua color and it was my daily driver for 4 years. As a young architect I was in love with its progressive style at the time and drove it through all seasons, even snowy winters. My wife and I took numerous long distance trips throughout the US and never had a breakdown. I only sold it due to our growing family. A few years ago I searched for a TR8 and acquired VIN 408405, which is the last of the 69 cars destined for Canada. These are known as the 1982 models with CA in the VIN. My car was despatched on Oct. 20,1981, 2 weeks after Solihull closed. It was finalized with a skeleton crew of employees that pushed those last few cars out of the factory. I love the additional power of the V8 and have tweaked the engine to just above 200HP. It is a thrill to drive and a pleasure to work on. Thanks again for your special look back at the TR7 and its history.

[@UguysRnuts]

Interesting. I wonder if it was the same TR8 Drophead the President of BL Canada loaned me for a TV show? It was silver, as I recall, and had a commemorative plaque on the dash attesting to it being the final chassis off the line.

[@williamegler8771]

One of my parents neighbors had a British Racing Green with tan interior and top example. She was the only divorcee in the neighborhood and purported to be quite promiscuous. I remember seeing her wash it scantily clad in her driveway every Sunday much to the chagrin of the wives in the neighborhood because their husband's were usually out washing their cars or mowing the lawn. I also remember seeing it leave the cul-de-sac quite frequently via a tow truck. It burned oil like a battleship and what it didn't burn it leaked. Electrical gremlins were rife and it rusted significantly within a few years. At any temperature below 32°F it became difficult or impossible to start and any over 85°F it overheated. She eventually traded it for a BMW 320i and drove BMW's exclusively for the rest of her life.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

😂

[@chriswilkes4350]

When my wife and I were courting, she bought this car for me (more or less) and it blew up several times. It routinely overheated, and it was $700 each time late in the 1970s. A glamorous nightmare, really. But what a woman! Still married 42 years later.

[@martynmiles112]

This is the second video I have seen by this Presenter. It is well researched, and well presented by someone who has done his homework. No superfluous ‘waffle’ or unnecessary content. In conclusion, an excellent history of the TR7.

[@kennethsharp9219]

I bought new a TR7 in 1980. I was in my 20s and this car was a chick magnet. I loved it. The only issue I had was with the gas pedal cable. The firewall kept sawing it half. I always carried a spare and could change it myself on the side of the road. I wish we still had these small two seater convertibles with 5 speeds like the TR7. And as I was in my 20s with little money, the car was very affordable. I would buy a Miata but the current version without the pop up head lights just doesn't have that the same appeal. We just never get to see two Miata's passing each other popping up their head light in respect like we did with the TR7.

[@Andrew-vx2ls]

Enjoyable, thoughtful and analytic. Thank you M.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@beaujeste1]

Setright - what a legend! What an era: Bishop, Bulgin, Greene…

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Yes indeed! I’ve got a shelf full of 70s and 80s Car, and read them often.

[@alanpartington2540]

Odd but true story when the convertible was being developed. 2 guys went out in a prototype onto the dual carriageway next to the Canley plant, got up to 50 mph and the hood flew off. the bolts "holding" it were too small, and 2 of my fellow graduate trainees were sent out to look for it. This would have been between August 1977 and December if memory serves.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

That’s a great story!

[@alanpartington2540]

@@GrandThriftAuto Believe me, the idiocy I saw in only 6 months working at Browns Lane (the Jaguar assembly plant), Radford (the Jag engine plant) and Canley would fill a book, but nobody would believe it. It was chaos on an unimaginable scale. And that was before my Lancia Gamma delusion took hold.

[@dcanmore]

@@GrandThriftAuto Ha, that's what happened to my brother in his 1967 Spitfire, motoring up the M6 heading to Scotland, in the middle of the night and raining, the top flew off somewhere in Cumbria.

[@BillLaBrie]

That, my friend, is a perfect British car story.

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

As an owner of an absurdly bad produced 1966 BMC Mini, nothing amazes me! Even the front screen leaked in water in the corners, as well as from many other places! But I loved the look of the TR4 and 5, and also the Ghia designed TR6. But Luckily, it sems, I never owned one!! The Mini became my one and only ever English car (I bought a new BMW 2002 in 1970)!!

[@ChristianACW]

Thanks so much for that video - brought back so many memories of the TR7 drophead my father had back then when I was a kid... I still remember the thrill of being chauffeured around in such an exciting sports car (being used to the VW beetles of my grannies, where I lived, the TR7 was nothing less than that!), me enjoying one of the Smith&Kendon travel sweets, that always were to be found in centre console, while my father was smoking his John Player's No6... happy times 😊

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Excellent! 😁

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I like them immensely - always have, from the early hardtops to the late TR8s. I remember Purdy’s from The New Avengers - Dinky also made a toy version, albeit in yellow, like her MGB. I very nearly bought a TR7 drop head many years ago - but close inspection revealed rather a lot of filler and rattle can paintwork……….pity that the ‘7’ never got the Dolly Sprint engine - I never understood why not. Great video as always - enjoyed the animation and Brummie accent at the start!

[@berwhaletheavenger]

The Sprint engine had a terrible reliability record and massive warranty claims, plus it was due to be canned in 79/80. The 2000 'O' Series and the Rover V8 were the way to go.

[@davidhynd4435]

Just discovered your channel. Enjoyed the video, thank you. Subscribed. I'm a sixty year old Australian. When I was a lad British cars were still very common on our roads. I learned to drive in my Mum's Hillman Minx and my first car was a Morris 1100. Followed by two Austin 1800s, a Hillman Minx Series VI, and a Triumph 2500TC, so I'm not in any way down on British cars. In fact, given that the locally made Holdens held around 50% of the market in the 1950s it says something that so many British cars still managed to find homes here, and indeed, were assembled here. It does seem, however, that from, perhaps as early as the 1950s, the whole British car industry seemed determined to undermine itself. It's not as if there wasn't plenty of very good, forward-thinking engineering within the industry - my Morris 1100 being a good example. As someone who still has a long wishlist when it comes to British cars - and the Rover SD1 is very near the top of that list - there has always been a strong sense of "what could have been" with so many British cars. Even with our locally designed and manufactured Leyland cars, such as the P76. The cars were fundamentally good designs with huge potential, which then just seemed to fizzle. Or, like the Morris 1100, for example, left to soldier on with little to no development. I've pointed out to my children that if you watch British TV or films made prior to about 1980 you will see almost nothing but British made vehicles on the roads. I imagine that British people in the 1950s would have been shocked if you had told them that almost their entire motor vehicle industry would be extinct in about thirty years time. But then any 1950s Aussie would have told you that you were insane had you suggested that by the early 21st century there would be no more Holdens.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Thanks a lot for this thoughtful piece. I think there’s a great deal of truth in what you say.

[@Ribeirasacra]

A work college of mine had a early version of the TR7. It was British racing green and it had, at the time, a rare 5 speed box. I had a Doly at the time. The dolly was very harsh in comparison. I liked the car. So when the Dolly was due for a change a few years later the convertible had just gone on sale in the UK. I wanted one. However, even thought the car was new to the market and I was offered a considerable discount I could not afford it. The alternative the salesman offered was a MGB. I said no thanks they are too old fashioned. Eventually I found a year old hard top with very little mileage. Had a glass sun roof added as art of the deal. I liked the car. The glass sun roof was large and when removed it was near enough for me to be open top. Styling wise I do not like the rear pillar vents or the rear lights. I still have an official (factory) workshop manual for a TR7. That has a subsection about the Sprint engined cars. I did not realise until now that some were actually produced. I had always thought tit was a proposal which never entered production.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

I think the consensus is that they built 61 Sprints - the factory records are slightly ambiguous and some may have been recycled into other specs, so it's hard to be sure. Surprisingly, the Sprint has its own Wikipedia article, which gives more detail and cites a number of further references if you're interested: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_TR7_Sprint

[@Ribeirasacra]

@@GrandThriftAuto Thank you. The best versions for me were the T8s thunderign around the RAC rally. Totally different beast.

[@berwhaletheavenger]

I was a mere boy when the TR7 was launched. I couldn't have cared less about TR5's, IRS or tradition. TR7's came in bright colours, had pop up lights and Joanna Lumley drove one on TV as did my mate's (hot) Mum. When I eventually drove one in the late eighties I found in an unexciting yet pleasant and competent car. Had BL launched the TR8 in 1976 as a RHD UK and LHD European model it would have absolutely, unquestionably cleaned up and possibly put a premature end to TVR. A well executed TR8 conversion with a standard Rover V8 is a lovely drive. What a shame :-(

[@123rtheo]

When I drove a convertible TR 7 the whole scuttle and dash shook from side to side unbelievable 😮

[@DjNikGnashers]

Yes similar to the SAAB convertibles.

[@lauriebloggs8391]

Excellent! As a dyed in the wool MG nut, I bought a 5 speed convertible back in the day, (they looked quite good) which in the context of the day, was quite fast, comfortable, handled ok, and very roomy. I did 64,000 miles in it in one year as a "company car".On one occasion I drove in the company of an E type and Jensen Healey for a couple of hours, and very able to keep them all honest.........couldn't knock it at all😀

[@bobbreton1019]

Bought one brand new in 1978. My first new car and as an 18 year old I found it very sporty compared to what was being produced at the time. As my only car and in canada it worked quite well Summer and winter.

[@yorkiegilly4355]

Best review of a Tr7 I have seen ,fair and honest ,most just write them off as a sports Marina or Triumph saloon . Had two over the years an early yellow hardtop that I bought very cheaply off a elderly neighbour ,that was mint ,but the electrics let it down . I have recently sold the droptop that I bought as a hillclimb car that had come back from the states ,which was one of the last 4 cylinders built . Would have kept it but in my mid 70s I was getting a bit stiff for a sports car .Reliability was great and like the presenter said it handled with a good 5 speed gearbox . I usually drive cars with big engines and do my own maintenance as a retired mechanic ,so was pleasantly surprised after all the rubbish written about the old TR ,much easier & cheaper to keep on the road than a mates TR 6 with fuel injection ,but for some reason the TR 7 seems cheaply made with poor finish & thrown together ,the doors catches were always loose ,small leaks from the "newish" roof and the usual rattle or knock from the steering column ?. And don"t forget the brakes that should be on a go - kart & not a car -- - but after saying all that the mechanics were great ,never used any oil or fluids .Sold it on eBay ,with 4000 views and the young lad who bought it after a test drive into the Derbyshire lanes nearby ,bought it on the spot .I have another Rover P6 now which is also a rust free clean car from the Channel Islands , a much better car than the SD 1 I had previous . Happy Motoring ! .

[@matslundstrom7763]

I've been told, by a man building race-SAABs, that any old SAAB 99/900 engine fits on any of their gearboxes, with attention to the oil-pickup. This means that you can fit a SAAB 2.3 litre 16 valve turbo engine to the bell housing and oil pan of a Triumph. Imagine a 300+ hp Dolomite or TR7!

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Excellent! Slightly terrifying, but what a way to go!

[@zeus014]

In the first half of 1981 (mere weeks after Triumph ceased production) I was an 18-year-old lot attendant at a Jaguar-Rover-Truimph/MG/Saab dealership in Calgary, AB, Canada. I got to drive all of these cars, including the TR8 - some of which had been fitted by their owners with Holley 650 dual-pump carbs, headers and dual exhaust. Those TR8s were a true joy to drive. The TR7s, not so much. In North America our choking emissions regulations had stifled horsepower and stretched the TR7's zero-to-sixty time from a titch over nine seconds in European trim to a shade under eleven seconds here. But that wasn't all. The glitches present in these cars (even though they were built in Coventry) were as predictable as they were frequent: Headlights that refused to pop up (often only one of them would do so), rusty Phillips screw heads from being exposed to the sea-salt elements on the way across the pond, throttle cables that would snap, windshield trim clips that would go missing, electrical gremlins, you name it. And this was on NEW un-sold cars that were just landed off the car carrier(!) And then there were those butt-ugly ginormous rubber bumpers - designed in such a way that there would never be an after-market alternative. Even Chip Foose would have been stumped. While some colours were very attractive (aquamarine, British racing green, white, etc.), one combination was downright gaudy: Orange exterior with blue upholstery. WTF were they thinking? The handling did feel tight though, and the TR8 was even more so. The instrument panel, in spite of the extensive expanses of plastic, was attractive, well laid out and functional. Would I buy a TR7 now? Hell, no. But a TR8? Absolutely.

[@alanthomson1227]

Had two convertibles , loved both .

[@philipgrice1026]

As a Brit that was living in California, driving a terrific Jensen Interceptor that consumed fuel at 7 mpg (US Gal.) on the highway and only 4 mph around town I bought a low mileage 1980 TR7 Spider from a small Porsche dealer that had taken it in trade. It had some issues, mostly simple to fix but apparently too difficult for the Porsche mechanics in Laguna Beach. After negotiating decent reduction in price a deal was made. Over the next couple of weeks I sorted out the mostly haphazard wiring 'fixes' the PO (?) had made and everything worked, including the A/C, which was great when tooling around LA in the heat of the summer. But, the car suffered from a distinct lack of power. To pass the California CARB regulations Leyland had installed a lower power engine that for the other 49 states. It was claimed to deliver 92 bhp but a check on a rolling road, after a complete tune up, netted just 72 at the wheels, without the A/C running. being a car builder and tuner I decided to swap the weak lump for a stronger one. research showed the iron Buick V6 widely used in a plethora of GM vehicles was as strong as the Rover aluminium V8, and smaller too. Driving, even with the ZF five speed box was a pain in dense LA traffic but the massive torque of the Buick V6 was ideal for a four speed automatic. Really a three speed with tall overdrive. It took a few weeks to locate suitable;e hardware and install everything. I ran into some issues with the California CARB referees but after a few tries and some devious modifications it passed the test. It was far, far cleaner than the original Triumph 4 banger. That was around 1982. I'm pleased to say I still own and drive my beautiful black spider regularly forty years on. It's worth mentioning that UK politics was a major contributor to the demise of Triumph and especially the TR7/8. The government did not negotiate in good faith. There were over 7,000 finished TR7s in fields around the Speke plant as because of the Dollar vs Sterling imbalance Leyland couldn't sell them profitable in the USA! They didn't need or want the factory workers to get back to work as they were just building more cars the company couldn't sell! There are now indications that the unions had been infiltrated by agitators that kept stirring up trouble and tipping off the newspapers so they would be on hand for the worst events, along with that bastion of the British Government, the BBC. Britain had a massive balance of payments problem and the US banking system had Thread Needle Street by the balls, and they were not about to change hands. The US was intent on suppressing the British economy as it confused Socialism with Communism. No one in Britain had the money to update our manufacturing capabilities. WWII , following so soon after WWI, had left the coffers empty. The US could have helped but it was more interested in rebuilding the German economy in the vane hope they would become the defense bolster against Soviet tanks driving across Europe from the east. The government forcing mergers that were supposed to provide economy of scale could only happen with deep pockets. They would have been far better off to let the companies compete and put the weaker ones out of business, but Britain's Socialists didn't understand and the Tories were cowards that did not want lose power when the unemployed voted next time. It was not just about vehicles. Look at the British computer industry mergers, aerospace mergers, even clothing manufacturers were forced to merge or die. Britain was a true technological leader but the US was a true business leader. And business is war, just without the shooting. Tomorrow is February 10th., the anniversary of Sir John Black's birthday. He was the most significant head of Standard Triumph and deserves to be remembered. I shall be driving our beautiful black TR7 Spider around town tomorrow, stopping for it to be admired at the local coffee shop first, supermarkets and at one or two popular hostelries, even though I have to put the roof up as it's forecast to still be raining throughout the day. One of the best features of the TR7 is it is such a clean design the rain wipes off easily.

[@-triumphgt667]

I had a 1981 DHC - bought it in 1984 - very comfortable and fast enough. Spent quite a bit sorting rust and had a Dolomite Sprint head fitted - looked fabulous - sold it to buy my wife's engagement ring - didn't quite cover the cost!! I liked it but certainly could not be accused of being reliable! Have had a GT6 convertible since 1999 when it was built for me and is just more fun - no more reliable and not as comfortable but much easier to work on and better looking. The TR7 was however a great long distance cruiser as quieter and more comfortable. But I have a BMW 430 convertible if doing that, which does not rust and I know will not break down!

[@philipgallagher3234]

I remember being disappointed when a friend replaced his Alfasud 1.5ti for a TR7 in the late 70's. It just didn't seem right, both stylistically or in its handling. In (I think) 1979 a friend and I blagged our way to the London launch of the TR7 drophead (actually by cadging tickets from my friends boss and pretending to be him, I had to borrow a suit!). It was a champagne launch in a large dealership in Shoreditch on the edge of the City of London. Everybody agreed it was a VAST improvement in style but..... most of us were more interested in the Lenham Healey on the forecourt .... Oh, and I've never drank so much champagne in one go as I did that night.... easy when you're 23!!

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Good story, thanks!

[@yumeneko63]

This is such a well produced episode. Your assessment of TR7 is so on spot! Well done! Your channel has become my favorite automobile channel in youtube. Thank you.. From a. Ex-TR7 convertible owner from Japan.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Aw, thank you! 😊😊😊

[@yumeneko63]

@@GrandThriftAuto You are welcome! Please keep up the great job! Your videos are excellent!

[@drmoss_ca]

My TR7 had incorrect timing marks on the flywheel. It would never idle without stalling, and no BL dealer could put it right. Eventually it stalled in the backstreets of Leytonstone, and some excellent Hindustani mechanics in a lockup set it right by ignoring the timing marks. I went back to them again and again after that! Sold it on leaving the UK in 1985. In 1991 I bought an NA Miata and still have it 32 years later. A perfect sports car.

[@misterjonestech1611]

In the late 80's/early 90's there were a number of TR7's on the market for sale in Detroit. I was torn between getting a TR7, Fiat X/19, or Pontiac Fiero. I even considered the Porsche 914 briefly. I remember every now and again seeing TR8's pop up but it was never when I had the money to buy one (TR7's were going for something like $1000 in the early 90's and the TR8 only fetched maybe another $500-$1000 over that). I never got any of those cars, and I'm sure anyone that still has a TR7 or TR8 here in Metro Detroit is probably going to want an utterly insane amount for it so it's not something I'll likely ever get a chance to own but I still really like the design.

[@GregoryWSmith]

Shockingly, due to the unnecessarily bad press they have gotten, the TR7/TR8 is still a pretty affordable classic.

[@boyfrmnewyork]

I had a 76 TR7 that I used back then to get my racing license. Very well mannered on the track... My problems were an alternator failure and headlight motor. But the biggest problem was the fragile gearbox that failed twice under warranty, glad they replaced it with the later stout Rover box...

[@trevorspiro945]

I was studying aeronautics at Imperial College in London when the TR7 came out. We had a special day to inspect the car in the university quadrangle, and I remember being very disappointed that it was front engined. Magazines focussed on reliability issues, so as I was in the market for a new car I bought a Fiat X1/9 -1300 which was also new at the time. This proved to be underpowered and unreliable as well, but when the X1/9-1500 arrived it proved to be everything the -1300 promised but didn’t deliver.

[@gregkerr1077]

I had a very early model 75 TR7 and let's just say it left a lot to be desired. My 1980 TR8 convertible which I still own today, was an entirely different car. If BL had started off with the sprint head and then been able to get the TR8 into production a couple of years earlier it would have been an entirely different story. By the time they finally got it right it was just too late.

[@Warped9]

I have always really liked the TR7 and TR8. Back in the day I so really wanted one.

[@hoodagooboy5981]

Back in the 80's I bought a 1976 TR7, green with dark interior. I loved how it looked and 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. If you drove it through a puddle the motor would quit. 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. I thanked him and walked away.

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

Fair summary... the Speke plant closure was all part of rationalisation within Triumph... space became available at Canley with the termination of the big 2000 / 2500 saloons / estates and the Stags, together with their engines. The dropping of the Marina 4-speed gearbox for the Rover 5-speed was also a logical move. Later when the whole Triumph operation was decided to be wound down and the Dolomites and Spitfires (and the remaining pushrod engines) terminated (together with the Canley factory itself) then assembly was shifted to Solihull for the final runout of the TR7. The big saloons were replaced with the Triumph-engined 6 cylinder versions of the Rover SD1. Finally it had been decided that the sporting hatch / saloon market would be handled by MG versions of existing and forthcoming modern Austin models, and the "old duffer" Dolomite clientelle could buy a Triumph-badged Honda.

[@alanthomson1227]

Had two convertibles back in the day , loved them both.

[@b4mouse]

It was my Green DHC TR8 next to the Sprint at the restoration show, thanks for a lovely informed review not some rehashed garbage from the 70/80’s when it was cool to knock anything BL related. Great channel Sir👍

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Your TR8 and the Sprint were both gorgeous! It was quite busy or I’d have lingered longer - I’m going on the Friday this year when hopefully it’ll be a little quieter 😊

[@JohnSmith-ei2pz]

Grow up and buy a proper car! Are you mad?

[@dartt51]

I had a coventry built drophead TR7 that I bought from my ex girl freinds brother and used it as a daily runner, it had been resprayed in Toyota celica blue and as he used to work at the same place as the Red Arrows was sprayed with the same lacquer. I never had a problem with it and I still think it was one of the best handling cars I have ever had and it never let me down, the only pain was making sure that you kept the oil level topped up on the carbs. I would love to have another one.

[@turbotrana]

I know that Triumph slant 4 very well. Rebuilt every part of that engine a couple of times. Piston rings and lands would wear out quickly, cylinder head gaskets a PIA, heads were always bent, on the dolomites the auto flex plate would always crack, drive shaft and diff under engineered, geez kept it going for years for my sister but alot of work.

[@nigeltrigger4499]

A friend of the family bought a TR7 from new and I got to go in it as a passenger. I think it did look cool, as did the owner. However, the owner soon sold it after suffering a number of issues and instead bought a Golf GTI. The world had moved on already.

[@thatcheapguy525]

an old mate at school was obsessed with the TR7. he drew it on anything and everything he could. caught up with him in our early 20s and he'd seen the light and bought an X1/9. however, things took a major turn for the worst in our mid 30s when he finally bought a TR7. you just knew it was going to happen lol. I worked on a few TR7s thanks to my apprenticeship at a Triumph Stag specialist. if my very distant memory serves me right the car is a mish-mash of Triumph Dolomite, Morris Marina and Rover SD1 under the skin.

[@johnbee7729]

Have always liked the TR7. In 1981, as a high school lad with a healthy bank account I went new car shopping in Calgary, Alberta 1981. The TR7 was in my top 2, but the $11,000 (or maybe it was $13,000) price tag (Canadian) was too much for my bank. So a $6700 Dodge (Mitsubishi) Colt had to suffice. Have only had one Triumph so far - a 1968 MKI GT6 which I adored. Always thought the FHC TR7 was a successor to the GT6 in Triumph's tin top line up. Thanks for this video - time to go look for a 7 - thought I would have preferred a 6 cylinder engine.

[@davidpiper2610]

Loved my Tr7 would love to get another one :)

[@dennisobrien2578]

Hello from America, apparently where simple people with simple tools live. Seriously I’ve always admired British cars, and loved the TR7 and many other British cars. Cheers.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Hello! No offence meant whatsoever - I'm a pretty simple person myself and much prefer simple tools and simple cars :)

[@jasonk7072]

I love the TR7. My dad had a Rover SD1 that spent a lot of time at the dealers and I would always go with him just to sit inside the tartan splendour of the TR7 in the showroom.

[@pablopicaro7649]

Huge TV advertising campaign in the US in the 70's for the TR7. "The Shape of Things to Come" was the tag line. Hardly ever saw anybody actually driving one.

[@brianpercival1829]

I'm like you, I like the design. I saw he TR7 on a fore court at a used car dealer near me in my early 20s. I'm in Canada north of Toronto. Just married and requiring a second car. It looked exactly like the blue car at 11:40. Low miles and only $2900, the 1978 was a bargain in early 80s about half price when it was new. It only had around 15,000 miles on it. No rust anywhere so probably kept in a garage. Dealer put new sport Goodyear tires on it. Cheap car, new tires, great on gas. A British buddy of mine liked the car as well but had advised me to change the engine oil more frequently than recommended. Fresh oil seemed to prevent engine problems in his mind. Actually, it must have worked, never had any issues. Drove it a few years, loved how light it was, handled very well on corners. It was one of the best cars I owned. One cold winter morning the battery was dead, but the car was 6 years old. Lucky to go that long on a battery. That was all, just a battery, all the lights worked, AM/FM Cassette was okay, not incredible. Little package shelf at rear window for the Cocker Spaniel. Once a baby showed up, switched to a Fiat 128 Sport with a back seat. Both of us loved that little car and were sad to see it go.

[@wearetomorrowspast.5617]

Cool vid. Always liked the TR7. When they first came out I thought they looked like a spaceship.

[@michaelbacon561]

The TR7/8 has aged extremely well. Aspects of its design that seemed controversial at the time, such as that swage line down the side is now quite commonplace and the front aspect was always a sleek masterpiece. It certainly looked its best as a convertible as did the Jag XJS. Like so many of British Leyland's offerings at the time, it was a good, forward - thinking design that was ruined by the background turmoil that undermined everything the company did.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Yes, I was just thinking that this afternoon as I passed myriad cars with ‘that’ slash. Like the 70s Lotus Elite’s window line, it was decades ahead of its time and now it’s become universal!

[@pashakdescilly7517]

​@@GrandThriftAuto wow, someone who likes the '70s Lotus Elite. I always thought it was a neat piece of work, and dislike the chopped Eclat derived from it. Early Elites had engine troubles, due to rushed development. Must have had some ex-BL managers......

[@PlanetoftheDeaf]

As a child I always thought the fixed head looked hideous, BUT when the convertible came out I was won over. It still looks good. The TR7 by the end was a victim of the £ $ exchange rate, and the failure of the SD1 meaning that the Solihull factory closed down, leaving it homeless.

[@BlackWolf-di9gq]

I have always loved the look of the TR7. Plus they are a lot of fun to drive!

[@danielrussell446]

Well done Martin on a great review of the TR7 my uncle worked for Rover Solihull in the paint shop and he worked on many of the last TR7 and agreed with you that the Solihull and Canley cars were much better made It was a great car and sadly underrated it was a car of its era it should have been available as an open top from new and had the sprint engine I think the design has aged well and I am glad they have a following now I’ve always been a fan of them and remember my uncle bringing factory demonstrators home very late model cars including a TR8!

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Thanks Daniel! Your uncle probably painted my own 1979 SD1, which makes a brief appearance in the video…it needs doing again now but it’s held up pretty well as they go 👍

[@danielrussell446]

@@GrandThriftAuto it’s entirely possible he had quite a career he started out at longbridge in BMC days moved to Jensen at West Brom (you should see his autograph books from the stars he met when they collected their cars) and then when Jensen went bust he went to rover and did almost 20 years there! Look forward to seeing more on your SD1!

[@GrandThriftAuto]

@@danielrussell446 Fantastic! I love stories like that 😁 Planning to do something on the SD1 before long 👍

[@gerardclarke8096]

My dad was a Production Engineer in BL. He worked on the SD1 and many other cars. He probably knew Daniel's uncle.

[@markcary8165]

Enjoyed that, thanks. Always an exciting spot in the 70s when I was young.

[@teaman7v]

As Derek Clapton famously said, "Leyland, you've got me on my knees"

[@GrandThriftAuto]

He so did. Leyland Down Sally, too, I believe.

[@michaeloreilly657]

2-seater saloon.

[@iandeynzer2883]

I worked in a (NZ) Triumph specialist garage in the mid-late 70's, all great cars for their time especially the sports car models :)

[@davidwitham5588]

Great video again. I agree with Harris Mann. The cleaner US bumpers look much better at the front but they have over riders at the back that could be better. Some how the metal channel with plastic end cap approach to bumpers works better on the SD1 series 1. Your currency graph is very important. The high value of the £ hastened the end of the TR7 and the MGB.

[@queensapphire7717]

“The Shape of Things to Come”. I remember those television commercials.

[@joelhenderson4450]

My friend and I have debated this for years. He thinks the TR7 is ugly and clearly inferior to the TR6. But I’ve actually been in one, and I think it’s a sleeper. The styling is… er… not a strong point, but the ergo and handling are excellent. And who doesn’t like plaid interiors?

[@maryrafuse3851]

One Triumph Spitfire that came to Halifax Nova Scotia suffered from a engine hood that was not attached. My friend drove away from the dealership and the hood abandoned the car. The dealer repaired the paint and secured the hood. He said this kind of thing happened a lot at Halifax British Motors.

[@Autonomous1969]

The car in your thumbnail was just like the one I had. I loved it.

[@MartinMcAvoy]

This is the first vide of yours I have watched and I enjoyed your style. Subbed!

[@iancross4631]

Great video. I do like a Harris Mann wedge. Used to have a gold drophead TR7, which was a lot of fun. I now get my wedge kicks with a Princess.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Glad you enjoyed it! I’m an admirer of the Princess too, as you may have seen 😊

[@benday1218]

I think I'd like an early Speke built Fixed Head 4-speed, just to be perverse.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Yup, it’s the Shiter’s TR7 👍

[@fepatton]

Excellent overview! My lasting memory of the TR7 is a short one. In the mid-70s, my dad, uncle, and cousin paid a visit to the local British Leyland dealer. My uncle was looking at MGBs, and my dad was always looking for his next sports car. My cousin and I had a grand time sitting in all the cars and collecting brochures. (I still have and treasure those brochures.) While we were browsing, a customer drove off in his brand new, white TR7. It was a glorious sight and sound. Later, as we were walking out of the showroom with the salesman, the new owner drove back up, waving the gearshift knob in his outstretched hand. "This just _came off_ a few miles back!" Even at 10 years old, I knew that wasn't a good sign. That said, 40 years later, I quite like the look of the convertible. Cheers!

[@garyhardman8369]

I remember LJK Setright writing a column in BIKE magazine in the 1970's. What a match made in hell.

[@gbtriumph3216]

EXCELLENT presentation and information!!! Thank YOU!

[@modelnutty6503]

the silver anniversary edition convertible a buddy had was a little BEAST. more power and better wheel+suspension+brake package right out the box. nicely balanced very good handling, I drove it hard many times.

[@GregoryWSmith]

The 30th Anniversary version did not include running gear upgrades - just the TR8 alloy wheels (but in a slightly different color, I think), Moto-Lita steering wheel, fog lights, and luggage rack. The 2.0L engine is unchanged.

[@mwyatt222]

My uncle worked for a chevy dealer in Tx in the 70s. A like new TR6 came in on the used lot and my cousin got it. That was a fun little car. The convertible aspect made me jealous as well. lt did however have lucas wiring which is apparently delicious to rats and everything failed in a predictable sequence. He finally traded it for Norton chopper. Bad mistake.

[@rorykelly8275]

My step father worked on the production line for this model in Speke Liverpool. He said himself that non of the workers cared a damn about building it with care or pride.

[@briancoleman6990]

I went to school opposite the Speke factory when they launced the car . I was also lucky enough to drive that same car at the BL Autumn Rally last year . Felt very solid just as good as my MGF and 74 Dolomite I drove to the show in

[@doubleclutchonline5811]

I fell in love with the design when I saw a red one driving around the Annapolis waterfront in 1987. So in 1990 I found a nicely used 1980 TR7 convertible. For an 80s car, the design was solid. It handled great on back roads. Unfortunately the thing was horrendously built. The engine was feeble, every metal contact corroded into dust. You had to stall the engine when shutting it off so that it wouldn’t continue for an extra turn. Every fitting became loose. The door handles would become wobbly and eventually pull out of the door into your hand. The roof leaked, the A/C didn’t work and sapped engine power, the headlights wouldn’t retract. As a car, it was useless. I grew to hate it and eventually sold it to some sucker. I had a TR6 from 1988 through last year. An infinitely better car than the TR7. Sad to say, It was because of the TR7 that Triumph deserved to die.

[@judgedread-q4t]

We got them here in Australia for a few years but only as the coupe, and some were later converted to V8s. They rusted in the seams and the mechanicals wore out, so there are very few left now.

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Thanks - I did wonder about exports to Australia and New Zealand.

[@judgedread-q4t]

@@GrandThriftAuto You're welcome!

[@agenturawubekistanie]

I really admire an effort put in your videos. I haven't heard about this particular car, it looks nice, thanks

[@genegoodwin8925]

To me, a real sports car has to be British made, two seater and a drop top like, Mg, Triumph, Austin Healey and Jag. I owned and operated a used car dealership from 1992 until 2004 and the only car I wish I never sold was a Triumph TR7. Mine was a hard top with a four speed. When it went through the action other dealers were afraid of British sports cars, but not me. I restored a 1974 MGB just a few years earlier and still have the love for British sports cars. The TR7 sold for $1400. The next day while we were cleaning up other cars we bought the night before a young man came by and asked how much for the TR7. I threw out a number of $2495. To my surprise he came back with his dad about an hour later with cash in hand. So I sold my TR7. I still love British sports cars and would love to own a TR6.

[@positiveoutlook17]

My lasting memory of my 77 tr7 was that anything that used 12v power would eventually burn-out and need to be repaired, headlight and wiper motors more than once. Running gear and body were rock solid. (funny aside, I remember having to turn off the air conditioning when going up hills almost like it was another gear)

[@jamesgraham814]

I’ve always adored them since they were launched. Truly can’t see why many say they are so ugly 🤷‍♂️

[@magnetpull7587]

looks a bit like the Volvo 480 Cabrio we never got

[@GrandThriftAuto]

I hadn’t thought of that before but you’re right - wedginess, big bumpers, bonnet shape…yes.

[@Marie579]

Great video about this car, also some beautiful shots of the gold Lancia beta coupe.

[@cp4512]

“Strike prone and work shy labour force”….. that could have been written about much of the UK in 2023! 😔

[@jasonrushton5991]

Loved the look of them, as a kid in the 70's. But remember all the strike's on the news.

[@johnhege6502]

I guess you'd be inclined to give positive reviews of a car based on driving 40 year old examples because those are the best ones that survived and were well cared for or restored over the years. I worked in a shop in the 1980's in Raleigh NC that was servicing Triumphs after the dealership had given up and folded their tent. The cars were every bit as bad as their reputation suggested. I worked on one car that had 12000 miles on it. The engine was knocking, the transmission bearings were growling as well as the differential pinion bearings, the Front struts and rear shocks were dysfunctional and the car suffered from numerous electrical failures. Granted, that was one bad example, but our lot was overflowing with cars that had dropped valve seats or blown head gaskets. Of course the shaft driven water pump seemed innovative, but it had an O ring seal that frequently failed and filled the crankcase with coolant. We had a back lot that was full of abandoned TR7s that had been left by owners shocked by the repair estimates who were unwilling to pay for the check out time and tow the cars away. I could go on but you get the idea. I don't know whether to blame the workers or the management, but as far as I could tell the car was a total failure and that's without mentioning that silly door design that pokes you in the ribs with the top of the door glass when you open the door.

[@omegaman7377]

I had a TR7. The front suspension was a nightmare. A single speed-bump could destroy the entire front frame of the car.

[@joelfildes5544]

A mate of my dad had a TR8 !

[@paulelverstone8677]

I've long been a champion of the car. Certainly not without fault but certainly also, not as bad as people would imagine. Interior made it a very nice place to be. Top down; you could really see where Mann was coming from. Spen King would rightly argue; that a well located live rear axle was better than a poor IRS and he meant exactly the TR6. I'd always felt that if the car had started its production run in Canley and not Speke then it may've been more popular still. Also as to why the 16v sprint engine had never been commercially available beggars belief...

[@Warriorcats64]

It looks so radically different from the rest of the TR Fam.

[@tonypetts6663]

Had a second hand one, java green, with the 4 speed as they'd had issues with the early 5 speed. Lovely car, worked well, drove better than the spitfire, MGB and others of the era. Handled really well, quicker than expected - I once flew around Chiswick roundabout at a ridiculously high speed and it he'd the line like it was on rails. Had it for a couple of years and would happily have one again, although I might struggle getting in and out of it these days. Much better than it was given credit for, easy to work on at home and never let me down for the 2 years I had it. The old buyers of TR's didn't like it because it was different, but they missed out on a good car, well except for the Friday afternoon cars.

[@sjaakmcd1804]

I had a drophead, yes it leaked like a submarine that had met a depth charge. It was more reliable than a Stag. I owned a TVR Tasmin that wanted me to die sideways in drizzle unlike the TR7 that rusted in drizzle. My opinion; I loved my TR7 it was the best looking old car I ever had, it was the best looking car I owned until 2014 when bought a new 2 door Kia Rio 1.4 spec III which is a babe magnet and Golf GT guys love the shape of it

[@ScrapYardDog64]

I was forever welding them for the MOT in the 80's

[@andybroer651]

My dad had a TR8 and I loved it!

[@rodthewelder3360]

Informative and interesting video, someone should have told MX5 builder Mazda, rear wheel drive sports cars were a dying breed.

[@robertmorales391]

I admire the Tr7/tr8 and always wanted to add one my collection. I have a 1962 TR4 just finished restoring and 1972 TR6 up next. I also have a couple of corvettes, resto-mod 1974 charger and a Porsche 911turbo. Is the tr7/8 perfect no is my 911 turbo much better? Yes, but I still love it’s character and design of the tr7/8. So, glad people still have not taken to it, my window is still open to pick one up at a good price.

[@BanjoLuke1]

I was a schoolboy when this came out. It was outrageous to the teenage eye. I have to say, I saw it as a less snappy X1/9, but that is not faint praise... it is still praise. I recall seeing a funky, electric green metallic TR8 on the hard at Putney and thinking it was from a other planet. They did a wacky stripe/fade with the TR8 graphic. I also recall seeing a "TR7 V8" around the same time and not really knowing the difference. I still don't know... Used and rusty and dogshit brown, they were the things my peers were knocking around in as first or second cars. Always a sort of joke, but also always sort of admired. Like an Allegro estate, a sort of escaper from the bin in the drawing office. To my eye, they have aged magnificently. They are now quite rightly loved. In the 80s, they were somehow ironically loved. Pedantic correction: Amalgamated Drawing Office, not Austin Design Office. Good video about a funky car.

[@Martindyna]

Regarding ADO many disagree with you, including AROnline. The consensus appears to be that it indeed stands for `Austin Drawing Office'.

[@BanjoLuke1]

@@Martindyna Indeed. Certainly "drawing" rather than "design'. It was from another time. Acres of draftsman's tables and plenty of natural light. It seems that on a pre-internet age the most frequently written me was "amalgamated", but the soup is slightly cloudier now. I do not know and do not pretend I ever will. What is odd is that it was written hundreds of times in documents within the company... But still we speak of a consensus rather than an accurate answer. That does on itself rather underline the extraordinary tensions and rivalries between marques... across the whole of BMC/BLMC/BL and all subsequent chimaeras. Somehow, the idea of Spurs and Arsenal amalgamating and playing as one team seems childishly tame on comparison.

[@mmjackk667]

Great video and channel find. Liked and subscribed.

[@hankosaurus]

I had a TR7 for 18 months. So CUTE a car. FUN to drive. Was in the shop almost every month for something. Mostly electrical (LUCAS)... ugh! Several starter relays. Dissimilar metal contacts! Stupid engineering. Only one mechanical problem. shifter stick popped out of socket. Mechanic got drunk and wrapped the car around a tree. He had to buy the car from me. I was as happy that day as I had been the day I bought the car!!! I often thought that the car would have been magnificent if Honda had made it instead.

[@mycroftsanchez901]

Very informative, I always loved the look of the TR7 but and no idea it was not fuel injected. Now the Mazda MX5 is the go-to for a simple yet reliable convertible is far superiour mechanically but in my opinion the looks are not as good Thanks for posting this video.

[@mishafrog8786]

The main problem with the TR7 was the dreaded rust they used to self destruct in front of your eyes , had one when new and sold it less than six months later.

[@BigCar2]

Wonderful history to a car I also think is gorgeous. Thank you!

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Thank you!