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Rare Survivor Victory Edition: 1976 Triumph TR7

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Although Triumph sold more TR7s than any other TR, it is very unusual to find a lovely survivor like this one. Most have been run into the ground, fixed on the cheap, or both. This is also an example of the first special edition TR7, a “Victory Edition” that we’ve covered in Barn Finds before (read the comments for details on what exactly the Victory Edition was). This one is located in Canton, Ohio and is for sale here on eBay with bidding less than $2,000.

collage

The Victory Edition was created to celebrate the TR7 mopping up the competition in its class in SCCA racing. Most of the ads featured the picture on the left, which coincidentally is a duplicate of our feature car here. As you can see, the main components of the Victory Edition were the spoker wheels, special striping and vinyl top, all of which are present on this car. The paint sure appears to be original and is in really nice shape.

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One request; if you purchase this car, please look at the recall notice here (courtesy of the Triumph Wedge Owners Association) so that you can identify if these wheels were part of the recall or not. I just think it would be so cool to blow up a huge reprint of that ad on the left up above so that you could put it next to the car in your garage. Who knows, it could have been this actual car! By the way, the under car pictures look really good as well.

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The interior looks just as nice as the exterior, with original upholstery on comfortable (really, they are!) seats reflecting the low 27,238 miles on the odometer. I’ve driven a similar car from Texas to North Carolina in a rush to do so and got home with no aches and pains at all.

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While the engine compartment isn’t perfect, I’m amazed that almost all the original components are there and intact. For example, you hardly ever see that pre-heater hose running across the engine compartment there, let alone in one piece. This is the 49-state model with dual Stromberg carburetors and a little more power than the California single carb model. I’m lucky this one is across the country and that I’ve purchased some new finds recently, or I’d be following this auction closely! Oh, if you do buy the car and the wheels are the ones to avoid, I have four “good” ones that you are welcome to have!

Comments

  1. Avatar Chuck F 55chevy

    Great cars, I had a 1980 TR7 that was a lot of fun until it dropped a valve, not sure if a result of the shaved head and hopping up the mechanic did that I bought it from, the original owner didn’t pay the bill. I traded it in on the only new car I ever bought, a 1988 Chevy Sprint (Suzuki) 4 dr 3 cyl 4 speed. I also have a TR8 among my dozen or so project/junkyard vehicles, sat out in the weather so long it needs some serious floor replacement, but still a limited production V8.

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  2. Avatar bcavileer

    I loved, (yes loved) my 1975 TR7 in Java green with a 4 speed transmmision. I hate te stripes, the vinyl roof, the b.s. that British Leyland decide the american market wanted. And those wheels, hideous!
    Wish i still had that 7. It was a fun ride, handled great and I put 50k on it withour a single problem.
    One of the many I wish I had back, maybe that would be a great discussion. The cars you owned, the cars you wish you never sold or traded.

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  3. Avatar Seth

    Had one with lucas disease, 12000 mile alternators, great factory ac that actuaalty worked

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  4. Avatar Blindmarc

    Mom had an early gt6 with knock offs, but I’ve seen more of these in their day than any other triumph. TR 6 was another I use to see a lot in Albuquerque.

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  5. Avatar Pfk1106

    My girlfriend at the time bought a new spitfire. The dealer was just putting up posters of the new tr7 to come. It really was a unique shape at the time. Oh, and the spit….dealer 1000 mile service, installed a tr6 oil filter on the spit. It fell off 150 feet from the dealer lot, and spun a bearing. dealer went bankrupt while they were rebuilding the engine, not due to that though. That had given her a loaner mgb gt that she ended up driving for about a year. Court wanted it back, and she wanted her spit she was making payments on. What a mess.

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  6. Avatar ROAR Member

    Standard problem: Neet inexpensive cars are all $$$ away from Calif! I’d buy this along with several others that turned up. consider the remains of the 57 studie car and $$$’s as comparison!

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  7. Avatar Mark

    I bought one new in 1976.
    It’s MANY cars ago, but I remember it as a fun car and it ran well.

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    • Avatar Brian

      how much are they worth now?

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  8. Avatar Jamie Staff

    It’s gratifying to see so many nice TR7 comments; most of the time the poor cars end up getting hated on. BTW, Roar — most of the cars I end up wanted ARE in California, so I suspect it’s the same for both of us — we remember the ones far away!

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  9. Avatar Howard G

    It’s great to see positive comments from commentators re: TR7s, they don’t get the respect they deserve …… I’ve owned my 1980 TR7 for 32 years and it’s just had it’s first major repair, a new clutch, after 170,000km (just over 100,000miles)

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  10. Avatar Jsnukie

    I finally got one 40 years later after obsessesing over wanting one after high school It’s a 81 the final year imported to U.S I feel like a fool after years of hearing of the many problems I made the mistake of buying one from a shister dealer in Indiana that workers on it I went there drove it bought it had it shipped to Ca were I live drove it home and it never 😔 Drove again I had it dropped off 300 miles from my house it drove fantastic the next day I was on my way to Santa Barbara I to show it to a friend it started running rough and backfiring how imbarrising 😁 It’s been a year and a 1/2 4 grand later and no one can seem to figure out what’s wrong it’s fuel injected help😭 After sending it to the same Brit shop that worked on my mg that charged 🤑 me a arm and a leg💪 Three time I had it towed to them and three times I drove it home to not start the next day

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    • Avatar Jesse Staff

      If you are going to own a British car it might be a good idea to learn how to work on your car yourself. Invest in a few tools and learn how to diagnose stuff. Fuel injection does complicate things but you should be able to check all the sensors with a multimeter and shop manual.

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    • Avatar 55chevy

      Some fuel injection systems, especially 1st year factory ones like your TR7 have a lot of bugs, try the TR7 TR8 forum at the Triumph Experience, maybe there’s a simple Weber carb conversion.

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  11. Avatar Jsnukie

    I though of carb conversion Is it legal in ca with the tough Smog laws?

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  12. Avatar Marc

    I am looking at this car right now. Do you still have a set of good spokers?

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    • Avatar Jamie Palmer Staff

      Marc, I’ve sold them to Ted Schumacher (TS Imports, Pandora Ohio). Haven’t delivered them yet, though, still working on a trip up there.

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  13. Avatar Marc

    Ok thanks.

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  14. Avatar Bryant Sherman

    I had a British Racing Green Victory Edition TR7 that was the sharpest car in the high school parking lot. The price $4,995 POE. I remember the dealer had the last TR6 for sale on the showroom floor for $6,200. In 1976 that price difference seemed like a lot. Great memories for sure.

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  15. Avatar btruelove

    I bought a new blue/white “76 TR7 Victory in Ft. Worth at Christmas of 1976…spoke wheels, pull back sunroof roof, luggage rack…and went ahead and got one with A/C for Texas summers ☀️🌡…a beautiful fun car to drive…$6⛽ would fill it up and you drive all week…finally the poor design “bugs” hit me at about 25,000 miles…left me on the side of the road a few times…it was difficult to get any maintenance parts…finally sold it in 1979, but I recouped the entire price I paid for it…if Triumph/British Leyland hadn’t rushed to get it on the market…it would have been a sports car classic 💓..still miss mine…also I’m ‘6″4 and had lots of leg room and comfort in it

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  16. Avatar Bob Milliken

    Can anyone tell me the price this car sold for?

    Like 0

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