You’d be forgiven if the Triumph TR7 doesn’t exactly jump off the page at you anymore, as they’ve been an entry level classic car for years. Sometimes, like any vintage vehicle that has been popular for ages, like an MGB or air-cooled Beetle, it doesn’t set your heart racing when you find one. That being said, nice examples of these motors are still worthy of our attention, and this survivor-grade 1979 Triumph TR7 is better than most that pop up for sale these days. While a TR8 may be the hot ticket, there’s nothing wrong with a TR7 wearing great colors and in seemingly very nice shape. Find it here on craigslist for $5,699.
Curiously, the seller has the TR7 listed on the Manhattan craigslist page, but it’s located in Denver. Even stranger, he only bought it at the start of the year and has spent a ton of money on sorting out the mechanical bits, so it’s surprising to see it for sale so soon. The TR7 is believed to wear its original paint, which is a find in and of itself as I don’t recall too many of these British coupes wearing such loud colors. Most of the ones we see today are quite subdued in comparison, with some form of British Racing Green, gold, or black as the colors I see most often. The seller claims it is a rust-free example that only previously lived in California and Arizona, two of the best places to find vintage tin.
The TR7 looks fairly clean inside, but I wouldn’t expect to find a mint condition cabin – after all, these were built during tumultuous times at British-Leyland, and quality control was certainly lacking. The seller provides an extensive list of improvements under his care, and it’s certainly too much to type here. On the inside, some of the fixes or improvements include a new driver’s door hinge and window whisker; passenger door window whisker; turn signal switch; turn signal flasher; brake light switch; and more. The seating surfaces appear to be in good shape, and certainly reflect what is believed to be accurate low mileage of just under 39,000 miles. There’s also a crack-free dash and aftermarket radio inside.
The engine has been extensively refreshed, along with the chassis. Improvements include a new thermostat, radiator, sending unit, clutch master and slave cylinders, brake lines, exhaust manifold, and much, much more. The suspension has been refreshed, too, with new tie rods, ball joints, shocks, wheel bearings, brake pads, and other must-dos. The yellow paint appears nice and bright under hood, and certainly matches the exterior well. The seller will include numerous spares as well, but none of this solves the mystery as to why one would sell a car that’s been lavished with attention at the peak of hobby car season! Hopefully, the next owner will enjoy this turnkey TR7 in a salt- and snow-free climate, and find a cheap V8 to swap in when the original engine gets too needy.
To quote a phrase from Geomechs, “the designers must have been drinking their own bath water” on these cars. TR designs were always unique, but clean up through the TR6s. Lay the mass mechanical issues on top of that and you don’t have much going for the 7s.
I owned one. Bought it for $500 and rebuilt it to like new condition. When the engine was at 2500rpm in 4th gear, it would go 55mph. It really was like a go-cart. Everything was under engineered, so small. Good for around town, but terrible on the freeway. High rpms on a hot day equals overheating. Kept it for 5 years and the paint started to crack off. So I sold it for 500 and told the buyer not to go over 55 for any length of time or you will blow the motor. Anyways, the police called me a month later saying they recovered it on the side of the road. I did not want it back.
understatement of all time. Quality control was lacking. Run as far away as possible
The ones made at Speke by socialists were the worst ones. They were distinguished by having TR7 stickers where this car has the word Triumph surrounded by a wreath. The price is still about ten times what I would pay.
Weren’t those the early 4 speed cars? I recall reading a story, probably Road & Track, that you were safer looking at the 5 speed cars for a reliable, well built car.
I had a college roommate that had a TR7 this color, so this is a color I associate with the car.
I think the cars made from whatever point they moved production out of Speke in 1978 were considered better.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/liverpool/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8401000/8401200.stm
We know what the seller did during lockdown.
If you wanted a TR7, looks like all the work has been done on this one.
Nice enough exterior, save for the unfortunate stick-on body side molding and the wobbly shadow it casts on the forward left door. Has me wondering what’s going on there. And those marks on the right wheel arches. I’m thinking it was gotten on the cheap and meant to be a flipper from the start. It has reached its “time to sell” point.
the 3.5L TR8 was the one to have (made 3 yrs only) and this 1 is great no lie. The Fiat X1/9 (just B4 this 1?) also a lill wedge but ‘mid-engine’ along w/the (80s) Fiero – all hot lill cars.
Wasn’t the next model using the buck 215 they sold to rover?