The Triumph TR8 – also known as the “English Corvette” – is one of the more under-the-radar classics that seemingly is a poor man’s Sunbeam Tiger. Clearly embracing the mindset of sticking a big engine in a tiny chassis, the TR8 offers all of the power and racket of a V8 while nestled in the cocoon of a charming British roadster. This combination has worked well for the likes of TVR and Morgan, but hasn’t helped the TR8 become more of a sought-after classic. Why is this? Find this nicely preserved 1980 Triumph TR8 listed here on craigslist for $16,800.
The TR8 today is definitely an outlier in the marketplace despite having all the right boxes checked: limited production, high performance, and surprisingly reliable. Now, the last item is about the engine itself and doesn’t directly address the notorious wiring and electrical issues that British-Leyland products had at the time (“Prince of Darkness,” and all that). The V8 powerplant wasn’t lifted off the shelf from Stag but rather the Rover SD1, which utilized a version of the original all-aluminum Buick/Oldsmobile V8 that Triumph had previously purchased from GM in the middle 60s.
The engine didn’t put out ludicrous horsepower but it did allow the TR8 to sprint to 60 in under 9 seconds. The interior was still standard TR7 stuff, and the cabin in this car looks to be in fine shape with bucket seats benefiting from fresh leather, along with a new replacement top and factory-style carpeting. The attention to detail on the interior refurb is encouraging in terms of this seller being willing to spend the money and also wanting the car to present well when it came time to putting it up for sale. These TR8s don’t pop up all that often, especially with the preferred manual transmission.
Since these made for fine cruisers, it’s not surprising to find most of them equipped with an automatic transmission. However, hearing the pops and snorts as you downshift for a long sweeper it absolutely worth the cost of admission, and the manual gearbox and V8 combination is one of the most celebrated dynamic duos across every manufacturer and model. The seller’s Triumph appears spotless under the hood, just like the cabin and body, and the price seems fair for a rare roadster in excellent shape. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the find!
Good find, very “tidy” tho a little pricey. The Euro plate is a nice touch. 100% on point Jeff as to it carrying on the V8/small Britcar combination but with the bane of the bean counters telling Lucas they wanted the cheapest electrical system possible.
Very nice example here. Don’t know how they handle but it’d seem to be a case of “point and shoot” with that Rover motor in it.
Rumor has it that Lucas does NOT have a patent on darkness.
Just the copyright.
Agree w Nevada… nice looking little Triumph be a fun drive. Thanks Lavery.
Well well well. A fuel injected TR8. Most were sold with dual Zenith-Strombergs, unless you lived in California, then you got Bosch FI. I don’t know how I feel about that. Might be nice.
The interior is spiffy, but the seller didn’t get the memo that Rimmer finally has plaid seat upholstery again. See door panels – the seats should match. Well, maybe not “should” – you can do anything you want, but it’s just so much more Austin Powers if the seats are plaid.
I wouldn’t complain about the price. This example is very nice, and if you’ve looked for one in similar condition, you know there’s a LOT of junk out there. Nice find.
https://barnfinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/plaid.jpg
If the Wiki is to be believed (and the phrasing there is a bit clumsy), apparently the Bosch L-Jetronic FI was California-only for ’80, but then standard for all ’81-82 TR8s in the North American market.
Whatever one’s opinion of carbs vs. FI in general, at least L-Jet was pretty widespread and standardized with common components that aren’t hard or pricey to source, fairly simple to troubleshoot, and familiar to nearly any shop that services classic Euro models from the era.
These were cool cars,but they only came with 13″ wheels/tires.
And what’s the deal with that license plate? I don’t think you’d get too
far without getting pulled over.
These are so interesting. The engine isn’t the best but that just means it’s time for an LS
I’ve often wondered about an LS in a TR8. The Rover 3.5l is already aluminum, so the weight would be pretty similar, but you’d certainly get WAY more power from the Chev, and probably more reliability. I can only speculate, but I think the LS would simply destroy everything in the car, without major modification. The frame, the drivetrain, the rear end – all of it would have to be addressed.
No way LS swap. I am sick and damned tired of seeing everything ruined by throwing an LS between the fenders.
Oh pleeeeze…. Are you the always-lurking LS guy? You can swap in the same Rover engine of 4 liters or more, or “build” the OEM into a flier.
Well, Well. Bosch fuel injection with a Lucas electrical system! What could possibly go wrong (he asked sarcastically)? The last and best of the TR7/8, too bad that by then, the car’s reputation was in the toilet, and the Brits pulled out of the US market shortly after the TR7/8 were history.
I’ve owned numerous TR-7’s and a couple of TR-8’s and difference between the two is measurable with the upgrade in the power plant. When you take the plunge into “Triumph” you automatically become a “non-certified” electrician given the Lucas era issues but you accept that. All that aside this car is pretty nice and given the rarity of the V-8’s these days this price point is not that bad although I suspect you could buy it for a few thousand less. There are plenty of these knocking around Marketplace in backyards and garages across the country just waiting to be put back on the road.
At least with EFI, carb synchronization is one chore you can cross off of the “to do” list! I don’t know how many TR8’s made the trip “across the pond” for the last two (2) model years, as this is the first one I’ve seen with factory fuel injection installed. You could ditch the dual carbs by buying an aftermarket intake from Edelbrock, then fitting either a four-barrel carburetor or a four-barrel Throttle-Body EFI setup to replace the dual Strombergs, for not too much money. I’ve seen a couple of TR8’s for sale with that setup.
Automatic transmissions are not that common on a TR8. Majority were 5-speed manuals. I’ve only seen a few automatics over the years. EFI models actually were rated at a higher factory horsepower than the carbureted models.