The iconic British wedge that was the Triumph TR7 wasn’t necessarily a home run when introduced, though it certainly remains a favorite among British car enthusiasts. And really, it’s hard to go wrong with one of these cheap classics, as its racy styling ensures it looks like it’s going fast, even if an electrical gremlin had left its owner stranded on the side of the road. But the Triumph TR8 is a car that fixed many of the issues facing the original, most notably under the hood where a thoroughly capable Rover V8 took the place of the original, and somewhat wheezy, four-cylinder mill. This example listed here on eBay is incredibly well preserved and is accompanied by an extremely detailed set of maintenance records.

Bidding is currently at $9,900 with no reserve, and that’s an absolute bargain for a rare drop-top like this. You hardly ever see the TR8 come up for grabs, especially with a manual transmission like this one has. The V8 was a natural fit with an automatic transmission, so most V8 cars only have two pedals. The engine bay is incredibly well preserved, and despite seeming like a slice of British exotica, the Rover V8 is actually closely related to an all-aluminum Buick/Oldsmobile V8 from the early 1960s. That means it’s not exactly hard to service this eight-cylinder Triumph despite being produced in far more limited quantities than the TR7. The listing includes photos showing extensive maintenance documentation, from handwritten notes to invoices from mechanics and other shops.

The listing highlights how this Triumph is an extremely well-equipped example beyond the eight-cylinder engine. Air conditioning and power steering are listed as options, along with inertia reel seatbelts and tinted glass. The dash doesn’t appear to be cracked and the cosmetics look strong across the board, from the original steering wheel to the tan upholstery and door panels. The listing does note some defects, including a discolored soft top and cloudy rear plastic window. Despite the records showing $20,000 in maintenance and repairs, the seller notes it hasn’t been driven regularly in recent years and as such, will likely need some level of reconditioning. Still, what we can see here looks awfully good for a car that hasn’t seen frequent use.

Man, that’s just a burly rear end. Seeing those twin exhaust poking out with that huge TR8 badge tells you all you need to know about how this Triumph roadster stands apart from the majority of them still on the road today. It does run and drive, so seemingly, this isn’t a major restoration project but rather one the next owner can simply freshen up and drive, putting them behind the wheel of one of the most usable British sports cars ever made. While the soft top may not be to everyone’s liking, my feeling is you’ll be able to hear that snarling V8 even better if you don’t have a fixed roof in the way. A very cool car for very reasonable money that likely won’t lose value any time soon.