1982 Triumph TR7 V8

We are pleased to be offering for sale a TR7 with the ubiquitous Rover V8 engine conversion. We believe the car was converted by its long-term owner. Said gentleman owned the car for over 30 years before old age and the need for some cash necessitated a sale.

That was back in September last year and step forward then our seller and his friend, residents in the same village. A deal was done, and the car put away into storage. Plans were afoot to restore the car, but with other projects, it was decided to let someone else have the fun and challenges ahead.

So, looking for a project? Fancy a soft-top British classic? Love a V8? Then we have the car for you!

We rather like the pale blue paint colour, which shows off the TR’s sharp lines to good effect. We feel certain that anyone buying this rare car will want to commission a full respray at some stage as clearly there are some paint issues.

Paint bubbling is apparent in various areas, such as the door bottoms, the pop-up headlights, on the sills and windscreen surround. We suggest looking carefully at our picture gallery.

The hood has clearly been replaced at some point and is somewhat grubby. It will clean up perhaps, though the rear window will need sticking back properly. The frame is not in the best condition. Maybe it’s time for a new one? There is a tonneau cover for fitting when the hold is folded down.

The six-spoke alloy wheels look quite smart, though a refresh would not go amiss. A mixed bag of tyres is fitted, so budget for some new quality rubber to help put all that V8 power down.

We note that only one of the headlights seems to pop up, so some tinkering will doubtless be required. We would also be inclined to remove the tow bar which does nothing for the car’s aesthetics.

Yes, it’s all a bit tired, but the basics are there, and interior fettling is never hard to do. First job will be to retrim the seats and clean or replace the carpets.

Some of the trim is a little tired in places, but the door cards look fine. The driver’s door window winder appears to be missing.

The dash houses a comprehensive array of instrumentation, allowing the driver to keep a beady eye on things.

In the boot there is a full-size spare wheel, and a new Bosch battery has recently been fitted.

We have included an assortment of pictures of the TR7’s underside for your delectation. We will let them do the talking but suffice to say some work will undoubtedly be required due to the visible areas of corrosion.

Lift the bonnet at the Rover V8 sits loud and proud. Our attention is immediately drawn to the Edelbrock downdraft carburettor and the Offenhauser inlet manifold. Both are fair indication that this has been a well thought out conversion.

The car is running and driving, but it would be fair to say that having sat idle over winter, and little used by the previous owner, some recommissioning will certainly be required.

There are some old MoT certificates, but little else in the way of paperwork. We suspect the long-term owner did much of the work on the car over the years but cannot be sure and have no record of what has been done and when.

The online MoT history dates back to 2006, the mileage then recorded at 17,317. Since then, just another 19,000 miles have been covered. Over the last few years, just a few hundred miles have been added.

The TR was last tested in August 2022. There were 10 advisories recorded, some for corrosion of the vehicle structure. There were three failure items; nearside suspension arm corroded and weakened, nearside wheel bearing has excessive play and inoperative windscreen washers. As far as we are aware, no rectification work has been carried out.

A genuine right-hand drive TR8 will be almost impossible to find. This car is no pale imitation, with much to commend.

Whilst undoubtedly a project car, much of the work should be within the capabilities of the competent home mechanic. Parts are readily available through a myriad of specialist parts suppliers.

When the work is done, the new owner of this car will have a powerful and able open top sportscar, and one which is now a rare sight on UK roads. The car will turn heads wherever it travels and draw a crowd at car shows if that is your thing.

So, if all this 1980s loveliness has piqued your interest, we would suggest placing an early bid.

We expect the car to sell for between £5,000 and £7,000 in auction.

Viewing is always encouraged. The car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.