1981 Triumph TR8 Grinnall

This particular Grinnall TR8 was built upon a 1981-registered TR7, which was originally delivered with Arran bodywork over a Tan checkered interior.

From the factory, this was a remarkably well-equipped car, being fitted with a five-speed manual transmission, tinted glass, heater, laminated glass, headrests, MW/LW radio, retractable aerial, two jet washers, 8FL flasher unit and rear guard lamps.

Subsequently, this TR7 was converted to Grinnall TR8 specification by Mark Grinnall of Bewdley, Worcestershire during 1986, being fitted with a 3.5-litre V8 from a Rover SD1 with a new cross-member to take the additional weight of the engine, along with power steering, SD1 five-stud hubs, ventilated front disk brakes, modified gear ratios, an aftermarket exhaust system, and upgraded suspension at the cost of £3,922.

Interestingly, this particular Grinnall retained its factory bodywork, making it not only somewhat of a ‘sleeper’ car, but also far more restrained than some Grinnall cars, which were fitted with a variety of bodykits and aesthetic modifications. The only visual difference was a re-spray in to Caverly Blue, which was carried out to a very high standard.

Following the conversion, a detailed report and road test was carried to assess the quality of the conversion, with the full report being included in the paperwork file accompanying the vehicle. Of particular note is the road tester’s remarks, stating “it is clear that the conversion has been executed in a professional manner and the general standard of workmanship is of a very high order indeed.”

The complete specification of this TR8 is as follows:

3.5-litre V8 conversion from a Rover SD1

TR8 Bell housing

Four-branch exhaust manifolds with a stainless steel exhaust system

Modified front cross-member

Rear-mounted battery box

Re-calibrated rev counter

TR8 engine mounts

Electric fuel pump

TR8 brake discs and calipers

Upgraded front suspension struts and springs

Upgraded rear shock absorbers

Upgraded rear suspension bushes

308 rear axle ratio

Upgraded fifth gear ratio to suit the new engine

Stage 1 camshaft

New camshaft followers

Offenhauser inlet manifold

Holley four-barrel carburettor

Piranha ignition system

With regards to the ownership history, it is of note that the car belonged - in its original TR7 form - to British Leyland between May 1981 and March 1982, and has subsequently changed hands numerous times before coming into the ownership of our vendor in October 2019.

During their ownership, the vendor has used this Grinnall TR8 sparingly, in their words “pottering around” on the weekend and making the most of the addictive V8 soundtrack and excellent handling.

Having kept the car dry stored throughout their ownership, the vendor has now put this stunning TR8 up for sale due to downsizing their collection.

Resplendent in its Caverly Blue bodywork, the wedge-shaped lines of the TR8 still cut and impressive silhouette to this day, with nice, straight bodywork throughout.

Naturally, there are a few marks here-and-there, such as on the front offside impact bumper and some bubbling around the lower offside corner of the windscreen surround and scuttle panel, though this is minor and in keeping with the age and mileage of the vehicle.

In 2009, a brand-new Mohair hood was fitted, and this remains in excellent condition throughout with no noted staining, tears or damage to the material, and no discolouration or cracking of the rear window.

There appears to be some kind of reaction or bleaching to the paintwork in places, most noticeable on the top of the boot lid, which has been showcased in the gallery below, along with some sun bleaching to the plastic filler cap lid.

All four wheels are in presentable condition and wrapped in a mixture of Federal and Nankang rubber, though we did note that all of the wheels suffer from some form of ‘spidering’ in the paintwork or lacquer, though this is only noticeable up close.

Inside, the cabin has received attention during its history, with invoices for leather re-trims being present in the extensive history folder. This means that the seats are in excellent condition throughout, with only minimal wear to the outer bolsters as you’d expect from a figure-hugging seat such as this.

On the whole, the interior presents in very, very good condition, with the dashboard being free of cracks, the centre console being in excellent shape, and very little sign of wear-and-tear to the high-traffic areas such as the shifter, handbrake and Moto-Lita steering wheel.

There are a few areas where the car’s age does show, such as the door trays not being seated in the door cards correctly, and a few marks and tears to the windscreen surround and driver’s door card, but on the whole this is a very nice place to spend time pottering around in-between exciting roads.

The original stereo has been replaced with a JVC unit, though this does not fit correctly in the centre console and would benefit from either an OEM or period-looking replacement.

As previously mentioned, the roof was replaced in 2009 and the mechanism remains free-moving and easy to use, folding away correctly without any struggle. One hood cover and one tonneau are included, with the fabric example being in excellent condition and fitting well, whilst the leather cover does have some blue stains on the material, and was not fitted to the vehicle but looks to be in good shape.

Pop open the front-hinged bonnet, and the 3.5-litre Rover V8 is there to see in all it’s glory, with a few choice chrome additions such as the ‘dinner plate’ chrome air filter sat atop the Holley carburettor - a wonderful nod to American muscle cars of the era.

As far as we can see, there are no major oil leaks or fluid issues, though there are a few older stains which appear to be remnants of past issues, rather than indicators of any underlying problems, as there are no stains to be noted under the car on the workshop floor or during our photo shoot.

Upon starting the car, the V8 engine is characteristically lumpy, though once warm settled happily into a steady idle. On the road, the car responds well to throttle inputs, with the gearbox and clutch feeling impressively tight and easy to use. The power steering setup is direct and surprisingly rapid, though this is noted as a characteristic of the car even as far back as the initial post-conversion report.

During our test drive, the car would brake without pulling, and there were no knocks or creaks noted. We did, however, note a rather loud scrubbing noise on the nearside front wheel during full-lock manoeuvres, whilst the fuel gauge displayed a full reading, despite the fuel level warning light being illuminated, suggesting there is a fault with one of the components.

Looking underneath the vehicle, the usual ‘bloom’ is visible to components such as the exhaust and suspension, and the most recent MOT certificate - dated 12 June 2021 - resulted in a pass with the following advisories:

Offside front suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive

Under bonnet inner wing flitch panel corroded

Oil leak, but not excessive

Wheel bearing has slight play (rear hubs)

Offside fuel pipe/s corroded

Front sub-frame damaged but not seriously weakened

The history folder included with the vehicle weights the same as a small elephant. Ok, that’s perhaps a little dramatic, but the ring-bound folder is a hefty volume, and contains many hours of reading for the detail-oriented owner to track the history of their new Grinnall TR8, should they wish to do so.

Highlights of this impressive collection of documents include the original letter to Mark Grinnall regarding the conversion of the vehicle, a full breakdown of the agreed specification of the vehicle, and the aforementioned post-conversion evaluation, which is incredibly detailed and reads across four sides of A4.

In addition to the documentation, there is also a rich and intricate history of the TR7, TR8 and Grinnall conversions, and an incredible assortment of invoices, old V5s, MOT certificates and miscellaneous paperwork, all of which has been neatly divided up within the folder for easy reference - a wonderful sign of fastidious ownership if there ever was one!

Of note is the presence of the Heritage certificate, which not only allows the owner to see the original specification and configuration of the car, but also allows the owner to apply for Classic Vehicle status with the DVLA, in conjunction with the recent MOT certificate and current V5, without having to wait for the 41st year, since the Heritage certificate allows the 40-year period to start from the build date.

With its original TR7 lines but improved performance, handling and that glorious V8 soundtrack, this Grinnall TR8 is a true icon from the heyday of British sports cars, and remains an absolute hoot to drive to this day.

Requiring only some minor mechanical attention as per the latest MOT exam, this TR8 would make an engaging weekend toy or ‘Sunday driver’ for anyone looking for an engaging and visceral driving experience without sacrificing creature comforts such as a stereo and comfortable seats.

Given the condition, history and significance of the vehicle, we estimate the hammer will fall in the region of £11,500 to £15,000.

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this 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’.