Rico Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 Hi everyone, I've today (on very much a spur of the moment decision) gone to have a look at a V8 converted TR7 which I ended up buying! It's an August 81 car in Argent silver (MCB) on the standard wheels. It's a hard top with a Webasto sunroof I found it about 5 miles from where I live, it's been in a barn since 2005 when the owner emigrated to OZ and left it with his brother. It's never turned a wheel since then. My friend and I managed to get it started briefly but the electronic fuel pump is goosed so we were having to force fuel down the fuel line into the carbs. This was purely to confirm it did run and I'm glad to say it sounded great through the twin stainless steel silencers and K&N filters on the SU's. All of the brakes are seized from it lying for so long and the master cylinder is dead so no clutch either! Not painting a great picture here but it's solid in all the right places apart from some light rust on the doors and rear arches. I'm a painter to trade so the bodywork doesn't worry me and my friend is a mechanic so he'll be looking after the oily bits. There's very little in the way of history with the car so I currently don't know when it was converted from the original 2.0l engine or who did it. I know very little about these cars in general so I'll no doubt be asking lots of questions over the coming months as we work through the list of jobs needing done! Here's a few pics of it in the barn as I found it, I should hopefully have it home by next weekend so I'll get more pictures then. Rico. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR8IAN Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 Rico, Looks great a good start for a excellent car - the hard top versions are really a car of the moment and there are loads of goodies available to add to her! Cheers Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted October 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 Thanks Ian, I've been scouring eBay for all sorts already! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kg55 Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Hi Ricco Well done it looks a decent car. I have just got a black limited edition TR7 after 3 years of looking for one.I had one back in the eighties and wanted another limited one ( very hard to find now) Good luck and keep us informed on your progress kev Quote Link to post Share on other sites
birminghamtr7 Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 great find Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted October 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 (edited) Thanks folks, looking forward to pics of your JPS car Kev. Managed to get the brakes all freed off tonight, got a nice surprise when the front wheels came off and were hiding a set of twin pot AP Calipers and vented discs. The discs look in good order but I'll replace the pads for peace of mind. The tyres I inflated 2 days ago were all flat again tonight so they'll need to come off and have the rims cleaned and new valves fitted. Hopefully that'll keep them holding air until the tyres are replaced further down the line. Another pic... Edited October 14, 2014 by Rico Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jothecat Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Well found, looks like it'll be fun to run. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Collecting the car in the morning! Fresh pics when it's home. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 (edited) Well a very successful and productive day today, managed to get the car home with no issues and decided to have another go at getting the fuel pump working and actually did! Had it running for about 10 mins till it burned through 5 litres of fresh fuel! Next up, clutch master cylinder. We stripped it off the car and tried to free it up but no go so in went a good replacement, bled it up but still no clutch. Turned out the slave cylinder was seized too. So that was replaced with a good 2nd hand one borrowed from my mates Capri. That ones's a very long term project so won't be needing it any time soon. After bleeding both, we ended up with a working clutch again. Next up, brakes. We freed them up at the start of the week to get it rolling but today I noticed the drivers side caliper was still sticking. So all the brakes were stripped, inspected and cleaned up. The rear brakes must have all been replaced just before it went off the road because everything is like new. The passenger front caliper was fine, so that was cleaned up and the old pads removed The drivers front caliper freed up eventually too with all 4 pistons moving well so I just need to order a set of front pads. Overall a very good first day with the TR. I also managed to check all the electrics and everything is working, including the headlights. The red running lights aren't connected but that's an easy fix. I gave the spare wheel a clean up too, the other 4 are in good condition, I just need to get the tyres re-sealed and new valves fitted. As for the bodywork, I'm thinking about respraying the car rather than just tidying up the bits that need work. It's no worse than I initially thought but it just seems the right thing to do. Do I change the colour to something period? or stick with the factory silver? I'm more inclined to change it. Anyway, more soon and pics to follow. Edited October 18, 2014 by Rico Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john 215 Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Hi, Great find and reasonably rare as most of the late car's sold by percentage were DHC . Like silver myself but then guess I am biased as my TR7V8 is silver ! More people would like to see your car on Triumph TR7.com forum, have look Cheers John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 (edited) Bit of work done to the car today, New front pads fitted Handbrake cables and adjusters serviced. Wheels refitted and the car is off the axle stands for now but will be back on them soon to re waxoyl the floor. Decided to pull the plugs and clean them up as well as clean the contacts on the dizzy and rotor arm because the car wouldn't run and I wasn't convinced the fuel pump was faulty. Literally first turn of the key and she jumped into life and purred away quite happily for half an hour. [8D] I'm also happy to confirm that it's getting gears! (first drive since fitting the slave and master cylinders) The drivers window had come off the runner so that was fixed too. I've got a couple of paint jobs to do for a friend then it's on to the bodywork! Edited November 1, 2014 by Rico Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted March 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 Finally, a bit of an update... So I didn't really touch the car over the winter, it's hard to motivate yourself to go work on a car in a cold garage after working on cars in a cold garage all day! Finally did though and since the last update, I've repaired the rusty rear arches and sills Repaired the little bit of rust on the boot lid Removed the carpets and a majority of the interior to check the floors (they're all good.) Made a start on repairing the doors. Next up will be going around the rest of the bodywork prepping all the little bits of flaking paint. So recently a friend of mine who's in a band ask if they could use the car for a photoshoot, so that happened today. Looking forward to seeing the pics but I snapped a few while they were doing their thing... More to come soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
clymout Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 Great thread and car! Only jealous a little bit Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jaybee Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 Hi Rico. Lovely car! Perhaps you can do my wheel arches too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted April 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 Thanks folks, no new pics but a lot more prep work done for the impending paint job. Still considering a colour change but not sure what. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted July 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2015 Not been on for a while because nothing has really been happening with the car but finally, I'm getting some time to work on the TR! It's now fully stripped and prepped, ready for paint. Just a couple of small repairs to do. Doors, bonnet and boot lid will be removed when I'm ready to start painting, everything else is removed that needs to be including the roof and glass. I'm not removing the front screen. The car has really surprised me, not a single nut or bolt gave me any problems and there's hardly any rust at all as you'll see from the pics. Updates should be fairly quick from now on, hoping to have the whole car painted and ready to rebuild by the end of August. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don H. Posted July 16, 2015 Report Share Posted July 16, 2015 Excellent -- always good to see a car in the hands of an appreciative and capable owner. The TR looks great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Thanks Don, I'm just glad to finally see it getting closer to completion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pfenlon Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Thats a grand job your doing there, and as you know very few about now, you seem to have about the same amount of room in your garage as me! which makes it all that more difficult. Just having Bought an TR7 myself I am going to buy a clay Kit tomorrow to clean up the paintwork, be nice to see the result when its finished, well done so far. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted July 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 You're lucky to be in the position to be polishing! It'll be a while before I'm there but hopefully not too long. The couple of small parking dents that needed repaired are done now, priming and painting inside the door checks, engine bay and boot next. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WildRover Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Rico, Looking good to date. Be great to see the paintwork done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chris59 Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 It was nice to read this thread, no doubt that this car is now in very good hands, well done Rico ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Thanks for the replies folks, the car is creeping ever closer to seeing fresh paint, just a few small repairs to do and I'll be starting. Updates soon! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rico Posted October 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 FINALLY! I've got time to work on this! Booked a week off work with the sole intention of having this in paint by the end of it. Started today with the inside of the boot, bootlid and rear panel. Very happy with the colour I've gone with and seeing it on the car has got me motivated to get it finished. The front end, engine bay and door checks are next on the hit list, hopefully get them done tomorrow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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