TR7 Loan car update: Classic Fixing!

David Tonkin updates us on the next chapter of his TR7 loan.

It’s the hottest day of the year – of course it is – and I’m pulling onto a busy dual carriageway when the accelerator goes limp under my foot. The engine is still running, and I try again. Nothing. The TR7 coasts to a stop at the end of the slip road as lorries thunder past. I knew my first breakdown would happen. I didn’t want it to be so soon.

If my first article was all about the joys of picking up and driving a classic car for the first time, this one is very much about the period when the honeymoon is over. If it were an episode of Clarkson’s Farm, it would be called ‘Fixing’ as that’s what I’ve spent a lot of time doing these past few weeks.

Still, that’s far from being a complaint. Part of borrowing a classic for the year is to see how I get on with every aspect of ownership. Exploring my ineptitude when it comes to all things mechanical is just part of the journey. Cruising down to the shops with the hood down is the easy bit. Waiting on the side of a dual carriageway for three hours is the true test of love. And not just waiting by the side of a dual carriageway. No, these past few weeks have seen my toolkit come out more times than a cuckoo in a Swiss clock.

Let’s start with the easy ones. I’ve popped the door mirror glass out to tighten the wing mirror that flops back every time I drive faster than 50 miles an hour. An easy fix, made all the better by discovering the comedy-sized spring behind the mirror. I almost expect it to make a ‘boing’ noise, it’s so large.

Another easy job is changing the fuse so the radio works again. I don’t listen to the radio, but you can’t turn down an easy fix when it’s handed to you on a plate (or a fuse board).

To the trickier jobs. I’ve taken the door card off several times and had the window winder mechanism out, trying to fix the passenger side window. Despite warnings, this task comes with grazed knuckles and copious amounts of swearing. I’m glad to report I didn’t graze my knuckles once. The window still sticks as it goes down, though, so I’m driving with it wound up until I have the energy to try again.

But back to the big problem and a scorching hot day by the side of the dual carriageway with no acceleration, hazard lights flashing, bonnet up... then second thoughts. The dual carriageway is a blur of speeding metal, and the slip road behind me is a conveyor belt of incoming traffic. I step back, out of the blast zone, and remind myself that I have AA cover courtesy of the Borrow A Classic scheme. Even better, I saved the AA number and policy details in my phone just a few days before. Sensible head on, I retreat to safety, call the AA and wait by the roadside for a few hours until they arrive and tow me back home.

This is all a really good learning experience. I now know where the tow points are on a TR7, and the particulars of towing – the transmission is lubricated by an oil pump driven by the input shaft, so you either have to disconnect the drive shaft or tow the vehicle with the rear wheels lifted on a dolly. In this case, I’m hoisted onto the back of a truck and chauffeured home in style.

Back home, a quick round of discovery in the engine bay and I see the problem straight away. The throttle cable has snapped, but fortunately, there’s a spare in the boot. Once I’ve established how it all works, it’s a five-minute job to replace. Naturally, it takes me an hour. I discovered you need arms like Mr Tickle, but now I know the tricks, it’ll take five minutes next time round. Not that there will be a next time – how often do throttle cables snap after all? Hmm, often enough that someone thought to keep a spare in the boot!

It's all good, though. I’ve learnt a lot through this experience and having done my first proper bits of work on a classic car (don’t laugh – we all have to start somewhere) I feel my confidence growing. The rest of the summer has passed in a blur of car shows and meet-ups, which have been wonderful. But more on those next time.

I know that fiddling - sorry, fettling - is part of classic car ownership that draws a lot of people in. I hadn’t previously counted myself amongst that group and I still wouldn’t yet, but I will admit there’s a satisfaction in fixing something yourself. As my personality lends itself to self-sufficiency, it’s inevitable that I’ll be spending more time with my growing set of tools over the coming months. I’m looking forward to it.

I still prefer the driving part of ownership, but next time something goes wrong, I’m prepared to give fixing it a go.

About the Borrow a Classic Scheme

Borrow A Classic was officially launched on the 18th of January 2025, following the fantastic success of the Classic Car Loan Project. Founded by Bob Wilkinson nearly 10 years ago, its mission is to introduce younger drivers to classic cars in a safe and accessible way. The TR Register participates in the scheme by loaning out two TR7s, a green FHC (featured here) and a red convertible. 

To apply or find out more, visit: https://borrowaclassic.co.uk/whats-it-all-about