English Cars Triumph Tr7 I´ ve got this feeling for underdogs

ALEJANDRO BOVONE · Jun 14, 2022

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My first interesting car, English, was with me for many years, it is the last product of the Tr line, almost hated by the fans of the brand, because its design was very futuristic, and more similar to a Japanese designed, than to the lines design of a triumph , tr.
My first interesting car, English, was with me for many years, it is the last product of the Tr line, almost hated by the fans of the brand, because its design was very futuristic, and more similar to a Japanese design, than to the lines design of a triumph , tr
i have got this feeling for underdogs, what the world of fans of the brand saw as a betrayal of design, I see it as something new, completely, that differs from the Triumph Tr saga, with many innovations, for the 1976 era , and technological advances in its engine that were later used by many brands.
maybe something similar happened with the Rolex quartz.
The Rolex Quartz was designed to be able to compete with the Japanese watches that at that time were conquering the world and destroying the Swiss watch industry.
Rolex fans ended up hating that reference

Watch my Whisky · Jun 17, 2022

Did it ever work?

p4ul · Jun 17, 2022

Watch my Whisky
Did it ever work?

Other than as a garden ornament, do you mean?
😉

Spruce · Jun 17, 2022

p4ul
Other than as a garden ornament, do you mean?
😉

😜

Engee · Jun 17, 2022

The disdain for British cars of that era shown by Brits, apart from the top end of course, was the dire quality of workmanship. Triumph was part of BLMC (British Leyland) which was a conglomeration of just under half of the uk motor manufacturing industry. In the mid 70s it was nationalised to try to keep the industry alive because so many jobs depended on it, but the industry was troubled by poor industrial relations and the vehicles were rotten. The auto industry of that time represents a dark period in our country’s economic story.

TR7s were a joke not because of how they looked, but because they kept breaking down.

p4ul · Jun 17, 2022

Engee
The disdain for British cars of that era shown by Brits, apart from the top end of course, was the dire quality of workmanship. Triumph was part of BLMC (British Leyland) which was a conglomeration of just under half of the uk motor manufacturing industry. In the mid 70s it was nationalised to try to keep the industry alive because so many jobs depended on it, but the industry was troubled by poor industrial relations and the vehicles were rotten. The auto industry of that time represents a dark period in our country’s economic story.

TR7s were a joke not because of how they looked, but because they kept breaking down.

To be fair some of the design work was questionable too e.g. Marina, Allegro & Maxi.

jaguar11 · Jun 17, 2022

I really liked the looks of these at the time. It was so different to the TR6 it did not really matter. I figured it was a sort of Lotus Esprit. Once I got my hands on one (KFF 287P) to replace my Triumph Spitfire the British Leyland build quality was all too evident. Puny gearbox and weedy rear axle. I could go on but it was such a missed opportunity by BL. Oh, not to mention blistering wheel arches and temperamental headlights. They had the lovely bomb proof Buick 3.5 V8 which could have been slotted in and allied to a half decent (at least) drive train with tightened up running gear/suspension to improve the barge like handling. It could have been a winner in 1975 (if you could afford the petrol at the time in the UK). These do make a reasonable classic today and the issues can be ironed out managed and the car can be greatly improved. The most unreliable car I have ever owned. I don't even think I kept a picture of it. KFF287P rest in pieces. Having said all of that it made such a visual impression on me that I still have a liking for them. Strange thing is nostalgia.... Interestingly enough the Spitfire is still running strong (not in my ownership though 🙁).

Waltesefalcon · Jun 17, 2022

I've owned a couple of Triumphs over the years, a 66 Spitfire and a 79 Spitfire. The 66 was a nice little car with decent build quality, the 79... not so much. I think it is both sad and funny that the British government tried to save the British car industry and killed it anyway, all while turning it into a joke.

p4ul · Jun 17, 2022

jaguar11
I really liked the looks of these at the time. It was so different to the TR6 it did not really matter. I figured it was a sort of Lotus Esprit. Once I got my hands on one (KFF 287P) to replace my Triumph Spitfire the British Leyland build quality was all too evident. Puny gearbox and weedy rear axle. I could go on but it was such a missed opportunity by BL. Oh, not to mention blistering wheel arches and temperamental headlights. They had the lovely bomb proof Buick 3.5 V8 which could have been slotted in and allied to a half decent (at least) drive train with tightened up running gear/suspension to improve the barge like handling. It could have been a winner in 1975 (if you could afford the petrol at the time in the UK). These do make a reasonable classic today and the issues can be ironed out managed and the car can be greatly improved. The most unreliable car I have ever owned. I don't even think I kept a picture of it. KFF287P rest in pieces. Having said all of that it made such a visual impression on me that I still have a liking for them. Strange thing is nostalgia.... Interestingly enough the Spitfire is still running strong (not in my ownership though 🙁).

PM me if you want a Spit, a friend has one he is thinking of selling! (Checks 200 posts rule)

MRC · Jun 17, 2022

p4ul
To be fair some of the design work was questionable too e.g. Marina, Allegro & Maxi.

I have a lot of regard for the 1750 Maxi. Excellent vehicle for hauling three guys, tools and spares around while servicing on International rallies. Getting it to max revs in 5th going down a long hill in Wales was an achievement, but the worry was about what would happen at the bottom.

I did take a test drive in a TR7 but was unimpressed by the performance and bought a s/h Lotus Elan instead.

BTW, BL did drop the Rover/Buick V8 in, but called it TR8.

ALEJANDRO BOVONE · Jun 17, 2022

These apparently out of england work
is one of the 23 cars that entered my country, despite the fact that it was very difficult to get the parts, today about 12 are in use, that is how it currently looks, although it no longer belongs to me

Back then, we looked up to such cars despite for you guys in the island it might be considered a shitty non working car.

Vercingetorix · Jun 17, 2022

Drubbing TR7 is what they are.

ALEJANDRO BOVONE · Jun 17, 2022

t was an advanced car for its time, and it stood out in rally sports competitions with its tr8 model, with a 3.5 cm3 and v8 engine, which was prepared by the official british leyland team

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jaguar11 · Jun 17, 2022

ALEJANDRO BOVONE
t was an advanced car for its time, and it stood out in rally sports competitions with its tr8 model, with a 3.5 cm3 and v8 engine, which was prepared by the official british leyland team

By the time they put the V8 in the damage had been done, the chance was missed and the hot hatch was about to usher in a new era and reign supreme. I guess you could look at the door handles and imagine it was an Esprit which is what I often did when I was not carrying a piece of it in my hand. As I said I do still have a nostalgic soft spot for them!

ALEJANDRO BOVONE · Jun 17, 2022

Thanks to the fact that the state took over several car brands in the 70s, they did not disappear, and today they inspired the new versions of each model.
that although it is not in the hands of English companies, they respect the original design, which each make and model had, and without a doubt, it shows that it preserves the spirit of the English design of the automobile, sports car of that time, which was really incredible , despite the fact that in some cases, it was not accompanied by quality.

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ALEJANDRO BOVONE · Jun 17, 2022

it was very different in all aspects to the tr6 and the other previous tr, but it was really different in its design, appearance, and some technological advances in the development, of its mechanical part, we must not forget, that its quality was not what best of the car.

ALEJANDRO BOVONE · Jun 17, 2022

I totally understand your feeling, the v8 except for the poor quality of some models, and made them even more interesting, we must not forget the Mg gt with the v8, which is a little one with a Leon heart, and the 70's Range Rover with the same engine

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ALEJANDRO BOVONE · Jun 17, 2022

despite the fact that the design of these Marina, allegro and Maxi models, to which Sherpa would add, have a different function than an English sports car, but if one sees it on the street, one realizes that it was an English design

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p4ul · Jun 17, 2022

MRC
I have a lot of regard for the 1750 Maxi. Excellent vehicle for hauling three guys, tools and spares around while servicing on International rallies. Getting it to max revs in 5th going down a long hill in Wales was an achievement, but the worry was about what would happen at the bottom.

I did take a test drive in a TR7 but was unimpressed by the performance and bought a s/h Lotus Elan instead.

BTW, BL did drop the Rover/Buick V8 in, but called it TR8.

My Dad gave me his 2.2 Wolsey version, I can still feel the nasty velour seats 40 years later.
Scarred!

ALEJANDRO BOVONE · Jun 17, 2022

i t is very similar to what happened when Alfa Romeo passed into the hands of the Fiat group. The difference in quality was noticeable, but the soul of the design was preserved.

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