1981 | Triumph TR 7 Europa

A super TR7 V8 conversion. Lovely condition throughout and mechanically excellent. Only 4 owners since new, the last of which had the car since the early-1990s during which time it was always stored in a dry, de-humidified garage. A P6 Rover 3.5 litre provides the grunt. And there’s plenty of it…a trip to a rolling road in 2017 showed 191 bhp and 222 lbft, helped along by the fact that the engine has 10.5:1 CR pistons, a fast road cam, ported heads and ported inlet manifold. It’s also been treated to Rhoads lifters giving variable valve lift / timing. K&N filters sit over the twin SU carbs. Ignition is computer controlled and, in the unlikely event of problems, the previous owner has been thoughtful enough to leave in place the Luminition electronic ignition as a quick fallback! Correct TR8 exhaust manifolds are in place and the TR8 4 box stainless steel exhaust system offers a glorious grumble to accompany every drive. This car has been fitted with a proper TR8 subframe and not left, as with many conversions, with the sump as the lowest part of the car (with the obvious potential pitfalls). It also has the proper TR8 radiator mounting system with dual fans. This conversion has also correctly been fitted with a shortened gear linkage and gear lever…some conversions modify the bodywork or have the engine too far forward. The drivetrain is completed by a reconditioned 3.08:1 diff with new halfshafts fitted by the previous owner. The car sits nicely on 6Jx15 alloy wheels from an MG Montego Turbo and booted with 205/50x15 tyres. The ride is tight and responsive thanks to fitment of Spax adjustable dampers 'all round' which are complemented by Triumphtune lowered springs (which, unlike some other aftermarket springs, won’t fall out under full rear suspension drop!). Further handling improvements include uprated suspension bushes and anti-roll bar spacers and it comes to a nice controlled stop helped by genuine TR8 front brakes. The car was painted in 2017 and retains an excellent finish all round with no marks or blemishes. The rear spoiler was sourced from a MG Montego Turbo and doesn’t look at all out of place. The blue vinyl hood is in very good condition and fits well with no missing buttons. It comes with a full tonneau set in black which, again, is in good condition. The boot and rear bulkhead are dry and rot free! The cabin is excellent for a TR7 with the only snag being a small tear on the seat-back of the passenger seat. It has the original fitted carpets and mats but all of which are in very nice condition. Otherwise everything is in working order including a number of upgrades such as a new heater matrix, a passenger side footwell vent (as used on US spec TR7s without aircon) and, should you ever tire of the notes from the stainless steel exhaust you can listen to your favourite sounds for hours on end via the 10 stack CD changer! This is an accomplished TR7 conversion and a great driver’s car to be used and enjoyed.