Triumph TR7 Part 2

Battery Brain is fitted easily. We’ll report on it later

Air filters looked new but we’re going to try K&N performance

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With a more few miles under its belt and the honeymoon period over, we’re looking at what we’ve bought, what to fix - and what to improve

Life with a TR7 is turning out to be a pretty pleasing experience - once you forget your TR7 prejudices. Since acquiring our Robsport Internationalsourced coupe all we’ve done is drive it to find out what needs fixing or altering. And it’s not that much to be honest. It’s interesting to note that a few rival classic mags have been running features on this unloved Triumph, which shows you that interest and respect is on the rise - deservedly so, we reckon. Everybody who has driven our car has remarked a) how well this car drives and b) that the TR7 isn’t really a bad car at all! Although not a quick car by today’s pacey standards, the 2-litre Dolomite engine is lively enough in standard tune; ours is a little lumpy at idle and off colour (see panel) but started first time even after a couple of weeks standing over the New Year and - best of all - the temperature gauge resolutely refuses to venture into the hot sector, which is most un TR7-like. But the biggest surprise is the car’s handling. Say what you like about the shape and the fact that the TR7 is limp-wristed compared to the previous he-man TRs, but you can’t deny that it’s a lot more planted on the road and - for those new to the joys of classic cars – more manageable, if less thrilling. As ours is one of the earliest models, it came with a four-speed (Morris Marina) gearbox and the lack of an overdrive cog is beginning to grate. It’s not that the TR7 is inherently under-geared (4000rpm @ indicated 70mph was pretty longlegged back in the 1970s) but more the fact we’ve grown accustomed to five-speed transmissions. As the clutch occasionally judders and its ‘bite’ is at the top of the pedal, we may fit the Rover SD1 unit at some stage but it’s not at the top of our fix list.

RUNING REPAIRS

We outlined the condition of our TR7 in the last issue (back copies available) and have started to sort out a number ailments. First job was to relocate the rear exhaust, which has been resonating with increasing annoyance, with partial success. A new back box was recently fitted before we bought the car and there may still be too much tension in the installation as our kerbside efforts have only partially alleviated the annoyance. Other small quick fixes included sorting out a sticky bonnet release cable not allowing the lid to lock, and the passenger interior door button which was stiff. There’s no better way to ascertain the condition of a car than to give it a good clean and we must confess that there are a few morebody scabs than we first mentioned. There’s no serious body rot and as the paintwork is still in pretty good shape, we are loath to go for a respray. Rather we’re going to take the car to Autoglym and see if the car care specialist’s technical bods can rejuvenate the fading maroon paint - just like they did in the excellent new How Clean is Your Car DVD Autoglym hasrecently released. Even if you think that you can clean a car, it’s worth watching - and learning. Finally, we’re trying out a new gizmo called Battery Brain. Essentially it’s a smart sensor, which detects if the battery is being drained of power and so isolates the battery to leaveenough juice in it to start the vehicle. It’s aimed more at moderns with their multitude of electrical accessories rather than an oldie like this Triumph where the only high tech gadget it boasts is a clock (which works when it feels like it), but nodoubt we may come to appreciate this easy to fit device (See our New for Old product pages for fuller details on this device).