Triumph TR7 & TR8
1974–1981 · around 115,000 · three factories, three reputations
The wedge — and the VIN tells you which factory built it, which matters more than the year.
Find Triumph TR7 & TR8 parts by category
RelatedTriumph TR6Triumph DolomiteRover P6All Triumph
Not listed? Plenty of parts suit several marques and never get the model name in the title — ask us and we will check the books for you.
About the Triumph TR7 & TR8
The TR7 arrived in 1974 with a 1,998cc slant four out of the Dolomite, 105bhp in European trim and 92 with American emissions gear, and it was a fixed-head coupe only because US rollover legislation looked likely. The drophead came in early 1979 for America and early 1980 for Britain, and it is lighter than the coupe despite being stiffer, thanks to an extra box section behind the seats. Suspension is MacPherson-type struts at the front and a four-link coil-sprung live rear axle, with anti-roll bars at both ends. Front discs, rear drums. The TR8 puts the 3,528cc Rover V8 in the same shell — 133bhp on carburettors, 148 on the 1981 Bosch L-Jetronic injection — and adds upgraded brakes, a 3.08:1 axle, alloy wheels, the battery moved to the boot and the twin-bulge bonnet. Around 2,750 were built and almost all went to North America.
The gearbox change is also an axle change, so it splits more than you would think. The TR7 started on a four-speed; the Rover SD1 five-speed became optional in 1976 and standard for all markets in 1978, and with it came a stronger rear axle at 3.90:1 and larger rear drums. A four-speed TR7 and a five-speed TR7 are different cars for gearbox, propshaft, axle and rear brake parts. One wrinkle: the five-speed was reportedly pulled from the British market in January 1977 because America wanted them all, so a 1977 UK car may well be a four-speed — identify the box rather than dating it. As for the factories, you can read them off the VIN: Speke prefixes start with A, Canley with T, and on the 1979-on eight-character VIN position 8 is the plant, position 4 is the body and position 5 is the engine. Speke cars, 1975 to 1978, are the ones that earned the reputation — strikes, corrosion and wiring looms that set fire to American cars. Canley from 1978 was markedly better and Solihull from 1980 better again.
Triumph TR7 & TR8 — specification & changes within the model
- TR7
- September 1974 – October 1981. US launch January 1975, UK May 1976. Around 112,000 to 115,000 built — sources vary and one contradicts itself, so no false precision.
- TR7 engine
- 1,998cc slant four, eight valves, Dolomite-derived. 105bhp DIN in Europe with twin SUs; 92bhp in North American and Australian trim. 119lb ft at 3500.
- Bodies
- Fixed-head coupe only at launch, because of proposed US rollover rules. Drophead from early 1979 (US) and early 1980 (UK) — and it is lighter than the coupe despite an extra box section behind the seats.
- The five-speed change
- Four-speed at launch. Rover SD1 five-speed optional from 1976, standard all markets 1978. With it came a stronger rear axle at 3.90:1 and larger rear drums. Borg-Warner Model 65 three-speed automatic from the 1976 model year.
- The 1977 wrinkle
- The five-speed was reportedly withdrawn from the UK market in January 1977 because of American demand, returning as standard in 1978. A 1977 UK car may be a four-speed — identify the box.
- Suspension & brakes
- MacPherson-type front struts with lower single links; four-link coil-sprung live rear axle; anti-roll bars front and rear. Front discs, rear drums.
- Reading the VIN
- Speke prefixes start A (ACL, ACG, ACW, ACH, ACN, ACT); Canley prefixes start T (TCG, TCW, TCN, TCT, TCV). On the 1979-on eight-character VIN: position 8 is the plant (T = Canley, A = Solihull), position 4 is the body (E = coupe, D = convertible), position 5 is the engine (J = 2.0 four, V = 3.5 V8), position 7 is the model year. Suffixes: F = five-speed, A = automatic, U = North American, L = LHD non-NA, M = Canadian.
- The three factories
- Speke, Liverpool, 1975–78 — strikes, corrosion, wiring looms causing fires in US cars. Canley, Coventry, 1978–80 — markedly better. Solihull, 1980–81 — better again, too late.
- TR8
- 1978–1981, roughly 2,750 built, sources ranging 2,722 to 2,815. 3,528cc Rover V8 — 133bhp twin Stromberg, 137bhp California injection 1980, 148bhp with Bosch L-Jetronic in 1981. Almost all to North America; about 20 to 35 UK cars.
- TR8 differences
- Five-speed standard, upgraded brakes, 3.08:1 axle, battery in the boot, alloy wheels, twin-bulge bonnet. Axle ratio and brakes do not interchange with a TR7. About 400 coupes exist, mostly pre-production and 1978; after 1979 it is overwhelmingly convertible.
- TR7 Sprint
- 16-valve Dolomite Sprint engine, about 60 prototype and pre-production cars in 1977, chassis prefix ACH. Never a series production car.