School... can't fix car

Whelp. Basically i haven't been around to fix my car, i still need a alternator. Just really haven't come around to do it yet. So, ya. New things basically are nothing. I need money, and time. And being a college student just isn't generating either of those. Well, a few more days, i will or should have something done. Hopefully. Later guys.

Forgot to post Fan stuff

Sorry i forgot to post all the fan connection info. I'll have it tomorrow, i was too busy with school to take pictures and what not.

...

Okay ya, my alternator is dead... I found out by driving to school, then the weak roll of the crank just started to slow. My battery is fully out everytime i drive it. So now i must buy a alternator, and change this because school is right around the corner... well tomorrow. Luckily i can get it charged from local shops, thanks to them i can get home and i just can do it all over the next day. So it's the bug for now. And that thing is about to blow because it just needs a oil change. Too much, and i still need to get to school. All in the day of a old school though. I'll keep you guys updated. I haven't found my keys either, so i still need to get a copy of that.

Ah! o'well not a thing. Back and running soon.

About Friday...

Okay, so Friday wasn't the best day for me. As i do every morning i go running with my dad. I rarely bring my keys with me to run, because i have no need since he drives for me. Well, i happen to this morning. And the worst happend... i dropped them. I finished already home, when i actually reached for my keys when i notice. I had nothing but a upset/blank mind. So, i rush back to the lake, a 3-4mile run. Not knowing where to start seeing that access to the lake is pretty open. I had to get a grip and asked officals to keep an eye for them.

So it's night of Sunday. Nothing has come up. I only expect Monday somthing to come up. I have posted fliers and still am waiting.

I will keep you posted for anything that happens.

Nothing current

Well nothing really has gone on, I actually never even drove my car for about a week now. I plan on taking it to get an oil change or if my spin on adaptor for the oil filter comes I will do it myself. But I also have been thinking about getting the interior worked on once again. New seat fabric and floor carpit. The seats really need some restoration, as do the carpit, but then there really is no carpit. Other then that, well I suppose I plan on installing a CD deck and speakers. I am questioning where i want to possition my deck, because then i would have to relocate my fan switch. But its basically all a hazard right now. I have been reading up about maybe a Coil-Over set up, which is taken from a Mazda Miata, for the front. Also possibly adding SPAX adjustable struts. I have heard bad and good about these struts. Bad- they seem to not last, and are more less defective after weeks. Good- They seem to take beatings, and can last over KONI's. This is hard. I currently have KYB's. Some say too hard, but they seem to be perfect, but i guess thats because i never had stock feel, my originals(from the 70's) were worn and just had no "spunk" (just stayed compressed) and would not compress. So KYB replacments seemed a good idea at the time, and if i can move to a adjustable later... I will feel what is what. As for the shocks, CD Deck, and not driving the car for about a week now... that's about it. I plan to have a nice up date when I take it out on the road once again. School time is coming close and it's time to take it up for a little "Spirited Driving"... :) Can't wait.

Alright guys, those who still come to check out updates, sorry for the long wait, but more pictures are coming up. You can catch me on http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com/default.asp. My name is VictoryEditionBlu, other wise known as VEB. Okay everyone thanks for checking out the Blog once again, appreciate it much, and i'll catch you guess maybe next week with a new post. LATER.

Spark Plugs and Bad Wires

Okay, well heres update on my TR7. I basically changed my spark plugs. After 1-2 days of loss of fireing order and constant misfires. I finally got it back to normal, the first day i took out old plugs and changed with new, but then i lost the points, and discoverd that i had purchased Bosch spark plug wires that where just too short? Well i had to return erlier today. But after finding this out, i had to use old ones they don't really need to be replaced its just that i would have changed them if i could have. But the plugs too i decided to change, from bosch platnums, to Champion Copper Tops. But the plugs gave me a bit of a problem that i learned to get it done.

I also plan to do an oil change, i have purchased my oil filter and bought my oil(Castrol GTX 10w40) i still need to purchase the Lucas additive. I plan on Monday to change. But until then everything seems to be in order. I don't plan on anytype of performance change, just maintanance for the time being. And that should be it. I'll drop more pictures later. But until then take a look at my work that i documented(not all pictures) .

Triumph TR7 Turbo at Le Mans-

By James Johnson

The Le Mans TR7 story starts back in 1977 from a redundant Left Hand Drive TR7 that had been used by Janspeed as a development vehicle for British Leyland Motorsport. Jan Odor brought the car from BL, planning to modify it for Modsports racing but by the time the necessary parts had been gathered together, a change in the modsports rules thwarted the project. Instead the car was restyled with racing body panels and fitted with a turbocharged Rover V8 engine. At this time Jan Odor was seriously planning to develop this car into the Group 5 Silouette Class, dominated by the Porsche 935 but progress was slow till the ADA (Anglo-Dutch-American) Engineering helped on the scene. ADA's Ian Harrower and Chris Crawford were seasoned campaigners at Le Mans and keen to race this all British sportscar. Negotiations were entered into and a deal was struck, with Janspeed loaning the car to ADA - who would finance the project - whilst Janspeed carrying on the development of the engine. This Rover 3500 V8 engine had a pair of Rotomaster Turbo-Chargers fitted and Twin 2in SU carburettors, providing well in excess of 500bhp from 3619cc. This engine development programme was an ambitious job, with special attention paid to the interchange cooling and belt driven ancillary oil pump to keep al the vital bits cooled. The suspension was largely unaltered but fitted with Bilstein Dampers and Formula One brakes, covered by 15in Compomotive wheels. (10in wide front & 14in wide back fitted) This TR7 Turbo was entered into the 1980 Le Mans 24 hour race - becoming first Triumph at Le Mans for 19 years and taking over 3 years in development from the purchase from BL Motorsport. ADA had tried to raise necessary sponsorship from the British motor industry, including BL, but the results were pitiful, causing a British Motorsport Tragedy; with this car arriving having undertaken no serious track testing beforehand. The car failed to qualify! Despite being timed at 201mph on the Mulsanne Straight it had previously achieved only 175mph due to drive shaft vibration and other minor problems. Undeterred ADA entered the Triumph TR again in 1981, employing Derek Bell for testing, and entering the car in the Silverstone 6 hour race beforehand. Initially the vehicle ran well - after previous testing comments from Derek Bell that the car, as it stood, was not anything like good enough. Unfortunately the car crashed heavily and with only having one car there was no chance of carrying out effective repair in time for Le Mans race, and so the entry was withdrawn. The final entry, by ADA, was in 1982 but this was withdrawn again - this time due to lack of funds -, which has been the Achilles heel for both Janspeed / ADA. A sad conclusion to the last TR entry at Le Mans. At the end of 1983 the car was purchased by the British Sports Car Centre, in Goldhawk road, West London and then the car was sold abroad. I believe the Car is still in existance.

Jim Johnson is a member of TR Drivers Club and runs the North Wales area group of the Club. If you are in the area the Club holds a monthly meeting at the Red Lion, Northop at 20:30 on the 1st Friday of each month. Please check the Club Site for any changes to the meeting date/time (Articles provided from http://www.triumphtr7.com)

End Of The Line-

The demise of the TR7, in 1981, also saw the end of the British sports car - until the revival of the MG (with the MGF) in the mid 1990's. And so it looks as if the Triumph/MG debate has come full-circle. In the early 1970's many meetings/discussions at British Leyland revolved around whether the 'bullet' would emerge under the badge of MG or that of Triumph. It appeared as a Triumph and MG lived on in the rather sad form of 'performance' Maestro's, Montego's and Metro's!! (Be thankful Triumph only had to endure the Acclaim!).

Leaving aside workforce and quality issues perhaps, instead of poking fun at the 'wedge' and critising British Leyland for not producing a 'true TR', we should congratulate the designers for daring to produce something different. The TR7 was an innovation, it broke from tradition, trod new ground and dared to be different.

Whatever journalists may say the TR7 was not the death nell for mass produced British sportscars, nor was it the catalyst for the demise of our car industry as a whole. Sure the build quality may not have helped things but poor build was something that was endemic throughout the British car industry at the time.! As for the styling if you think the TR7 was bad spare a thought for those driving family cars from British Leyland throughout the 80's!! Who owns the 'Triumph' name now? This was sold to BMW when they acquired Rover, and wasn't part of the deal which took Rover back under British ownership. Rumours have been rife that BMW may use the TR name on a sports range in the future, some have suggested that the Z3 was nearly a TR! For the immediate future though it looks as if the TR name will remain part of motoring history and unlikely to rise in a similar fashion to the motorbike which bares the Triumph name.

(Articles provided from http://www.triumphtr7.com)

A True TR7

As has been well documented by others (please check out our 'Links' and read Tony Jackson's well researched page, for an in-depth history of the model) there were many political and economic factors which had to be taken into consideration, when finalising the design and the powerplant of the TR7. This being the case many compromises had to be made:

1. The under-powered 2.0litre 'slant 4' engine.
2. A 4-speed Gearbox .
3. Using a monocoque shell.
4. And the horror of a fixed-lid!

It was probably the fixed-lid more than anything else which really stuck in the throat of the TR purist; many also saw the drop in top-end speed and poor 0-60mph times - when compared to the TR6 as a backward step. However with any engine much larger than 2.0l likely to hit political problems (not to mention the fuel-crisis) in the USA and the, relatively, unreliable 16v engine used in some TR6's there were not many options open to them without going seriously over budget - which was not a viable option for cash-strapped British Leyland. In hindsight the 'unreliable' 16v unit would not have impaired the image of the TR7 greatly - such was the atrocious build quality of the early, Speke built, models.

Traditionalists and long-time enthusiasts of the TR Marque see the TR6 as the last proper 'TR'. This is chiefly due to the fixed lid of the early TR7 models and the revolutionary look of the new TR. Over time this attitude seems to have relaxed a little - even to the point where a TR6 driver waved to me as I sat behind him in traffic!! Is this because those people now realise that the TR7 has made a valuable contribution to the TR range? Or maybe is it just because it's another Triumph that's still on the road? Indeed the only non-true TR is the TR8!! Had British Leyland followed the naming conventions, used previously by Triumph, this car would have emerged as the TR7a; leaving the TR8 available for another body styling!

The TR7 nowadays still doesn't look all that dated - certainly not its 27 years! Indeed the DHC looks as if it may have rolled off a production line just a couple of years ago, more so if it's been fitted with larger, more attractive alloys. Probably the only thing that marks the car out, as being a product of the 70's, is the rear light clusters and the panel that holds them; the rather small headlamps and the tiny sidelights..... and we'll ovelook the tartan interior!!!

(Articles provided from http://www.triumphtr7.com)

What is The TR7?

The Wedge shape of the TR7 caused much consternation amongst the motoring press when it was first unveiled to the public in late 1974. Even today, over 25 years since its launch, the last of the TR marque is still an object of ridicule for some people - in the UK Jeremy Clarkson (a presenter on the BBC programme 'Top Gear') is one such notoriety who likes to lambast the vehicle. Mr. Clarkson also writes for The Sunday Times (UK), so drop him a line and maybe you'll set him off again!

Looking at the success of the rear engined Fiat X19 and, much later, the Mk1 Toyota MR2, perhaps there was not much wrong with the styling. The pop-up headlamps (which I believe are now banned on new cars, in the EU, for safety reasons) were an eye-catching feature and continued to be almost a 'must have' on sports cars right through to the late 1990's. Pop-ups featured on many mass-market vehicles - plenty of Toyota's (even a Corolla!), Mazda MX5, the Ford Probe and even a Volvo.... obviously 'pop-ups' are now a plague of the Internet - but not on this site!!. The TR7 was one of the first, mass-produced cars to feature a plastic moulded dashboard... well we all know that that idea didn't really catch-on!

(Articles provided from http://www.triumphtr7.com)

Last Picture Post For August 2, 2005

Hey guys, those who are checking my blog.

More Pictures

So here you guys go. Some added pictures-

Picture Another View

Here are some more pictures I have added some artistic flare to them... hah, take a look.

Basic...

basic, basic... we intend to keep it basic for now; the seats have to be changed or re-'done'...

Strut bar update

So, me and my brother temporarily installed the strut bar in th correct way; in temporarily I mean without a gasket or additional washers. The additonal washers or a gasket, if fitted, will push the strut bar close to the edge of the strut tops and also force the nuts to be barely screwed on. We will look for skinnier replacement nuts, but currently everything looks ready to go.

-C@

Follow up

Okay, got gas, washed all nice. And i did a few tests not in the hills... although i think that would be sick and the days not over right, heh. Basically, the strut bar is crazy raw. It is just ridgid, and holds the front together nicely. I got some eyes i guess cause they liked the faded gleeming paint, or the super glossy tires... whatever, its always cool to get that attention driving the TR.

And thats about it. Some background history on car and Triumph's TR series coming soon.