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Here we go then, if anyone doesn't agree with this resto thread Dave can take it off. 
cheers, Paul
Bought the TR7 last year after selling my base RS2000, just wanted something cheap to tinker with and kick about in for a while. The car was bought from an old couple in a nearby village, they had owned the car 28 years and had toured all over UK and Ireland with it. The car is a March 1977 Speke built 4 speed car, for those not in the know the TR7 production shifted build factories three times between 75 and 81. The early Speke cars were said to be the worst built and responsible for much of the TR7's poor reputation, Speke built 4 speed fixed heads are the rarest of the remaining cars, especially if no sunroof, I will probably get grief in some circles for modding this car
Anyway the Dolomite derived two litre engine is certainly no powerhouse and felt like it could go bang at anytime, the gearbox and axle in the 4 speed are a very weak link also, so the whole package has a lot going for it
I toyed with fitting a pinto in or even a cossie but the easiest and possibly cheapest route is to go for Rover 3500 V8 conversion. The TR7 was originally designed to take the V8 from day one and pre-production protypes ran alongside the 2.0's in 1974. There are no bodywork modifications required ,with the exception of deleting the engine bay battery tray and moving it to the boot and changing early bonnet for a late bonnet to clear the carbs.
The Rover V8 is mounted on its own xmember which pics up on the same holes as the original, you need to use the Rover 5 speed gearbox, propshaft and back axle, a few mods to the position of the radiator (again all brackets etc pick up on factory mounts), mod the wiring a bit, exhausts and a few bits of minor detailing.
Sounds simples
...........suppose I'll finf out !!
So I had one last ride out into the Lakes in the car
And set to the next day
Majority of the TR7 known rust traps appear to be really good such as the rear window aperture and the seams of the rear deack panel
Floorpans and cills appear good also ...........so far
Time to put the spit into use again, seen its fair share of action
And start stripping of the underseal prior to media blasting
I also weighed up the most cost effective way of doing the conversion, it is possible to buy all the parts new as a kit, minus engine and suspension, this would come in at about £2500, I decided to buy an already converted car but one with a shagged body, that way I can refurb all the parts as I swap them over to my shell, the car I bought has a full conversion, with nearly new 15" Minilites, big brake conversion and Koni suspension, it runs and drives but the body is ropey, it cost me £975 on the bay
And thats about where we are now, the V8 car is stashed away until the bodyshell on the green one is restored, got two new fron wings to go on, possibly needs a door skin then a full repaint inside and out in original BL Java Green
Cheers, Paul
cheers, Paul
Bought the TR7 last year after selling my base RS2000, just wanted something cheap to tinker with and kick about in for a while. The car was bought from an old couple in a nearby village, they had owned the car 28 years and had toured all over UK and Ireland with it. The car is a March 1977 Speke built 4 speed car, for those not in the know the TR7 production shifted build factories three times between 75 and 81. The early Speke cars were said to be the worst built and responsible for much of the TR7's poor reputation, Speke built 4 speed fixed heads are the rarest of the remaining cars, especially if no sunroof, I will probably get grief in some circles for modding this car
Anyway the Dolomite derived two litre engine is certainly no powerhouse and felt like it could go bang at anytime, the gearbox and axle in the 4 speed are a very weak link also, so the whole package has a lot going for it
I toyed with fitting a pinto in or even a cossie but the easiest and possibly cheapest route is to go for Rover 3500 V8 conversion. The TR7 was originally designed to take the V8 from day one and pre-production protypes ran alongside the 2.0's in 1974. There are no bodywork modifications required ,with the exception of deleting the engine bay battery tray and moving it to the boot and changing early bonnet for a late bonnet to clear the carbs.
The Rover V8 is mounted on its own xmember which pics up on the same holes as the original, you need to use the Rover 5 speed gearbox, propshaft and back axle, a few mods to the position of the radiator (again all brackets etc pick up on factory mounts), mod the wiring a bit, exhausts and a few bits of minor detailing.
Sounds simples
...........suppose I'll finf out !!So I had one last ride out into the Lakes in the car
And set to the next day
Majority of the TR7 known rust traps appear to be really good such as the rear window aperture and the seams of the rear deack panel
Floorpans and cills appear good also ...........so far
Time to put the spit into use again, seen its fair share of action
And start stripping of the underseal prior to media blasting
I also weighed up the most cost effective way of doing the conversion, it is possible to buy all the parts new as a kit, minus engine and suspension, this would come in at about £2500, I decided to buy an already converted car but one with a shagged body, that way I can refurb all the parts as I swap them over to my shell, the car I bought has a full conversion, with nearly new 15" Minilites, big brake conversion and Koni suspension, it runs and drives but the body is ropey, it cost me £975 on the bay
And thats about where we are now, the V8 car is stashed away until the bodyshell on the green one is restored, got two new fron wings to go on, possibly needs a door skin then a full repaint inside and out in original BL Java Green
Cheers, Paul
to be F**ked by kittens
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