Description
Very rare, low mileage, late model 5-speed fixed head Triumph TR7 – with low owners and in good original condition.
Unusual and desirable period Phoenix Bronze colour, with matching black full length sunroof and tan check interior.
One of the last TR7s made, with intermittent wipe and taller fifth gear. And at 37. 500 miles it's extremely low mileage, too.
Now registered as a classic vehicle, but it has 12 months MOT with no advisories – not bad for a 43 year old car.
I have owned it for around a decade, during which time I've hardly driven it and it's spent most of its time in dry storage. Selling as I'm too busy to drive it regularly, which is what it needs.
It's in good 'condition 2' – it is by no means mint, but it is clean and presentable with no serious rust issues; the underside is excellent for a car of its age.
Remarkably, the car is (I believe) still largely on its original paint. Much of this is still good but there are some areas where it is getting a little thin or dull, with some peeling on the nosecone. The worst part is a small area of corrosion in the passenger side door skin.
It is absolutely * not* a rot box that's full of holes and patches – not even close. With a little TLC it could be made to look lovely.
The interior is really good – very clean, with original carpets, but there's one small tear in the driver's seat back.
Mechanically it is excellent, with a really strong 2 litre engine that sounds smooth – unlike the usual 'bag of spanners' sound of most ageing TR7s!
The car leaps forward and really wants to go; in no way is the engine tired or wheezy. The gearbox is smooth and crisp, the clutch fine, the suspension works as it should, and the brakes are as all stock TR7 stoppers are – so-so!...
Everything works – including the pop-up headlamps, now upgraded with brighter Philips H4 bulbs, and the sunroof and windows. The car has had regular oil changes with me, plus 4 brand new Nexen tyres to pass the last MOT.
The accelerator cable is a bit stiff, making driving it a little jerky before you get used to it. This is due, I think, to sheer lack of use over the years.
The engine runs very well, with no smoke from the exhaust and no overheating issues. It doesn't seem to lose any fluids, and a new Varta battery has just been fitted. The new owner could enjoy it as a fun daily driver, or bring it back to near as-new condition with a respray and passenger doorskin repair.
TR7s are huge fun to drive, and fixed heads are the better of the two because the body is so much more rigid. That means you can really throw them around and have lots of old-school fun – although they still feel pretty modern compared to, say, an MGB of the same year.
Great colour, best year, super low mileage, really good mechanically and no serious rust. An excellent useable classic from a better, vanished time!
