Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) TR7

I was never really a big BL fan but my fading memory of the time was they started with the dolly sprint motor needed I think 100 had to be built for Homoligation they built a lot less . BL was in a bit of a pickle at the time they then abandoned the project and went v8. In the intervening years many standard Tr7's were converted to v8's with the club boys and quite a few really good recreations. Em

Grumpy, 7's are very underrated and was the best selling TR ever, rust is the main problem hence not many survived, the FHC is particularly rare so buy the best rust free example you can afford or buy a MIG welder and enrol for evening welding classes. Spares availability is good and the car is years ahead of an MGB.

Having spent years building MGBs and Minis I well versed in the sparking arts! However it’s something I avoid if possible these days. 😉

https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...B492488E8598AA5E2A24B49248&FORM=VIRE

https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...07E1431A4F823AC3DD5D07E143&FORM=VIRE

This brought back some fond memories ,I think I'm going to have a look around for a DHC, they are now Historic (over 40 years old) tax and MOT exempt and also ULEZ exempt and cheaper classic car insurance.

Hi John

I had no involvement with the 'other' Sprints, just the aborted Press Launch cars. I had been a technician at the Midland Service Center when I was offered a job at the Product Training School in Allesley near Coventry, only issue was I had to wait for a headcount slot which was said to be about 2 months but turned into 9. Union rules back then said as the training job was a 'Staff' position I could not go back as an 'Hourly Paid' worker so they had to find me something else to do that was Staff graded. They asked if i would like to try out for a test driver at Jaguar Experimental...would I !!!!!!! After completing my initial, and terrifying assessment with Norman Dewis (never saw him again which might say something ;-)) I was off to MIRA for training and certification. A few months of emission compliance driving up and down the A5 all night, thundering round and round the high speed at MIRA and breaking Allegros on the Pave and I get the nod that the slot at training is opening up. The last job was the press release TR7 Sprints, just a case of post PDI sign off really, bit of a road test and pop them into the shed. The fact the press launch was cancelled was nothing new as it happened all the time, management would change their mind like their socks and what was planned became vapor ware! Press cars were always a little different as they had a few none standard things to make them a little better like extra sound proofing, things like that. These were definitely all white cars, all manual and were actually rather nice. Mann Eggs were a rival to PJ's in Brum and not surprised if they took a batch, PJ's were more Austin/Morris and Jag with a RR service department in Essex Street, Mann Eggs were more Triumph than us.

Interesting times when Birmingham had a network of BL dealerships, PJ's had 27 midlands sites at its peak!

All the best
Colin

Hi Colin,

Thanks for that background. I worked for BEWAC Ltd. HO based in Edgbaston which was originally the official importer of BL and other UK products into British East and West Africa and a sister company to Mann Egerton which was part of the Inchcape Group. BEWAC had a small network of UK dealerships in the late 70's , including BL, Jaguar, Audi, Vauxhall, VW, Peugeot and Lotus, which was eventually subsumed into the Mann Egerton division. So I had access to all sort of demonstrator vehicles from Rover SDI to Lotus Esprit and Eclat, needless to say I preferred the German demonstrators as they were far more reliable. I remember having a top of the range Rover 3500 I think it was a Vitesse, only downside it had been in Rover/BL open field storage awaiting delivery for a few years and was pulled out of the mud submerged nearly upto its back axle ( which was not uncommon)....needless to say great car when it didn't break down and of course it had problems with its rear axle and brakes and corrosion. After I had it a few months, it was sold onto a punter as a used demonstrator.....I then got a long storage Dolomite 1850 which boiled it;s battery and the resultant fumes put me in hospital, .after that I had only VW/AUDI demonstrators.

People don't always appreciate how long some of the BL products sat in open storage fields, which did not do much for their longevity and reliability and therefore they became subject to massive warranty claims by the dealerships to put them right.

Another ex BL employee here!
8 years, mainly in Land Rover export sales, during the 1980s.
I remember a meeting, where the then MD, told us the average annual 1st year UK warranty cost for a Range Rover.


I had a great job for most of those years, but what a shambolic company.
The rest of my career was with Suzuki GB.
Not such a glamorous job, but a wonderful company to work for.

Bud
4/4 - Stanley

I bought a TR7 convertible earlier this year from a chap who had owned it for 40 yrs .
Rust free and all original .I’ve spent the last few months doing a few tweaks and I’m rather enjoying it .
It was one of the last and registered in 1982.

Well I nearly got to see it today. But I didn't!

This is about 120 miles from me cross country (Chesterfield) and Ive tried to get there twice but just can't find the 6 hours necessary for a round trip. then if I bought it I'd have to go again to collect it or have it delivered. But it looks and sounds like exactly what I'm looking for and a decent price too.

You could ask Peter (above) MR11MOG to have a look, he's close to the land of crooked spire