I have been looking to buy a late model TR7 convertible because I like the look of them and I am a child of the 70's - it would be my first Triumph.
I went to see a red TR7 convertible at a dealer in Nottingham (Cloud 9). I don't know how to attach a link but if you stick Cloud 9 TR7 into Google it comes up with the right web page.
In any event I'd read the buyers guide on here but I didn't really get to perform any of the checks recommended and those I did, I was not really sure what I was looking at.
The car looked very good. It had a broken back to the drivers seat and the newish hood had been torn on a seam (to be fixed by vendor). The car seemed to have been subject to a recent respray which looked good quality and the original wheels looked to have been repainted. Panel gap seemed okay. Feeling along the bottom of the sills it seemed reasonably solid or at least nothing a wire brush and a some good paint wouldn't fix. The arch lips looked less smooth but thick paint covered them. The engine bay looked solid and the car fired from cold okay. The spare wheel well was pretty good. The dealer was keen to show me the headlamps rose in unison. There was a file with a load of receipts in including the orginal bill of sale from Sept 1980.
There was no lift at the dealers so I could not look at the rear bulkhead and trailing arms. I could not examine the inner sills. I could not take the car out for a test drive as it had received some serious detailing by the dealer who seems to be a bit of detailing specialist. The car was also blocked in. I could not determine if there were any engine issues or how it drove.
The sills seemed to stop where the A post was but I cannot tell if this is a lip in the sill as it ducks under the front wing or if this is a join - the paint was very thick. The paint had split at this lip / join and would need remedial repair PDQ to stop moisture getting in.
I liked this car. However, I have 70's Alfa's and I have been bitten before getting a superficially good car that then needed 2k of welding and more importantly I never got to drive it and spent my weekends finding someone fool enough to taken on welding 70's italian metal (you have to be really gentle with the welder on Alfettas).
The previous owner of the TR7 was apparently into the TR club scene in the Midlands and traded it in for an 50's classic.
In the Alfa world the forum regulars know many of the good cars and I imagine the TR world is not much different. Does anyone know this car from club runs and events and can anyone comment on if it is a solid car or not.
[/url]
