tr7triumph.com

Hello everyone, fan TR7 / 8
I would like to know the history of the TR7 V8 and TR8 le mans le mans by turbo.
Many say that they never took the car starting circuit of Le Mans!

So what is it happening?

TR8 V8 3,5L
3 tr7 DHC 2.0 L
http://www.tr7.fr

The TR8 Turbo Le Mans Car did make it to the race & even did the practise but due to rule bending was put on the reserve list & did not race in 1980.
In 1981 it was entered again but crashed on a race at Silverstone & couldn't be repaired.

The full story can be read in an excellant book 'Triumph TR7 -The Untold Story ' by David Knowles where there is a 6 page chapter on the event with pictures of the car etc plus all the rest of the TR7, TR8, TR7 V8, TR7 Sprint & American TR7/8 Racing History.
( can be found on E-Bay http://cgi.ebay.fr/TRIUMPH-TR7-The-Unto ... 1c2da77a68 )

Some more reading in [url="http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9200"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">this thread</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
<b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="3"><font color="red">My full Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size3"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

Hi,

I had the pleasure of going testing with Bert, the present owner of the Le Man car at Silverstone a couple of years ago. Mr turner was also present and we had a great day, still got all the data sheets somewhere that was my job to collect. We were hoping to race it or at least demo it eventualy at classic Le Man, we hit a brick wall with the french organisers [V], just like originally happened back in the day [:(!]. An awesome car that had loads of potential and proud to have been involed and even got to sit in her [8D] A few pictures I took on the day, amazes me how many web sites these have turned up on!!!




















Cheers John


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1976 Speke FHC Beauty

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

Great day out at Silverstone, John.
We saw the timing sign read 168 mph at the end of the straight.

www.triumphtrs.co.uk
THE Coca Cola car
The C+C Conversions rally car
TR7 Sprint
TR7V8 rally car

Hi Chris,

One of the best TR day's ever not to mention a priverlidge and that speed was even more impressive considering the very wet condition's we had [8D] Bert is one hell of a driver, not to mention a alround good bloke.

Berts 'office' -







Cheers John


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1976 Speke FHC Beauty

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by john 215</i>

We were hoping to race it or at least demo it eventualy at classic Le Man, we hit a brick wall with the french organisers [V], just like originally happened back in the day [:(!].
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

What was the brick wall? I had read some where that they could only get 149 mph at Le Mans which turned out to be a drive line imbalance and by the time they got it corrected and getting 201 mph on the Mulsanne straight it was too late to qualify. Was it because it never started the race?


- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

Hi,

The french offical's didnt like the car running as never actually raced in the race itself, a certain gent went head to head with these guys and done his hardest to get a chance ( he has been involed with the car since the start back in the late 70's and know's everthing about the car )
Also poss didnt help the fact a previous owner a few years ago who was allowed to do a demo lap under instruction to behave himself, hit the Mulsanne at 190+ mph over taking GT 40's etc going a lot slower and honking at them at the same time, cant see the problem myself [:p], but the french did [:0] and told him to leave and never darken there doors again !! These guy's have when it suits them long memories !!

The propshaft 'back in the day' was bent and so far out of balance that apperently the vibration's could be seen as a spectator on the side of the track !! Required the car to be driven one handed holding it gear the vibration were so horrific, not bad 201 mph one handed eh [:0] A replacement was being made but was not ready in time for the race. There was also that fact the french ( ACO organiser's ) made a last minute rule change so that the TR was bumped to the reserve list in favor of you guessed it a french car [:(!] So as you can see they have always had it in for the car one way or another !!

Cheers john


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1976 Speke FHC Beauty

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

I have the Lemans TR7V8 on my car show sign some what modified now showing Tony Pond's car and Bob Tullius's Group 44 car.







- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

Hi,

We were running sensible size tyre's for the condition's -





If you look at the dash in the car you will hole's etc, this was left this way as all part of the history of the car and agree personaly in keeping it this way, would be great to see her again some day but to run a car like this in any kind of race series and there one or two possabilties at the time, there is a huge cost in cash and time [:(]

If i remenber correctly the car was very very fast in a straight line but cornering needed work, and that costs especially with a race car like this where lots of parts are one off and custom built.

Cheers John


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1976 Speke FHC Beauty

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

Hello, Thanks for your information, I hoped a glimmer of hope!
It is the real organizer of mans classic veuxlent do not, plus tr7 in France is poorly known and poorly appreciate.
So I try to do my best to one day change his mind ness.
Regards

TR8 V8 3,5L
3 tr7 DHC 2.0 L
http://www.tr7.fr

Not to mention back in the day - the sabotage from British Leyland itself preventing the team getting enough financial / political support to race. Ask Alec Pringle about his story and the noble efforts TR Register at the time who tried to raise funds to help the cause by selling merchandise like T-shirts (my dad still has one) and touting for donations. If anyone ever gets a chance to have a beer with Alec and ask him about the Le Mans car you'll be in for a fascinating (if opinionated) evening! [:)]

<b>Red 4.0 Litre V8 DHC Grinnall (with huuuuuge arches...!)</b>

Hi,

All very true Wayne, and dont forget Alec owns the Le Mams sister car or is it Dianes, be great to see that thundering around Malvern one year, dont think the auto solo would be the best place for it though !! Before Alec owned it i use to watch it race in the Rover V8 Drag Racing Assoiation series, when Phil Evans owned the car at the time running twin tubo's too [8D]


Cheers John


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1976 Speke FHC Beauty

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

Alec lives just up the road from me, when Roy & I went there a couple of months back to look at some spares we saw the drag car, which belongs to his wife Diane. Apparently it was built up from the spare set of body panels from the Le Mans car, obviously enough it bears a striking resemblance to the race car. It is painted yellow, the best colour of course[:D]

That car was at the Register Malvern meeting back in 2006, Alec took it into the ring, it was the same year as Bert Smeets was there with JJO931W. At one point both those cars were in the ring together, quite a sight to see.

Alec told us that he had been considering taking it to Malvern again this year, but there were some, ahem, Risk Assessment & Health & Safety issues from the event organisers. Something to do with spectators wearing ear defenders when it was started[:D] So whether it will ever grace a show again remains to be seen.



Tony

<font size="1">1981 TR7 FHC Cavalry Blue
1980 TR7V8 DHC Jaguar Regency Red - sadly sold!
1977 TR8 FHC EFI Factory development car Inca Yellow</font id="size1">

I was the first person to have a ride in the passenger seat of the drag car. Frighteningly fast and the locked axle made it difficult around corners.

www.triumphtrs.co.uk
THE Coca Cola car
The C+C Conversions rally car
TR7 Sprint
TR7V8 rally car