Original engine bay pictures anyone ?

[tr7dan]

I am trying to find some pictures of an original engine bay on a 1980 UK DHC as it would have been when it left the dealers. I would like to see exactly how all the hoses, pipes, cables, clips etc were arranged on a bog standard car.

Being on the verge of retirement I am finally able to start the process of getting my 1981 Midas Gold drophead back on the road and would like to get it back to exactly how it was when I bought it in April of 1982. I was just 27 years old then (I'm 62 now) and I have some pictures that I took that summer on the beach at Ainsdale with my then girlfriend (now my wife) and would really like to go back and replicate the pictures some 35 years later.

The car hasn't been on the road since 1991 but has been stored in a heated dry garage and hasn't deteriorated much but nevertheless there is a huge amount of work to get through to get it back to how it was when I bought it

Can anyone help

Triumph TR7 Convertible 1981 - RJA 154W.JPG (76.18 KiB) Viewed 8443 times

Dan

[stevie_a]

Only thing different in mine is battery in boot and electric fan, otherwise standard

[supercass]

Tr7dan, I'm guessing that your engine bay is approaching original anyway but that you want it exactly as new. Might be easier if you showed us a pic of your engine bay as it is now and forum members can point out what needs to be changed. Lovely engine bay Stevie_a but those hose clips aren't original and your ignition leads appear to be black on my screen but probably would have been green originally. supercass

[FI Spyder]

Green like this, from my 36,000 mile Tumeric yellow TCT still under restoration (in hiatus).

[tr7dan]

Only thing different in mine is battery in boot and electric fan, otherwise standard

Thanks Steve
my coolant tank is on the opposite side to yours, also does the big exhaust to air cleaner pipe just drape across the top of the engine as standard ? Guess it must do as I can't see any other route for it to take.

Tr7dan, I'm guessing that your engine bay is approaching original anyway

Thanks Supercass
well, not at the moment as I've pretty well got everything stripped out of there in prep for some repainting

cheers

Dan

[supercass]

For later models iirc the expansion tank was moved to the opposite side. supercass

[saabfast]

...my coolant tank is on the opposite side to yours, also does the big exhaust to air cleaner pipe just drape across the top of the engine as standard ? Guess it must do as I can't see any other route for it to take.
Dan

The coolant header tank on my '81 is on the opposite (left) side.
The duct from the air inlet to the manifold did just drape across the top with the bracket to hold it in place, pretty ugly really. With a tubular manifold there is nowhere for me to take it to so I do not have it, but then I do not use the car in the winter anyway.

[Steve @ SandS]

The header tank was on the LH side on all cars from 80 onwards. Steve's is on the wrong side.

[FI Spyder]

The header tank started out on the RH side. When they went to FI for the California cars in 1980, that's where the air mass meter went so they had to move it over to the LH side where there was room. They did the same for the Carb'd cars so they were all the same.

[stevie_a]

The header tank was on the LH side on all cars from 80 onwards. Steve's is on the wrong side.

Yeah you are correct

It is because at one time my engine bay looked like this

[REPLIC8]

Hi Dan,
Here are a couple of pictures of my 1981 TR7, it's about as original as you will find.

[tr7dan]

Thanks Replica8

Hells teeth, what a peach !

I think I need look no further

cheers

Dan

[Steve @ SandS]

Thanks Replica8

Hells teeth, what a peach !

I think I need look no further

cheers

Dan

It is indeed and you won't find a more original one than that. Good to see you again the other day as well

[Steve @ SandS]

That would explain it. Never knew yours had been a V8 at some point mate. Not often that a conversion is done going back to 2 litre.

[busheytrader]

Two great looking engine bays. How come the V8's no longer there?

Adam