Just one upgrade?

dycecooper · Postby **dycecooper** » 24 Mar 2011 07:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mildred

The only small change worth doing is to lock the purists in the trunk until the smell gets too bad. Then start up the chipper.

Abner, nephew of Mildred Hargis
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Fantastic!! made me chuckle.

John Clancy · Postby **John Clancy** » 24 Mar 2011 08:48

I had electronic ignition for a few years but in that time it caused three breakdowns so it went back to points and condenser. I actually have the car running better with points than it ever did with electronic ignition owing to being able to fine tune the dwell angle for maximum performance. I don't ever intend to risk electronic ignition again.

As for the 4 speed transmission, it clunks and whines a bit, particularly around 60mph but you just can't beat the performance it gives the car compared to the 5 speed. I think the extra weight of the five speed box and rear axle is one reason but also the gear ratios of the 4 speed are better and more akin to the works rally cars. But if I could slap an overdrive on the TR7 4 speed box (not the related Dolomite box) then I would just for motorway driving.

<center>[url="http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/sales/codenamebullet.asp"]Buy the story of the Triumph TR7/8 on DVD here[/url]</center>

TR Tony · Postby **TR Tony** » 24 Mar 2011 09:25

Unlucky with the leccy ignition I think John - I have Lumenition on both cars & it has been trouble free (7 years in the case of the 2 litre car). Mind you if it did go wrong I wouldn't know where to start to fix it!

The point about 15" wheels is interesting. A few years ago I spoke to Neil Revington (Revington TR) about upgraded bushes, shocks & springs. He was most insistant that anyone doing this should go to 14" or preferably 15" wheels to improve the ride quality. But then that would be more than "Just one upgrade"[:)]

Tony

1981 2L FHC Cavalry Blue
1980 3.5L V8 DHC Jaguar Regency Red - sadly sold!
1977 TR8 FHC EFI Factory development car Inca Yellow

Steve @ SandS · Postby **Steve @ SandS** » 24 Mar 2011 12:07

I'm with John on the electronic ignition.On a car for myself I would stick to points(bet that shocked everyone [:D]) With points you can always do some kind of tweek to get you home should a problem occur.

As for the question the one thing I would change on a TR7 would be the brakes.Let's be honest the std ones are crap [:D]

Steve @ S&S Preparations

HowardB · Postby **HowardB** » 24 Mar 2011 14:07

I am going to give a totally different suggestion to everyone else - and yes before you ask I do already have poly bushes, uprated brakes, electronic ignition, MGF wheels etc etc.

My best and cheapest upgrade was to replace the standard door mirrors with convex versions. It makes driving a whole lot safer as the visibility is seriously increased and is a five min job to do.

whitenviro · Postby **whitenviro** » 24 Mar 2011 17:45

I've been called all kinds of things before, but never a purist. Should I be insulted? This car is not a trailer queen; I consider it a semi-daily driver. Every nice day - I've tried to keep it out of the snow and rain.

I'm glad to see someone finally suggest brakes; those are pretty high on my list of weak systems. But since they were redone the day before I bought the car, I'll probably wait until they need it again before upgrading.

I'll check out electronic ignitions and go from there!

[/img]
1980 Pageant Blue DHC with removable hardtop.

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 24 Mar 2011 19:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve @ SandS

... With points you can always do some kind of tweek to get you home should a problem occur ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That's why I always carry a full set to rebuilt the dizzy to points in the cars [;)]
Agree though that if everything is in good condition points work just as well as the electronic kits.
Biggest problem I found with points was that I had to adjust them quite often (approx. every 2000 to 3000 miles).
Now I only point the stobe light at the pulley ones a year just to make sure the timing is still correct.

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 24 Mar 2011 19:34

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve @ SandS

...the brakes.Let's be honest the std ones are crap ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I don't rate that as an update but as a necessity for every TR7 [:D]

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Last TR · Postby **Last TR** » 24 Mar 2011 20:34

As my car already has electronic ignition and poly bushes, the upgrade I most dream about is AC for summer cruising in the Lower 48 states.

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

bottomtop · Postby **bottomtop** » 24 Mar 2011 20:35

I would agree convex mirrors would be a very worth upgrade - but I just can't seem to find convex glass to fit the original mirrors.

john 215 · Postby **john 215** » 24 Mar 2011 20:59

Hi,

4.6 Rover V8 [:p] [8D]

Or

Brakes for sure even on a standard car they are borderline

Cheers John

LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!
1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

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

Hasbeen · Postby **Hasbeen** » 24 Mar 2011 23:37

I can understand people who rally, or otherwise compete would need stronger anti fade in their brakes, but you must drive harder than me, if you find the brakes not up to the job, on the road, in normal use.

I totally rebuilt mine 9 years ago, & with quality pads, have proved quite adequate for road use. I did have them gently smoking once, at the bottom of a long steep decent, but I was blowing off a bloke who annoyed me, & they had not faded noticeably.

They stop the car almost as well as the 8s full house 4 wheel disc setup, although I'm sure they would not do it for as long before fade set in.

Nothing wrong with upgrading the brakes of an ordinary 7, but working at their best, the stock ones should be OK.

Hasbeen

Workshop Help · Postby **Workshop Help** » 24 Mar 2011 23:45

It is worth mentioning if your car is a U.S. federal model, it came with an electronic ignition. After all these years it probaly has been replaced with either an Allison/Crane/?, or the Pertronix system. Points & condensors are not likely to be seen on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

For that matter, without actually performing a Coors-de-elegance(?) survey, it is quite likely more than a few items have been changed over the miles and years.

Mildred Hargis

whitenviro · Postby **whitenviro** » 25 Mar 2011 03:56

Mildred:
Lots of things have been replaced on this car; but with factory replacements. The usual story of "the car was owned by a little old lady who only drove it on Sundays" except this lady was also a helicopter pilot who was fanatical about maintenance. I think she used the same approach as if it were her copter; like her life depended on it! She kept it up and kept great records until the late 1990s. When she stopped driving she gave it to her son, who didn't want it. He parked it and every couple years pulled it out,spent a bunch of money on it and drove it for a few weeks. He only put 1500 miles on it in the last 10 years. Finally he poured one last pile of cash into it to get a battery, do the trans and brakes, purge the gas and fluids, etc. then couldn't sell it for anything near what he put into it. It was filthy when I got it and I'm still shaking out some of the bugs from sitting, but its been a fun little car.

[/img]
1980 Pageant Blue DHC with removable hardtop.

Workshop Help · Postby **Workshop Help** » 25 Mar 2011 12:02

Aahh, yes. For those not familiar with the expression, 'Coors-de-elegance', this is strictly translated as a beer in one hand and pizza in the other while ogling some item of interest. Be it a car, airplane, motorcycle, member of the opposite gender, the sky, a fish, it doesn't matter. What does matter is the amount of refreshment still in ones hands.

Mildred Hargis

Anonymous

Just one upgrade?

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