TR5/TR250 Goodbye TR3ATR250 Hello Got_All_4

[Got_All_4]

For 8 years now I've been known as TR3ATR250 here on BCF and not to create any confusion I'm letting you guys know I've changed my user name which was cleared thru Basil. I'm not a big poster here but thoroughly enjoy the site. Being a Triumph enthusiast most of my life I was very disjointed when British Layland made the announcement in 1981 that the marque was being closed. I made a decision later on to own one of every major body types of the TR roadster line. Well that dream finally came true last fall with the purchase of the last Tr. A 1980 TR7. I now own a 1960 TR3-A. Of course that takes care of the TR-2 Through 3B. My TR250 is a TR4 body and of course Tr4 to Tr250. I have a 1969 TR6 that needs restored and then the 7 which is the same body style as an 8. So it is fitting that my new user name would be Got All 4.
This took a few decades for a host of reasons. Mainly because of the lack of room in my previous property. Only 80'x100' but He who directs our paths put me on this 10 acre property in 05 and I was able to build this new garage to store the toys. My Avatar is not very clear so I included a big pic of the toy box.
Larry

 

[tdskip]

Fantastic. Welcome to the club!

Keep us posted as you work on them.

 

[Silverghost]

Hey, that's very, very cool! Congrats on achieving your dream!! :laugh:

 

[bnw]

I know this will be tough but which one do you like the most?

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Congrats! I did the same sort of. I have 8 keepers. All the TR's except the 7 & 8. Just can't go there, plus XKE, 3000, MGA and TF. Room to keep them all is big issue. I have room at my house for the E, 250 & 3000, the rest stay at the "Farm" with all the other stuff.

Marv

 

[mrv8q]

Larry, you're my new hero. Congrats on the " collection"!

 

[DanB]

Congrats!... All the TR's except the 7 & 8. Just can't go there, ...

Marv

Marv, I kind of felt the same way until I bought my TR7. They are really under appreciated, kind of like Corvairs were in the 60s. Except for being under powered, the TR7 is a sweet car. If it were build with modern quality standards it would be an awesome car. Of course mine is a 1980 model so most of the bugs were worked out by then.

Dan B

 

[trrdster2000]

Larry, you bring a smile to my face from ear to ear. I'm nearing 72 and am looking for the dream land you have. I am so glad for you and will let you know when I get it all together. We gave up on finding what we want, so the right house or the right garage and build the other is now the goal.

Wayne

PS PM me if you need anything for the 6 except body parts. (Scrap thieves got everything but one frame).

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Dan,
I tried a couple of TR7's. One was a Spider. Decent car but too modern like the Toyota's and Honda's. Just not for me. Have thought about a TR8 but still looking for a Morgan +4 or Triumph 2000. But thats why they make chocolate and vanilla plus all the other ice creams, something for everyone.

Marv

 

[Got_All_4]

Congrats!... All the TR's except the 7 & 8. Just can't go there, ...

Marv

Marv, I kind of felt the same way until I bought my TR7. They are really under appreciated, kind of like Corvairs were in the 60s. Except for being under powered, the TR7 is a sweet car. If it were build with modern quality standards it would be an awesome car. Of course mine is a 1980 model so most of the bugs were worked out by then.

Dan B

I decided one day that I was going to be a TR fan. Back in the 70s where I lived the Triumph dealership was within walking distance. Walked and road my bike there with down payment in hand to buy a TR7 many times. Just couldn't pull the trigger. Knew of too many problems with them. My first love was the TR6. I also worked in a gas station across from the dealership and had to fill a lot of LBCs with petrol. They used to line up the TR6s in the front row and I'd start counting my pennies and dimes. (Not for a 409 ether).

The Tr7s are under powered. I like the 5th gear and is a nice cruising car. It's like driving a big spoiler. The faster you go into a curve the better it sticks. My Tr250 is set up for autocrossing and it handles quite well. Some local turns are quite fun in it but the 7 takes them with ease. The Service manager Rick of the Triumph Dealership and I have become friends over the years. He owns one of the last TR8s made. I have driven his car and what a difference in performance. I'd prefer the 8 but didn't have the extra bucks it takes to buy one.

I get a few purest that don't understand why I'd want a wedge. I explain that I'm a TR fan first and yes they are a modern car and I like the fact that they still fit into todays vehicles and are not to mimic the original cars. If Triumph was in business today what would those TR cars look like? Would you shun those too?

I love my TR3. I sense every bump, enjoy the slight oversteer and love feeling those synchronizers meshing. In the winter I set in my recliner and think about driving the TR3. The Tr4 was a step in the next evolution of the TRs. They weren't accepted right off the bat ether and nobody wanted the TR250s then. My 250 is just so fast, sounds great and fun to drive. For years I'd go back and forth as to what to drive. Tr6s were accepted right away and folks love the extra power of the 6 cylinder. Only driven a few over the years but got to be similar to the 250. If I go on a trip I take the 7. If around town it's the 3 or 7.

 

[glemon]

First of all congrats on the collection, nice set of cars. I have never had a TR7, but my older brother bought a '79 convertible new and drove it for several years with very little problem (I think he swappped out the electronic ignition for aftermarket after a couple years). They are just in a whole other world from the early TRs, and MGBs, and Healeys too for that matter.

There are good and bad aspects to that, the good, better ride and handling, wider more comfortable chassis and cockpit, another medium to large guy rides along in my TR250 I fell like we are rubbing shoulders, flying coach (but with better legroom).

The bad--if you like the vintage feel, the ride, steering,noise etc. of the early TRs or other 50s or 60s era LBCs, it is gone, the 7 is decidedly more modern and feels it. The styling too is not at all like traditional LBCs.

Two last bits, the TR7 was a better car for the masses than its predecesors, but in becoming that BL lost the market of British charm and quaint that it had with its prior offerings and was suddenly competing with the Japanese and Germans head to head, and they lost.

Also, the TR7 can be made to go, even without an engine swap, higher compression pistons and a cam will do wonders, we were doing timed quarter miles at a recent club event, fellow members TR7 was doing mid sixteens almost two seconds better than stock, still a docile, streetable motor.

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

Cool, I am one away from the same

Cheers,
Tush

 

[Got_All_4]

glemon

What cam and pistons did you use? If I could just get a little more out of that 2.0 I wouldn't do a swap at all. I was thinking of a Dolomite head but that's getting into more work then I'd like. Too many projects now and they all just got delayed. Stepped on a landscape timber Wed. night and my foot progressively got worse. Today I jumped into the 7 and went to Urgent Care and yep it's broken. They could see my car from the office and were surprised that you drove that with a broken foot! I explained that I own 8 cars and only one was automatic which my wife was driving to our daughters for a couple day stay. See had to turn around for home.
Come to think of it the cams and set up would probably be different for my car. Mine is fuel injected and wouldn't want to lose the PI..