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Wedge I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my TR6

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My buddy over in Erath, LA restored his TR8 hardtop and I finally got to put it through it's paces. YIKES! that thing does run. Basically a stock engine, well almost stock, with small Holley 4V and totally custom wiring (the one I talked about that is wired like a '60s muscle car). The TR8 is awesome when it comes to torque. Unbelievable power compared to the TR6 (even highly modified engine such as mine). Don't get me wrong, I really don't hate my TR6, it is just such a throwback to earlier times, shake, rattle, roll, etc.
The TR8 is a totally modern car by comparison. I think it has finally come into its own time. I was impressed....
 
Ah, yes... Another believer!
 
Ahhh it sneaks up on you, the wedge shape, then you hear it and the rumble of that V8, then you sit in it and as you press that pedal the music of the exhaust. I can remember the day I became addicted....
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

My friend Dave let me put his 8 through its paces...then he took my 6 out. Now, I have been somewhat of a candy-butt when it comes to pushing my car. Dave red-lined it. 5700 rpm in second and third. We were doing 90 in third when I suggested we perhaps shut it down. Don't get me wrong, I have been at speed in many a car (165 in my 454 Vette years ago, young and foolish) but I just had visions of my baby exploding. It didn't. Dave has forgotten more about mechanics than I will ever know. I guess I should have trusted him more.
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

I still love my TR6. I used to turn heads in that thing, when it was together.
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

Bill - no one can hate a TR6. Altho' there's one guy here who has made some CRYPTIC comments about his ...

Seriously tho' - the 8 sounds like a great ride. But then so is (was?) a 454 Corvette.

Tom (happy to be shaking, rattling and rolling along in my 3)

"All parts falling off this car are of the finest English quality!"
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

NutmegCT said:
Bill - no one can hate a TR6. Altho' there's one guy here who has made some CRYPTIC comments about his ...

Seriously tho' - the 8 sounds like a great ride. But then so is (was?) a 454 Corvette.

Tom (happy to be shaking, rattling and rolling along in my 3)

"All parts falling off this car are of the finest English quality!"
Click to expand...


Gotcha. After the ride with my friend, I took a spin over to the city to grab a cappuccino (trust me, I am as far from a yuppie as you can get) and got the thumbs up from two different dudes in their 50-60s that noticed my 6 with longing in their eyes.

Now my friend David is on the hunt for a TR250 as his next car. David has 1. TR3 restored (GT6 engine), 2. TR4A/irs (concours), 3. TR6 (a driver), 4. TR8 coupe (resto-mod), 5. Lotus Esprit Turbo (restored), 6. Lotus Europa (restored), 7. Two (2) original Mini's (running, need work), 8. two (2) late-model Jags (in great shape, bought cheap), and various and sundry other British cars stored in his shop. Oh, and he has a used Miata as a errand car.

David found a 250 that has been badly stored (half out in the open, on dirt floor) for 19 years. He actually got the engine running, but the entire frame was rotted beyond salvage. And the owner was stuck on $5K. David offered 1 grand and was turned down. Anyone have a 250 they need to sell?
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

shhhhh...talk like this is going to drive the prices up on the 8's and I'm looking for another one.

Tom
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

As I was working on my 8 (TR7V8) today I was installing my radio and a set of new speakers when teh neighbor came over to "observe" and finally asked me, " why would you ever turn the radio on when you have that V8 to Listen to?". I have to admitt I probably could count on fingers and toes the number of times I have listened to the radio in my FHC in the past 8 years, I just love the exhaust note.
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

I know EXACTLY how you feel Bill. My modified TR6 engine develops slightly more power than my stock TR8 engine. One is stressed with a big cam, lumpy idle and loads the carbs up in too heavy of traffic, the other starts easily, idles without issue in any kind of heat, has gobs of torque (enough to climb mountain passes in the rockies in fourth or fifth gear under 2,000 rpm).

They both sound great, but it it harder to hear the V8 growl in my TR8FHC and it is my daily driver, so it does get some stereo attention. My TR6 however, and the sonourous howl of the modified inline 6 is just way too good to try and cover up or compete with. So that car has no stereo system at all.
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

Ah,

You will never look back. Heading out to small show this afternoon, I will try to post some pics.



Rod
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

swift6 said:
I know EXACTLY how you feel Bill. My modified TR6 engine develops slightly more power than my stock TR8 engine. One is stressed with a big cam, lumpy idle and loads the carbs up in too heavy of traffic, the other starts easily, idles without issue in any kind of heat, has gobs of torque (enough to climb mountain passes in the rockies in fourth or fifth gear under 2,000 rpm).

They both sound great, but it it harder to hear the V8 growl in my TR8FHC and it is my daily driver, so it does get some stereo attention. My TR6 however, and the sonourous howl of the modified inline 6 is just way too good to try and cover up or compete with. So that car has no stereo system at all.
Click to expand...

Your words make pictures.
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

I'm in between Tomshoddy and this TR8 lovefest.
I make absolutely no comparsion between the TR8 and the earlier TRs. Different times with different views of what a sportscar should feel like. Racing TR3's easily ran 165hp. They might have rattled and bounced but they dogged those porsches around the track.
I would probably compare the TR8 more with my modern Accord ex coupe (v6 vs v8)(230 vs 130hp).
The TR8 guys might want to update Wikipedia which places the TR8 at 130hp and a 0 to 60 at 11.5sec....not exactly a "poor man's" cobra stats.
That being said, thank goodness the TR8 arrived to end the TR sporting line.
And yes I think they are undervalued.
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

With just a few mods the potential for the 8 engine is so much greater.------------This subject brings up the love/hate relationship I have with my TR6 (and Im sure for most other classic sports car owners), no matter how much improvement and updating I do to my 6 it never feels more like a modern car. I always think the next upgrade will do it but it doesnt.
After my last set of upgrades on the suspension I thought the handling would be up to par--but it isnt (lack of ackerman steering, but thats another subject). I have often analysed this love/hate thing and I always come up with the same thing-----it is the style of the TR6 that I love the most (the engineering of it is what I hate), the style is what keeps me going with it. I would probably go with a TR8 except for two things--the style doesnt come close to the TR6 especially with the 8s small fender wells and ugly front bumper and the other thing is here in Calif. The TR8 has to be smoged every two years and the the TR6 never. So I guess I will just have to keep loving and hating my 6
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

Allan, if you are looking to make any of our cars into something "modern", you've missed the entire point in owning them.
Basically, they're relics of days gone by, and deserve to be enjoyed for what they are.
Jeff
 
Re: I drove my friend's TR8 today....now I hate my

Bugeye58 said:
Allan, if you are looking to make any of our cars into something "modern", you've missed the entire point in owning them.
Basically, they're relics of days gone by, and deserve to be enjoyed for what they are.
Jeff
Click to expand...

Thats basically kind of what I was saying from my conclusion although I dont think I have missed any points (if there really is one) and when it comes to restoring old cars it is always different strokes for different folks, there are no set points or rules they are only set by the owners own ideas or imagination.
 
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