Wedge Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

[Got_All_4]

Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

Had a dry spell for a month on 7s or 8s. One I stumbled across in a repair shop which was a nice find a 1980 TR7 with only 29k on it. Original paint and interior with just minor defects. One big problem is after the carbs were de-gunked and new diaphragms installed the car over heats within a mile of driving. I did point out to the technician the anti freeze coolant that looked like it had cyclized on top of the block. Possible head gasket problems looming from the past. He thinks the car is not worth fixing if it's only worth 2k max if running. Ownr does not know what he wants for it.

The 2nd is a 1981 PI with 101k on it. It however started out it's life in California and can here in Ohio with it's original owner 20+ years ago. Solid car has been repainted with a good job. Some rust bubbles showing up. A pile of receipts 2" high. One of which is a complete engine rebuild. Shaved head, cam bearings line boarded, crank reground etc. Replaced trany with used one. Owner said they are tired of throwing $ at it. It recently stopped running and they suspect the fuel pump. I squirted some spray start into the intake and it ran for 30 seconds. I also noticed some fresh oil on top of the block after running. Didn't look there before running ether. Interior was completely redone except the carpet. Has AC and is feature I want but not working. They were asking 3k as a starting point but tried to convince them that they were way high. They wanted an offer from me but I told them that I need advice and was considering the other car more. They kept pressing me for a value and the only thing I could come up with is if running and everything worked (AC too) that may be to the right person the low 2k range.

Checking on head prices was my first priority. The first one probably not ever being shaved is ok to rebuild and R&R. Just wonder how many $ I'm getting into.

The 2nd one would probably need a new head if it's been shaved once and don't know if there is a difference between a PI and carb heads. There is got to be more hens teeth out there then PI heads if ther is a difference. Then there is also the cost factor with the this one too. The fuel pump can't be easy / cheep to replace ether.

Want do you guys think?

 

[justin_mercier]

Re: Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

Sounds like you need to drive out I90 to mass and buy my wedge from me =) I'm trying to find a good home that will appreciate it =P *points to the forsale section* Love the car, but I need the garage space finishing up my TR6 restoration, and my 'pleasure driving' days are so few, that when the TR6 is done, the TR7 will just sit in my garage or storage, and it deserves better than that >_< Needs zero work other than an AC recharge, or conversion to R134a (I was going to find R12 to recharge it, but summer's almost over and dont know if I'm going to bother now)

Fuel pumps aren't bad on a TR7... but I suspect that the 81 PI had a different pump than the standard carburated models.

The heads are the same on all TR7 engines, it's the intake manifolds that differ.

Once you open up one of these engines, be prepared for a lot of $$ though. I was told that if you need to have the head machined, get new gaskets, valve seats, etc you're looking at 1500$ or so, and it can go up from there.

 

[Dale]

Re: Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

I bought my 81 TR7 at a salvage auction for $700.00. I have about $5000.00 in it now and it is in fine shape mechanically, but the body is real bad. The Bosch FI on the 81's is a good system. The Strombergs are "metered fuel leaks" by comparison. I have a pair of Strombergs on my J-H which are nearly identical to the ones used on the earlier 7's. I have 50,000 miles on the rebuilt engine in my 7 and it shows no signs of letting me down. The 7 is not prone to overheating for no reason. Mine was problematic until I replaced the head gasket and followed the head bolt tightening ritual, which I hadn't done after the rebuild. The electric fuel pump for the FI is readily available and not expensive, as are all the bits for the FI. There are relays and nerf switches in the system that can be a headache when they get old, but they are not difficult to diagnose, if one takes a little time to get aquainted with the system. I concur that the heads between the carb and FI heads are the same. The only difference is the FI head has the exhaust recirc holes plugged with allen head screws. The engine can be rebuilt, excepting the crankshaft, while the engine remains in place. I had to pull the engine in mine as the crank was shot. If I had replaced the crank and rod bearings when they needed to be I could have saved the crank. As it was, I replaced them in my driveway from underneath the car and they lasted until I backed out of the drive. Sounds like, if the prices were right, you might get both cars and put the engine from the 8i in the 80. Thank you for your indulgence and good luck. BTW the fuel pump on the FI is external under and behind the fuel tank and easily accessed.

 

[Got_All_4]

Re: Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

Justin
Thanks and your car looks great however I'm looking for a convertable. Unless it's a TR8 with working AC.

 

[Got_All_4]

Re: Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

1981

 

[Got_All_4]

Re: Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

81 interior. No pics of the 1980.

 

[philman]

Re: Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

I would purchase the one with the body in the best condition. Then I would consider dropping a roverv8 instead of rebuilding the four banger.

I purchased my '81 TR7 10 years ago with less than 20K on the clock for $3500, running in perfect condition, the previous owner having spent $1500 to put it in running order. I don't think that the price on an '81 will have gone up that much in 10 years.

 

[Got_All_4]

Re: Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

The 1980 is a show winner. Completely original. Still has the paper tags on a string hanging from the engine parts. However that one may be going away. Owner does not know what to do with it.
So I have a problem for the 81. First of all I don't think the engine needs rebuilt. maybe just the head. But I would like to find a AC compressor for it and get it working. Looked all around here for one with no luck. Going to but a separate post for that question.

 

[justin_mercier]

Re: Looked at 2 wedges last week "TR7s"

TR7s used a standard york compressor that was used in a lot of cars. Finding one isn't hard at all. The mounting brackets are the harder part.