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Wedge My new toy: 1981 TR-8

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JodyFKerr said:
Apparently I bought the only TR-8 not fitted with air conditioning.
Click to expand...

Nah, mine doesn't have it either. Besides - Oct through April top down it won't matter. Or just drive her between 10 PM and 6 AM during the summer. Or you can use the 3.5 liter to make your own evaporative cooler, dump a bucket of water on your clothes and then fire her up and drive with the top down. Bring extra buckets of water in case you start to get hot again.....

Or, just head for the mountains. The canyon roads near Sedona will be fun!
 
Todd- You got me to do something I keep forgetting to do. Go down and write my VIN # on something to keep in my office. Interesting, Mine is a TCT car registered as an 80.
UCF suffix, which I gather is pretty standard for US models

OH yea, it's a clone car as my sig says
 
Thanks for the Vin decoder! Well, I now know that it's still got the right motor in it! How would I identify if that's one of the Huffaker manifolds?

I've been mostly quiet because I opted to do the "Drive it like you stole it" shakedown test this weekend. So, at this point 1/2 of Phoenix has seen a grinning idiot bombing around in a TR8 with the top down. I figured it was easier to break anything that was going to break during a weekend where the wife can come rescue me instead of having it fail on my way to or from work.

So far here's my issues:
-The radio played through both speakers when I bought it. Now I only get left or right speaker, and it's a random thing when I turn the car on. :smile:
-The alternator died.

It's been a really rough weekend. :smile: :smile:

Deciphering the lucas codes on the alternator tell me it was used in a Jag XJS v-12 of all things. It's a Lucas A133-75. I poked around online and there appear to be two distinctly different types of alternators for the TR8, one that uses spade connectors (non-A/C) and one that has terminals with nuts (A/C). I'm happy to report that this car has the latter!

I'm planning on ordering this replacement from NAPA in the morning as long as noone yells at me not to: https://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail....+50072+2072012#

They have to "special order" it, but it should be here within 48 hours.

Thanks for the help!
Jody
 
Hold on, Check out the Sat. alt upgrade.
Contact Randy he just did it.
 
I think the TCT convertible 7s are the best of the lot. They still have the solid interiors, black dashes, and 140 speedos. Most get double bulge hoods, and 3.45 rear ends. I have a maroon one with solid tan interior that is a really nice looking car. I also have a brown tcw coupe. Don't see many 79 coupes that were built along side the convertibles. This one has the coupe front crossmember and bumper, but uses the convertible grills. Aluminum spacers instead of rubber bumper mounts space the bumper out. The f in ucf stands for five speed. If it were an a, it would be an automatic.
 
My TCT has beautiful Plaid, though, my car is the cross breeding of a 7 and a totaled 8. So who knows what went into it.
 
DNK said:
Hold on, Check out the Sat. alt upgrade.
Contact Randy he just did it.
Click to expand...

Forgive my ignorance, but which Randy? And, I'm not sure I have time to fabricate upgrades which aren't bolt-ins. When I came in from the garage this afternoon humming about the alternator I got one of "those looks" from SWMBO. I think she's afraid that this will be yet another car that I tear apart and not drive. :smile:

Jody
 
It basically is a bolt on
Only thing you might need is a different pig tail that any Auto elec. shop will have

This Randy
9672.jpg


GBRANDY
 
Ahh ok, great!

That's not a big deal, and any farting around would be offset by being able to immediately going to Autozone to pick up the alternator.

OH, in regards to the Intake manifold. I noted it has what appears to be an "H" on the driver's side, and a british leyland logo on the passenger side as part of the casting.

Jody
 
That makes it a Huffaker race manifold I believe. Mike has one, so he'll probably chime in when he sees this thread.
 
Hey Guys,

I recieved the following two books with my vehicle:

TR8, Publication Part No. AKM3971 (copyright 1980)
Triumph TR7 & TR8 Parts Catalogue, Part No. RTC9020B (November 1977)

Any recommendations for anything else I need to add to my library?

Jody
 
CHIME! Yes the TR8 has the Huffaker intake. On the left side on the middle runner just under the flange for the carb it should be the "H" symbol for Huffaker. Now on the other side there will be a round boss which will be that a round boss or be the British Leyland Swirl. Your case it the swirl. The BL swirl is extremely rare becuase they were cast to be an over the parts counter factory performance part. The non-BL intakes were bought from Huffaker. Now an interesting tid bit is that huffaker designed the intake and edelbrock cast them. Those intakes run at least $500.00 used.

The TCT TR7s with the double buldge hoods and 3.45 gears are like Todd said the best of the convertibles. Some had tan check and some just tan.
 
I did the GM/Saturn alternator conversion tonight. Went in without a hitch. :smile:

So, she's back on the road again! I took my first night time drive. It was very fun, though now I need to add adjusting the headlamps to my to do list.

Jody
 
Great stuff, Jody! Many thanks for the tutorial on the alternator swap!

:cheers:
Mickey
 
So I got the title transferred today and attempted to get plates/registered.

I have to go through emissions.

Now I thought this was strange as the previous owner had just recieved his new tags in the post. As it turns out, apparently the city of Black Canyon, Arizona does not require emissions like the city of Phoenix only a few miles away. (Apparently it's decided at a county level).

Lessons learned today:

1) Don't assume the PO had to do emissions, even if he only lives 45 minutes away.

2) Start shopping for land in Black Canyon City.

Jody

p.s. Anyone want to start a betting pool to see how badly I fail emissions first time? :smile:
 
So, I just got back from emissions:

Pollutant - car - standard - outcome
HC - 5.08 - 3.00 - FAIL
CO - 76.25 - 25.00 - FAIL
NOX - 2.43 - 3.50 - PASS


I knew it was running rich... but eesh!

Well, passing 1 out of 3 ain't bad. :smile:
 
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