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Wedge TR8 motor rebuild budget - I'm losing it.

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tdskip

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Hi guys - I'm thinking hard about a 1981 TR8 that is local to me here in SoCal.

No history on the car, but when I went to do a compression test I realize the seller stored the car for 11 months with the plugs removed. When she did turnover cylinder #8 coughed up about a 1/4 cup of rusty liquid. I took that as a bad sign - LOL.

Engine oil in the pan looked OK, but clearly something fairly catastrophic happened here.

Assuming I can disassembled the motor, but pay someone else for machining and re-assemble what do you think a real-world rebuild budget would be?

The "I'm losing it" part of the post is that I've completely fallen for the car despite not having any room or near term time to actually work on her. But hey, what are practical concerns next to a TR8...
 
LOL - if I keep this up I'll need to make room in the garage so I have a place to sleep after my wife kicks me out of the house...
 
There is always the back seat of the SD1... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
Tom,

There's a beautiful TR8 in Huntington Beach.

https://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/5/8/88860258.htm

Lots of TR8s listed on this site.

This is how I found my car. While I paid a ton for my car, I'm still into this car for far less money than any other of my Triumphs. Now that my suspension is done I'm finding the car to be about the most enjoyable car I've ever driven. I'd say it even drives nearly as well as the 2005 M3 I used to own (and for about $40,000 less.) So I guess my point is buy the best car you can afford because it seems to be cheaper in the long run. This was advice I finally listened to!
 
Thanks for the listing Larry.

Going this way is a smarter and more fiscally prudent approach - no two ways around it.

But it lacks the thrill of getting one back on the road. Come to find out I get most of my enjoyment on getting them running and driving again, not on making them "perfect".

I'm constantly looking for cars that just need a break, or some love...

Thanks for injecting some sense into my weakened brain!
 
"Come to find out I get most of my enjoyment on getting them
running and driving again, not on making them "perfect"."

You sound like you could really use a dose of Crypt Car
reality. Hop a flight over to San Juan and do battle with
the always on blocks Crypty. See if you can get the Beast
running and driving again !!!

d
 
Tinster said:
Hop a flight over to San Juan and do battle with
the always on blocks Crypty. See if you can get the Beast
running and driving again !!!

d
Click to expand...

Have passport. Will travel. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
I still think a car version of a barn raising would be a ton of fun.

Hard for me to jet off right now with two little ones, but in the future sign me up!
 
tdskip said:
Hi guys - I'm thinking hard about a 1981 TR8 that is local to me here in SoCal.

No history on the car, but when I went to do a compression test I realize the seller stored the car for 11 months with the plugs removed. When she did turnover cylinder #8 coughed up about a 1/4 cup of rusty liquid. I took that as a bad sign - LOL.

Engine oil in the pan looked OK, but clearly something fairly catastrophic happened here.

Assuming I can disassembled the motor, but pay someone else for machining and re-assemble what do you think a real-world rebuild budget would be?

The "I'm losing it" part of the post is that I've completely fallen for the car despite not having any room or near term time to actually work on her. But hey, what are practical concerns next to a TR8...
Click to expand...

It may just be that #8 got a little water in it and it has some surrface rust on th cylinder.

I have the same problem on my TR2. I would be driving it right now but the cylinder was pitted pretty bad and needs to be replaced.

If I were you I'd bolt the pan back on and get it fired. Run it down the road and get some miles on it. It may run just fine.

I know that this might not be the "correct" thing to do but at least you'll KNOW if any serious damage has been done after it runs. It may just be OK but you wont know if you don't try. And, even if you aren't happy with it and want to repair the engine it will still be a "runner" and be able to be moved about rather than having another non-running project car.
 
4aKen said:
Your collection covers the entire TR range now, doesn't it?
Click to expand...

Um (embarrassed), I'm missing a TR3 and TR250 and both of those are so out of price reach that I'm safe! For now anyway....
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]

If I were you I'd bolt the pan back on and get it fired. Run it down the road and get some miles on it. It may run just fine.

[/QUOTE]

Wow - really? She wasn't very happy turning over. Very labored and sounded like some, um, grinding was happening. We stopped at that point.

Engine oil looked totally normal however. No signs of water or coolant at all. Even after turning over no emulsification at all.

I guess is she needs a rebuilt there wouldn't be much harm.
 
tdskip said:
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]

If I were you I'd bolt the pan back on and get it fired. Run it down the road and get some miles on it. It may run just fine.
Click to expand...

Wow - really? She wasn't very happy turning over. Very labored and sounded like some, um, grinding was happening. We stopped at that point.

Engine oil looked totally normal however. No signs of water or coolant at all. Even after turning over no emulsification at all.

I guess is she needs a rebuilt there wouldn't be much harm. [/QUOTE]

It probably has some rust in the cylinder. Like you said, if it needs a rebuild it probably wouldn't hurt anything.
 
Good for you if you can bring that puppy back to life and from what you described it doesn't sound too bad, but who knows until you get into the guts of the thing. These engines are remarkably resilient.

FWIW, I got a quote to rebuild my engine by a rebuilder for around $1500, parts and labor. This was in Wisconsin 4 years ago so you can adjust for SoCal today. I ended up picking up a rebuilt Buick 215 shortblock on ebay for $800 and just transferred all the other stuff over from the Rover. With $245 worth of head work and a gasket kit I have less than $1200 into it and I still have the original block with matching numbers if somebody's anal enough to care.

Tom
 
Hi Tom - I think I'll need to quadruple that quote for SoCal!

Sounds like you have done an <u>excellent</u> job of managing your costs.
 
Hey, they don't call me Cheapsnake for nothing.

Tom
 
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