1980 Triumph TR7 V8

All of which is a long-winded way of telling you that while this TR8 might not be a genuine factory model it is a genuine Grinnall and given the state of industrial relations in the Great Britain in the seventies, that’s probably a plus.

It began life in 1980 as a silver TR7 and the paperwork on file shows the conversion was almost certainly carried out in 1988. The Grinnall was acquired in 1985 and the same chap kept it until October 2022, when the man who’d looked after it for years - it had been at his premises for four years by then - bought it. 

He sold it through us shortly thereafter and the new owner wasted no time in having it recommissioned and MoT’d, fulfilling a lifelong dream to own one. It now finds itself back for sale because he finds himself in the familiar position of having too many cars and not enough space to keep them.

Given the light patination, it is conceivable that the red paintwork dates to the change of colour in the late ‘80s. That’s not to damn with faint praise because it looks good from a distance even if closer inspection reveals a few flaws.

The painted bumpers and wider wheelarches mark this as a Grinnall-converted car and lift the TR7’s familiar lines still further and for those unfamiliar with the minutiae of the TR7’s specification, V8 badges remove all doubt.

The panel fit is very good, with consistent shutlines, good alignment, and an overall air of well-being. This impression is further fostered by good badges, lamp lenses, and window glass.

The hood is still recent, so fits well and is free of any rips, tears, or other damage. It also opens and closes as it should and seals so tightly that it offers nigh-on coupé-levels of weatherproofing. The plastic windows are clear and undamaged too, and a tonneau cover tidies the hood up nicely when the roof is lowered.

A set of multi-spoke, 15-inch ‘Ally Cat’ alloy wheels are fitted. These are in a decent condition and because the manufacturer was listed as a supplier on the Grinnall price list you see in the history file, they may be the ones fitted as part of the car’s conversion from a TR7 to a TR8. 

Matching 225/50R15 Falken tyres are fitted but they are old and could do with being replaced. That said, experience shows that matching high-quality tyres like this are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

As for flaws, given the condition of the rest of the TR8 we can see the new owner will probably want to treat it to a respray at some point as there are a few blisters and rust bubbles here and there as well as the usual scuffs and scratches every car collects over the years. There’s also a shallow dent in the offside rear wing. 

The black leather interior shares the coachwork’s patination and if you don’t mind your classic car demonstrating its history then it still looks comfortable enough to be used as it is for a while yet.

However, the leather seat facings are cracked and worn, so we can see the new owner might like to add refurbishing them to the list of jobs to do. The shape of the seats is still reasonable though, and we are constantly surprised by how much a good car trimmer can achieve with relatively little in the way of new materials.

The rest of the cockpit is very far from being in a poor condition and there’s lots of good news inn there to celebrate. 

Like the black leather Mota-Lita steering wheel, which is not only in great shape but also perfectly suits the car’s new sporting nature. Better still, there’s an invoice on file from Grinnall for fitting a steering wheel in July 1988, so this might be an ‘official’ aftermarket replacement.

The door cards are decent too, and look like they need only minimal fettling to bring them back to a good standard.

The top of the dashboard is free of cracks and other sun damage, and lifting the carpets shows solid floors underneath.

There’s a period Panasonic radio cassette player in the dashboard and this plays through period Panasonic 0672 speakers in the doors. 

A rollover hoop has been fitted but we are unsure whether this is cosmetic or functional. It is a bit rusty now though and removing it and restoring it would lift the cabin while removing any doubt as to its structural integrity.

Speaking of which, the boot looks solid but there is some loose rust in there, so a diligent owner would want to clear that out and check for any hidden corrosion.

The driver’s mat has worn through where their heel sits, and there is some untidy wiring under the dashboard that begs to be more neatly stowed.

As for the rest, a deep clean would reveal what other work, if any, is required.

As you can see, the Rover V8 engine fires into life with alacrity – and as you can hear, the fan belt is squealing. 

That’s okay though because sorting that out would be easy and it is the only problem we can hear; the rest of the ambient noise is nothing more than a gentle whuffle from under the bonnet and an addictively hard-edged exhaust note from the other end. 

I also revs beautifully and makes all the right noises and none of the wrong. We know this engine well, and this seems to be up there with the best of them.

Lifting the bonnet reveals a K&N air filter and a set of tubular exhaust manifolds on the V8 engine; Grinnall has, therefore, nailed the whole statement-of-intent thing.

As for the underside, the good news is that no MoT tester has ever had cause to mention structural rot or corrosion. The bad news is that the underseal is flaking away in places and there is some surface rust, so you’ll need to dig out your wire brush and a pot of fresh underseal if you want to keep it that way. 

There is also some overspray on the exhaust pipe, which suggests some repairs have been made to the nearside rear wing at some point.

The TR7’s MoT certificate is valid until January 2025, and while you will need to replace the offside front track rod end and sort the exhaust hanger, these were the only two items mentioned as advisories, which is impressive.

The online MoT record extends back to 2007 when the car had covered 19,993 miles. It’s now showing 26,107, which suggests the past 17 years haven’t been unduly onerous.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the change in colour. The TR8 comes with two sets of keys, the factory handbooks and wallet including the stamped Passport to Service, which records the following early maintenance:

• 21.04.1980 and 1,126 miles – service 
• 30.07.1980 and 3,326 miles – service 
• 23.10.1980 and 6,500 miles – service
• 28.05.1981 and 10,200 miles – service
• 09.09.1981 and 13,400 miles – service
• 26.07.1982 and 17,055 miles – service
• 01.07.1983 and 18,500 miles – service
• 10.01.1984 and 20,500 miles – service
• Unknown and 24,000-mile service by Julians of Reading Ltd
• Unknown and 27,000-mile service by Julians of Reading Ltd
• Unknown and 30,000-mile service by Julians of Reading Ltd
• 17.03.1986 and 32,500 miles – service by Julians of Reading Ltd
• 08.10.1986 and 3642 (sic) miles – service by Julians of Reading Ltd

This impressive list shows two things. The first is how frequent servicing was in those days. The second is the diligence with which it was carried out; no car could have asked for a better start in life, although the owner could, perhaps, have asked for more fastidious record-keeping by the garages concerned…

The history file also contains further invoices for more recent servicing, photos of the transformation from TR7 to TR8, handwritten notes on the car, and literature on Grinnall, including a letter from the firm itself dated 10th April 1987 following the then owner’s enquiries into having the conversion carried out.

The invoices for the work are in the file too, further confirming the provenance of this impressive vehicle. Interestingly, the cost of £8,270 for the work equates to more than £22,000 now, which further confirms the quality of the engineering that went into the work. 

An invoice dated three months post-conversion for an oil and filter change offer further reassurance that this has been a much-loved car over the years.

NB: The private registration number ‘JFJ 1V’ will stay with the TR8.

A TR7 is a lovely thing in and of itself, and the factory TR8 raises the bar still further.

The problem is that not only are the works V8 cars rare but the early ones are also poorly documented, which can make it hard to establish their provenance and authenticity.

There are no such fears here because the Grinnall paperwork is supported by photo evidence, which should reassure potential bidders that they are bidding on The Real Thing.

It might also be *whispers* a better bet than the factory cars, too. No, it’s not as rare but it might well be better engineered and screwed together…

Best of all, perhaps, is our guide price of between £7,000 and £10,000 – and even that is trumped by the fact the seller is happy to offer it with no reserve, so it’s going to sell no matter what.

Happy days indeed, eh?

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.