# Would you pay $38,000 for a well-restored 1977 Triumph TR7? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [May 7, 2024, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863 "2024-05-07T00:09:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/1 "2024-05-07T00:09:19Z")
I wouldn’t, but somebody did. > **[Lot 236 - 1977 TRIUMPH TR7](https://www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-236---1977-triumph-tr7/?lot=13117)** > > Lot 236 - 1977 TRIUMPH TR7 ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 1:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/2 "2024-05-07T01:57:44Z")
No! 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 5:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/3 "2024-05-07T05:19:36Z")
I don’t want anything from 1977. Do you remember how bad the early smog control engines were ---
**Author:** ![wolyrobb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wolyrobb/32/45497_2.png) [@wolyrobb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wolyrobb)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 6:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/4 "2024-05-07T06:27:36Z")
Appeared several times on a BBC sitcom called the detectorists, sold by the creator and producer who bought the car for production and only put it up for sale when the show didn’t get another series. Estimates were more like $5,000 US but the show still has a following in the UK. ![detectorists_Tr7](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/4/f49cac7fbd8287024bb8254bd8bc6b4bd36ffb26.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 10:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/5 "2024-05-07T10:30:07Z")
It’s like how one of the Torinos from Starsky and Hutch could go for way over market. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 12:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/6 "2024-05-07T12:32:37Z")
It should be FAR more presentable, imo That torn up seat is absolutely inexcusable for that kind of money ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 12:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/7 "2024-05-07T12:37:28Z")
I checked [Hemmings.com](http://Hemmings.com). The most expensive asking price is $17,900 for one with fewer miles and excellent condition. IMO there is also a premium for cars in their home market. Still, that price is way out of line in any circumstances. OTOH, I probably would pay a premium for the Lotus 7 that Patrick McGoohan drove in The Prisoner. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/8 "2024-05-07T13:33:46Z")
The major problem with those vehicles was RUST. A lot of RUST. ---
**Author:** ![Beancounter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/59ef9b/32.png) [@Beancounter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beancounter)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 2:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/9 "2024-05-07T14:06:17Z")
Possibly the worst Triumph ever made. Compared to the 1977 Nissan 280Z it was grossly underpowered, built at the height of British Leyland poor craftmanship and lack of money, and just plain ugly with those big rubber bumpers and even lacking the traditional rag top, it was a loser from the day it was born. Promoted as “The Wedge” it was quickly nicknamed “The Doorstop”. 😭 and because so few were sold, let alone kept, today specific parts are pretty difficult to find. Looks like the buyer paid $30,000 for the autographs and $8,000 for the car. BTW In an effort to salvage a disaster, in 1980 Triumph introduced the TR8 with a V8 engine and much more attractive ragtop but with a price about 20% more than a 280Z only about 2,750 were sold. But even with these improvements and very low production, today an average TR8 is still only going for about $10,000 ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/10 "2024-05-07T14:30:48Z")
Yeah, the only really ‘desirable’ one is the TR8 ragtop. But I do have another nomination for a Triumph failure: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/9/d97d248b6fd30446cb16d4caf430997ba88913d0.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 2:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/11 "2024-05-07T14:38:15Z")
Yes, the Triumph Stag was a failure, but–back in the day–I thought that they were nice looking. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/12 "2024-05-07T14:42:07Z")
The biggest failure with the Stag was the brand new V8 that turned out to be a disaster. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/13 "2024-05-07T14:57:37Z")
The Rover V8 was too tall and Triumph decided the time to redesign the TR8 to accommodate the Rover engine was prohibitive. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/14 "2024-05-07T15:08:22Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > The Rover V8 was too tall and Triumph decided the time to redesign the TR8 to accommodate the Rover engine was prohibitive. You mean Stag, not TR8, right? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/15 "2024-05-07T15:12:38Z")
The Rover V8 fits perfectly in the Stag. It is very rare to find a Stag with its original engine… most have been replaced with the Rover (Buick) V8. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 3:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/16 "2024-05-07T15:15:15Z")
Yeah, the use of the ‘Triumph’ V8 in the Stag had more to do with wanting to keep it in house and other in-house politics, not that the Rover V8 wouldn’t have fit. But the TR8 always and only had the Rover V8. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 4:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/17 "2024-05-07T16:29:23Z")
Yes, the Stag. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/18 "2024-05-07T21:51:42Z")
I used to see a few TR7’s on the road 30 years ago in this area, but haven’t seen any lately. The folks who owned them seemed to like them. IIRC it didn’t weigh much, and with its 100 HP engine, 0-60 mph in a little more than 9 seconds. 100 HP, 9-10seconds to 60 mph, definitely would keep up w/average modern traffic. Unsafe though, compared to modern vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 10:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/19 "2024-05-07T22:46:29Z")
As someone who owns a Triumph, I’ll say that the only way I’d pay anywhere close to $38k for a TR7 would be if were a low mileage example with the Dolomite Sprint 16 valve engine (which we didn’t get in the US). It would have to be pristine, with receipts for everything and it would have to have about $10k in cash in the trunk…er boot. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863/20 "2024-05-07T22:57:17Z")
> [@FoDaddy](#): > > $38k for a TR7 The higher than expected price must be related to that particular car’s TV sit-com (Detectorists) heritage. BTW, _Detectorists_ is a pretty good hobby-related sitcom, chuckle-inducing & entertaining. If you have to have a way to watch UK programming. I watched it on DVD. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/would-you-pay-38-000-for-a-well-restored-1977-triumph-tr7/194863.md?page=2)