With all this talk of strange engine conversions, I thought that I
should drop the scoop on my '76 TR7.
A couple of years ago, I was strolling through the local Pick-Your-Parts
auto wrecker when I noticed a complete TR7 that they had put aside for
sale. I decided that as my '79 TR7 was always needing parts replaced
that a parts car would be a good investment. I asked the guy at the
counter for the key and then went over to have a peek.
I opened the door to see an interior strewn with garbage - junk food
wrappers, papers, and the likes. "What a mess!," I exclaimed to myself.
I then popped the bonnet to see an engine covered with unbundled wires -
some even fried. "What a mess!," I again commented as I closed the bonnet
and started back towards the office to return the key - who would want
such a ratty car? As I walked, something hit me! Not only was that
engine a mess, but something was definitely weird with it. I quickly
turned around and headed back to the car. Popping the bonnet for a
second time, this time looking at the engine for more that 2 seconds.
"What is that big black lump where and engine should be?" was my first
thought . After playing the game of count the spark plugs, I determined
that the thing was in fact an V8 of some sort - definitely odd looking.
I then started the car up and took it for a drive around the lot -
expecting there to be no rear end left in the sucker. The beast from
hell was actually solid! A knocking sound coming from the engine and the
abundance of burnt up wires in the engine compartment scared me though.
I then headed for the office to make a serious inquirey into the car.
The guy informed me that they wanted $895 for the car - FIRM. I
countered that the price was far too high and I wouldn't pay him more
than $500 for this decrepid excuse for a parts car (using inflection and
gesture to its full advantage)! He countered by saying that they had
paid $800 for it and then had the keys stolen by an interested kid. The
locksmith had charged $50 to re-key the car and consequently, they
wouldn't take anything less. At this point I demanded to speak to
someone who would sell it to me cheaper. The guy furnished me with the
phone number of the owner of this wrecker and stated that even he
wouldn't loose money on the car. Having been told that a worker shorted
the engine wires when he took the car to have it washed, I became
suspicious that the car had been sitting there for a couple of months at
least since there was now about an inch of dust on it! "These guys don't
like to hold onto anything for more than a couple of weeks, " I said to
myself and then returned home.
Later that night, I called the owner of the wrecker and told him flat
right off that I would get rid of his car, but only at $500. He
hesitated for a couple of minutes and then said, "o.k. you can have it
for $500, but only if you get it out of my sight right away!"
The next day, I had a friend drive me to the wrecker and I drove the car
straight home. The incredible acceleration and ease at which you could
peel layers of the tyres off SCARED THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS out of me! From
that point on, I was determined that this car must be repaired rather
than fall victim to a slow and painful death as a parts car. After
cleaning the junk out of her, I realized that she was almost completely
intact. In fact, more intact than most of the TR7s I have seen come
across used car dealers. Up on jacks, I realized that the rear end had
been replaced with a heavy Ford model. After a couple of weeks of asking
everyone in sight to identify the type of engine, one keen friend
suggested that it may in fact be a Buick. Further checking with GM lit
revealed it to be a Buick 350 4 bbl of early to mid '70s vintage. The PO
had custom built an exhaust manifold and oil pan for her as well as the
shifter. A brand new duel exhaust system had been custom built too.
After noticing a persistance coolant leak and also experiencing froblems
with it overheating, I took it down to a rad shop. Over the phone the
guy explained that he could custom build me a radiator with a
special core of twice the normal density. When I got to the shop, the
guys jaw dropped as he realized that I already had one of these rads! He
stated that the rad was worth $400 alone and that obviously wasn't the
cause of my overheating. Closer examination revealed that the PO had
poked holes through the fins to use plastic ties to hold on the electric
fans ( has 2) and the resuling stress had put 3 small holes in the rad.
The rad shop repaired the rad and made me a special fitting to fill
the collant at the highest point in the system (a problem before).
I was now able to enjoy the rest of the summer hunting hot cars around
town. I would pull up the the light beside a Vette or something. My car
would rock back and forth at an idle with a beautiful throaty 60 dB
rumble from my duel pipes. The engine made a persistant knocking noise
(I had determined it to be non-life threatening). The drivers of the
other cars would start looking around to see where the noise was coming
from. Finally their eyes would settle on the puney Triumph in the next
lane. They would point their fingers at my baby and laugh! They would
then revv up their engine and laugh some more. The light would turn
green and all of a sudden I am across the intersection and they have
barely even started! Their laughing stopped.
Turning corners at intersection was also a blast. After coming to a stop,
one had to be very careful to not accelerate around corners. Failing to
heed this resulted in the car fishtailing its way into the next lane! I
soon learned that the proper way to turn was to leave the wheels
straight, TAP on the gas lightly as to let the car start rolling
forward, and then coast around the corner. Only once the wheels were
again straight could you safely accelerate. This affect could be used to
astonish onlookers galour as well as the block long tyre peels with
enough smoke to hide a semi-trailer.
Sorry about the long message, but I could go on for hours about my
sleeper TR7 V8. Last year I bought a '71 Buick Lesabre (I think about
280 HP) and have now almost completed the engine swap (the knock started
to get rather prominant). 1 more solid weekend of work and my gal will
be back on the road, ready to terrorize even more unsuspecting teenagers
and their pretty toys.
If any of you guys get a similar opertunity to mine:
TAKE IT!! - It will take 10 years off of your life if it doesn't kill
you first!
See Yah!
Greg.
(gall@gamma.uleth.ca)
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