1980 Triumph

TR8 Convertible

8 - Cyl.

Manual

TPVDV8AT213249

Gasoline

This is my second listing. It got close to my reserve but I think the car is worth what I'm asking for it. Plus, exciting news: some local folks have shown some interest, which is great. So I will have to announce at the start that I reserve the right to sell it locally and void the ebay sale. That said, here's the car... again. So this weekend I drove my TR8 down to New York from Martha's Vineyard. I'd been keeping it in the garage there for several reasons. One is I had another TR8 in my garage in NY. Another is that it's a fun car to have up there. A third is keeping a car with 25,000 in a garage in a more moderate climate is probably a smart thing to do. But it was time to take it on the road. I'm selling it and, let's face facts, New York has more potential customers than Martha's Vineyard. Even for a TR8. The car drove wonderfully. I got somewhere north of 20 MPG and sailed along at anywhere from 65 to 85 MPH all the way. These are, I was reminded, great cars. This one, particularly. The voltmeter (always a curious data point on a British car) stayed rock solid right in the middle. The temperature gauge likewise. I was tempted to put the top down but the wind and road noise at 75 is a lot to take for three or four hours so I just left the vents open and was comfortable all the way home. The seats are firm, the interior is fresh... It tracks straight, doesn't wander... It's a great car. I bought this one from a guy near Boston who bought it from the original owner, who'd had it in Ohio for most of it's life and did less than 2,000 miles per year on it. So the car is in very nice shape. No rust, no dents, no wear and tear. And as far as I can tell, all original. Well, not all original. It has Panasport wheels and the obligatory Holley carb switchover. But, good news for you crazy people, there's a box with all the hoses and pieces and junk to bring it right back to original. Why? I dunno. But some people like it that way. Not for me to judge. But really, why you'd want to take a reasonable and powerful carb off and put those Stromberg constrictors back on is well beyond me. I do not have the original wheels but they're easily available and you could sell the Panasports and all in all it would cost you nothing. Me? Again, I like it with the Panasports. The paint. It's the only downside. It has what I've seen on several of these cars, which is a crazing and checking and cracking on the hood and front valence. Photos indicate the problem. It's not a big deal to me. And to be fair, the whole car could use a serious compounding and waxing at least, maybe some buffing beyond that, maybe even a respray all over. The car, after all, is 32 years old. So a respray is well within order. My friend Paul has a similar car in the same color with the same problem. He had it done, not too much money, and it looks great. This will, too. Except his has more miles and this one, as mentioned, is fresh. There's a radio/CD player. CDs were all the rage in the 1990s, and this car predates them. So I have the old radio, too. It's magical. You reinstall it and crazy people ranting about Washington disappear. Of course, that means an awful lot of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty which is fine if that's your thing. People always wonder... why are you selling it. It's my 5th or 6th TR8. And I'm moving on. Simplifying. Becoming a Buddhist. An automotive Buddhist, anyway. Selling both TR8s and two or three boats and focusing on... something else. So here's a great car at a fair price. It's the car the Brits should have made, and to my thinking, should still be making. A solid, dependable English sports car. Slap the top down and go. To me it was the most value for the least money with the least trouble. That's why I kept going back to them. One more thing, as I'm thinking about it. The car has AC. This is important. You want that. It's cool. No, really. It's cool. And otherwise it's hot. You can get the vents from the TR7s that you can install in the foot wells, which, I'll tell you, I'd do anyway, but when it's 92 in the shade it's nice to have some cold air blowing. Also, the fuel gauge stopped working a few months ago. I'm not sure I'll get it working before you buy it, so just know that when you get the car it will seem like it has a full tank of gas. You'll think I'm the greatest. And it might. Or not. These cars some day will go up in value. If an MG is valuable now, and it's half the car this is, then, eventually these will rise. They've stayed at about the same price range for as long as I've been buying them. I remember seeing one in the showroom in 1980 that was $14,000 marked down to $11. These days they're $7,500 to $10. A little more if they're exceptional. The one I've still got was $11. It's a little monster. The policeman who stopped me the other day noted I was at 58 when he lost sight of me. He then suggested I take it on the highway when exhilaration met acceleration. No ticket, though. In a 30 MPH zone. Nice guy. You might find yourself similarly challenged even with this one. They're quick. Fun. Reliable. Solid. And a non-depreciating asset. You'll love this one.