1981 Triumph TR8

Convertible Convertible

8 - Cyl.

Manual

SATPZ4580BA406313

Gasoline

For this particular offer, you are considering purchase of classic 1981 Triumph TR8 convertible - one for which I have personally enjoyed custodial benefits since 1987 after my having purchased same from the original owners. Indeed, the TR8 is the last of its kind and one of the very last production models to come from the Triumph Motor Company. I am also of the mind that it is of particular import to any prospective buyer to know that this is what I would consider to be a relatively unmolested original car. While it is true that she does benefit from “new” paint (...in the exacting original color) which was completed back in the early 1990’s (...although you would be hard pressed to think that the paint job was not more recent given a paucity of blemishes or rock chips), this automobile is otherwise “absolutely stock” right down the to the actual tires (...I purchased a brand new set of factory wheels and sourced all but one of last remaining NOS original English made G800 S70 tires in Goodyear’s U.S. inventory when I first acquired this car, and that combination which can be seen in the photographs associated with this listing might have 1000 miles on them at most). Moreover, in addition to the vehicle itself, I include for consideration within the scope of this eBay listing a substantial collection of NOS TR8 specific parts including several pieces which would normally be deemed “unobtainable” at this point in time. BACKGROUND For benefit of the uninitiated, the short lived TR8 was the swansong sports car from the much heralded (...pun definitely intended) Triumph Motor Company. It was manufactured in limited numbers first as a pre-production coupe with automatic transmission from 1978 to 1980 and ultimately in convertible form having a five speed manual gearbox from late 1979 through October of 1981 when production ceased altogether. At the risk of gross oversimplification, the TR8 is basically a limited edition, factory engineered, eight cylinder, high performance version of the tepid TR7 - one which was powered by a throaty 3.5 liter aluminum alloy V8 engine derived from the early 1960’s Buick 215 cid V8 power plant. Production numbers for the TR8 constitute an aggregate of roughly 2750 cars of all variation distributed world wide with only 352 of those being genuine 1981 models - all of which were fuel injected convertibles such as the one seen here (...and credible estimates which I have read speculate that perhaps as few as only 100 or less of those true 1981 examples still exist in roadworthy condition some thirty years later). I had already decided to purchase a Triumph TR8 by the time the inaugural 1980 models were first made available for sale to the general public in the Fall of calendar year 1979. However, I did opt to heed the counsel of Rod Fleener, long time parts manager at Monte Shelton BMC and a personal friend of our family, and stayed my hand in anticipation of buying a 1981 edition which was slated to have yet more horsepower courtesy of it being fitted with a computer controlled Bosch L-jetronic fuel injection system instead of the stodgy Zenith Stromberg carburetors used on all previous editions. This proved to be a truly fortuitous delay on my part, because by the end of 1980 I was in the process of going through divorce proceedings that saw me divesting myself of all manner of "toys" in order to cash my soon to be ex-wife out of both our house and other investments. It was not until 1987 when I happened to run across a classified advertisement in the Seattle Times offering for sale a genuine 1981 Triumph TR8 having exceedingly low mileage that I finally managed to acquire one of these rare vehicles. Since that point in time, the car being offered for sale here has been purely an indulgence for me - one of a small (...and hopefully soon to be yet smaller) fleet of automobiles I have always had at my disposal. Absent the need to be pressed into daily service, I have instead preferred to take her out only on nice sunny days. But after having sold my Seattle based business just over a decade ago to retire to the “frozen flatlands” of South Dakota, I now find myself back out on the “left coast” attending to familial duties that put me in the position of too many responsibilities for too few relatives leaving too little time to enjoy such automotive pursuits. Rather than have this fine vehicle remain banished to a garage stall in a remotely located house only to basically languish covered and unused, it is with a rather heavy heart that I now offer her up to someone else so that they may provide her with a proper place of keeping and the regular affections that she so rightly deserves. ADVERTISING / SALES FORMAT To be quite honest, this has been the singularly most difficult auction listing I have yet attempted to write - somewhat akin to penning a "for sale" placard to be hung around the neck of one's own spouse. My first draft spanned numerous pages and covered every minute aspect of this car in excruciating detail - its condition, its strong points, its weak spots, its history, etc., etc., etc. But upon re-reading my ponderous prose, I came to realize that NOBODY was going to read through it all because it was simply way too much information. So, I ultimately came to the conclusion that I was going to do this somewhat differently and hope that it all works out. Therefore, let it be known that I would be more than happy to tell you ABSOLUTELY ANY AND EVERYTHING I know about this fine vehicle should you be willing to take the initiative to give me a call at (605) 212-0629. On the rare occasion that I am otherwise unable to answer my cell phone, you are welcome to leave a message (...assuming that it is civil in its tone) and I will call back promptly. Other than that, I am only going to provide herein the most basic of information likely necessary for one to reasonably determine whether it would be worth their time to give me a call. OVERVIEW As I explained earlier, I have known this car for quite some time and, therefore, I would consider myself to be in a good position to relate any of its history that one might care to know. No, it has never been in an accident, although it did once have the misfortune of a convertible hardtop for a 1969 E-Type Jaguar roadster accidentally drop onto the front bumper and valance just fore of its bonnet back in 1990 (...enough said about that embarrassing incident). Consequently, said bumper and valance were promptly replaced with brand new BL factory parts and sheet metal and I took the opportunity to have the entire car repainted in its original shade of white. During my tenure of ownership, I have kept this vehicle properly garaged and at all times protected from the elements, which is to say that it has never been driven in nor even exposed to any form of inclement weather. In fact, I confess that throughout that very same period of time I have not so much as ONCE erected the convertible top (...I could never understand why one would seek to motor about in a convertible with its top up unless weather conditions precluded same, and inasmuch as I never drove this car at such times, that was never an issue for me). As a result, I make no claim as to the condition of the convertible top itself - maybe it remains in perfect condition, but I rather doubt it. And as long as I own this automobile, I have absolutely no intention of putting the top up to “check it out”. Any interested party who finds themselves in proximity of the PDX metroplex is welcome to make arrangements with me to view this vehicle in person. If you are serious about the prospect of purchase, we can even take her out for a leisurely spin along the local highways and byways. BUT REMEMBER THIS … if weather conditions are anything less than ideal, your “up close and personal” examination may include firing her up, but she will NOT leave the safe confines of the garage (...absolutely no exceptions unless you see fit to buy her first, in which case she will be yours to do with as you please - and I will quietly cringe inside while averting my eyes and biting my tongue). While not a great deal of mileage has been accumulated on this car, I have always taken care to perform regular and periodic maintenance, and as such, I believe her to be in excellent mechanical condition and without issue other than three items I believe worthy of mention to any prospective buyer in the spirit of full disclosure. First of all, this car has what I would consider to be a mildly “weak” third gear syncro. Indeed, you can shift in and out of third gear without issue … UNLESS … you are trying to speed shift your way through something along the lines of a slalom course, in which case you will clip that gear unless your sense of timing is absolutely impeccable. Inasmuch as normal driving conditions have never proven problematic in this regard, I have not had the inclination to yank the transmission and replace said syncromesh ring in and of itself. That said, I would not hesitate to put it on my “to do” list whenever one next needs to replace a clutch disk, pressure plate, or throw-out bearing. Secondly, about two years ago I had a problem whereby what was determined to be mild corrosion at the bottom of the fuel tank made its way past the fuel filter and got sucked up into the fuel injectors thereby clogging same and rendering the car nearly inoperable. After a thorough flush and clean (...including removal and ever so careful inspection of each individual injector nozzle), as well as re-coating the inner lining of the fuel tank, the car is back to peak performance. BUT … if I were to ever run across part number RKC-5178 (...TR8 petrol tank for a late model fuel injected car - i.e. VERY RARE to find as it is quite different from those found on common carbureted cars), I would not hesitate to purchase it and replace outright the original but merely “repaired” unit. And finally, while all of the mechanicals for the air conditioning system are present and accounted for (...and I even have a few spare bits for same), the coolant itself has evaporated and the whole system will need to be pressure tested and then re-charged in order to work properly once again. As I mentioned in the preamble to this lengthy dissertation, I will include within the auspicious of this eBay auction listing a tranche of spare parts apropos this vehicle. Said spares include, but are not limited to, the following: TRF upper suspension link bush kit (HP160) NEW TRF lower suspension link bush kit (HP159) NEW ITM rear brake shoes (21-10245) Remanufactured JRT rear transmission mount (2-8089) NOS) Quniton Hazell clutch pressure plate (Q10022) NOS Quinton Hazell clutch friction disk (C886S) NOS Quinton Hazell clutch release bearing (CCT54) NOS Beck / Arnley clutch alignment tool (066-8020) NOS Lucas / TRW clutch master cylinder (GI64066614) NOS Lucas / TRW clutch slave cylinder (GI74966013) NOS AR Unipart ignition wire set (S350 KO) NOS ITM distributor cap (4505-02-34000) NOS Quinton Hazell drive belt (QBB 875) NOS Quinton Hazell drive belt (QBB 8307) NOS AR Unipart drive belt (GFB 20768) NOS AR Unipart lower radiator hose (GRH-628) NOS AR Unipart upper radiator hose (GRH 601) NOS GKN drive belt (141-0679) NOS JRT windshield washer reservoir (?????) NOS AC Delco air filter (PC-348) quantity 2 NOS JRT fuse box panel cover (YKC 3325) NOS JRT hand brake lever assembly (?????) NOS JRT speedometer cable (C030391) NOS Smiths 140 mph speedometer gauge (5365/00) NOS JRT sun visor retainer clip (624201) quantity 2 NOS JRT instrument panel dust shield (?????) NOS JRT day / night rear view mirror head assembly (TP-RT 632091) NOS JRT center console retaining plate (ZKC 722PA) NOS JRT center console forward trim cover (XKC 541 LG) NOS JRT glove box door (WKC 271 LG) NOS JRT seat cushion cover fabric - right and left - Blue (XKC 3734 JJ) NOS JRT rubber seal for door molding (right and left - BF901/92) NOS JRT clutch and brake pedal pads (150881) quantity 2 NOS JRT rubber floor mats (?????) NOS TRF sisal floor mats (?????) NEW JRT exterior door handle sealing washer (CZK 8356) quantity 2 NOS JRT trunk finishing mat (XKC 3736 PA) NOS Triumph TR8 owners manual (original) quantity 1 Used / quantity 1 NOS Triumph TR8 repair operation manual supplement (AKM 3971/A) NOS Triumph TR8 sales poster (RFP1983 - Motor Trend 06/1980) NOS Triumph TR8 sales brochure (original) NOS ...plus yet much, much more in the way of NOS small bits such as NIP knobs, fasteners, screws, nuts, bolts, gaskets, and otherwise unmarked rubber molding / trim pieces lacking proper part numbers but which I can explain where they ought properly fit in the grand scheme of things. My own opinion is that this would make the perfect vehicle for someone who wants a somewhat rare and collectible vintage ride to take out on nice days for the sheer enjoyment of driving - with enough spare parts thrown in to cover a bit of regular and cosmetic maintenance for quite some time. No, she is not quite a show car (...of this I know something, inasmuch as I have campaigned several honest to goodness show cars and have multiple awards from the likes of JCNA, Forest Grove, and Pebble Beach in acknowledgment of my humble efforts), but she is still quite capable of turning more than a few heads while cruising down the boulevard or drawing loving looks from fellow enthusiasts (...and even the occasional award at less stringent display venues). The good news to my way of thinking is that someone can enjoy her just the way she is … OR … should they have an abiding desire to do so, tinker around with subtle improvements and/or reconditioning as they see fit on a time-table of their own choosing so as to transition her into a highly competitive dedicated show car. INTEGRITY I strongly encourage you to review my eBay feedback profile to confirm the fact that I am a seller of integrity who expects nothing less than the same from those with whom I conduct business. In addition to the eBay id under which this auction is being managed, I currently maintain several other active eBay userids which have a substantial aggregate history of transactions numbering into the thousands as both a buyer and seller without ever having received so much as a single neutral or negative feedback. Should you wish to confirm this record for yourself, please inquire and I would be happy to provide you with further detailed information. GUARANTEE While I sincerely believe the “Buy-It-Now” price for this listing to be more than reasonable in consideration of just what is being offered for sale, I also understand that the amount of monies involved is not entirely inconsequential. And I truly want the new owner to feel absolutely delighted with this classic carriage and its cache of parts. To that end, I am willing to offer a conditional money back guarantee, the terms of which are as follows: Upon actually seeing this vehicle in person and checking it all out for themselves, if the buyer is unhappy with their purchasing decision FOR WHATEVER REASON, they are welcome to simply walk away from this deal wherein I will even refund all but $250 of their deposit monies. Obviously, I do not want someone to waste either their time or mine, so PLEASE ask any and all questions that you may have in advance so that you might make the most informed purchasing decision possible. But I also want everyone to know right here and now that I DO NOT wish to see this car to end up with someone who is anything less than absolutely thrilled about the prospect of being her proud new owner. BIDDING RESTRICTIONS If you currently have an eBay feedback rating under that of 5, or if you have received any form of negative feedback on eBay within the last six months, I ask that you please contact me BEFORE invoking the “Buy-It-Now” or tendering an offer. I reserve the right to block and/or cancel bids from anyone falling into the aforementioned category unless said person has been authorized by myself in advance. Now, I am a very reasonable person and I certainly realize that there are perfectly good people out there in eBay-land who have had the misfortune of running afoul of either the buyer or seller from hell. If this has happened to you, I feel your pain – but let us talk first. PAYMENT / PICK UP / DELIVERY While I certainly would appreciate decisive action once this auction has successfully been completed, I also understand that the new owner is not likely to be in a position to show up on my doorstep the very next day so as to collect this automobile. Indeed, I am able to accommodate her continued storage for a while until proper arrangements can be made. All I ask is that I be kept apprised as to the schedule of events leading up to her ultimate departure to a new home. And if your intention is to have the car delivered via alternate transport, once again I simply ask that I be kept informed as to the schedule of events so that I might better oversee the shipping process on this end. PLEASE NOTE: While the tires mounted onto the wheels of this car have precious few miles of use, they are still some thirty years old. To that end, I might suggest exercising due caution before one goes about driving this car at high speed or power drifting through a long sweeping corner (...i.e. I would not bet my own life on them under duress even though they appear to be in cosmetically perfect state.) The winning bidder will need to provide a $1000 initial down payment within 48 hours of the conclusion of this auction. Complete payment of the remaining balance due should be provided within 14 days of auction close unless other arrangements have specifically been made with me in advance. I will gladly accept U.S. funds in the form of either a cashier’s or certified check, money order, PayPal balance transfer (…only with respect to the initial down payment), or a major credit card processed through PayPal (…once again, only for purposes of making a down payment), bank wire transfer, physical Gold or Silver (...subject to professional assay at your expense), or good old American greenbacks. Personal checks which are drawn upon a U.S. bank will be accepted only on the condition and understanding that this car will not move anywhere outside of my own domain until your funds clear my bank. Should you have any further questions, you may contact me via e-mail or by using the telephone number provided above. If you take exception to any of the conditions or guidelines set forth within this listing, I ask that you please do us both a favor and simply forgo purchase. Otherwise, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for your interest and to wish you the best should you decide to pursue matters further. Copyright © 2011 R. S. Broderick. All rights reserved. The text and images contained within this auction listing are copyright covered and may not be reproduced in any form, either in Part or Whole, or placed into any retrieval system without written permission from the author.