KEEPERS
Although Ian owns a desirable collection of classics the Triumph TR7 remains his first love
‘I've had a thing about TR7s ever since I saw my uncle's Tahiti Blue coupé parked on my parents’ driveway when I was nine years old. So when I got my licence it was only natural that I’d have one, too. I had three in my youth; two coupés (now gone to the great scrapyard in the sky) and one convertible (FDY 966W), which I believe is still alive. I sold it to get into motorbikes, which I still love – but two wheels can be a bit detrimental to your health as I found out when an uninsured driver hit me, breaking both arms…
‘Fast-forward to 2007 and I saw an ad for a 12,000-mile 1981 Triumph TR8 that was originally exported from California. This is when I first met Simon and Ben
at TR7 specialist Robsport in Hertfordshire, who became my go-to whenever a problem reared its head. In 2015 they gave me the heads up of a very rare and very genuine Sprint that they had and asked whether I was interested. Interested? You bet!
‘As TR7 fans know, the Sprint was fitted with the Dolomite’s 16-valve engine but was only built up to summer 1977. In fact, nobody knows exactly how many were actually made but it's reckoned to be just over 60 production vehicles. ‘SJW required work when I first viewed it because it was bodged and hadn’t been on the road since 1996. A restoration made no financial sense but try finding another one! It was subsequently stripped down to bare metal, the filler and rust removed and new panels fitted when they became available.
‘The engine was re-built and the exhaust manifold sent to a cast iron specialist for repairs. Thankfully the interior just needed some new carpets and a 1970s radio that I found online to make it complete although, like other Sprints, SJW 541S is fitted with a US safety spec steering wheel, which remains.
‘After some final tuning – and £30,000 expenditure – my Sprint was finally back on the road in 2017 and made its show debut at the TR Drivers’ Day at Gaydon. Although different in character to my TR8, the Sprint lives up to its name and is still capable of covering ground at a surprising rate of knots. Only the 1970s brakes hold you back – or not as the case may be!
‘I have now driven 6000 miles since the re-build and the car just gets better with every mile covered. I love the smell and mechanical noise of cars of this vintage and the Sprint feels like a proper sports car.’
CLUBS & SPECIALISTS
❚ TR Drivers’ Club. trdrivers.com
❚ TR Register. tr-register.co.uk
❚ Mike Papworth Triumph Parts, West Midlands. 024 7
