Moss Motors, Ltd

Kelvin,

Carb has vac secondaries. I jetted down two steps for 5000 ft. altitude here (to 49s, I believe). The Edlebrock manifold is  part nuumber 2198. It's in the Edlebrock catalog. By the way, the secondaries, without spring modifications, snap open on demand and the car leaps forth with authority! Then again, I don't get anything like 33 mpg. In fact, I doubt I'm getting more than 22, if that. I'm trying not to calculate too closely... My electric choke also works nicely.

Regards,

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Interesting. The secondaries on mine don't appear to be opening and I've heard that is common. I do have the spring kit, but havn't had a chance to play yet.

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Kelvin Dodd
Global Sourcing Engineer
Moss Motors, Ltd.
Helpful Links:
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Disclaimer: Working on automobiles is inherently dangerous. Moss Motors, Ltd. is not liable for injury or damage due to incorrect installation or use of their products. All products are sold with the understanding that the safe and proper installation and use of the products is the customer’s responsibility. Follow factory workshop manual procedures and instructions, but use current shop safety standards and common sense. Some tasks will require professional advice or services which Moss Motors cannot provide.

Kelvin, to throw some fuel on the fire for TR7/8 suspension... Recently I have added TSI poly bushes, springs, increased rate swaybars, the roller bearing strut kit and KYB shocks and struts. Still on the stock wheels but running 205/60R13 tires (though they are nothing special). The difference is pretty well amazing. Although my basis for comparison was a pretty worn out stock setup, I am still mightly impressed with the transformation. Bill hasn't driven it yet but I know he wants to. I also have one of TSI's modified proportioning valves ready to go on the car very soon to better balance the braking. Fairly excited about that as well.

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Shawn J. Loseke
Fort Collins, CO
http://www.triumphowners.com/79 (1972 TR6)
http://www.triumphowners.com/690 (1978 TR8)

Kelvin, You're probably right about Burt not driving a TR8 much if at all.  I've been to a lot of SVRA races and you rarely see any TR8s and I've never seen a 7.  There are always a bunch of MGBs.  Maybe because they were raced more back in the day.  Intersestingly though, the year they had the Brits come over to Watkins Glen there were several V8 TR7s but a fellow with a MGB GT V8 was running in front of them!  I haven't gone for a couple of years but when I did, a guy named Don Munuz had a black MGB that was always a top contender in Group 3.  His biggest rivals were a Daimler SP 250 and an Elva.  The Daimler was fast on the straights but couldn't handle like the B in the twistys.  The Elva was quick though, being MG running gear with a light fiberglass body.

I

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72 MGB 80 TR8
Pittsburgh PA

Perhaps the definitive factor in the whole wedge vs. mgb discussion comes from the SCCA competition board, which classified production cars. (read sports cars as compared to sedans, which, at least in those days, had a whole different regime of classification). They classified sports cars according to their "performance potential". That's why the Simca Abarth 2000 ran against big block Corvettes, and why the 260 Z ran against the TR6. God how I have indelibly etched in my brain the epic battles between Bob Sharp and Bob Tullius.. I digress. The TR-7 was put into D-production, one step above the MGB which languished in E-production running against Porsche bathtubs. In fact, at least one year, 1980 I believe, the TR-7 won the class outright. The TR-7, with windscreen shorn off and a very abreviated roll cage, hunkered down close to the surface, made a brilliant looking and viciously fast race car. That there's my 4.5 cents.

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Also remember that not all race cars are created equal and don't discount drivers either. 

I don't recall highly developed MGB's lapping their competition multiple times, even with weight penalties. I don't remember MGB's being banned for unfair advantages. Both seem to apply to the Bob Tullius TR8 though.

When it comes to vintage racing you will see MANY more B's out there simply because they are more desireable and more readily available. Half a million over the course of production gives a lot of tubs to choose from. Because of that the cost of developing them is also pretty low in comparison to developing less 'popular' cars. 

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Shawn J. Loseke
Fort Collins, CO
http://www.triumphowners.com/79 (1972 TR6)
http://www.triumphowners.com/690 (1978 TR8)

Didn't really intend to start a debate but it's REALLY good that there are still enough of us interested in British cars to have the discussion.  At any rate, I'd sooner own & drive any of our LBCs than this POS Corvette I'm working on.  Oh well, it pays the bills.

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72 MGB 80 TR8
Pittsburgh PA

A point that should have been picked up here was that the MGB and the TR7, let alone the TR8 were in two totally different classes. The wedges were very much more advanced in design than the B. Afterall, the development of it was a decade after the B was introduced and the wedges were more revolution than evolution. Besides, what fun would it be without the debate.

 

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Shawn J. Loseke
Fort Collins, CO
http://www.triumphowners.com/79 (1972 TR6)
http://www.triumphowners.com/690 (1978 TR8)

To get back to the original discusion for a moment, do any of you have experiance with the thermostat houseing setup on the TR8?  I have the Edelbrock Performer intake/ 390 Holley setup on mine.  The stock TR8 gooseneck doesn't have the bypass fitting since the stock intake had a separate fitting for this.  I tried blocking the hole in the Edelbrock and useing the stock gooseneck (eliminateing the bypass hose) but had fluctuatin in the tempature like there was an air pocket.  It would get hot then cool down repeatedly accompanied with some gurgleing sounds. I ended up useing a Buick style gooseneck which has the extra nipple for the bypass to the water pump.  The problem with it is the radiator outlet points staight up which required cutting and pieceing the rad hose.  I'd like to come up with a neater looking setup that could use the stock rad hose.  Any ideas or sugestions? Maybe I need to call in a plumber..hahaha

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72 MGB 80 TR8
Pittsburgh PA

Underdog:

Don't despair. Sorry but I don't have the part number, but any stockist like D&D or TSI should have the outlet you need. There is a cast iron repro Buick outlet with the correct outlet orientation and the bypass fitting. The originals were alloy, but are like the proverbial hens teeth to find. 

I got the one I'm using on my SD1 from Rovers West back in the dawn of time. Perhaps someone else reading may have a number.

Back to the handling thread. In the early 80s I was an avid Road & Track reader. When the TR8 came out, it was THE car to have in Nationally competitive Autocross. If you wanted to win in that class, you had to own an 8. Then a year later the rules changed and suddenly there were a large number of ads in the back of the magazine for low mileage TR8s with spare wheels and tires and trailer for sale. At the time I thought this was amusing, and have often wondered how many of these "low mileage" cars went to later unsuspecting owners who wondered why they were so "clapped" out.     

For sale, Triumph TR8, low mileage, only driven on weekends. Includes spare set of alloys and tires. Trailer also available.

 

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Kelvin Dodd
Global Sourcing Engineer
Moss Motors, Ltd.
Helpful Links:
Code of Conduct
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Disclaimer: Working on automobiles is inherently dangerous. Moss Motors, Ltd. is not liable for injury or damage due to incorrect installation or use of their products. All products are sold with the understanding that the safe and proper installation and use of the products is the customer’s responsibility. Follow factory workshop manual procedures and instructions, but use current shop safety standards and common sense. Some tasks will require professional advice or services which Moss Motors cannot provide.

Kelvin, Do you happen to have a web site for D&D?  I'd like to check into the pulley setup & see if they have anything on the gooseneck.

I autocrossed the TR8 once years ago.  It felt like driveing on ice compared to my B.  Of course it was with a set of BF Goodrich tires that are rated "all season" which would acount for the lack of grip.  On the other hand a fellow club member has a really well sorted TR7 with the Goodrich RA1s that would beat the snot out of my B everytime.  Tires, weight and driver ability are huge in autocross and he is a very good driver.  I think the TR8 was placed in A street prepared because of the carb and headers.  I remember a Porche 911 in the same class.  When I questioned this, the SCCA guy said "I guess at one time someone had one that ran like hell"

I'm looking forward to doing some track days at Beaver Run with it.  The circuit has two long straights where the V8 power should shine.  If I get the handleing right and some sticky tires, should be quite fun

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72 MGB 80 TR8
Pittsburgh PA

As long as we're remembering back to the stone age...

I bought a brandy new TR-7 in 1976. It was Java Green (read tomato worm gut green). My excuse was that I read the car mags and discovered that it compared quite favorably to the Porsche 924. In fact, it was within a cat's whisker in every important measure of handling and straightline performance. Now, I'm sure that a lot of Porsche types would like to dispute that or revise history, but 'tis true. Then again, a lot of porsche types would like to deny that the 924 ever existed!. Well, long story short, the performance was virtually equal and the 7 was almost exactly half the price of the 924. I called that a no brainer. I actually got along fairly well with that car by replacing the ignition with a "Pirhanna" elec. unit and the exhaust with an Ansa dual dual job. I treated the gearbox like the weak sister it was and enjoyed many fun miles. I sold it at about 40k mi. and the youngster that took it over had it destroyed in record time. They were better cars than they were given credit for being and only got better with development. But Americans are an unforgiving lot.

By 1989 or so, they were making a fairly bullet proof machine and nobody would buy it. It has always amazed me that the Brits finally addressed every whining complaint about English sports cars with this machine and then the American sports car buying public turned its back on its old friend and ally. I mean, seriously, The seating was well placed and VERY comfortable with plenty of side support, The top went up and down quite easily and was quite leak free, the heater and defroster were far more than adequate, The fuel system was pretty reliable, It had wind up windows, It ran through rain without stalling, it had plenty of room in the boot, and the price was quite reasonable. Like I said, amazing... 

 

 

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

I assume you meant 79 since they went out of production in 81.  To look at yet another perspective, compare to a Chevy Camaro up until 81(of which I owned a few Z28s).  They had A arm front suspension and leaf springs in the rear and weighed a good 1000lbs more than the Triumphs.  Meanwhile the Wedge had macphereson struts and 4 link rear, all this in a car starting production in 1976!.  Actually a similar layout to a later model Mustang.  I've read that the TR8 actually could have been the car to save Triumph but by that time the company was so broke, they didn't even have the money to addvertise it properly.  Makes you wonder what might have been if the timing were better.  Perhaps some more refinement in trim & fit, maybe one of the larger versions of the Rover engine?  Could have been a real performance contender while the US so called "muscle cars" were floundering with emission choked truck engines and overwieght bodies.

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72 MGB 80 TR8
Pittsburgh PA

ud,

Yeah, I thought about that date discrepancy on the way home last night and said a silent "doh!" If only the line had continued that long, just think of what they might have been producing...

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Lessee.  Vented front brakes in 1982. Fully updated interior with electric windows available. An uprated sports version in 1986 with Hot wire fuel injection and an optional twin plenum system available. Upgrade to 15" basket weave wheels.

 

No, wait. I'm thinking about the SD1 again   : )

 

 

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Kelvin Dodd
Global Sourcing Engineer
Moss Motors, Ltd.
Helpful Links:
Code of Conduct
FAQs

Disclaimer: Working on automobiles is inherently dangerous. Moss Motors, Ltd. is not liable for injury or damage due to incorrect installation or use of their products. All products are sold with the understanding that the safe and proper installation and use of the products is the customer’s responsibility. Follow factory workshop manual procedures and instructions, but use current shop safety standards and common sense. Some tasks will require professional advice or services which Moss Motors cannot provide.