Well I never owned or WANTED to own a TR7, but the TR8 because of the ex-Buick V8 was on my want list. So it certainly was different and mine was as reliable as could be. Never regretted owning it.

I always thought it would be cool to swap in a Buick Grand National into one..

Seeing as how the engine was a big part of the problem w TR7s, the TR8 was probably a better car. The 8 was the Rover 3.5 aluminum V-8 that was originally a Buick design but then sold to Rover and used in their cars and Range Rovers for decades. Not a particularly high output engine but reliable enough.

I owned a California TR8 with the fuel injection and once I had the ECU solder reflowed it passed SMOG and was a reliable car. Sounded nice and drove OK but not particularly fast but way faster than a TR7. I think you can easily drop in the Range Rover 4.6 but be prepared for slipped liners unless you fixed them in place.

Hakatitstan.

I pushed a TR7 for a couple of years before I came to my senses.

Had a TR7 aluminum head, iron block, = blown head. With aluminum you use steel inserts or studs, they used steel bolts into the aluminum. The wiring harness was plastic and you’d move it a little and it would literally break.

You guys are making me SO glad I passed on a TR7 drop top just after I sold the old E. The car was in pretty good shape and had records going back to new. It was first sold on PEI and had been ordered with a turbo from the factory. The owner eventually had the turbo removed and the head sent to a place in the US to shave it to raise the compression ratio for non-turbo operation.
I drove it twice and on each test drive, the engine stalled in the middle of the road as I pulled out of the dealership, as the auto choke was not properly calibrated.
Thanks for the thread, Dennis.

Best
Les