Alloys

I don't think I'd enjoy it as much on a regular basis. A TR8 - I could drive that every day and love it. A Race rep? I'd feel silly a lot of the time I reckon.

Richard

The trouble with a TR8 is you have to pay vast amounts and unless you pay even sillier money for the couple of dozen UK ones, it will be left hand drive. And it will have air conditioning (why?)

Similar, you have to respect your investment in an original so you keep the hairdresser suspension and the 138 BHP engine.

Alternatively, you buy a TR7v8 with (or adding) the v8 engine, 500 lb.in front springs, 200 at the back (keeping the rear axle live but putting in a 3.08 ratio diff) must be a five speed (it'll usually come with a decent one if it is a rag top).

The whole lot sets you back 3000 or thereabouts and can easily have 200 horsepower on a tired engine and 300 on a warmed one. The SD1 engine is a straight swap and trivial to put a fast road cam, tubular manifolds, four choke carb (best is supposed to be Weber 500, although loads are on Holley downdraughts) and a good manifold. Air flowed inlet heads and so on. Loud twin box system, two pipes with one box per side, in stainless.

So 3000 or, if you are buying the bits and fitting them, maybe 5000 (although it'll still only be worth 3000 if you sell it), gets you a car that is a beast with a roar that you hear once and say "oh god, I want one". It'll go past things without bothering to change gear and handle better than anything with an Encap test result.

It'll lack ABS and various other driver aids and require being driven, but that's almost the whole point. Owners of "superior" machinery will want another go on track days and will envy you.

I've put pix of mine on the URCM picture shop, it has an extra bonnet bulge to incorporate the engine bits, c'est la vie. Not tremendously original, but hey, it started life Kermit Green so that's not to be sneezed at... ;)