1980 Triumph TR8 Coupe review from North America

The following parts were replaced during the two years I owned this car: Cooling fans, radiator, radiator hoses and cooling fan relays (do we see a pattern here). When I sold the car it was beginning to exhibit the typical English car power steering rack leak and the A/C worked only when it chose to.

I was setting at a Grandy's restaurant awaiting my dinner order when a minor fire occurred in the wiring underneath the dash. I used my complimentary cup of water to extinguish the smoldering wires and drove home to enjoy a fresh order of crunchy nuggets. This was the life of a TR-8 driver and such instances were not commonplace. You either adapted and made in flight repairs or you went the way of the previous owners before you.

This car liked humiliating Mustangs and Camaros slightly more than it liked drinking high octane unleaded fuel. It would chew up rear tires almost as fast as you could alter, reconfigure, or repair the cooling system. If this sounds like a love/hate relationship, then I am doing a good job of telling about my love affair with the fastest Triumph ever.

The TR-8's braking and handling were of the same caliber of an old Celica GT, but its strait line acceleration rivaled that of anything built in its time. Its Buick derived engine started easily and ran well, but the Triumph engineered support components leaked anything and everything.

It would be a blatant lie to tell you that I wouldn't have another TR-8, but only if I lived next door to a contortionist. This car had so many nooks and crannies it was near impossible to work on.

If you want a reliable Triumph, buy a TR-3, 4, or 6. You may even like a Spitfire, but for heaven's sake stay away from anything that even resembles a wedge. I've also heard that the TR-250 was a bad ride. However, keep in mind that TR-7 and TR-8 jockeys may blow past you (while they're running).