Picked up a long forgotten GT1 Triumph TR8 race car over the weekend. These are the front Calipers. Rears are regular expensive looking AP calipers, but these aluminum cinder blocks are something I have never seen before. Got a milk crate full of paperwork, so I'm sure there is something in there, but figured I throw it out to the genius that is GRM.
Is this for real?
In reply to tr8todd :
Hmm, I don't know about the value of the calipers, but look at the seller's name and I'd say that no, it's not for real.
For posterity:
Although that phone number does resolve to "Mike Mulcahy Motorsports," so maybe he just has a sense of humor.
Is there more pictures and a story behind a long forgotten GT1 TR8?
Those are indeed old 4 pot APs. Look like the rears from a McLaren M8f. Dixienormous is dreaming for his price.
Those are indeed old 4 pot APs on the TR8. Look like the rears from a McLaren M8f. Dixienormous is dreaming for his price.
Ron; Car was built in 1980 with guidance and lots of parts from Huffaker racing. Car was constructed in the midwest. Log book shows a dozen or so GT1 races around that time on Midwest tracks. Then owner builder moved to Georgia. Log book shows one more entry down there. Pushed in a transporter. Owner passed, and car sat until last summer. Estate was being liquidated and car was given to owner's daughter's ex boyfriend because he was the only one the liquidator of the estate knew had any interest in Motorsports. He vowed to get it on track or to someone that would get it back on the track. I bought the car, 14 racing wheels with 35 year old rubber, spare fiberglass noses, bucks to make more noses, several crate of spares, and a crate full of paperwork, correspondence with Huffaker, log book, etc. Need some time to digest what I have, what to do, etc. Will post something later. For now, I see a car that on the surface looks exceptional, but underneath is 40 year old parts. Can't even try to start it before I replace, tons of braided hoses, fuel cell, fuel pump, rebuild carb, check out engine, sort thru dry sump arrangement, and a long list of other things that need to be gotten to. Plan for now is to sell one of my convertibles, and use the proceeds to start buying parts for it.
In reply to tr8todd :
" Plan for now is to sell one of my convertibles"
I didn't need to read that part... I so want to add a wedge to my collection of Triumphs some day.
In reply to tr8todd :
What a find!
GT1 TR8, something I'd never have thought of. Good luck sorting it out - please keep us updated.
That is sucking fweet.
Vintage AP calipers are actually being reproduced (or maybe they never stopped production) but they are really expensive.
Not $12k expensive, but a lot more than Wilwoods. Or even other AP calipers.
What part of the nose do you have the mold for? The headlight panel looks to still be steel.
There are bucks for a fiberglass bumper and the air dam below. Looks like they are made seperately and then glassed together. The car came with two complete nose sections where the bumper, the air dam, and the under tray were all one piece. Its held on with zeus fasteners. The fenders, hood, and headlight panel are still steel. The fenders are cut and the flares are molded onto them. The inner fenders are cut back and remade higher up allowing bigger tires. Construction is based on what the rules were back in 1980. Tube framed GT cars with full fiberglass bodies came along much later. Its sort of built like I built my LS3 powered TR8, except I flared the steel fenders and remade the inners. Couldn't justify the cost of fiberglass body parts before, and convinced myself steel was cool. Then I built my own fiberglass bumpers, hood, and decklid, so I guess fiberglass is just as cool. Now that I have this, it makes sense to make fender molds, and start making my own full fiberglass fenders. The LS3 TR8 certainly has enough roll cage holding it together that I can remove the fenders and go flared fiberglass. Maybe loose a few more pounds in the process.
Thanks that is excellent. The flared TR8 coupe is a machine that grabs me.
Here's a couple more pics of the goods.
That look to be in remarkable condition for its long sleep.
In reply to tr8todd :
Awesome Score!
I'll admit to being a bit envious and hope you start a build thread here to share some more pics and document the process of waking this beauty up.
That's a great find.
Super cool looking!
Sweet Find. I'd put your calipers up for sale at $10k to finance the project! lol
In reply to tr8todd :
I think this is my new favorite car on the forum!
That looks like it was really well built back in the day, lots of attention to detail
tr8todd said:
Front opening hood, V8, 4160, old school strut mounts...
You had me at "Hello"
Its cool, but my LS3 powered TR8 is cooler, and probably a lot faster. Thanks for the kind words.
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