|
TR7 &TR8 IDENTIFICATION & PRODUCTION DATA EXPLAINED
This identification guide was originally based on an article written for the TR Drivers Club magazine in 1987 by Paul Towle, past TR8 Registrar and
subsequently updated by Rex Holford the current Registrar, and Mark Elbers, at various stages. Mark also contributed to the layout. Stewart Rendall provided clarification on a number of points including home market
TR8 production history. Most of the information has been cross-referenced with at least two separate sources, in an effort to establish some level of authenticity. Most notably various articles by Anders Clausager,
until recently B.M.I.H.T. Archivist. If you are unsure as to where to find your Commission Number, or for later cars the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), look for the Vehicle Data Plate located on the front
suspension turret on UK cars or on the inside edge of the Drivers door for USA and Rest of the World cars.
QUICK INDEX
- 1975 -1978, Speke-built cars (Prefix: ACG, ACH, ACL, CAN, ACT, ACW)
- 1978 -1979, Canley- built cars (Prefix: TCG, TCN, TCT, TCV, TCW)
- 1979 - 1980. Canley-built cars (Prefix: TP)
- 1980 1981, Solihull-built cars (Prefix SAT)
- 1981, Solihull-built cars (Prefix: SAT, with check digit)
- Note on production figures.
- Note on TR8 Coupe deliveries to the USA.
___________________________________________________________________________________
1975 1978, Speke built cars
Production of US specification cars began in January 1975
Production of cars for the home market, Europe and Australia began in May 1976
Production ended in May 1978
Speke built cars are identified by a three-letter prefix in front of the chassis number, as follows:
|
1.
|
Assembly Plant:
|
A = Speke built
|
|
2.
|
Model range:
|
C = TR7/8
|
|
3.
|
Specifications
|
L = 1975-76 model year North American Coupe.
|
|
|
|
G = 1976-78 Coupe for Home Market, Europe and Australia.
|
|
|
|
W= 1977-78 model year North American Coupe.
|
|
|
|
H = 1977 TR7 Sprint Coupe with four valve/cylinder engine.
|
|
|
|
N = 1977-78 model year TR7-V8 Coupe (for North America?).
|
|
|
|
T = 1978 TR7 Convertible - for North America.
|
|
4.
|
Chassis Number
|
Varies in the number of digits.
|
|
5.
|
Option suffixes
|
U = North American specification cars
|
|
|
|
L = Rest of the world left-hand drive cars.
|
|
|
|
F = Five speed gearbox fitted.
|
|
|
|
A = Automatic transmission fitted.
|
|
|
|
C = Exhaust emission control fitted.
|
|
|
|
M = Canadian specification.
|
1. ACL 1975 76 model year North American Coupe
1975 m.y. : ACL 1 to ACL7248 (Jan 75 to Sept 75) 1976 m.y. : ACL10001 to ACL34099 (or 33775) (Sept 75 to Oct 76)
Maximum total production possible by chassis numbers: 29798 (31023).
2. ACG 1976 78 coupe for Home Market, Europe and Australia.
ACG 1 to ACG4688 (June 75 to Oct 76) approx. 50cars built. ACG 10001 to ACG 23406 (Oct 76 to June 77)
ACG 25001 to ACG 27053 (Aug 77 to May 78) Maximum total production possible by chassis numbers: 22808
3. ACW 1977 78 model year North American Coupe.
1977 m.y.: ACW 1 to ACW17115 (Sept 76 to May 77) 1978 m.y.: ACW 30001 to ACW 33051 (June 77 on) and : ACW 40001 to ACW 44328 (Aug 77 to May 78) Maximum total production possible by chassis numbers: 24494.
4. ACH 1977 TR7 16V Sprint Coupe with four-valve/cylinder engine.
ACH 1 to ACH 700 (Feb 77 to Oct 77) N.B. Not all numbers used. Maximum 60 cars built Feb77 to Oct 77.
5. ACN Pilot Production TR8 Coupe (for North America?), 1977 78 m.y.
ACN 1 to ACN 1166 (Feb 77 to Oct 77) N.B. Not all numbers used. Approx. 150 cars built Feb 77 to Oct 77.
6. ACT 1978 Prototype Convertible for North America.
ACT 1 to ACT 110 (April 78 to May 78) N.B. Not all numbers used. Approx. 10 cars built April 78 to May 78.
Built at Speke and converted to V8 spec at Canley in late 1978.
Total possible production by chassis numbers: 77320 (or 78545)
(Note: Each of these models with different prefixes had its own series of chassis numbers)
Official British Leyland (BL)/Austin Rover production figures for the TR7/8 range at Speke vary
Between 76081 and 76979. (It is quite possible that not all the chassis numbers, even in the ACL/ACG/ACW series, were used).
The Speke plant was closed in 1978, all TR8/8 production having by this time been transferred to Canley.
__________________________________________________________________________________
1978 79, Canley built cars
Production was transferred to Canley in October 1978 and continued until August 1980 when car assembly at Canley was
stopped. As during this period there was a complete change in identification and numbering system, 78 79 and 79 80 cars will be dealt with separately.
1978 79 cars built at Canley are, similar to Speke cars, identified by a three letter prefix in front of the chassis number.
The prefixes follow the same system as those on Speke-built cars, except that the first letter is now always "T" which indicates Canley assembly. The Commission Numbers can be decoded as follows:
|
1.
|
Assembly Plant:
|
T = Canley-Built
|
|
2.
|
Model Range:
|
C = TR7/8
|
|
3.
|
Specification:
|
G = TR7 coupe for home market/Europe/Australia.
|
|
|
|
W = TR7 coupe for North American markets.
|
|
|
|
N = TR8 coupe for North American markets.
|
|
|
|
T = TR7 convertible for North American markets.
|
|
|
|
V = TR8 convertible for the North American markets.
|
|
4.
|
Chassis Number:
|
(varies in the number of digits)
|
|
5.
|
Option suffixes:
|
U -North American specification cars
|
|
|
|
L -the other left-hand drive cars
|
|
|
|
F -five speed gearbox fitted
|
|
|
|
A -automatic transmission fitted
|
|
|
|
C -exhaust control is fitted.
|
Another difference is that, while different models of Speke-built cars each had their own distinctive series of Chassis
numbers, it would appear (when comparing with the official production figures) that different models built at Canley shared
one chassis number series, or else that there were large gaps in the number series which have yet to be discovered. For this reason, the possible production figures by chassis numbers have not been quoted below.
1. 'TCG', TR7 coupe for home market, Europe and Australia.
TCG 100001 to 114122 (Oct 78 to Oct 79)
2. 'TCW', TR7 coupe for North American markets.
TCW 100001 to 115604 (Oct 78 to Oct 79)
3. 'TCN', TR8 coupe for North American markets.
|
|
TCN
|
150001 to 150198 (78 model year)
|
|
|
|
160001 to 160142 (79 model year)
|
|
|
N.B. It is likely that most of these numbers were not used.
|
4. TCT', TR7 convertible for North American markets.
|
|
1979
|
m.y.: TCT 100001 to 105825 (Jan 79 to Jun 79)
|
|
|
1980
|
m.y.: TCT 110001 to 115897 (Jun 79 to Oct 79)
|
|
|
N.B.
|
It is questionable how many of these cars there were.
|
|
|
|
79 model year had their own Comm. number series
|
|
|
|
80 model year shared with Comm. number series with TCG and TCW.
|
5. 'TCV', TR8 convertible for the North American markets.
There were some cars built with chassis numbers from TCV 200001 upwards (see section following) for the 1979 model year.
It will be seen that all of these Canley-built cars have six figure chassis numbers commencing with the figure 1, as the first
chassis number issued to a Canley-built car was in fact 100001. In 1979, theoretically from the commencement of the
1980 model year, the previous chassis numbering and prefix system was scrapped and replaced by the VIN (Vehicle
Identification Number) system which is now used by car manufacturers world-wide under international conventions. The
later Canley-built, and all Solihull-built cars, therefore have VINs rather than chassis numbers, as will be explained in the following section.
As a note of interest: TR7s were built at Canley alongside Spitfires and Dolomite saloons.
1979-80. Canley-built cars
These vehicles have numbers in the VIN system. Each car has a Vehicle Identification Number with an eight character alpha-numeric prefix.
These prefixes (which are also found on Solihull-built cars) may be decoded as follows:
|
1:
|
Make of car
|
T = Triumph
|
|
2:
|
Model range:
|
P = TR7/8
|
|
3.
|
Specification:
|
K = Australia
|
|
|
|
V = U.S.A. , Federal (49 states)
|
|
|
|
Z = U.S.A., California.
|
|
|
|
L = Canada.
|
|
|
|
J = Japan (not certain if used)
|
|
4.
|
Type of body:
|
E = Coupe
|
|
|
|
D = Convertible
|
|
5.
|
Type of engine:
|
J = 2 litre four cylinder.
|
|
|
|
V = 3.5 litre V8 (ie. TR8)
|
|
6.
|
Steering and Gear box:
|
3 = RHD, Automatic
|
|
|
|
4 = LHD, Automatic.
|
|
|
|
7 = RHD, Manual.
|
|
|
|
8 = LHD Manual.
|
|
7.
|
Major model change:
|
A = 1980 Model Year
|
|
|
|
*B = 1981 Model Year
|
|
|
|
*C = 1982 Model Year
|
|
8.
|
Assembly plant
|
T = Canley
|
|
9.
|
|
A = Solihull.
|
|
|
|
* Note:- Not used on UK Models.
|
The chassis number series for Canley-built cars with VINs, from October 1979 to August 1980 is as follows: 200001 to 215080 (all models mixed in the same series)
Please note however that as mentioned above there were a few cars with numbers from 200001 upwards which still had pre-VIN style prefixes, notably TR8 convertibles type TCV.
Apparently a batch of 1981 model year cars were built from May 80 to June 80 as follows, 402001 to 402026. This fits in with the 1981 Solihull production sequence.
The official BL/Austin Rover figures for Canley production suggests a total production here from 1978 to 1980 of 30054 to 30375 cars.
Solihull cars largely follow the VIN system as set out above, but with a different chassis number series and on later cars, an additional three prefix letters.
___________________________________________________________________________________
1980-81, Solihull-built cars
Production at Solihull commenced in April 1980 and continued to October 1981.
The cars built at Solihull have prefixes which follow the VIN system outlined in section 3. On Solihull-built cars the last letter of the prefix is 'A'.
From May 1981, the following three letters were added in front of the existing VIN prefix: 'SAT
This is the so-called "World Manufacturer Code" which indicates the country of origin and the manufacturer as follows:
|
1.
|
Continent:
|
S
|
Europe
|
|
2.
|
Country:
|
A
|
U.K.
|
|
3.
|
Manufacture:
|
T
|
Triumph
|
The following chassis number series were used on Solihull-built cars, with all models mixed in the same series of numbers:
|
a)
|
1980 m.y., April to September 1980:
|
400001 to 410918
|
|
|
(Mostly limited edition models for North America)
|
|
b)
|
1981 m.y., September 1980 to May 1981:
|
402027 to 405636
|
|
|
(402001 to 402026 built at Canley)
|
|
c)
|
1981 m.y., with SAT in front of prefix,
|
|
|
|
May to October 1981:
|
406001 to 408534
|
The maximum possible production at Solihull by chassis number series will therefore be seen to be 8062. The official BL/Austin Rover figure for Solihull production is 8056.
One very important thing to note is that although the very rare UK spec. TR8's were built at Solihull, they were not
amongst the last TR7s manufactured (9 built in 1980 and then another 9 in early 1981). This means that they were all built
prior to the introduction of the new North American VIN identification standard, which appeared on UK TR7s later on in 1981.
The last TR7 (TPAD37AA408534) produced at Solihull was a RHD Home Market DHC which is now housed in the B.M.I.H.T collection.
1981, Solihull-built cars (North American Spec)
There were some Solihull built American specification TR8s and possibly similar TR7s that carried another variation of the
VIN system. These new VINs were introduced to comply with new American and Canadian chassis numbering regulations
. They were in many respects similar to the European system except that a 'Check Digit' was now incorporated, which increased the length to 17 digits.
The Check digit was inserted at the 9th position of the series and could check the validity of the entire chassis number. The
other digits that differed from the European system were the 6th, 7th and 8th digits. The check digit was calculated as follows:
|
Chassis
|
|
|
|
|
Weight
|
|
Digit
|
Representation
|
|
|
Numeric
|
Factor
|
|
1.
|
Continent:
|
S
|
Europe
|
2
|
8
|
|
2.
|
Country:
|
A
|
U.K.
|
1
|
7
|
|
3.
|
Manufacture:
|
T
|
Triumph
|
3
|
6
|
|
4.
|
Model range:
|
P
|
TR7/8
|
7
|
5
|
|
5.
|
Specification:
|
V
|
U.S.A., (49 States)
|
5
|
4
|
|
|
|
Z
|
U.S.A., California
|
9
|
4
|
|
|
|
L
|
Canada
|
3
|
4
|
|
6.
|
Type of body:
|
5
|
Coupe
|
5
|
3
|
|
|
|
4
|
Convertible
|
4
|
3
|
|
7.
|
Type of engine:
|
1
|
2 litre four cylinder
|
1
|
2
|
|
|
|
5
|
3.5 litre V8
|
5
|
2
|
|
8.
|
Steering and
|
4
|
LHD, Automatic
|
4
|
10
|
|
|
Transmission:
|
8
|
LHD, Manual 5spd
|
8
|
10
|
|
9.
|
Check Digit:
|
see below
|
0 to 9 or X
|
|
|
|
10.
|
Major model
|
A
|
1980 Model Year
|
1
|
9
|
|
|
change
|
B
|
1981 Model Year
|
2
|
9
|
|
|
|
C
|
1982 Model Year
|
3
|
9
|
|
11.
|
Assembly plant:
|
A
|
Solihull
|
1
|
8
|
|
12.
|
Serial number:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1st digit
|
*
|
|
*
|
7
|
|
|
2nd digit
|
*
|
|
*
|
6
|
|
|
3rd digit
|
*
|
NOTE: * = any digit
|
*
|
5
|
|
|
4th digit
|
*
|
between 0 and 9
|
*
|
4
|
|
|
5th digit
|
*
|
|
*
|
3
|
|
|
6th digit
|
*
|
|
*
|
2
|
Taking a typical US spec. TR8 with a chassis number of SATPV458*BA408565 (note an * hasbeen left for the check
digit), each of the chassis digits must be converted into its equivalent numeric and multiplied by its weight factor.
|
|
Chassis
|
|
Weight
|
|
|
|
|
|
Digit
|
Numeric | | 
