Triumph TR7 From Detecorists TV Series Heads to Auction

Every now and again a television programme creeps up on the public and sears itself into the collective mind and becomes a cult show. Think of such ground-breaking shows of the calibre of Twin Peaks, the energy of Breaking Bad and the cinematic juggernaut that was Game of Thrones… But not all cult shows are big and brash; some are gentle - and Mackenzie Crook’s completely perfect BAFTA awardwinning Detectorists has managed to endear itself to an ever-growing army of fans.

While many fans hold out a continuous hope for more than the three series that have appeared so far, it does now look like the show’s finale might have been the recent 2022 Christmas special. The recent appearance of Lance’s now famous 1977 Triumph TR7 on Yorkshire-based Mathewsons auction website will prove a worry for most fans of the series, but maybe there would have also been a small jump of excitement at the chance of owning such an iconic piece of the series - especially as the inside of the boot has been signed by the cast of Detectorists themselves.

The popular rear-wheel-drive Triumph TR7 model began life in the autumn of 1974 and continued to be manufactured in Britain until the autumn of 1981 by British Leyland. The TR7 debuted in the UK in the long hot summer of 1976, following a successful launch the previous year in the USA. The discrepancy between the launch dates probably indicates just how popular the little British sports car was in America, as manufacturing struggled to keep up.

The sunflower yellow Triumph TR7 from Detectorists was registered on 1st July 1977 and includes various bits of historic paperwork, including Exhaust Emission Test Results and MoT certificates. Currently, the famous little car has clocked up 73,623 miles, but should certainly be in good enough shape for the lucky new owner to add quite a few more.

The typically angular 1970s looks came from the mind of British Leyland designer Harris Mann, while the period advertising promised that the TR7 was ‘the shape of things to come’. Under the bonnet, the UK version was powered by a 2-litre 4-cylinder engine offering up 105bhp with 119lb ft of torque. Everything was initially controlled via a 4-speed gearbox, with a later 5-speed option becoming available, as well as an auto. Inside, the car was pure 1970s style, with the original cord-style seats later succumbing to a more in-your-face (depending on your tastes of course) design of tartan seat inserts. To be fair, the plaid interior for the tan coloured seats was rather tasteful.

I remember in the dim and distant past a friend owning a TR7 convertible. It was a car that was driven as a luxury due to its owner being ‘between jobs’ (to put it mildly) and the mpg of the TR7 proving a bit of a strain on his wallet. It was great fun, but the ominous looming presence of the British weather was always a concern, as the removable hardtop roof was a full-on manual affair before embarking on a journey.

Mathewsons has a long history in the classic car action world, dating back to 1970 in the heart of Bedfordshire before relocating to Pickering in Yorkshire in 1988. The company remains a family business to this day. More recently, Mathewsons has featured in fly on the wall documentaries for Air TV / UKTV - search for Bangers & Cash (who I hear covered this sale for a future programme broadcast). The company currently hosts approximately 9 auctions and around 4,000 vehicles per year.

The bright yellow ragtop Detectorists’ Triumph TR7 went to auction on 28th April 2023 and was probably the highlight of the company’s April Classic Vehicles & Memorabilia Auction. The original estimated pre-auction price was set between 4 and £5,000. I expected the TR7 to fetch more and indeed, I was told by Mathewsons that the TR7 had generated rather a lot of interest building up to the auction... Those who were interested in owning this treasured piece of popular TV history were able to pre-register for live bidding at mathewsons.co.uk.

Well, instincts proved right and the level of interest in this car coupled with such a dedicated fanbase saw the Detectorists’ yellow Triumph TR7 sell on the day for in excess of a whopping £30,000!

Sean Neylon

Images: mathewsons.co.uk

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