TR7’s left in The Netherlands

This post is partially thanks to a works colleague who pointed me at an obscure open source part of the RDW website (being the Dutch equivalent of the British DVLA). I was aware this site existed but over the past year or so I hadn’t managed to find it. But now I have! What’s so special? Well it gives an overview of all cars registered over here. Though the program isn’t without faults, but once you know how to use the various filters the result were rather pleasing: an extensive list of all Triumph’s TR7 and TR8 (still) registered in The Netherlands. Cars that are scrapped or exported are removed from the archives.

A few TR7/TR8 statistics that can be extracted from the database;

• Total number of registered TR7’s = 320
• Total number of registered TR8’s = 38
• Number of cars with a valid MOT = 111
• Number of insured cars = 192

This means that there are currently 111 cars that are “road legal”, with the oldest original Dutch TR7 on the road being registered on the 22^nd of March 1977. But from the TR7’s sold in 1976 there are 10 cars left, but none of these has a valid MOT certificate at the moment. Though 4 are still insured. And at least one of these is currently under restoration …

From the cars sold new in the Netherlands between 1977 and 1979 there are still 88 cars in the register. But only 12 of these have a valid MOT and are insured.

The lists with remaining 1980 and 1981 cars are markedly shorter compared with the previous ones. Though 18 of these are still on the road.

1982 is an interesting year as 44 of the cars sold then are still registered. But only 6 are currently on the road But probably the most interesting car in this list (with the exception of ‘t Kreng of course J) is the TR7 DHC with registration number LH47YV. A car that was first registered as late as the 17^th of August 1984!

But what is clear from the lists above, is that there are a fair number of cars that are currently of the road. And probably some of those will be lingering in forgotten places!

But there are also a fair number of cars that were sold new elsewhere and were imported to the Netherlands later in their life. These include all TR8 registered in the Netherlands.

And for the none Dutch speaking readers a short translation of the most important columns;

• Kenteken = licence number;
• Vervaldatum APK = expiry date MOT;
• Datum tenaamstelling = Registration date current owner;
• Datum eerste toelating = Car’s first registration date;
• Datum eerste afgifte NL =  Date that the car was first registered in the Netherlands;