Is there any difference in the shift linkage, shifter location between TR7 and TR8 transmissions?
My understanding is that the 5 speed is the same for both (Rover LT77). The R380 is beefier.
The TR8 shifter quadrant is slightly shorter than the TR7. Its only about 3/8" but its enough that if you use a TR7 quadrant behind a Rover V8, the back section of the tunnel opening will need a little cutting. FWIW, the quadrant for a Rover SD1 is identical to the TR7. The transmission mounting brackets are also slightly different. Whereas the the TR7 bracket is essentially straight across the TR8 bracket has a swept wing appearance to it. When they were new, the TR7 mount was softer than the TR8, but now they are all the same. The MGB V8 guys cut and weld the quadrant and shift linkage to make them shorter, but I don't know how much they remove.
If you look about 3/4 of the way down this page, there are pictures of how the TR7 shifter can be shortened. FYI - The standard TR8 shifter was about 3/4" shorter than the TR7 version, not the slightly more extreme 2" shortening that Mike did for his race car.
http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?9,25697
M.
Thanks everyone for the help.