Topic: 72 Triumph TR6

[SeaBlueS4]

1972 TR6


Mechanically, the car is decent. Running very rough when purchased, but much better after I replaced seals and gaskets in the carbs and did a general tune up. Needed a few things for the safety - new brakes, suspension pieces, some lighting and switches. Cleaned up the top and wheels, changed the fluids etc. Various bits and pieces still to fix and improve, but now drives pretty good.

Sadly, put into storage last week for the winter, so all the improvements (and better pictures ) will have to wait until spring....

 

[ArticSteve]

nice year.  Great classic look.

[quadzilla]

[Firm]

Congrats! I love TR6s and have owned a few of them myself...All later (75 and 76) model years though. Hard to beat the look and overall driving experience, and even at today's prices these are still a relative bargain for what they are.
Your car looks familiar so I've probably seen it advertised, or at one of the shows. Great job on the wheels too, wheels can make such a huge improvement. Keep plugging away and if theres anything I might be able to help with let me know....I've even got a small cache of TR6 parts and such.

This actually really makes me miss mine, especially since my little brother recently bought an immpecable French blue car that I've taken for a few rides this summer:

My brother's car which I'am in love with:


My old 75 the day she was sold:

[Rupert]

    I had a 71 and I am pretty sure that I still have the genuine works manual that came with it. I would not say that it was a great car although it looked great. Handling was ...well 'a bit of a pig'...comes to mind and a nice work out for your muscles. The steering wheel being a bit small in diameter for the un-assisted effort required. Sometimes it felt that the front wheels ruled. The twin Stromberg engine was 98HP in North American trim and a Datsun 510 might smoke you back then. A Mitsubishi 2.6 4 cyl with 130hp would have been a great engine for this open car mainly because it was free revving which the push rod Triumph six was not and seemed reluctant to give much urge.
    I hope you have the after market oil filter assembly that takes disposable NA type oil filters. Otherwise working the original pot around the steering shaft is a bit of a pain. Whoever thought that bending the steering shaft over to facilitate this requirement was OK...geesh. You have a non standard exhaust system by the look of it...which is all to the good because the original, on the 71 anyway, was totally inadequately suspended at the rear by a rubber strap and had a habit of falling off due to rubber fatigue. Correctible on a long term basis by insulated electric wiring...installed on the other side of the railway tracks in Baltimore.
   Ah well...those were the days...and all was forgiven, when sitting behind the wheel and staring above the wonderful real wood dash with great Smiths instruments...along the bonnet...with your hand resting on the gear shifter knob....with the top down and your ratting cap on. The rear springs were subject to rapid fatigue resulting in negative camber....hmm...correctible with spring spacers. Yeah great dash with a glove compartment that was not hernia producing to reach. If I can find it you are welcome to the manual but have no idea how to deliver. Anyway I will look for it.

[5 Wheel Drive]

Beautiful car Saeblue. One of my favorite little roadsters!

[Arthur Dent]

Very nice! A fine hairy chested manly motor. I love the exhaust note these have.

[Seafoam]

Very nice! A fine hairy chested manly motor. I love the exhaust note these have.

Yup love the sound of that in line 6.

[normancw]

Looks great!

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Terrific! Congratulations!

[Rupert]

   Well...it's all in the wood dash and appearance, sound also. Back when new, the Datsun 240Z was a much better performer here and handled in another league than the flexible Triumph could approach...at a similar price, as I recall. Still it was a closed sports car...no wind in the air. It's funny though, you still see a lot of TRs around. They have endured and seem to offer something that the competition did not. There still seems to be replacement parts aplenty.
   In the UK back then, we always consoled ourselves with notions that no one could make sports cars like us and basically it was true for the mass product anyway. Kind of like pure bred race horses. There must have been something to it other than the power aspect because even a quite ordinary US car was faster with better acceleration. I think it's the total concept and quality parts and aura that ensure survival of affection. (the engine not included in my book) Still it was considerably detuned for North America and the Brits. did not seem to want to use overhead cam drives. It was all coming to an end but Morgan still endures...the same as it always did.
   I am just putting down some personal memories and still admire your car a lot.

[SeaBlueS4]

Thanks all. Yes, the white stripe makes it stand out a bit .... not my choice, but worried what the paint will look like underneath if I try to remove it. It's been resprayed at some point and I'm not sure that the blue used is an original Triumph colour, so finding a match for touch ups may be tricky.

Engine sound is great, think it's the std exhaust, based on options you can buy as replacements, but seems in decent condition. Not so much fun to drive with the top up, so will do that as little as possible.

I would call performance "adequate", especially considering the brakes and handling of the car. It cruises very nicely at 100 - 110 kph. Had it up to 130kph but it got a lot louder and a little unwieldy. No overdrive on my model which would be nice for longer drives but is a pretty rare option. Quite fast enough given the expected stopping distance! Putting new tires on (compared to the almost bald >10yr old ones it came with) made a massive difference in ride quality and handling. Have a full set of urethane bushes on order which are also supposed to be a great improvement, especially if the old ones are worn / perished.

Yes, changed out the canister oil filter with the spin-on filter adaptor soon after purchase to make future changes easier. Would love the manual, Rupert if you can find it - let me know if so and I can send you a stamped envelope or cheque to cover postage & packing - thanks!

Roll on spring!

[Fobroader]

Wow, sweet car buddy!!

[Rupert]

   Sorry Seablue. I wish that I had looked first before saying anything. I had a search around but no luck so far. The thing is that we have been having a clean out of a lifetime of stuff to arrive at a smaller version thereof, for a move to smaller accommodation down the road a bit; and save the kids the effort of throwing out a load of what would be to them...junk. Arghh. Throwing out stuff is enormously hard to do and I had two piles one for pitching and one for extended thought about. The manual was on the pitching pile..and then taken off...and I thought that it's status ended up as a saver. Anyway I will look around a bit more and if it turns up it will be yours for sure....just shipping charge. If you go to the British Antique car show...I think they hold one every year around TO...maybe Mississauga; there are usually lots of TR6s and booths selling manuals and I saw a couple there one time. They did not seem very costly.

[Scaerio]

Beautiful!

[Zorro]

Awesome looking little car!

[johngenx]

I had a love/hate relationship with the TR6.  Love the looks, the driving, and the general character of the car.  Hated how often it required work - the Miata was out when I had it and I envied the little Mazda drivers never having to wrench on their roadsters.

Today, I'd consider one again as I'd be relying on it far less and could spend time caring for it.

[sailor723]

That's great! Brings back fond memories of the BRG '74 I had back in university. I bet you can't wait for spring.

[KD]

Very nice! A fine hairy chested manly motor. I love the exhaust note these have.

Yup love the sound of that in line 6.

Sounds and looks great!  One of my all time favorite cars!  Congratulations.