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My brother-in-law has a 75 or 76 Triumph TR6 in his garage that is clean but has sat untouched for at least 15 years. It wasn't running when he put it in there, so I know it will need a complete engine overhaul along with replacing anything made of rubber, new wooden dash panel from rot. Essentially I'm looking at a complete redo.
I can get it for under a thousand and was thinking it could make a nice car for my teen son. He could even help rebuild it.
What thinks you all? Am I just getting a headache that is best avoided or could this be worthwhile?
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I saw some of those last weekend. $9000 to $11000 or so I think for a nice condition auction.
All Results
Year Sold Year/Make/Model Price
2010 1959 Triumph Tigress
Auctions America by RM - Auburn Collector Car Auction $2,860 US Sold
2010 1972 Triumph TR 6 Convertible
Auctions America by RM - Auburn Collector Car Auction $9,000 US
2010 1972 Triumph Convertible
Auctions America by RM - Auburn Collector Car Auction $10,000 US Sold
2010 1976 Triumph TR6
Auctions America by RM - Auburn Collector Car Auction $11,660 US Sold
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I always loved the looks of the TR6 and even looked at getting one, back in the early 80's. Unfortunately, restoring one of the vintage you are talking about is going to take a lot of money and time, and will ultimately leave you with a pretty but probably undependable car. Getting parts will be fun, and keeping it running will be a challenge, at least as I remember. A friend of mine had a TR6 and another friend had and totalled a TR4.
If it is going to be strictly a weekend pleasure/tinker with car, and you have the time, money, patience and skill, then why not. As a primary mode of transportation, be sure he has a bike rack on the back and keep one strapped on at all times. 
![[Image: IMG-2569.jpg]](https://i.postimg.cc/Jn06m2gT/IMG-2569.jpg)
Whippet, Whippet Good
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Yes, I'd take it. I've always liked those cars.
No, I wouldn't have my teenage son drive it (unless he's maybe 18-19 and has been driving for some time already).
Good luck with it should you decide to do it.
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British Leyland parts were outrageous. It may be different now with aftermarket stuff.
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Research the price and availability of likely needed parts. I think you'll come to a dead end.
That transmission was never really good enough for the 4 banger, in the six, it wears out FAST.
Tranny rebuilds were outrageous when parts were current. Now?...
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I wouldn't put a teenager in a car without modern safety features like airbags!
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I'd pass, myself.
I don't think you'll get much for any sweat equity, and I would trust electrics by Lucas, Prince of Darkness of that era.
A buddy had a GT6 that caught fire just after he traded it in to the dealer for a domestic vehicle.
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RAMd®d wrote:
I don't think you'll get much for any sweat equity, and I would NOT trust electrics by Lucas, Prince of Darkness of that era.
No kidding. I had to live with it in my Europa. BTW, who invented intermittent wipers? That aside, I loved the looks and sound of the TR6. The growl of the 6 was intoxicating. You seldom saw a 6 in that size car in the 70s. That negative rear camber was oh so sexy. The back would squat with every shift. I got myself a Europa instead. Talk about maintaining a Lotus in the corn fields of Midwest.
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I have two old brit sports cars ('65 Austin Healey, '71 MG) that I've restored and my dad had a ton of 60s and 70s brit sports cars, including one TR6, so I feel fairly qualified to answer. The main question is "is there rust, and how bad is it". If there's no rust and the body is in good shape then I'd say that might be a deal, or even a steal (actually so much of a steal that I might be interested). Even if there is some rust, there are plenty of body panels and partial body panels made that can be welded into place if you're just looking at isolated areas. The TR6 was an awesome sports car for its day, and the wind in the hair feeling combined with the big-6 exhaust note is a vastly better experience than you'll get with most all modern "sports cars". Triumph parts are readily available and inexpensive and if you are going to do the work yourself these cars are very easy to work on.
For fairly common models like the TR6 there is a ton of info on the web. Your first stop would be to sign up at http://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/u.../1/Triumph (I'm a regular over there in the MG and spridget subforums) and ask for help. Those guys will rapidly and thoroughly walk you through evaluating what kind of job you have on your hands.
Also, just because it wasn't running does not necessarily mean that it needs an engine overhaul. Those engines were very durable and you might just be looking at some fairly easy to fix carburetion or ignition issues. Another point to be made is that because there are so many restorers and a still active vintage racing scene with these cars, there are a whole slew of one person cottage industries out there that rebuild and modernize many of the formerly troublesome parts, including SU fuel pumps and carburettors, distributors, alternators, instruments, suspension bits etc so that they are as reliable as modern stuff and often have improved performance over the originals. You can easily find all this stuff through britishcarforum.com.
Post some pix (inside, outside, engine compartment) so we can get an idea of the condition.
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