MGB GT v Triumph GT6

[chard]

Hi I fancy a coupe for my next car. I like MG but always hankered after a straight 6

Anyone had both, what do you think??

[otherman]

Well, I like the B, and I like the GT6, but which is better? There's only one way to find out....

[davepoth]

MGC.

[gr88]

how about an MGC - lovely straight 6 from a healey

the GT6 is compromised by the single spring IRS rear suspension that tucks at any corner over 25 mph

[Spitfire2]

They are more different than you might expect.

GT6 is raw and great fun. But the compact size and the engine/gearbox & exhaust make the cabin a very hot place to be. The running joke on the Club Triumph forum is that you need to drive in shorts due to the inside being a bit of a Sauna. All that said I would have one in a minute.

MGB is a fair bit bigger,"softer" and smoother and an easier daily drive experience. They don't do it for me in the way the small chassis Triumphs do but if I had a very long distance to do I expect I'd hop in an MGB GT in preference to a GT6.

[chard]

gr88 said:

how about an MGC - lovely straight 6 from a healey

the GT6 is compromised by the single spring IRS rear suspension that tucks at any corner over 25 mph

MGC is far too expensive budget £5-7k GT6 suspension puts me off a bit (I've spun a Herald 13/60 a few times before I had a clue about driving)

[chard]

Spitfire2 said:

MGB is a fair bit bigger,"softer" and smoother and an easier daily drive experience..

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........................I think this sound like me actually.

[LordBretSinclair]

gr88 said:

how about an MGC - lovely straight 6 from a healey

the GT6 is compromised by the single spring IRS rear suspension that tucks at any corner over 25 mph

The MGC and Healey engines were not the same, the C engine came from the Austin 3 litre.

Edited by LordBretSinclair on Friday 12th August 19:31

[rallyspit]

Loads of mis-information in these posts regarding these cars. The early GT6 was renowned for suspension tuck under when you lifted off in a corner. This was cured by the trailing arm suspension setup of the Mk2 and early Mk3 but at the expense of extra weight. The simple and elegant solution for the later Mk3 GT6 was to transplant the swingspring design of the later Spitfires. Ergo: a quick, well balanced car.

The MGC was a stripped down Austin Westminster and driving it was like throwing a hammer shaft first and expecting it to go round corners. It was not the same engine as the big Healey, a common misconception, but it is still a very tractable unit, tuneable and virtually bulletproof. However, if you want an MGB with more power, get a V8 'cos it handles better because the front end is lighter, but if you prefer the looks of the GT6 get a late model with springswing and make sure that the insulation inside the fibreboard gearbox cover is still intact. That gearbox gives off some heat! The GT6 is also very tuneable, and the 2.5 litre straight six engine from the TR6 is a straight swap and that six cylinder beat is glorious.

[Spitfire2]

gr88 said:

the GT6 is compromised by the single spring IRS rear suspension that tucks at any corner over 25 mph

That's a little unfair to the early GT6s and nonsense for the later ones. Many GT6's had improved rear ends with Rotoflex couplings and the last had a similar swing spring affair like the Mk4 and 1500 Spitfires.

[na]

I've had both but I'm a bit bias perhaps as I had such a terrible experience with the GT6 - I can tell you Triumph places to avoid and one is(?)/was a highly reputed "specialist"

also know one that really is and deserves its great reputation

Spitfire2 raises some good points

The GT6 has a small cabin, think Midget, I’m only 5’ 4” and I had a Mk3 GT6 that had the 2” higher windscreen (but I think that didn’t allow for the slope), taller people do driver them but with their longer legs they must have the seat further from the screen - and lean the seat back a long way

Hot is not the word for the cabin in the summer even with all 6 windows open and the fan on, in car ventilation isn’t great either – no idea about the heater!

IMPO you wont find the GT6 raw and fun after your Midget but the separate chassis and rear suspension will make things interesting

The access to the engine is better but without the splash panels it’ll get a lot of road muck

GT6s are much rarer, especially in good condition but are less expensive to buy

Parts not as widely available

IMPO gearshift position and slant isn’t nice but I suppose you get used to it

GT6 does look gorgeous looking though but remember I’m only 5’ 4”



BGT:
Much bigger choice of what’s available, colours, interiors and add-ons
More spacious
Loads of leg room
Better summer ventilation - fresh air flap separate to heater
More storage room and space for radio and speaker(s)
IMPO it’ll probably be more economical to own

Gap between 2nd and 3rd is too wide
Research the”donkey’s dick" on here
IMPO a more relaxed but slightly heavier feel (than a Midget at least)

Both:
you want overdrive
hatch not such a good idea as everything in the ‘boot’ area is on display and gets heated up by having the glass
when parked up cabin obviously gets hotter than say, a Midget
some new parts are rubbish and reconned parts too

some MG and Triumph owners are unrealistic about their marques and models and dislike the other marque owners just because of this – but you already know this

ETA: I wote the last bit before last poster so please don't think it's personal to you

[jms700]

im about to swap from my mgb gt back to my spitfire and then on to a gt6 ulitmatly.

iv found the mg to be much more of a comfortable cruiser. not exciting in the bends, ( apart from a wet round about ) and a very pleasent place to be sat in. definetly good for long drives and cruising.

but ( despite the smaller ening and no overdrive in mine) i found the spitfire to be much more sport and infact fun, as mentioned before it feels raw and i love it

the mk 1 and 2 gt6 did have the same set up as the early spitfires and were prone to bad cornering but the mk3 was much improved.

the sound, the power and the feel of the gt6 is entirly different and i prefer it to the mgb ( personal interest as i prefer triumph)

comparing it to a mgb v8 would be more interesting but i still feel the handling in the gt6 would trump it. ( mgc engine was too heavy iv heard and has made for a valuable car because of its rarity not quality)


correct if im wrong on anything please)

[na]

as you had a Midget a this photo might help

my BGT and, at the time, very newly acquired Spridget (before, much, work was done on it)

[davepoth]

The MGB (especially the GT) is probably the better car for modern traffic (if you are going for a daily driver get the latest possible one you can; the late rubber bumper cars have higher ride height, but also thicker ARBs to sort that out, and the interior is more comfortable too)

[na]

I've had a GT6, a BGT, a B (V8) roadster and two Spridgets

not had a Spit

based on that for handling IMPO

first - Spridget
second - spridget
third - B or BGT
fourth - GT6

ETA: James get someone to take you out in a Spridget

Edited by na on Friday 12th August 20:25

[davepoth]

na said:

I've had a GT6, a BGT, a B (V8) roadster and two Spridgets

not had a Spit

based on that for handling IMPO

first - Spridget
second - spridget
third - B or BGT
fourth - GT6

ETA: James get someone to take you out in a Spridget

Edited by na on Friday 12th August 20:25

Oh god yes, the Spridget is awesome, I can never get enough of an A-series on song.

[jms700]

iv been in a gt6, never driven one though.

driven the mgb, spitfire and mgb v8

and i did prefer the spitfire but im not much of an autherity on these things being a young guy.

it may be to do with having less power but i always felt more confident in the corners in the spit.

also, im not a very fast driver so never pushed the spitfire so not sure of its handling qualities at speed.

will look for the chance of a spridget

[Steffan]

na said:

I've had a GT6, a BGT, a B (V8) roadster and two Spridgets

not had a Spit

based on that for handling IMPO

first - Spridget
second - spridget
third - B or BGT
fourth - GT6

ETA: James get someone to take you out in a Spridget

Edited by na on Friday 12th August 20:25

The man is absolutely right.

I have had Spridgets MK 1,2,3,4,5 and Spitfires MK 1,2,3,4 and MGB Roadsters, GT6's Mk 1,2,3,4 and umpteen spitfires all types. And MGBGT's and MG Costello V8's and MGB V8's and MGC's. And a lot of other sports cars. It has been FUN.

Still got a couple.

The MGB was never really a powerful enough car until the V8 from Costello.

Then the handling was not really good enough.

Wonderful nostalgic British cars to the core. But just not quick enough.

All the Triumphs suffered from the dreaded tuck under with the rear suspension. As I have said before on PH the Triumph seemed to be a car in two halves.

The front half quite outstanding with then revolutionary coil over shocks suspension double wishbone. Brilliant. Used as a basis for other sports cars including Lotus for years. And years.

The rear half absolutely awful transverse spring suffering from wind up and totally inadequate IRS never really worked properly. I tried every modifications from Speedwell and SAH and umpteen others known to man.

It got better but was NEVER right. Inherently unsuited to any real power.

The Midgets and Sprites are quite outstanding very simple (which was always a good for BMC, remember the MGA Twin Cam etc) and utterly predictable.

Plus the A series engine is by far the best UK engine of its time. 5,500,000 cannot be wrong. And the 1275 is the best A series engine.

There is an inherent safety in Sprigets they spin slide and weave with utter predictability. They are really fun, chuckable utterly viceless cars.

I even rolled two without a roll bar and walked away from both
(NOT recommended).

So I think the Spridgets are the best bet. You could even fit a five speed box to extend the legs: essential on motorways. Good Luck

[na]

Steffan you are emphusiastic, good on ya

the Mk5 Spridget and Mk 5 Spit, we know what you mean

but Mk4 GT6 iare very rare

Edited by na on Friday 12th August 21:36

[Spitfire2]

na said:

I've had a GT6, a BGT, a B (V8) roadster and two Spridgets

not had a Spit

based on that for handling IMPO

first - Spridget
second - spridget
third - B or BGT
fourth - GT6

ETA: James get someone to take you out in a Spridget

Edited by na on Friday 12th August 20:25

I'll be honest - while, perhaps irrationally I love my Spitfire more than I could a Midget - I do not have a hope of keeping up with a well sorted Midget on a twisty road (and I have tried).