Triumph TR6 Questions
Discussion
As an 18yo lad I bought my first car, a Triumph Spitfire 1500 in BRG, it was an fair condition and I took great pleasure in replacing much of the rear suspension, gearbox and generally tidying it up.
Since then I have owned numerous performance cars but time has told and I had to sell my last one to fund my first house purchase. I am now in a position to buy something again and am keen on a TR6. I always loved the look of them and what appeals as much as anything is being able to do all my own work and maintenance on it again. As my girlfriend and I are both under 30, the insurance costs are also very reasonable and a tax exempt example would make for very low running costs.
So my main questions are what to look out for? I would like a RHD 150BHP Fuel Injected car ideally. Are the injection systems troublesome? Did all cars come with overdrive?
Since then I have owned numerous performance cars but time has told and I had to sell my last one to fund my first house purchase. I am now in a position to buy something again and am keen on a TR6. I always loved the look of them and what appeals as much as anything is being able to do all my own work and maintenance on it again. As my girlfriend and I are both under 30, the insurance costs are also very reasonable and a tax exempt example would make for very low running costs.
So my main questions are what to look out for? I would like a RHD 150BHP Fuel Injected car ideally. Are the injection systems troublesome? Did all cars come with overdrive?
I had a TR6 125 BHP 1973 back in the mid 80's. Mine had O/D on third and fourth on a stalk on the driving column.
As I remember if you get the injection system set up by someone who knows what they are doing they are trouble free. Try to buy a car that has had a Bosch fuel pump modification. The old Lucas pump always overheated.
Just a suggestion look at joining the owners club - The TR Register. There are always people who will give you good advice. You may even find a car there. Plus all the parts suppliers advertise with them, so one good central point of contact.
Good luck they are a great car.
Mike
As I remember if you get the injection system set up by someone who knows what they are doing they are trouble free. Try to buy a car that has had a Bosch fuel pump modification. The old Lucas pump always overheated.
Just a suggestion look at joining the owners club - The TR Register. There are always people who will give you good advice. You may even find a car there. Plus all the parts suppliers advertise with them, so one good central point of contact.
Good luck they are a great car.
Mike
Buy the best you can afford. £6-11K are a bit of a no mans land, some are good & just need some TLC, some look good but are dogs that have been 'cosmetically refreshed' for sale. £12K+ buys you a good or excellent one. Under £6K should be treated as in need of imminent restoration.
Previous poster is correct about Bosch pump & correct set up. Also, the metering unit may need rebuilding/replacing if if has not been upgraded to one suitable for unleaded fuel.
Best initial guide to condition when viewing, either in the metal or on the web: Panel gaps & engine bay presentation. If those two are good then it's worth a closer look. If not, be prepared to spend a lot of time & money
Previous poster is correct about Bosch pump & correct set up. Also, the metering unit may need rebuilding/replacing if if has not been upgraded to one suitable for unleaded fuel.
Best initial guide to condition when viewing, either in the metal or on the web: Panel gaps & engine bay presentation. If those two are good then it's worth a closer look. If not, be prepared to spend a lot of time & money
Not just any old Bosch pump - only a couple are properly engineered, and of the those the Revington kit is the most well-proven (I've had mine on for nearly twenty years without a blip.
I 'did' a GT6 before coming back to a TR6 and you will notice that everything on the TR is that bit bigger and the TR is nowhere near as easy to work on.
I think the condition of the chassis is more important than the bodywork. I looked at so many with suspect patched-up chassis that in the end I just bought one with a totally knackered chassis and started from scratch with a totally 'refurbished' ie virtually brand new galvanised chassis. You really want one with nicely set up suspension too, the original set-up is awful.
I suppose what I'm saying is it's better to get a solid, well-set up and maintained car than one which looks pretty but only does 150 miles a year.
The metering unit on a PI will gradually go out over a long period, even if its set up for unleaded. The car will run OK-ish but will drink like mad and eventually the sparks soot up. Only solution is a new metering unit but they only cost a couple of hundred quid or so and take about an hour to fit. Actually I think in this regard it's easier to look after a Lucas PI than a Bosch K-Jet or whatever. With Lucas it's either the pump, or the metering unit, or an air leak.
I 'did' a GT6 before coming back to a TR6 and you will notice that everything on the TR is that bit bigger and the TR is nowhere near as easy to work on.
I think the condition of the chassis is more important than the bodywork. I looked at so many with suspect patched-up chassis that in the end I just bought one with a totally knackered chassis and started from scratch with a totally 'refurbished' ie virtually brand new galvanised chassis. You really want one with nicely set up suspension too, the original set-up is awful.
I suppose what I'm saying is it's better to get a solid, well-set up and maintained car than one which looks pretty but only does 150 miles a year.
The metering unit on a PI will gradually go out over a long period, even if its set up for unleaded. The car will run OK-ish but will drink like mad and eventually the sparks soot up. Only solution is a new metering unit but they only cost a couple of hundred quid or so and take about an hour to fit. Actually I think in this regard it's easier to look after a Lucas PI than a Bosch K-Jet or whatever. With Lucas it's either the pump, or the metering unit, or an air leak.
TR6s can be one of the great classic car bargains. You don't have to pay more than £13-£14k for a worthwhile example that will last well.
They are easy to own as parts are plentiful and not expensive.
Don't get bogged down with whether it's a 125 or 150 bhp one, they are all great fun as long as you buy a good one. Injection is trouble free if set up properly in the first place.
Ive got a GT6 and a TR6, both are equally easy to work on in my opinion.
The main thing is to ensure the body is really sound, not just a blow over paint job.
They are easy to own as parts are plentiful and not expensive.
Don't get bogged down with whether it's a 125 or 150 bhp one, they are all great fun as long as you buy a good one. Injection is trouble free if set up properly in the first place.
Ive got a GT6 and a TR6, both are equally easy to work on in my opinion.
The main thing is to ensure the body is really sound, not just a blow over paint job.
I wouldn't worry too much about whether it's 150bhp (CP) or the later 125bhp (CR) engine. The 150bhp was gross (measured without the engine ancillaries attached) and the 125 was nett (with the ancillaries), so the difference in power is closer to 10bhp than 25.
The 150bhp engine ran quite a hot camshaft that required 5 star fuel when it was launched. This made it quite 'lumpy' at low revs (and unhappy on todays low fat fuel). The 125bhp engine was Triumph's answer to the loss of 5 star at the pumps, having a 'softer' cam and therefore better manners in traffic.
Having said all that my 125bhp car is a bit of a pig! It's done all of 34000 miles since leaving the factory 37 years ago and it is your typical 5.5 cylinder TR6! But, as said already, if you have these sorts of problems it can only be a few things...fuel pump, metering unit or (as not mentioned before) injectors which can get gummed up and not work properly. I'm confident I'll get to the bottom of it when I start using the car in the Spring.
The original power output is now academic as the strong TR aftermarket means all sorts of goodies are available for both engines to take the power beyond Triumph's original figures, so my advice would be to buy a car on condition.
As mentioned before panel gaps are a great giveaway as to the quality of any restoration. The trailing edge of the doors is probably the first place to look. On many cars the gap is 'fag paper' thin at the bottom of the door, but as wide as your fingers at the top! The factory original gaps were pretty wide, by the way, but consistent the length of the door. The neatness of where the bottom of the front wings fit against the sills is another good tell tale sign.
Whilst looking in the engine bay is a good idea to assess condition, I'd also suggest getting the carpet and board floor out of the boot and checking the condition of all the welds around the sides of the boot and the spare wheel well...if it all smells badly of fuel walk away...and don't smoke!! The boot does tend to have a slight fuel smell as standard - having a high pressure pump in there really doesn't help. Many Bosch replacement pumps are fitted in the nearside rear wheel arch instead, which is much safer in the event of a leak.
Hope this helps.
The 150bhp engine ran quite a hot camshaft that required 5 star fuel when it was launched. This made it quite 'lumpy' at low revs (and unhappy on todays low fat fuel). The 125bhp engine was Triumph's answer to the loss of 5 star at the pumps, having a 'softer' cam and therefore better manners in traffic.
Having said all that my 125bhp car is a bit of a pig! It's done all of 34000 miles since leaving the factory 37 years ago and it is your typical 5.5 cylinder TR6! But, as said already, if you have these sorts of problems it can only be a few things...fuel pump, metering unit or (as not mentioned before) injectors which can get gummed up and not work properly. I'm confident I'll get to the bottom of it when I start using the car in the Spring.
The original power output is now academic as the strong TR aftermarket means all sorts of goodies are available for both engines to take the power beyond Triumph's original figures, so my advice would be to buy a car on condition.
As mentioned before panel gaps are a great giveaway as to the quality of any restoration. The trailing edge of the doors is probably the first place to look. On many cars the gap is 'fag paper' thin at the bottom of the door, but as wide as your fingers at the top! The factory original gaps were pretty wide, by the way, but consistent the length of the door. The neatness of where the bottom of the front wings fit against the sills is another good tell tale sign.
Whilst looking in the engine bay is a good idea to assess condition, I'd also suggest getting the carpet and board floor out of the boot and checking the condition of all the welds around the sides of the boot and the spare wheel well...if it all smells badly of fuel walk away...and don't smoke!! The boot does tend to have a slight fuel smell as standard - having a high pressure pump in there really doesn't help. Many Bosch replacement pumps are fitted in the nearside rear wheel arch instead, which is much safer in the event of a leak.
Hope this helps.
Just Has to be a 150 car ! Better seats, better steering wheel, nicer black dial clocks, wheel centres etc.
I had 5 from 82 - 89 , as every day drivers . The 150 HP cars were definately much quicker than All the 125s I came up against , Inc my mates 73 Red rot box . The 150 had A genuine 150 BHP , due to their lumpy camshaft . The early ones were also built of better Quality steel .
Tr6s were a Very common sight I'n the early 80s .
Any one remember A Certain bunch of TR6 Dealer / Bodgers I'n Epping Essex I'n the early 80s ? Their Party Trick was to weld the Diff Directly to the Chassis to cure broken diff mounts !!
I once watched Horror Struck , as their " Mechanic" cut up a Castrol GTX Oil can with tin snips, lay a piece on the drivers footwell of a Polaris Silver 3.0 CSL , and Cover it I'n Gooey Underseal .... Trading Standards got them I'n the end .
I had 5 from 82 - 89 , as every day drivers . The 150 HP cars were definately much quicker than All the 125s I came up against , Inc my mates 73 Red rot box . The 150 had A genuine 150 BHP , due to their lumpy camshaft . The early ones were also built of better Quality steel .
Tr6s were a Very common sight I'n the early 80s .
Any one remember A Certain bunch of TR6 Dealer / Bodgers I'n Epping Essex I'n the early 80s ? Their Party Trick was to weld the Diff Directly to the Chassis to cure broken diff mounts !!
I once watched Horror Struck , as their " Mechanic" cut up a Castrol GTX Oil can with tin snips, lay a piece on the drivers footwell of a Polaris Silver 3.0 CSL , and Cover it I'n Gooey Underseal .... Trading Standards got them I'n the end .
Many thanks for your response. Coming from a couple of TVR's I totally appreciate your comments about buying on condition so that will certainly come into consideration, but ultimately price will be a factor. If I cant find anything I am happy to start out with then I will have to hold on.
After browsing for a while I have come accross this:
http://www.trbitz.com/index.cgi?action=3&f0=13...
Seems like a reasonable price and a good car to start with that I can use and enjoy and begin to tinker with and sort out the rust etc during the winter period. I might try to take a look at it in the flesh.
After browsing for a while I have come accross this:
http://www.trbitz.com/index.cgi?action=3&f0=13...
Seems like a reasonable price and a good car to start with that I can use and enjoy and begin to tinker with and sort out the rust etc during the winter period. I might try to take a look at it in the flesh.
volvos60s60 said:
Mine looks identical, excepting the radiator cowl and RTR throttle linkage.
I found a pearlescent match for Sapphire Blue which beardy types sniff at but everyone else loves. Hibernating at the moment, but all ready to go as soon as the clouds clear and I remove the Christmas goodies from the bonnet.
Yertis said:
Have you been snooping around my garage?
Mine looks identical, excepting the radiator cowl and RTR throttle linkage.
I found a pearlescent match for Sapphire Blue which beardy types sniff at but everyone else loves. Hibernating at the moment, but all ready to go as soon as the clouds clear and I remove the Christmas goodies from the bonnet.
Well, I thought I'd show Dinkel that he is not the only one with an engine under the bonnet!!!!!Mine looks identical, excepting the radiator cowl and RTR throttle linkage.
I found a pearlescent match for Sapphire Blue which beardy types sniff at but everyone else loves. Hibernating at the moment, but all ready to go as soon as the clouds clear and I remove the Christmas goodies from the bonnet.
jimmyV8 said:
As an 18yo lad I bought my first car, a Triumph Spitfire 1500 in BRG, it was an fair condition and I took great pleasure in replacing much of the rear suspension, gearbox and generally tidying it up.
Replace BRG with CAD and same as me 
(CAD being Triumph-speak for red
). I had one for 17 years - YGV 852L - where are you now? Bought from Churchfields for £1695! Rust, rust and more rust. My fuel pump didn't cause too many problems but I was always having to whip off and clear a stuck injector to get it back onto 6 cylinders.
Beautiful noise, at least as nice as my current Griffith, and I liked the way the nose lifted on hard acceleration. Heavy on fuel though.
L.F.
Beautiful noise, at least as nice as my current Griffith, and I liked the way the nose lifted on hard acceleration. Heavy on fuel though.
L.F.
Ha Church....., that was them !! And Rust rust rust lol ! Much of their cars were sourced from E and M , which back then was a grt place to find a TR .
A cool dude Aquaintance was given ( yes really ) in 1983 a Stunning Polaris Silver 3.0 CSL( now 50ks worth ) by his wealthy Uncle , who had hardly used it .
My pal fancied a TR6 instead, we all said he was completely mad , but he went and did a deal with Ch on a very clean , White N plate 125 TR6. I well remember him and his glammy g friend cruising around I'n it for a while . His CSL was parked up next to the other Polaris CSL that they were bodging up the floor with the GTX can !
Do you remember 249 FLY ? A mint Red TR6 that was I'n the Woodford / Buckhurst Hill area I'n the early 80s ? It's had wires . At that time I had EJH 638K a Saffron then Mimosa 150 which I replaced with BUR 174K a lovely Red 6 which I fitted a lovely set of Cosmics to ( Where Are You Now ? ) .
And glad to see you now have a Griif !
A cool dude Aquaintance was given ( yes really ) in 1983 a Stunning Polaris Silver 3.0 CSL( now 50ks worth ) by his wealthy Uncle , who had hardly used it .
My pal fancied a TR6 instead, we all said he was completely mad , but he went and did a deal with Ch on a very clean , White N plate 125 TR6. I well remember him and his glammy g friend cruising around I'n it for a while . His CSL was parked up next to the other Polaris CSL that they were bodging up the floor with the GTX can !
Do you remember 249 FLY ? A mint Red TR6 that was I'n the Woodford / Buckhurst Hill area I'n the early 80s ? It's had wires . At that time I had EJH 638K a Saffron then Mimosa 150 which I replaced with BUR 174K a lovely Red 6 which I fitted a lovely set of Cosmics to ( Where Are You Now ? ) .
And glad to see you now have a Griif !
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