Used car buying guide: Triumph TR6

Spring has sprung. Bring connected the sunshine and warmth. In different words, Triumph TR6 weather. 

In the coming months, galore of these British drop-tops volition erstwhile again beryllium brought retired of hibernation, putting a grin connected the faces of drivers and onlookers alike. 

I notation onlookers due to the fact that the TR6’s 2.5-litre consecutive six plays a tremendous tune for everyone successful its vicinity to enjoy. With specified a soundtrack, outright show astir becomes an afterthought. 

That said, you get 150bhp to play with successful pre-1973 cars oregon 125bhp successful those built after, these aboriginal TR6s having been detuned to conscionable stricter emissions regulations. 

This is simply a car that enthusiasts bargain for its representation and character. It exudes charm, from its suave styling to its four-speed manual gearshift.

And, of course, there’s its wind-in-your-hair offering. Get it connected a picturesque state roadworthy and you volition beryllium experiencing the TR6 successful its element. Then, erstwhile you get peckish, it’s the benignant of instrumentality that you parkland extracurricular a pub and regard astatine portion eating your ham, ovum and chips. In short, a classical that you volition beryllium itching to use, peculiarly connected a bully day.

Is the TR6 guaranteed to beryllium a trouble-free regular driver? It’s an aged British sports car, truthful of people not, though fortunately parts are astir MGB levels of available. 

It’s a reasonably elemental car to enactment connected arsenic well, meaning fixes don’t often beryllium frustrating enigmas. Coventry built a upland of TR6s during a accumulation tally that lasted from 1968 to 1976. Most went abroad, though: Britain retained conscionable 8370, portion a whopping 83,480 were loaded onto ships, astir of them bound for America. 

After the TR5’s Italian plan (Michelotti), Triumph turned to Germany (Karmann) for the TR6’s exterior styling. As a result, though it carries implicit overmuch of its predecessor’s parts, including the chassis, engine, doors and windscreen, it has its ain distinctive look. 

What’s more, you tin find cars with a alloy hard-top, which you volition request your passenger’s assistance to remove, alternatively than the inactive precise laborious cloth hood. 

Another diagnostic you mightiness spot is overdrive, an enactment that became modular successful 1974. It’s electrically operated and triggered by a hearty property of your close foot. 

The TR6 feels accelerated enough, if not particularly truthful by modern standards. Officially, it would sprint from 0-60mph successful 8.8sec (or somewhat longer for 125bhp models). 

As for handling, the TR6 is tiny and light, coming successful astatine 1130kg, and it feels arsenic specified connected the road. It whitethorn not beryllium the sharpest instrumentality successful the shed, with its bouncy thrust and weighty, comparatively dilatory steering, but it is communicative and inactive irresistibly entertaining, offering a delightfully old-school, mechanical driving experience. 

And champion of all, values aren’t silly. In fact, they’re wholly reasonable, making the TR6 possibly the definitive affordable classic. 

It isn’t arsenic communal arsenic it utilized to be, but determination are inactive plentifulness of examples to spell around. So prime 1 up and bask it until the prima sets - oregon adjacent into those summertime nights, if you don’t caput having candles for headlights. 

What we said then 

17 April 1969: “Despite the points we’ve criticised, we each reckon the TR6 to beryllium 1 of the champion amusive cars astir close now. ln a resistance match, determination are fewer cars which tin enactment with it. To spell overmuch quicker is going to outgo respective 100 pounds much astatine least, truthful for show unsocial the terms is simply a competitory one. For the fewer joys of motoring left, it is simply a bargain.”

An owner’s view

Julian Hill: “James May erstwhile described the TR6 arsenic ‘the blokiest bloke’s car ever’, and I can’t deliberation of a amended mode to sum it up. That 2.5-litre straight-six motor gives you a large feeling erstwhile you enactment your ft down. The rear of the car squats down and hugs the roadworthy earlier pulling distant with bucketloads of torque. The heavy rumble the consecutive six produces volition marque anyone smile. The lowdown driving presumption makes you consciousness arsenic though you’re sitting straight connected the road. It’s not the astir spacious car, but adjacent astatine 6ft 5in I tin compression myself in. 

“My TR6 is simply a 1973 PI CR, which made 125bhp erstwhile new. Every clip I thrust it, I grin from feature to cheek, and I cognize that it volition commencement archetypal clip each time. The lone upgrade I’ve made is simply a twin-pipe sports exhaust to emphasise that heavy growl arsenic it resonates done the interior. The lone issues I’ve had person been a leaky maestro cylinder, owed to a perished seal, and the Lucas substance pump giving up. An upgraded Bosch pump is overmuch much suitable and removes the whining sound of the Lucas system. 

“All successful all, with wherever the classical car marketplace is going, I can’t deliberation of a much amusive good-looking classical for the money. It’s a existent gent of a car.”

What to ticker retired for

Engine: Overheating is simply a communal issue, truthful marque definite the illustration you’re funny successful has a cooling strategy that’s successful bully information and up to the job. The motor is mostly robust, but its thrust washers aren’t strong. Don’t beryllium instantly enactment disconnected by precocious mileage but bash marque definite regular servicing has been carried out. If you’re funny successful an illustration from crossed the pond, look retired for mediocre carburettor operation, due to the fact that it’s a communal issue. When idling astatine 850rpm, marque definite the motor is creaseless and the revs don’t driblet aft idling for a fewer minutes. 

Gearbox: Sloppy shifts place a worn gearbox. The overdrive function, peculiarly connected earlier cars, tin acquisition faults. 

Electrics: Although the electrics are thankfully simple, frayed wiring and damaged looms tin inactive origin problems. 

Rust: Red flags see bubbling paintwork, the susceptible areas being nether the carpets, down the rear seats and astir the beforehand 4th panels. Look retired for a rusted framework astir the rear suspension’s trailing arms and wherever the differential attaches to the frame. Also cheque the motor compartment, due to the fact that assorted fluids whitethorn person removed paint, allowing corrosion to acceptable in. A nonrecreational respray is worthy looking retired for and volition assistance you slumber amended astatine night.

Also worthy knowing 

In the US and Canada, the TR6 received adjacent little power, again owed to emissions regulations, specifically 104bhp. Unsurprisingly, these cars besides person a little apical speed, dropping from 118mph (stated for 150bhp cars) to 107mph. Changes nether the bonnet see the usage of duplicate ZenithStromberg carburettors alternatively of the substance injection we got successful the UK.

How overmuch should I spend?

£6000-£9999: Restoration projects and runners successful unsmooth conditions. £10,000-£12,999 Left-hand-drive cars with mileages of astir 70,000. 

£13,000-£15,999: More export models but successful amended conditions and with little mileages. 

£16,000-£19,999: UK-market cars with mileages of astir 70,000. 

£20,000-£29,999: UK cars successful desirable specifications. Mileages driblet to 50,000. 

£30,000 and above: Cars successful exceptional information and/or with an unusually debased mileage.

One we found

Triumph TR6, 1974, 46,000 miles, £29,995: With its Pimento Red paint, this TR6 is simply a looker. It’s successful large information and hasn’t covered excessively galore miles. In fact, the trader says it has done less than 100 since 2006. It has precocious been afloat serviced, too.