I purchased a 1973 TR6 in that year in NJ. I got the rare French Blue. I’ll never forget driving off the dealership lot, the steering was sensitive. The Vroom sound and the flat rear deck had me since the first time I saw one on the road. However, starting it with the manual choke was challenging when the weather got cold. Oil leaks and burnt out wires under the dash caused me to sell it after five years. The interior was falling apart, the rear plastic window fogged up and had to be replaced. Other than all these flaws, I miss driving it. The ride was rough, sat low on the street and you felt every bump in the road. Once I got it up to 90 mph on the highway, then the top started rattling. All in all my 2012 red BMW Z4 was a much better solid driving car. But, a man’s first car is his forever love! I wish I had my TR6 today…😢
The passage of time tends to soften the feelings of aggravation one has with an automobile. We end up saying, "Well, I guess it really wasn't all that bad after all." Perhaps if we spend a few minutes recalling when our baby left us stuck on the road in a pouring rain, or the battery inexplicably went dead, or we had to wait for some small part that caused the car to be disabled to arrive and get installed, we might be happy that we moved on. Although I really should have given my old Volvo 240 another chance before I scrapped it...I miss that stupid car.
Absolutely! I appreciate them both and can never really understand why people pick sides when it comes to cars - to me that just seems like the perfect way to limit yourself to not experiencing some wonderful cars of all descriptions and makes.
Love mine. 1971, BRG, chrome wires. Absolutely wonderful to drive with that straight six exhaust burbling away. And yes, no trouble keeping up with modern traffic and highway cruising with the overdrive engaged.
I own a '71--drove it off the lot new! Converted the gearbox to a 5-speed because the availability of parts for the overdrive system is becoming problematic. As far as the wheels are concerned...only wire wheels will do for that traditional British look. Love it!!!
Ha! Wire wheels... my 1971 TR6 PI used go through spokes so that I had to get them repaired and retuned yearly. Then there was the headache of keeping them clean... one weekend with the big brush and a toothbrush I decided this was not how I wanted to spend my life. But the sound of the spoke wheels was a joy.
My high school rowing coach had one of these. After he blew the head gasket and parked it in the boathouse for future rehabilitation, I fell in love with it. At fifteen years old, and 6’2”, I could just wedge myself into the drivers seat and dream about cruising down the road. Unfortunately, I continued growing and topped out at 6’5” and could no longer fit. Such a shame. Now, fifty years later, I have the means to enjoy my hobbies, but I still can’t fit into the car. After all these years, I continue to love the look of the TR6 and dream of driving a vintage Triumph.
Thanks for your suggestion. I learned my lesson a few years ago when I tried to get into a Miata and then a Honda S2000 and I found my left knee prevented the doors from closing. Most of my height is in my legs…a 37“ inseam makes finding pants…and vehicles a challenge. So I dream about driving a classic British roadster as I guide my ML350 down the road.
I was stationed at Lakenheath RAF in 1973 and acquired an export 1972 TR-6 in emerald green, as in the video, from a fellow GI. Toured the continent and England for 2 weeks. Great fun EXCEPT the unlimited speed on the autobahn. Ran well up to 100 mph/160 kph, but would overheat over that. Drove well at high speed. Shipped it back to U.S. and drove it to 120K mi by 1978, mostly driving back and forth from L.I., N.Y. to Buffalo chasing a skirt at SUNY there (1000 mi wkends). Owned a 64 TR-4 w OD for a cpl yrs w all the British Leyland faults. The TR-6 was an improvement over the TR-4's quirks.
Thank you for sharing your ownership story, and wonderful to hear you had such fun with the TR6 in the UK, Mainland Europe and the USA. Coincidently I grew up in one of the villages surrounding RAF Lakenheath and know it very well.
@@fuelupclassic BTW, I have an official factory TR-6 repair manual. Tried selling it for $20 about 10 yrs ago, but no takers. A bit worn but all pages intact. Where's a good site to sell it? Anybody?
My first car in 72’ as a High School senior was a 69’ TR6 , that was my starting point for car repairs. I found out shortly after the purchase that it had been “rode hard and put up wet”. Crank shaft end play (good call) about 0.060 inches, only about 10 times too much! Between working on my school mates 62’ Austin Healey Sprite and my TR we learned much and had a great time. Even drove them some! Thirty years of Corvettes never could put out the yearning for another TR6. The Corvettes are now gone and a 1976 TR came back into the family. It’s heart is now on the bench ready with my grandsons help,to go back together after an over bore, head work including decking to raise compression and then engine balancing. If things go as planed, in a bit, he or my granddaughter who also works on the TR will be it’s care taker as I go out to pasture. Thanks for the Great TR review, I couldn’t agree with you more!
Thank you for watching and sharing your TR6 experiences. I hope the engine rebuild goes well and you get to enjoy many more miles behind the wheel of a TR6.
Had 8 of these cars over the years .wish I'd kept one them absolutely loved them great to work on . Had one for 20 yrs rebuilt it mint when sold . Have loads of pics of tr6 s I've owned . Miss them .
1962 TR-4 white/red...1969 BRG OD stripped omission, OD, 225 Michelin's [Good Year diamond pattern terrible], 1973 French Blue, 1973 rotisserie BRG, OD, roll bar, leather 3 webbers and a hot cam. 225 Pirelli. A beast. 79 y/o with great memories.
1969 TR6 North American model. Recent complete resto mod. New white / tan interior, poly bushings throughout, SUH6 Carbs, J-type OD, Bob Tullius Group 44 livery, Panasports (mini lite) wheels, level 2 street cam, electric fuel pump, oil cooler, Lumenition Magnetronic ignition upgrade, FALKEN 205 / 15 radial tires, and leather upholstery with wool carpet replacement.
One of the vehicles I’m happy to say that I owned in my youth was a ‘74 Triumph TR6. Reliable? No. Practical? Pffft. But about the most enjoyable car a 21 year-old could wheel around with all summer in a sea-side town? You bet yer arse. ‘87 was a very good year.
The aftermarket support is what let me to get our 1972 in Sienna Brown! I had always loved them but figured parts would be impossible to find. It wasn't until I started looking to buy that I realized you could almost build an entire car from the frame up! The parts aren't expensive either. Moss Motor and The Roadster Factory (I am in the U.S.) have been wonderful to order from
Wow beautiful video. I really enjoyed. I’m enjoying now my 76 one. In my family we has having about 9 tr6. Great and fun car. Keep doing videos like this one. Be blessed
'72 TR6 hopped up by Jay Leno's head mechanic Bernard Juchli (before he worked for Jay) custom camshaft, 3-dual throat Webers, High compression cylinders, electronic ignition, custom headers and exhaust, rear sway bar, competition springs and shocks, balanced, lightened flywheel, steel wheels painted body color (Saffron) with trim rings and 2 painted St.Andrew's Crosses on both sides in lieu of the Union Jack badges :-)
Bought a ‘76 two years ago, all said is true. Wonderful driving experience and an easy car to work on, even for a novice mechanic like me. In the middle of an engine rebuild at the time, should get my 6 up by month end! Happy travels!
have a 1976 Triumph TR6, yellow with black top and interior. Such a fun car to drive on the country roads nearby. It takes me back to my teenage years in the 70's. I love the deer killer bumpers they put on the 76 model.
My friend's dad bought on brand new in 1969 and I remember an epic drive up the M40 up to London to the Imperial War Museum with 4 of us (yes, two 9 year-olds hanging on sitting on the edge between the front seats and the boot). Different era :)
Great apart from the understeer. Had 2 of them BTW. Turn the wheel now and wait for the turn in. Only other car I know with the same characteristic is the Aston Vantage V8 of 1990's. Still, both fun to drive once you adapt.
A pal had one in the 70's. He bought it from a guy, who showed him the receipt for injection pump work he'd only just had done. My pal Paul complained to me that it nevertheless kept misfiring badly. I only found out years later that they do indeed 'all do this' if the fuel is low in the tank, particularly on left hand bends and if no internal tank baffling has been fitted. He must feel as sick as a parrot now, having promptly sold it in favour of an Opel Manta 1.9, albeit that was a nice handling car, but the price differential now ! It's much the same for me, with motorcycles I sold for hundreds but now worth £15,000 and up.
Oh dear! A great point though about them potentially misfiring when very low on fuel. I think we have all been guilty of selling/trading in a car at the time, only to find out it's worth a small fortune now.
Hi I love your enthusiasm. Especially from an MG man!! Excellent video I have doubts that the engine in the 8.30 section is Lucas petrol injection but other than that bit of petty nit picking I really enjoyed the video. I have a rather tatty 1973 that is a daily driver (summer) and as you say they are great fun. Keep up the good work.
Thank you. Plenty more to come on the channel. It is brilliant to hear people are enjoying the videos and hopefully it helps anyone who may be looking to purchase a classic in the future.
First car in high school was a ‘69 - red with chrome spokes. Loved that car! Second car in college was a white ‘74. Couldn’t afford the upkeep - she needed a LOT! Graduated to a ‘69 Mercedes 280SL. All the style, none of the mechanical infirmities. Owned her for 27 years. She’s coming home this month from a 3-year body-off, nut-and-bolt restoration. Can’t wait to have her back!
Most of them went to the States. And a lot of them have come back to the UK. Also, the B road statement is genius. It will reward you! (@18:30ish) Is that a thatched roof?!?
To say you need to buy any Triumph sports car with overdrive is not correct. While I do not know about the TR6, however, the GT6 had an axle ratio of 3.27 non overdrive and 3.89 with overdrive. Hence there was not a great deal of difference between overdrive and non overdrive cars with regards to overdrive top and non overdrive top. What a few people did was put the non overdrive axle onto an overdrive car. Enjoyed the rest of the video, thanks for posting.
Thank you for watching. I hope we can get a GT6 on the channel soon. Regarding overdrive on a TR6, I guess it all comes down to personal choice. Personally I find any TR6 I have driven without overdrive is really revving and starts to become incredibly noisy as you approach motorway speeds, so for me having it is a complete no brainer.
Obviously by your experience the TR6 has the same rear diff ratio whether an overdrive model or not. Or those you have driven some have changed the diff for a different ratio to fly off the line. My father in law who is sadly dead was the a service manager at Caffyns during the time of the TR6, he would have known. @@fuelupclassic
Great car. I've got a small collection of cars and do more miles in the TR6 than any other. Perfect for the Dorset lanes where I live. It's a bit cramped as I'm 6ft2in, otherwise a pretty perfect classic.
Love the video. I own and enjoy a 1969 that is amazingly clean. Pretty much like new. I get constant comments from everyone. Improvements have been made and it show no wear or rust. Almost perfect. I agree with the 5th speed option but the cost here in the U S is around 6,000 dollars for just parts. Yes the poly busing is the next thing on my list this fall. I'm on the East Coast so the old girl does get put away for 4 or 5 months a year. They are just manly and such fun. My license Plate here in Massachusetts says it all. BLOKE Thanks
A ,lovely looking car. I owned one in the 80"s. Scuttle shake was always an issue as is the atrocious Lucas PI system. Look out for door gaps as it can indicate chassis issues.
Ah yes, I had one in the 80s and remember the pinch bruise on my arm from resting it on the door then going over a bump. Main bearings got down to the base metal by about 90,000 miles, the diff mounts broke of the chassis, a front wishbone mount similarly detached itself. A pair of valves burnt through into each other so had get a scrap saloon cylinder head machined to get the same compression and valve size. A more unusual failure was a rear stub axle snapping at 70 plus on the M5, the detached wheel wrecking the rear wing too. I get nostalgic looking at nicely restored ones now but the one I had was nearing the end of its life!
Hi Matt I really enjoy all your videos, I’m super curious where you do these lovey test drives, I left UK when I was 19, now in Australia but I dream of driving those country roads in a British classic, I’m considering buying either a TR 7, MGC or B or a TR 4, (can’t afford a TR5) I’d like to see you do a Range Rover classic review, another favourite of mine.
Hi, many thanks for watching and great to hear that you are enjoying the videos. I'm lucky to live in a rural part of the UK with some great roads right on my doorstep, which make it ideal for testing all different types of cars. If you search back on my videos I did cover a 2-door Range Rover Classic a little while ago. Unfortunately i've now sold my 4-door Range rover Classic which I never featured, but hope to get another in the future. Good luck with your search, they're all great options!
I bought one, new, in 1972. I kept it for a year, then bought a Stag. Both cars were dreadfully unreliable. When I bought the TR6, it was a Saturday morning. I drove it out of the garage and, at the traffic lights, which were right outside the garage (Arnold G. Wilson, Leeds) the drive shaft broke when I let the clutch out. This is a brand new car with zero miles on the clock. Initially, the garage told me that there wouldn't be a replacement spare part available for 6 weeks. When I threatened to stop the cheque, they took the drive shaft out of another new car and put it in mine. It went from bad to worse after that. This was the time (about 1969-1985) when reliability of British cars was at its worst. The Stag I bought afterwards (also a new car) wasn't much better in terms of reliability. When the cars were working, they were fun. In 1973, I drove my Stag, flat out, from St. Tropez back to Leeds in 22 hours, including the ferry crossing. That's about 1000 miles. The car didn't miss a beat, but in the 18 months I owned it, it went through 7 (seven) cylinder head gaskets. If they had made those cars solid, well, and reliable, they would have been world beaters. The British motor industry, in that woeful period, was ruined by appalling management, appalling unions, and appalling quality control.
About the time I obtained my drivers license, Triumph held a lottery in the US for a TR6. I filled out hundreds of entry cards. Alas, I was not the winner. Crestfallen.
A distant, mostly unknown relative is the TVR M Series which offers the same lovely straight 6 engine as well as the gearbox and some other components from Triumph. Other than the TR6 its a fiberglass bodyshell which makes it much lighter and less prone to rust. Improved suspension and better weight distribution but less comfort males it a more sporty coupe alternative to the TR6 if you can get one. Compared to the nearly 100.000 TR& only about 950 TVR 2500M where built. I own one of them but sometimes indeed miss the ability of putting the roof down...
Great video. Shame about the wrong wheels and faux retro number plates. I love the pukka Triumph steel wheels. Never saw wire wheels when new. Still a lovely sports car though.
Steel wheels are my preference too for the TR6, as they just suit the proportions perfectly. however the Minilite alloy wheels as fitted to this one remain a very popular fitment across a huge variety of classic sports cars. Wire wheels just don't do it for me on a TR6!
The GT6 was the bigger brother of the Spitfire not the TR6. In my opinion the TR6 was the bigger brother of the TR4 IRS. The Spitfire filled a market niche who wanted a convertible that looked good but was cheap to run. It made a lot of sense to a lot of people for this reason.
I think a good modification would be to fit a BMW 3.0 straight six and 5 speed gearbox. You would still get that silky smooth straight six sound but awesome performance.
I like your thinking and I wonder if it has been done before? Having said that the standard straight-six really is a lovely engine and can still surprise you with how much grunt it's got.
Excellent video.... very informed and rational view of the car I have been promising myself for years (far too many years as it happens!) Top work👍..Any chance you can do a review of an Alfa 916 at some point?
Great to hear that you enjoyed the video and I hope you do get that TR6 one day. Alfa 916 is on the list and as soon as I can secure a good example, with hopefully the v6 Busso engine, I will make sure to do a video.
@@fuelupclassic Out of curiosity. I have heard quite a few people say that the clutch in a TR6 is 'heavy'....did you find this to be the case, and if so, does it make driving the car difficult?
@@NYJALB That's an excellent question. Personally I didn't find the clutch uncomfortably heavy but it certainly takes more of a push to operate compared to a modern car. Be aware the pedals are very close together but overall the TR6 offers a great driving experience.
Great overview, thanks for sharing. I've wanted one for years and I'm looking to pull the trigger over here in Canada. Although, I'm 6'2, worried it might not be too comfortable with he small footwell. How tall are you? Thanks
I hope you do it! They really are a great drivers car. The cabin is snug but once you're in, it's easy to get comfortable. I definitely recommend trying one before you buy, and the only thing you may struggle with is headroom with the roof up.
I'm 6'3" and still have room above my head with the top up. For me, the footwell is not a problem unless I would wear big boots. I had a Spitfire in college and wish I didn't get rid of it. Always thought the TR6 was one of the coolest looking cars. Bought my '74 in 2017 and love it. Done a lot of work to it, but that makes it more mine.
My TR6 was fun to chuck around, but that trailing arm suspension makes them twitchy as hell; my 240Z was a much better car. I'd own both again in my car collection, though, in a heartbeat. loved that woodgrain dash. and yes, the Laycock overdrive.
Would you recommend it as a good first car? I've seen a few come on for under $5k near me, but my dad works at a Toyota dealership and he wants me to buy a Toyota, and he says he'd pay for half if it were to be a Toyota as well. Not sure if I'm better off getting something cheaper or the same price that's Japanese, or getting a beautiful British sports car like this one. I mean I have a good amount of experience working on cars, so I wouldn't mind it not being too reliable. Not too sure though.
If you're willing to learn and spend time and money repairing it, there's no reason a TR6 couldn't be a great first car. You just have to remember that it is still a very old car, so safety, performance and reliability will likely be very different to anything modern. I'm not sure where you will find something for circa $5,000 - good ones in the USA tend to be at least $15-30,000 dependant on condition. This is roughly the same amount but in £ that they command here in the UK. I've never seen one anywhere near £5,000 unless it is a total wreck. If it's your dream car and you can find a good one, i'd say go for it!
Regarding 10:33: "Bigger headlights" in the TR6 versus the TR5? Maybe you learned "the new math", but in the old way I learned mathematics, the 7" round headlights in the TR6 are the same size as the 7" headlights in a TR5. 🤣
You're quite right, they did use the faithful old 7 inch sealed beam headlights that was fitted to so many cars of the era. A slip of the tongue! I probably meant to say bigger lights in general, as the TR6 incorporates larger indicators and side lights as one complete unit, unlike the TR5.
Haha! I know they can be great fun, but they just aren't for me. It's been a few years since i've driven one, so perhaps I need to revisit. Hope you enjoyed the video.
I don't understand why the U.S. spec cars took such a drastic horsepower hit. Yes, the compression ratio was lowered, but just a bit. And yes, they were outfitted with twin SU Carburetors instead of fuel injection. But my 1972 Datsun 240Z, outfitted with twin Hitachi Carburetors (SU clones) was rated at 150 bhp with an engine that was smaller than that of the TR6 engine. If they had to use Carburetors to meet US emissions (an idea that seems ludicrous to begin with), why not just put bigger carburetors on it?!?!
It was a strange time regarding US emissions regulations and I think most manufacturers scrambled to get something to work to keep sales going, usually at the significant detriment of power. Thankfully today even a USA spec TR6 can produce quite impressive power figures with a little tweaking.
I'm usually in agreement to keep a car as it was designed, however it does seem that in recent years a lot of rubber components simply do not seem to last very long and seeking excellent quality and long-lasting rubber components is getting more difficult. Poly bushing can be a good alternative and many owners are very happy with using them, but buying from a well-known quality manufacturer is key. There's many specifications of available, so it doesn't have to equate to a rock-hard ride and it is often considered a far better alternative to cheap rubber components that simply do not last or keeping a car on perished old rubber.
I'm usually in agreement to keep a car as it was designed, however it does seem that in recent years a lot of rubber components simply do not seem to last very long and seeking excellent quality and long-lasting components is getting more difficult. Poly bushing can be a good alternative but buying from a well-known quality manufacturer is key. There's many specifications of Polybushes available, so it doesn't have to equate to a rock-hard ride.
Not in my opinion. I rebuilt my A arm bushing the first time with std rubber and they squished out the sides in a few years . Went with poly and the car just feels better and its not harsher over bumps like the common consensus.
The Irish used to market this car under the name "Bag O'Crap" and I should know better than most of you lot having had one from new and putting 70k miles on the clock. 1972 Mk1 AWK 649L not the under powered American version
Oops your reference is with the wrong model: there was no crossover between a TR6 and tractor manufacturing. Tr2 till 4 did share some engineering parallels in the engine with Ferguson tractors.
Triumph made so many beautiful, gorgeous looking cars, but tr6 is not one of them. This car looks bad. It has all the right proportions and the classic british recipe but everything is just slightly wrong.
Interesting point! It's the first time i've ever heard anyone describe the TR6 as 'looking bad', but then again looks are of course deeply subjective and each to their own.
I really love mine, ripped out the pos 6 105 hp mill. Replace it with a FORD 5.0 SFI 5 Speed installed in 2000 Put In a 200R LSD. Now it is a driver fun car. Check out Triump World Magazine Oct /Nov issue 2006 on the cover. 23 years later a turn key car.
I purchased a 1973 TR6 in that year in NJ. I got the rare French Blue. I’ll never forget driving off the dealership lot, the steering was sensitive. The Vroom sound and the flat rear deck had me since the first time I saw one on the road. However, starting it with the manual choke was challenging when the weather got cold. Oil leaks and burnt out wires under the dash caused me to sell it after five years. The interior was falling apart, the rear plastic window fogged up and had to be replaced. Other than all these flaws, I miss driving it. The ride was rough, sat low on the street and you felt every bump in the road. Once I got it up to 90 mph on the highway, then the top started rattling. All in all my 2012 red BMW Z4 was a much better solid driving car. But, a man’s first car is his forever love! I wish I had my TR6 today…😢
There's nothing quite like them :)
Yes I bet the 40.year newer car was better 😅
The passage of time tends to soften the feelings of aggravation one has with an automobile. We end up saying, "Well, I guess it really wasn't all that bad after all." Perhaps if we spend a few minutes recalling when our baby left us stuck on the road in a pouring rain, or the battery inexplicably went dead, or we had to wait for some small part that caused the car to be disabled to arrive and get installed, we might be happy that we moved on.
Although I really should have given my old Volvo 240 another chance before I scrapped it...I miss that stupid car.
It’s great to hear an MG enthusiast appreciate the Triumph products.
Thank you.
Absolutely! I appreciate them both and can never really understand why people pick sides when it comes to cars - to me that just seems like the perfect way to limit yourself to not experiencing some wonderful cars of all descriptions and makes.
Rover V8 vastly improves both MGs and Triumphs...
Love mine. 1971, BRG, chrome wires. Absolutely wonderful to drive with that straight six exhaust burbling away. And yes, no trouble keeping up with modern traffic and highway cruising with the overdrive engaged.
Fantastic! Hope you continue to enjoy the car for many more years and miles to come.
Did they make TR-6s in BRG? I never saw one in the US. Doesn't mean there were none, just that all green ones I recall were emerald green like mine.
@@johncaputo5538 yes my 1969 was BRG with overdrive.
I own a '71--drove it off the lot new! Converted the gearbox to a 5-speed because the availability of parts for the overdrive system is becoming problematic. As far as the wheels are concerned...only wire wheels will do for that traditional British look. Love it!!!
Ha! Wire wheels... my 1971 TR6 PI used go through spokes so that I had to get them repaired and retuned yearly. Then there was the headache of keeping them clean... one weekend with the big brush and a toothbrush I decided this was not how I wanted to spend my life. But the sound of the spoke wheels was a joy.
My high school rowing coach had one of these. After he blew the head gasket and parked it in the boathouse for future rehabilitation, I fell in love with it. At fifteen years old, and 6’2”, I could just wedge myself into the drivers seat and dream about cruising down the road. Unfortunately, I continued growing and topped out at 6’5” and could no longer fit. Such a shame. Now, fifty years later, I have the means to enjoy my hobbies, but I still can’t fit into the car. After all these years, I continue to love the look of the TR6 and dream of driving a vintage Triumph.
They’re a tight squeeze! I wonder if a Triumph Stag might just about offer enough space for you to comfortably get behind the wheel of an old Triumph.
Thanks for your suggestion. I learned my lesson a few years ago when I tried to get into a Miata and then a Honda S2000 and I found my left knee prevented the doors from closing. Most of my height is in my legs…a 37“ inseam makes finding pants…and vehicles a challenge. So I dream about driving a classic British roadster as I guide my ML350 down the road.
You’ll fit in a classic Porsche.
I was stationed at Lakenheath RAF in 1973 and acquired an export 1972 TR-6 in emerald green, as in the video, from a fellow GI. Toured the continent and England for 2 weeks. Great fun EXCEPT the unlimited speed on the autobahn. Ran well up to 100 mph/160 kph, but would overheat over that. Drove well at high speed. Shipped it back to U.S. and drove it to 120K mi by 1978, mostly driving back and forth from L.I., N.Y. to Buffalo chasing a skirt at SUNY there (1000 mi wkends). Owned a 64 TR-4 w OD for a cpl yrs w all the British Leyland faults. The TR-6 was an improvement over the TR-4's quirks.
Oops! Many angles and that British overcast fooled me with the color. It looked green.
Thank you for sharing your ownership story, and wonderful to hear you had such fun with the TR6 in the UK, Mainland Europe and the USA. Coincidently I grew up in one of the villages surrounding RAF Lakenheath and know it very well.
@@fuelupclassic BTW, I have an official factory TR-6 repair manual. Tried selling it for $20 about 10 yrs ago, but no takers. A bit worn but all pages intact. Where's a good site to sell it? Anybody?
My first car in 72’ as a High School senior was a 69’ TR6 , that was my starting point for car repairs. I found out shortly after the purchase that it had been “rode hard and put up wet”. Crank shaft end play (good call) about 0.060 inches, only about 10 times too much! Between working on my school mates 62’ Austin Healey Sprite and my TR we learned much and had a great time. Even drove them some!
Thirty years of Corvettes never could put out the yearning for another TR6.
The Corvettes are now gone and a 1976 TR came back into the family. It’s heart is now on the bench ready with my grandsons help,to go back together after an over bore, head work including decking to raise compression and then engine balancing.
If things go as planed, in a bit, he or my granddaughter who also works on the TR will be it’s care taker as I go out to pasture.
Thanks for the Great TR review, I couldn’t agree with you more!
Thank you for watching and sharing your TR6 experiences. I hope the engine rebuild goes well and you get to enjoy many more miles behind the wheel of a TR6.
Yeah I went all in on the Madza conversion n got a 2022 Miata GT RF manual. But it's good to see one of the cars that inspired it.
Thanks for that young man, and I just subscribed !!! I have a '73 mimosa yellow TR6 with the overdrive, and it is a great joy. Carry on !
Great to hear you enjoyed the video and thank you for subscribing.
The smile on my face all the way through watching this was matched by the smile on your face while driving the car. Loved every second of it. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Had 8 of these cars over the years .wish I'd kept one them absolutely loved them great to work on . Had one for 20 yrs rebuilt it mint when sold . Have loads of pics of tr6 s I've owned . Miss them .
1962 TR-4 white/red...1969 BRG OD stripped omission, OD, 225 Michelin's [Good Year diamond pattern terrible], 1973 French Blue, 1973 rotisserie BRG, OD, roll bar, leather 3 webbers and a hot cam. 225 Pirelli. A beast. 79 y/o with great memories.
1969 TR6 North American model. Recent complete resto mod. New white / tan interior, poly bushings throughout, SUH6 Carbs, J-type OD, Bob Tullius Group 44 livery, Panasports (mini lite) wheels, level 2 street cam, electric fuel pump, oil cooler, Lumenition Magnetronic ignition upgrade, FALKEN 205 / 15 radial tires, and leather upholstery with wool carpet replacement.
Sounds fantastic! Enjoy :)
@@fuelupclassic I am. Can't not have the biggest smile every time I drive it.
Love it. Had the opportunity to drive this at a early age in high school. Fond memories. Love the dashboard. ❤
One of the vehicles I’m happy to say that I owned in my youth was a ‘74 Triumph TR6. Reliable? No. Practical? Pffft. But about the most enjoyable car a 21 year-old could wheel around with all summer in a sea-side town? You bet yer arse. ‘87 was a very good year.
The aftermarket support is what let me to get our 1972 in Sienna Brown! I had always loved them but figured parts would be impossible to find. It wasn't until I started looking to buy that I realized you could almost build an entire car from the frame up! The parts aren't expensive either. Moss Motor and The Roadster Factory (I am in the U.S.) have been wonderful to order from
Absolutely! They are very well supported both in the UK and overseas.
Wow beautiful video. I really enjoyed. I’m enjoying now my 76 one. In my family we has having about 9 tr6. Great and fun car. Keep doing videos like this one. Be blessed
Glad you enjoyed it!
'72 TR6 hopped up by Jay Leno's head mechanic Bernard Juchli (before he worked for Jay) custom camshaft, 3-dual throat Webers, High compression cylinders, electronic ignition, custom headers and exhaust, rear sway bar, competition springs and shocks, balanced, lightened flywheel, steel wheels painted body color (Saffron) with trim rings and 2 painted St.Andrew's Crosses on both sides in lieu of the Union Jack badges :-)
Wonderful! Great fun to drive, i'm sure.
@@fuelupclassic it is a bit throttle happy with the lightened fly wheel, but never boring LOL!
Austin Heatley 67 with over drive one of the best two I drove
One of the all-time greats!
Bought a ‘76 two years ago, all said is true. Wonderful driving experience and an easy car to work on, even for a novice mechanic like me. In the middle of an engine rebuild at the time, should get my 6 up by month end! Happy travels!
That's great. Hope the engine rebuild goes well and you enjoy many miles in the car.
have a 1976 Triumph TR6, yellow with black top and interior. Such a fun car to drive on the country roads nearby. It takes me back to my teenage years in the 70's. I love the deer killer bumpers they put on the 76 model.
Fantastic! Thank you for watching.
My friend's dad bought on brand new in 1969 and I remember an epic drive up the M40 up to London to the Imperial War Museum with 4 of us (yes, two 9 year-olds hanging on sitting on the edge between the front seats and the boot). Different era :)
Great apart from the understeer. Had 2 of them BTW. Turn the wheel now and wait for the turn in. Only other car I know with the same characteristic is the Aston Vantage V8 of 1990's. Still, both fun to drive once you adapt.
That's interesting! Understeer isn't it something I picked up on during my time with a TR6. It would get a little tail-happy on a damp road though!
Great video! I bought my 1972 TR6 new and still have it.
Thank you for watching and glad you enjoyed it.
A pal had one in the 70's. He bought it from a guy, who showed him the receipt for injection pump work he'd only just had done. My pal Paul complained to me that it nevertheless kept misfiring badly. I only found out years later that they do indeed 'all do this' if the fuel is low in the tank, particularly on left hand bends and if no internal tank baffling has been fitted. He must feel as sick as a parrot now, having promptly sold it in favour of an Opel Manta 1.9, albeit that was a nice handling car, but the price differential now ! It's much the same for me, with motorcycles I sold for hundreds but now worth £15,000 and up.
Oh dear! A great point though about them potentially misfiring when very low on fuel. I think we have all been guilty of selling/trading in a car at the time, only to find out it's worth a small fortune now.
Completely agree about the steel wheels. They make the cars looks
I love the TR-6. we were so fortunate to have lots of British cars available when I was growing up!
Thank you for watching.
Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.
Hi I love your enthusiasm. Especially from an MG man!! Excellent video I have doubts that the engine in the 8.30 section is Lucas petrol injection but other than that bit of petty nit picking I really enjoyed the video. I have a rather tatty 1973 that is a daily driver (summer) and as you say they are great fun. Keep up the good work.
Great to hear you enjoyed the video and many thanks for watching.
Matt
Love my Tr-250. Getting ready to take off in it soon, top down of coarse...
oh the TR 250 is a rare best indeed! Enjoy :)
@@fuelupclassic 😉
Yes, minilites are a very popular racing wheel.
Always loved these cars and a great video .
Thank you. Plenty more to come on the channel. It is brilliant to hear people are enjoying the videos and hopefully it helps anyone who may be looking to purchase a classic in the future.
First car in high school was a ‘69 - red with chrome spokes. Loved that car!
Second car in college was a white ‘74. Couldn’t afford the upkeep - she needed a LOT!
Graduated to a ‘69 Mercedes 280SL. All the style, none of the mechanical infirmities. Owned her for 27 years.
She’s coming home this month from a 3-year body-off, nut-and-bolt restoration. Can’t wait to have her back!
Fantastic! I hope you enjoy the SL once it's back from restoration.
Most of them went to the States. And a lot of them have come back to the UK.
Also, the B road statement is genius. It will reward you!
(@18:30ish) Is that a thatched roof?!?
It is indeed! We have plenty of houses with thatched roofs, most of which are at least 300-400 years old.
To say you need to buy any Triumph sports car with overdrive is not correct. While I do not know about the TR6, however, the GT6 had an axle ratio of 3.27 non overdrive and 3.89 with overdrive. Hence there was not a great deal of difference between overdrive and non overdrive cars with regards to overdrive top and non overdrive top. What a few people did was put the non overdrive axle onto an overdrive car. Enjoyed the rest of the video, thanks for posting.
Thank you for watching. I hope we can get a GT6 on the channel soon. Regarding overdrive on a TR6, I guess it all comes down to personal choice. Personally I find any TR6 I have driven without overdrive is really revving and starts to become incredibly noisy as you approach motorway speeds, so for me having it is a complete no brainer.
As I say I do not know about the TR-6. @@fuelupclassic
Obviously by your experience the TR6 has the same rear diff ratio whether an overdrive model or not. Or those you have driven some have changed the diff for a different ratio to fly off the line. My father in law who is sadly dead was the a service manager at Caffyns during the time of the TR6, he would have known. @@fuelupclassic
Great car. I've got a small collection of cars and do more miles in the TR6 than any other. Perfect for the Dorset lanes where I live. It's a bit cramped as I'm 6ft2in, otherwise a pretty perfect classic.
Great to hear from owners who are thoroughly using and enjoying their TR6. I hope you enjoyed the video.
Love the video. I own and enjoy a 1969 that is amazingly clean. Pretty much like new. I get constant comments from everyone. Improvements have been made and it show no wear or rust. Almost perfect. I agree with the 5th speed option but the cost here in the U S is around 6,000 dollars for just parts. Yes the poly busing is the next thing on my list this fall. I'm on the East Coast so the old girl does get put away for 4 or 5 months a year. They are just manly and such fun. My license Plate here in Massachusetts says it all. BLOKE
Thanks
Enjoy :)
Great looking car. There were quite a few in The Netherlands as well.
I have never heard of an MG-C I am in love.
A ,lovely looking car. I owned one in the 80"s. Scuttle shake was always an issue as is the atrocious Lucas PI system. Look out for door gaps as it can indicate chassis issues.
Ah yes, I had one in the 80s and remember the pinch bruise on my arm from resting it on the door then going over a bump. Main bearings got down to the base metal by about 90,000 miles, the diff mounts broke of the chassis, a front wishbone mount similarly detached itself. A pair of valves burnt through into each other so had get a scrap saloon cylinder head machined to get the same compression and valve size. A more unusual failure was a rear stub axle snapping at 70 plus on the M5, the detached wheel wrecking the rear wing too. I get nostalgic looking at nicely restored ones now but the one I had was nearing the end of its life!
The estate agent quickly marked out his territory on the dance floor.
Hi Matt
I really enjoy all your videos, I’m super curious where you do these lovey test drives, I left UK when I was 19, now in Australia but I dream of driving those country roads in a British classic, I’m considering buying either a TR 7, MGC or B or a TR 4, (can’t afford a TR5) I’d like to see you do a Range Rover classic review, another favourite of mine.
Hi,
many thanks for watching and great to hear that you are enjoying the videos. I'm lucky to live in a rural part of the UK with some great roads right on my doorstep, which make it ideal for testing all different types of cars.
If you search back on my videos I did cover a 2-door Range Rover Classic a little while ago. Unfortunately i've now sold my 4-door Range rover Classic which I never featured, but hope to get another in the future.
Good luck with your search, they're all great options!
Had one. Just like that one including the color except for the interior it was tan drove it for three years,wish I still had bit
Would be great to see a review of a manual Triumph Stag. Enjoyed the TR6 video!
Coming soon! Thanks for watching :)
I bought one, new, in 1972. I kept it for a year, then bought a Stag. Both cars were dreadfully unreliable. When I bought the TR6, it was a Saturday morning. I drove it out of the garage and, at the traffic lights, which were right outside the garage (Arnold G. Wilson, Leeds) the drive shaft broke when I let the clutch out. This is a brand new car with zero miles on the clock. Initially, the garage told me that there wouldn't be a replacement spare part available for 6 weeks. When I threatened to stop the cheque, they took the drive shaft out of another new car and put it in mine. It went from bad to worse after that. This was the time (about 1969-1985) when reliability of British cars was at its worst. The Stag I bought afterwards (also a new car) wasn't much better in terms of reliability. When the cars were working, they were fun. In 1973, I drove my Stag, flat out, from St. Tropez back to Leeds in 22 hours, including the ferry crossing. That's about 1000 miles. The car didn't miss a beat, but in the 18 months I owned it, it went through 7 (seven) cylinder head gaskets. If they had made those cars solid, well, and reliable, they would have been world beaters. The British motor industry, in that woeful period, was ruined by appalling management, appalling unions, and appalling quality control.
About the time I obtained my drivers license, Triumph held a lottery in the US for a TR6. I filled out hundreds of entry cards. Alas, I was not the winner. Crestfallen.
I wish they still did lotteries like that now! I would be doing the same and buying hundreds of tickets. Thank you for watching. Matt
When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.
Nice review. Cheers.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I always wanted one i remember when they came out first
A distant, mostly unknown relative is the TVR M Series which offers the same lovely straight 6 engine as well as the gearbox and some other components from Triumph. Other than the TR6 its a fiberglass bodyshell which makes it much lighter and less prone to rust. Improved suspension and better weight distribution but less comfort males it a more sporty coupe alternative to the TR6 if you can get one. Compared to the nearly 100.000 TR& only about 950 TVR 2500M where built. I own one of them but sometimes indeed miss the ability of putting the roof down...
I hope to feature one on the channel in the near future.
Great video. Shame about the wrong wheels and faux retro number plates. I love the pukka Triumph steel wheels. Never saw wire wheels when new. Still a lovely sports car though.
Steel wheels are my preference too for the TR6, as they just suit the proportions perfectly. however the Minilite alloy wheels as fitted to this one remain a very popular fitment across a huge variety of classic sports cars. Wire wheels just don't do it for me on a TR6!
The GT6 was the bigger brother of the Spitfire not the TR6. In my opinion the TR6 was the bigger brother of the TR4 IRS. The Spitfire filled a market niche who wanted a convertible that looked good but was cheap to run. It made a lot of sense to a lot of people for this reason.
the GT6 was a sweet little car; a TR6 engine in a GT6 would be a monster.
Excellent video again 👋
Thank you.
Wow! Some turbo driven winscreen wipers ! How do you made it going so fast ?
HAHA! Perhaps we got an extra-fast setting here in the UK for the wipers, as it does like to rain a lot.
I think a good modification would be to fit a BMW 3.0 straight six and 5 speed gearbox. You would still get that silky smooth straight six sound but awesome performance.
I like your thinking and I wonder if it has been done before?
Having said that the standard straight-six really is a lovely engine and can still surprise you with how much grunt it's got.
No one mentioned it is only firing on 5 cylinders when pulling off!
Good spot! A pesky HT lead had popped off. 10 seconds of lifting the bonnet and head scratching and we were back on six glorious cylinders.
Yes, I thought that before reading your comment and the taco cable isn’t too far from shearing. Another common problem
Excellent video.... very informed and rational view of the car I have been promising myself for years (far too many years as it happens!) Top work👍..Any chance you can do a review of an Alfa 916 at some point?
Great to hear that you enjoyed the video and I hope you do get that TR6 one day. Alfa 916 is on the list and as soon as I can secure a good example, with hopefully the v6 Busso engine, I will make sure to do a video.
@@fuelupclassic Out of curiosity. I have heard quite a few people say that the clutch in a TR6 is 'heavy'....did you find this to be the case, and if so, does it make driving the car difficult?
@@NYJALB That's an excellent question. Personally I didn't find the clutch uncomfortably heavy but it certainly takes more of a push to operate compared to a modern car. Be aware the pedals are very close together but overall the TR6 offers a great driving experience.
Love them!
Great overview, thanks for sharing. I've wanted one for years and I'm looking to pull the trigger over here in Canada. Although, I'm 6'2, worried it might not be too comfortable with he small footwell. How tall are you? Thanks
I hope you do it! They really are a great drivers car. The cabin is snug but once you're in, it's easy to get comfortable. I definitely recommend trying one before you buy, and the only thing you may struggle with is headroom with the roof up.
@@fuelupclassic perfect, thanks for the feedback.
I'm 6'3" and still have room above my head with the top up. For me, the footwell is not a problem unless I would wear big boots. I had a Spitfire in college and wish I didn't get rid of it. Always thought the TR6 was one of the coolest looking cars. Bought my '74 in 2017 and love it. Done a lot of work to it, but that makes it more mine.
@@paulvovk6591 that's the dream, thanks for the height confirmation. Enjoy the drives!
Had a CP on a good day it was beautiful, but i’ve now got a US import on SUs it’s altogether a better car, it doesn’t stop!!!
2:39 Tachometer by Lucas.
My TR6 was fun to chuck around, but that trailing arm suspension makes them twitchy as hell; my 240Z was a much better car. I'd own both again in my car collection, though, in a heartbeat. loved that woodgrain dash. and yes, the Laycock overdrive.
Oh yes! It can easily get a little twitchy at the rear on a damp road. I'm sure it's caught many owners off-guard over the years. Great fun though!
If you want perfection, try an Elan.
I hope to feature an Elan on the channel very soon.
I currently have 4 windows open up… and I don’t know why.
Would you recommend it as a good first car? I've seen a few come on for under $5k near me, but my dad works at a Toyota dealership and he wants me to buy a Toyota, and he says he'd pay for half if it were to be a Toyota as well. Not sure if I'm better off getting something cheaper or the same price that's Japanese, or getting a beautiful British sports car like this one. I mean I have a good amount of experience working on cars, so I wouldn't mind it not being too reliable. Not too sure though.
If you're willing to learn and spend time and money repairing it, there's no reason a TR6 couldn't be a great first car. You just have to remember that it is still a very old car, so safety, performance and reliability will likely be very different to anything modern. I'm not sure where you will find something for circa $5,000 - good ones in the USA tend to be at least $15-30,000 dependant on condition. This is roughly the same amount but in £ that they command here in the UK. I've never seen one anywhere near £5,000 unless it is a total wreck. If it's your dream car and you can find a good one, i'd say go for it!
Shame that youtube has to insert some obnoxious right wing commercials in this great video!!!
Must be targeting certain individuals!
What year is the one that you are driving?
1972
@@fuelupclassic Thanks, I just got my eye on a 1967 tr4a, frame off restoration, beautiful car in a nice baby blue, I'm in love!
Regarding 10:33: "Bigger headlights" in the TR6 versus the TR5? Maybe you learned "the new math", but in the old way I learned mathematics, the 7" round headlights in the TR6 are the same size as the 7" headlights in a TR5. 🤣
You're quite right, they did use the faithful old 7 inch sealed beam headlights that was fitted to so many cars of the era.
A slip of the tongue! I probably meant to say bigger lights in general, as the TR6 incorporates larger indicators and side lights as one complete unit, unlike the TR5.
Imagine it with a small block Chevy V8 such as a 350ci !
It would be 'lively' to say the least.
Have you seen TR4 prices? Not much change from 50 grand for a good one.
The Midget feels positively agricultural compared to the Spit ;) Great TR6 review though otherwise!!
Great to hear you enjoyed the TR6 video :) I think I need to drive a Spitfire again and refresh my memory.
The heaviest clutch pedal I have ever used. Made traffic an ordeal.
HAHA! It can give the left leg a work out for sure.
Always had a great fondness for one of these, sadly it was not to be.
Great review until I heard you diss Triumph Spitfires. How very dare you?! 🤣
Haha! I know they can be great fun, but they just aren't for me. It's been a few years since i've driven one, so perhaps I need to revisit. Hope you enjoyed the video.
Fun, but dangerously small. Hard to see in traffic and deadly in even a somewhat minor crash. Saw a disturbing one myself after the fact. Ugly.
I don't understand why the U.S. spec cars took such a drastic horsepower hit. Yes, the compression ratio was lowered, but just a bit. And yes, they were outfitted with twin SU Carburetors instead of fuel injection. But my 1972 Datsun 240Z, outfitted with twin Hitachi Carburetors (SU clones) was rated at 150 bhp with an engine that was smaller than that of the TR6 engine. If they had to use Carburetors to meet US emissions (an idea that seems ludicrous to begin with), why not just put bigger carburetors on it?!?!
It was a strange time regarding US emissions regulations and I think most manufacturers scrambled to get something to work to keep sales going, usually at the significant detriment of power. Thankfully today even a USA spec TR6 can produce quite impressive power figures with a little tweaking.
What the hell is poly-bushing? Surely not the act of replacing _resiliant_ rubber with plastic?
I'm usually in agreement to keep a car as it was designed, however it does seem that in recent years a lot of rubber components simply do not seem to last very long and seeking excellent quality and long-lasting rubber components is getting more difficult. Poly bushing can be a good alternative and many owners are very happy with using them, but buying from a well-known quality manufacturer is key. There's many specifications of available, so it doesn't have to equate to a rock-hard ride and it is often considered a far better alternative to cheap rubber components that simply do not last or keeping a car on perished old rubber.
I had one in the early seventies. It was a nightmare.
oh dear! How so?
@@fuelupclassic Lucas Electrics....the plague of British sports cars for years.
I had one in the early 80s, It was no problem whatsoever.
@@erepsekahsfor example?
Perfect would be "proper" steering wheel location, on the left!!!
HAHA! Well, as it's a British car on British roads, I think it's fair to say right hand drive is indeed the 'proper' location for this one!
'Axles can go?' there are no axles on a TR6. There is a differential and two drive shafts. No mention of the overdrive.
Here in the UK we often refer to a differential as an axle too!
It’s actually correct to say front and rear axle!
Poly Bushing a TR6 will ruin the suspension and shake the car to pieces, keep it original as it was designed
I'm usually in agreement to keep a car as it was designed, however it does seem that in recent years a lot of rubber components simply do not seem to last very long and seeking excellent quality and long-lasting components is getting more difficult. Poly bushing can be a good alternative but buying from a well-known quality manufacturer is key. There's many specifications of Polybushes available, so it doesn't have to equate to a rock-hard ride.
Not in my opinion. I rebuilt my A arm bushing the first time with std rubber and they squished out the sides in a few years . Went with poly and the car just feels better and its not harsher over bumps like the common consensus.
You can buy ploy bushes with the same compliance as rubber, so not strictly true?
BRAKES NO COMMENTS
The Irish used to market this car under the name "Bag O'Crap" and I should know better than most of you lot having had one from new and putting 70k miles on the clock. 1972 Mk1 AWK 649L not the under powered American version
The real measure of your wealth is how much youd be worth if you lost all your money.
Sadly soon illegal in EU and USA!
"proper" tractor-based English sports car
Oops your reference is with the wrong model: there was no crossover between a TR6 and tractor manufacturing. Tr2 till 4 did share some engineering parallels in the engine with Ferguson tractors.
Triumph made so many beautiful, gorgeous looking cars, but tr6 is not one of them. This car looks bad. It has all the right proportions and the classic british recipe but everything is just slightly wrong.
Interesting point! It's the first time i've ever heard anyone describe the TR6 as 'looking bad', but then again looks are of course deeply subjective and each to their own.
I really love mine, ripped out the pos 6 105 hp mill.
Replace it with a FORD 5.0 SFI 5 Speed installed in 2000 Put In a 200R LSD. Now it is a driver fun car. Check out Triump World Magazine Oct /Nov issue 2006 on the cover. 23 years later a turn key car.
I bet it goes very well indeed with a 5.0 in it! Thank you for watching