Talk to me about TR4/TR6s
Discussion
With the up and coming ULEZ in London combined with a posible early retirement somewhere warm both mean that the Chimaera wil have to go, as I'm not prepared to pay £12.50 to start it up and wouldn't want to drive it in the heat.
So this morning I've started thinking about a TR Triumph.
Looking at prices, it seems reasonable that £15-18k could get me something nice. Only thing is, I know absolutely sod all about them, apart from spares are easy to get.
So what are they like to live with, are they good to drive, what goes wrong with them, what to avoid, what to look for?
So many questions.
So this morning I've started thinking about a TR Triumph.
Looking at prices, it seems reasonable that £15-18k could get me something nice. Only thing is, I know absolutely sod all about them, apart from spares are easy to get.
So what are they like to live with, are they good to drive, what goes wrong with them, what to avoid, what to look for?
So many questions.
I'd be surprised if you could get a decent one for the amount you've specified. I would have thought £20k was the minimum to spend for a good, useable example.
If you haven't already done so, I'd recommend getting onto the TR Register website which has some useful buying guides and a very good forum.
I've owned both. My TR4 for nearly 19 years and prior to that a TR6 for 11 years which time included a spell as a daily driver.
If you haven't already done so, I'd recommend getting onto the TR Register website which has some useful buying guides and a very good forum.
I've owned both. My TR4 for nearly 19 years and prior to that a TR6 for 11 years which time included a spell as a daily driver.
My TR6 is a fully restored car but I would not like to run it as a daily stead. As said the noise is great from the straight six, and when the weathers fine it’s a great occasion when I do take it out. The PI if set up correctly gives little trouble nowadays. Standard brakes are adequate, lack of power steering can be a problem if using the car in town. But after all said and done it’s a great looking bit of 70s Sports Car
A really nice UK Heritage Certified car, restored from the ground up Chassis and body sand blasted dipped upgraded will cost around 20k to 26k with asking price for really top concourse cars 34k
There are a fair few rust free cars being imported back from the USA a lot have are converted to RHD and they go for 20% less then UK cars, one drawback with those cars they will be on Stombergs or SUs and only put out 105 BHP
Gratuitous pic of mine
A really nice UK Heritage Certified car, restored from the ground up Chassis and body sand blasted dipped upgraded will cost around 20k to 26k with asking price for really top concourse cars 34k
There are a fair few rust free cars being imported back from the USA a lot have are converted to RHD and they go for 20% less then UK cars, one drawback with those cars they will be on Stombergs or SUs and only put out 105 BHP
Gratuitous pic of mine
Edited by hilly10 on Sunday 5th May 21:30
Edited by hilly10 on Monday 6th May 06:52
A Chimp / Griff 500 is a Very crude thing, but a TR 4-6 is on another level!!
I lived / breathed TR-6s through out the 1980s, along with 3 Litre Capris, but No Way would I be paying ££ more than a late Griff costs, to go back in time to a TR-6.....
The front end damage to the newly restored BUR 174K, was caused in traffic, when I ran into the back of a Transit van in Walthamstow, whilst clocking a hot chick @ a bus stop. Sold it damaged to a guy from Debden, in Dec 85.
Edited by neutral 3 on Thursday 9th May 15:33
Anyway...
Fully restored to original spec I’d avoid - you’d simply be buying a car with all the flaws owners have spent fifty years trying to overcome. But a properly fettled TR456 with the appropriate upgrades (ie the correct ‘Bosch’ fuel pump conversion, polybushed suspension etc) should be a a highly enjoyable and reliable car. And great fun. There are fixes for all the IRS TR’s weaknesses, except those you’re stuck with like limited suspension travel and so on.
Fully restored to original spec I’d avoid - you’d simply be buying a car with all the flaws owners have spent fifty years trying to overcome. But a properly fettled TR456 with the appropriate upgrades (ie the correct ‘Bosch’ fuel pump conversion, polybushed suspension etc) should be a a highly enjoyable and reliable car. And great fun. There are fixes for all the IRS TR’s weaknesses, except those you’re stuck with like limited suspension travel and so on.
lockhart flawse said:
IWould an S series TVR be a better option?
I loved my S and possibly may get it back at some point, but I'd still have to pay the ULEZ charge with it. To get my old car fix living in London in 2021 it would have to be pre 1981. No exemption for Wheeler era TVRs sadly.
Have you thought about a Stag? A bit more sophisticated and easier to use on a regular basis.
When I had mine, I knew of a couple of local members who used them as daily drivers. Lovely and snug with a hard top, easy to drive with PAS as standard.
My son and I preferred the Stag over our TR for our European jaunts.
When I had mine, I knew of a couple of local members who used them as daily drivers. Lovely and snug with a hard top, easy to drive with PAS as standard.
My son and I preferred the Stag over our TR for our European jaunts.
[quote=neutral 3
A Chimp / Griff 500 is a Very crude thing, but a TR 4-6 is on another level!!
[/quote]
....another level of crude IMHO. TR 5/6 (I can't include the TR 4/4A because they have a different engine and I have no experience of them) are not exactly what you'd call refined. They are from the 60's/70's and as such, they drive like a car from that era. The Chimaera would be my preferred choice as a daily driver and I speak as someone that has owned a concours restored TR6 and, very briefly, a TVR Griffith 500 (purchased new).
Personal preference should make the decision for you though. Drive a TR 5/6 and see what you think. With your budget, I think most problems (fuel pump, rust, injection system) will have been sorted but as with every car purchase, don't buy the first one you see and buy the best.
A Chimp / Griff 500 is a Very crude thing, but a TR 4-6 is on another level!!
[/quote]
....another level of crude IMHO. TR 5/6 (I can't include the TR 4/4A because they have a different engine and I have no experience of them) are not exactly what you'd call refined. They are from the 60's/70's and as such, they drive like a car from that era. The Chimaera would be my preferred choice as a daily driver and I speak as someone that has owned a concours restored TR6 and, very briefly, a TVR Griffith 500 (purchased new).
Personal preference should make the decision for you though. Drive a TR 5/6 and see what you think. With your budget, I think most problems (fuel pump, rust, injection system) will have been sorted but as with every car purchase, don't buy the first one you see and buy the best.
I had a TR6 in the late ‘90s. Even with the Bosch pump mod, it suffered fuel cavitation (loss of fuel pressure) and on a warm day would stop till everything cooled. Never left me stranded, but it helped if you weren’t running to a schedule...
Running lowered rear springs and updated dampers it handled reasonably, but as it has a separate chassis everything wobbles!
The Lotus Elan that I replaced it with was a million times better car but you can’t get them for £20k either....
Running lowered rear springs and updated dampers it handled reasonably, but as it has a separate chassis everything wobbles!
The Lotus Elan that I replaced it with was a million times better car but you can’t get them for £20k either....
sideways man said:
I had a TR6 in the late ‘90s. Even with the Bosch pump mod, it suffered fuel cavitation (loss of fuel pressure) and on a warm day would stop till everything cooled. Never left me stranded, but it helped if you weren’t running to a schedule...
Running lowered rear springs and updated dampers it handled reasonably, but as it has a separate chassis everything wobbles!
The Lotus Elan that I replaced it with was a million times better car but you can’t get them for £20k either....
In defence of TR6s, all Bosch fuel pump conversions are not the same. They must be installed in a very particular way to work correctly, and furthermore be capable of reliably maintaining the unusually high fuel pressure demanded by the Lucas system. I've had zero problems from this particular area in twenty years (Revington TR kit in my case). The original Lucas pump, no matter what anyone says, is crap. Running lowered rear springs and updated dampers it handled reasonably, but as it has a separate chassis everything wobbles!
The Lotus Elan that I replaced it with was a million times better car but you can’t get them for £20k either....
The separate chassis thing is a blessing and a pain. A blessing because it's strong and means there are a lot of TRs around that otherwise wouldn't be. A pain because they can be bodged and being old and rusty lose whatever stiffness they once had. But you're right even in great shape they still flex, and the car is transformed with a hard-top.
I bought the best I could find, and I love it, would I like to drive it as a daily, no way.. in my eyes it sounds great, looks the dogs, and on a sunny Sunday morning, it’s the best. But I was seventeen in the Early 70s and a TR6 in Mimosa was all I ever wanted, I finally have one and nothing else matters.
CharlieAlphaMike said:
[quote=neutral 3
A Chimp / Griff 500 is a Very crude thing, but a TR 4-6 is on another level!!
....another level of crude IMHO. TR 5/6 (I can't include the TR 4/4A because they have a different engine and I have no experience of them) are not exactly what you'd call refined. They are from the 60's/70's and as such, they drive like a car from that era. The Chimaera would be my preferred choice as a daily driver and I speak as someone that has owned a concours restored TR6 and, very briefly, a TVR Griffith 500 (purchased new).A Chimp / Griff 500 is a Very crude thing, but a TR 4-6 is on another level!!
What happened to the Griff ?
Any photos ?
Personal preference should make the decision for you though. Drive a TR 5/6 and see what you think. With your budget, I think most problems (fuel pump, rust, injection system) will have been sorted but as with every car purchase, don't buy the first one you see and buy the best.
CharlieAlphaMike said:
Drive a TR 5/6 and see what you think. With your budget, I think most problems (fuel pump, rust, injection system) will have been sorted but as with every car purchase, don't buy the first one you see and buy the best.
What ??? You might just possibly get a rough TR5 for that budget, but there's no way you'll get a well sorted one.Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff