Where are all the nice original TR6s
Discussion
Ha yes, Dodgy Walnut dashes , MX5 seats, Silly Chrome wires......the list of horrors that are inflicted on the poor TR6 are legion !!
I had lots of these in the early 80s,inc one that had been bought by a member of LED ZEPPELIN . I loved them, they were 2 a penny then.
In 1982, £500 quid bought a useable, scruffy 6. But these cars had many shortcomings.
Dont touch the later CR Cars, less power, far less desireable. However, Magenta , 73 on , was such a cool colour. A few 69/70 models were painted Jasmine, a superb colour. But very hard to find.
Chassis rot, diff mount failure, crank end float, weak gearboxes....If you can find BUR-174K , snap her up. !
I had lots of these in the early 80s,inc one that had been bought by a member of LED ZEPPELIN . I loved them, they were 2 a penny then.
In 1982, £500 quid bought a useable, scruffy 6. But these cars had many shortcomings.
Dont touch the later CR Cars, less power, far less desireable. However, Magenta , 73 on , was such a cool colour. A few 69/70 models were painted Jasmine, a superb colour. But very hard to find.
Chassis rot, diff mount failure, crank end float, weak gearboxes....If you can find BUR-174K , snap her up. !
I've driven the earlier 150 and the later 125. I've got to say, I couldn't tell one from the other power wise. I am steering clear of anything with carbs though. SUs are gutless and triple webbers require a petrol tanker to be towed behind you and a remortgage to keep running.
Magenta is exactly the colour I want but so does everyone else!!!
I really don't want red but I realise I'm going to have to compromise on something.
Magenta is exactly the colour I want but so does everyone else!!!
I really don't want red but I realise I'm going to have to compromise on something.
Sorry guys, but the eary TR6 and the 5 , had a Genuine 150BHP. This was mainly due to the Lumpy Cam they were fitted with.
This was told to me by Terry Hurrel OF S.A.H. FAME. An early engine was capable of produceing around 190 BHP on injection. After that Weber 45s were needed. The 73 0n cars were slugs. And overdrive on 3rd and top only, seats wernt as comfy ( but safer,due to headrests) plus chrome surounds to the clocks. ( prefer the black )
However their Deep Front Spoiler was a very welcome adition.
A good early TR6 ( without the heavy hard top fitted ) would hit 60 in just about 8 seconds and hold a 3 Litre Capri to at least 70. And putting a 150CP and 125CR car alongside each other for a drag race, the early car was noticeably quicker.I had a dice with a 4.2 E-type one night, held him to 40, then he romped away from me....then lost his E in a big way.........
I did numerous long journeys in my TR6s and found the seats very good, but they were only 10 yr old cars then.
This was told to me by Terry Hurrel OF S.A.H. FAME. An early engine was capable of produceing around 190 BHP on injection. After that Weber 45s were needed. The 73 0n cars were slugs. And overdrive on 3rd and top only, seats wernt as comfy ( but safer,due to headrests) plus chrome surounds to the clocks. ( prefer the black )
However their Deep Front Spoiler was a very welcome adition.
A good early TR6 ( without the heavy hard top fitted ) would hit 60 in just about 8 seconds and hold a 3 Litre Capri to at least 70. And putting a 150CP and 125CR car alongside each other for a drag race, the early car was noticeably quicker.I had a dice with a 4.2 E-type one night, held him to 40, then he romped away from me....then lost his E in a big way.........
I did numerous long journeys in my TR6s and found the seats very good, but they were only 10 yr old cars then.
neutral 3 said:
Sorry guys, but the eary TR6 and the 5 , had a Genuine 150BHP.
They might have had 150bhp but if you can differenciate today I would be surprised. It was more than just the cam which gave the increased power to the earlier cars but as far as power deliver and overall perfromance is concerned it's like comparing Coke with Pepsi. The early cars had black instruments, later had chrome and black. I prefer the graphics of the earlier instruments but who cares. What matters is that it is straight and rot free.I went to see a car the other day. The chrome wires with the wrong offset should have been a warning. The paint looked great in the photos, the outer panels lookd great in real life. I reached under the sill and squeezed the vertical sill and my finger went through it.
I'd rather go for a car with SUs than that - at least I could put injection back without too much difficulty.
I restored my CR series in Emerald Green over a 3 year period starting back in 1987, then spent the next few years getting it to absolutely original spec as bits became available. I was bucking the trend even then,everyone else seemed to be going for 'improvements',although at that time you could still pick up original old stock bits and pieces if you new where to look, and a few UK cars were still being broken. I think that was the secret back then.
I found that if the original seats were re-built correctly,with new foams and diaphrams, they were extremely comfortable. Other mates had CP cars and yes the 150's had a bit of an edge performance wise, but mine was much better to drive in heavy traffic with the tamer cam on the original PI. I became quite expert with PI set ups.
I got it 100% right, it became a bit of an obsession and I was a bit paranoid about driving it by then if I'm honest. I then made the mistake of testing a Griffith in 1999,which was a quantum leap in all dynamic aspects, so the TR had to go. I sold it to a guy from Kent in the TR register who really wanted an original 4a, but had given up finding one as by then the market was swamped with Taiwanese spare parts from most TR suppliers some of which was truly dreadful quality. Most old stock had dried up by then and few cars were being broken, so 'alternative' shiny bits and trim started finding thier way onto the cars.
The guy I sold it to bought purely on grounds of originality,and to my knowledge still has the car today, in the same condition, and I still have the Griff.
Good luck with your search,
Steve
I found that if the original seats were re-built correctly,with new foams and diaphrams, they were extremely comfortable. Other mates had CP cars and yes the 150's had a bit of an edge performance wise, but mine was much better to drive in heavy traffic with the tamer cam on the original PI. I became quite expert with PI set ups.
I got it 100% right, it became a bit of an obsession and I was a bit paranoid about driving it by then if I'm honest. I then made the mistake of testing a Griffith in 1999,which was a quantum leap in all dynamic aspects, so the TR had to go. I sold it to a guy from Kent in the TR register who really wanted an original 4a, but had given up finding one as by then the market was swamped with Taiwanese spare parts from most TR suppliers some of which was truly dreadful quality. Most old stock had dried up by then and few cars were being broken, so 'alternative' shiny bits and trim started finding thier way onto the cars.
The guy I sold it to bought purely on grounds of originality,and to my knowledge still has the car today, in the same condition, and I still have the Griff.
Good luck with your search,
Steve
Dream on! How on earth can you expect a British made sportscar to still be original 30 years after production? There is something called rust that generally afflicts them, this has to be fixed & repaired on a frequent basis just for them to survive.
Some friends have one, that they've had it from almost new, its used daily throughout the summer & dry stored over winter, its been totally restored 3 times in its life. Last time round it had a new body & was mechanically restored using all the latest performance stuff. It cost about 3 x times more to restore it than its actual value, but its they pride & joy.
You will not find an original car that is'nt either a rustbucket or has'nt been repaired & restored.
Some friends have one, that they've had it from almost new, its used daily throughout the summer & dry stored over winter, its been totally restored 3 times in its life. Last time round it had a new body & was mechanically restored using all the latest performance stuff. It cost about 3 x times more to restore it than its actual value, but its they pride & joy.
You will not find an original car that is'nt either a rustbucket or has'nt been repaired & restored.
cptsideways said:
You will not find an original car that is'nt either a rustbucket or has'nt been repaired & restored.
That's not really true, there are some 'matching number' cars around, low mileage one family hardly ever used lived in a a garage all their lives. But they're worth a lot of money, and to be honest why would you want one? You'd be frightened to drive it anywhere and even if rot free the bushings and wotnot would have deteriorated over the last 35 years or so.The reason so many cars have been modified in various ways is that original cars are crap, especially after all this time. Talk to anyone who had one brand new. They were always breaking down in one way or another. Soggy suspension with shoddy geometry, chassis weak spots, poor-to-zero rust protection, skinny tyres, rubbish exhaust manifold, generally iffy material spec, a windscreen wiper motor flogged to death as a fuel pump, the list is endless. And that's before BL threw them together between strikes.
Most of these failings can be overcome (to the detriment of originality) and a well rebuilt (as opposed to 'restored') car can be very good indeed, and great fun. Having suffered a solid but original car, when I decided I would have one again I would start from scratch and do it properly, the very best spec for every component. The thing is, as my own experience has proven, such a rebuild takes a massive amount of time and money. But since I finished the rebuild, years ago, the car has never let me down, and it's more reliable than the Audis it shares a garage with.
But I agree that some of the non-original cosmetic stuff isn't very nice.
December 1968 Sales Brochure. Damson Car on the front cover.
Bought My first TR6 in May 1982, an H-reg, was Damson, ( complete with bent chassis, swapped for my 3 Litre Capri at a dodgy dealer in Croydon) They saw me coming a Mile Away. I managed to contact her Previous owner, he told me he had hit a tree in it, with both him and his Girlfriend badly hurt. I sold it to a pal for 550 quid, he straightened out the Chassis and painted it dark blue.
Second one was Saffron, EJH-638K ,bought from Cambridge in July 82. Had a grt roof down summer in that one, also TR Register meets at The White Bear In Onger.
They were terrible in the wet, if the back stepped out it was impossible to cath them , they allways span round. I span it completly round in Central London in the wet one night on the way back from the Chelsea Cruise. Rebuilt the rotten body winter 82 and painted that one Mimosa, sold it to a pal.
Then in feb 84 i bought BUR-174K a beauty, Red, low miles,had been stored for 8 years. Rebuilt the body, fitted Cosmic Alloys,Roll bar, Telescopic rear shocks....i was such a poser in that car..... then one day, i ran into the back of a Transit van in Walthamstow (checking out a chick) and stoved my new wings and front panel in. Skint, i bashed it as straight as i could , then Foolishly sold it in late 85 for £2,200. Tried to buy it back,a few months later, but he was winding me up. Last heard of it in 91. That 6 Was a Beauty.
In August 82 i bought a nice Red 72 L-reg complete with Hard Top, that had belonged to Led Zeppelin. It had been put into a tree hard, on the passenger side (yes another one ) by its Inebriated owner, who legged it leaving his hapless mate , complete with broken ankle trapped in the footwell of the wreckage !!
After selling BUR-174K ( i so loved that car ) i got into MK3 3 Litre Capris.
Owned 3 more TR6s in the late 80s. The last of which i owned in Summer 1988, a 72 L-Reg red 150, which Broke its Rotten Chassis Trailing Arm Mount ,when i hit a pot hole outside The Kings Head Pub In Chigwell. Had it plated up and sold it FAST !!
Its new Irate "Hooray Henry" owner rang me up whingeing that i had sold him a pup....Caveat Emptor........I then got into 260Zs.....
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/2WimydrU.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/f4CBv8DX" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/f4CBv8DX.jpg)
Yertis said:
cptsideways said:
You will not find an original car that is'nt either a rustbucket or has'nt been repaired & restored.
That's not really true, there are some 'matching number' cars around, low mileage one family hardly ever used lived in a a garage all their lives. But they're worth a lot of money, and to be honest why would you want one? You'd be frightened to drive it anywhere and even if rot free the bushings and wotnot would have deteriorated over the last 35 years or so.The reason so many cars have been modified in various ways is that original cars are crap, especially after all this time. Talk to anyone who had one brand new. They were always breaking down in one way or another. Soggy suspension with shoddy geometry, chassis weak spots, poor-to-zero rust protection, skinny tyres, rubbish exhaust manifold, generally iffy material spec, a windscreen wiper motor flogged to death as a fuel pump, the list is endless. And that's before BL threw them together between strikes.
Most of these failings can be overcome (to the detriment of originality) and a well rebuilt (as opposed to 'restored') car can be very good indeed, and great fun. Having suffered a solid but original car, when I decided I would have one again I would start from scratch and do it properly, the very best spec for every component. The thing is, as my own experience has proven, such a rebuild takes a massive amount of time and money. But since I finished the rebuild, years ago, the car has never let me down, and it's more reliable than the Audis it shares a garage with.
But I agree that some of the non-original cosmetic stuff isn't very nice.
I sold my 1 owner 13000 miler last year. Couldn't enjoy it. Totally totally original with an unused spare with the old Dunlop SP which still had the pimple. Lovely example nut couldn't enjoy it.
Enjoyed my RAt but solid TR6 a lot more.....a superb little terrier.
Agree with OP. These cars are all messed up with horrid Minilites and walnut dashes etc.
Enjoyed my RAt but solid TR6 a lot more.....a superb little terrier.
Agree with OP. These cars are all messed up with horrid Minilites and walnut dashes etc.
Yertis said:
The reason so many cars have been modified in various ways is that original cars are crap, especially after all this time. Talk to anyone who had one brand new. They were always breaking down in one way or another. Soggy suspension with shoddy geometry, chassis weak spots, poor-to-zero rust protection, skinny tyres, rubbish exhaust manifold, generally iffy material spec, a windscreen wiper motor flogged to death as a fuel pump, the list is endless. And that's before BL threw them together between strikes.
I wouldn't totally agree with that. A 1960's MGB in original spec can be very nice to drive indeed, and i dare say there are some other cars similar - TR4, Mini, Elan, etc.MGBs are very often spoiled by their owners though, with, as mentioned, dreadful walnut dashboards, chrome wire wheels, chrome sills, poor suspension conversions, B-series engines which have had the torque removed from them, wider tyres, and so on.
I reckon the original cars may have had their shortcomings, but a great many of the 'improvements' are worse.
heebeegeetee said:
I wouldn't totally agree with that. A 1960's MGB in original spec can be very nice to drive indeed, and i dare say there are some other cars similar - TR4, Mini, Elan, etc.
MGBs are very often spoiled by their owners though, with, as mentioned, dreadful walnut dashboards, chrome wire wheels, chrome sills, poor suspension conversions, B-series engines which have had the torque removed from them, wider tyres, and so on.
I reckon the original cars may have had their shortcomings, but a great many of the 'improvements' are worse.
Yikes....you wouldn't like ours then... Apart from the V8 that now sits under the bonnet (it's a Roadster) it has 72 spoke chrome wires, jag mag leather and a walnut dash.. the horrrror MGBs are very often spoiled by their owners though, with, as mentioned, dreadful walnut dashboards, chrome wire wheels, chrome sills, poor suspension conversions, B-series engines which have had the torque removed from them, wider tyres, and so on.
I reckon the original cars may have had their shortcomings, but a great many of the 'improvements' are worse.
theironduke said:
heebeegeetee said:
I wouldn't totally agree with that. A 1960's MGB in original spec can be very nice to drive indeed, and i dare say there are some other cars similar - TR4, Mini, Elan, etc.
MGBs are very often spoiled by their owners though, with, as mentioned, dreadful walnut dashboards, chrome wire wheels, chrome sills, poor suspension conversions, B-series engines which have had the torque removed from them, wider tyres, and so on.
I reckon the original cars may have had their shortcomings, but a great many of the 'improvements' are worse.
Yikes....you wouldn't like ours then... Apart from the V8 that now sits under the bonnet (it's a Roadster) it has 72 spoke chrome wires, jag mag leather and a walnut dash.. the horrrror MGBs are very often spoiled by their owners though, with, as mentioned, dreadful walnut dashboards, chrome wire wheels, chrome sills, poor suspension conversions, B-series engines which have had the torque removed from them, wider tyres, and so on.
I reckon the original cars may have had their shortcomings, but a great many of the 'improvements' are worse.
theironduke said:
Yikes....you wouldn't like ours then... Apart from the V8 that now sits under the bonnet (it's a Roadster) it has 72 spoke chrome wires, jag mag leather and a walnut dash.. the horrrror
I'll join the others who may not like the idea of the above but - it's not my car so who cares whether I like it. The main thing is thironduke does and it's his/her car.I get a lot of pleasure in getting into an original unmolested car, evn if it isn't immaculate.
I also find that when I do buy cars that have been "messed" with, many of the problems they suffer with relate to the modifications.
Low profile tyres on cars that were not designed for them, faster cams, none standard carbs etc.
Go back to standard and you have good ride, tractable engine and good economy.
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