The TR6 was a sports car built by the British Triumph Motor Company between 1969-76. It was largely produced for export as less than 10% of total assembles stayed in the UK. This edition from 1974 is mostly original and finished in French Blue, a switch-up from British Racing Green. It’s in good condition and looks like a turn-key car. Located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the roadster is available here on eBay where the bidding stands at $6,665.
All TR6s were propelled by a 2.5-liter inline-6 with twin single carburetors for the U.S. market. While the UK versions with fuel injection were rated at 150 hp, the U.S. cars only mustered 104. As was common fare for the day, the TR6 featured a 4-speed manual transmission. While most were sold as convertibles, a factory steel hardtop was optional, requiring two people to deploy. The dashboard was walnut veneer, so the car had a quality feel from behind the steering wheel. Over eight model years, the TR6 was the best-seller in the TR range of cars when production ended. Nearly 92,000 examples were built.
The seller’s 1974 version looks like a well-kept unmolested sports car that you could get in and take an extended Sunday drive. We’re told it has been serviced and is running well. The radiator has been redone and new hoses installed along with a variety of switches and locks. The TR is wearing new Firestone tires all around and it is fitted with genuine LUCAS fog lights, which are in working order and wired but not switched.
While the French Blue paint looks great, we must wonder if it’s both a repaint and a color change. There are scratches around the identification plates that reveal red or orange as a possible prior color. We’re told that rust is at a minimum, with a teensy bit on the upper passenger side body frame. There are a few little door dings that come with use as the car has 75,000 miles on the odometer. The convertible top has a couple of tears, and the clear windows look a bit foggy to see through.
The styling of these cars was hampered by the U.S. DOT-required cowcatcher bumperettes. The ones on the rear are still there and those for the front are present and the buyer can reinstall them. Hagerty says that the average resale value of one of these sports cars is about $14,000. Since this TR is in nicer condition than many, a premium should be added. The seller’s car probably has a lot of room left to go before the gavel drops on the auction.
These are nice cars. Only limitations are the smog gear on he engines, the heavy clutch pedal, which can be fixed by an aftermarket clutch, and for the purists in the audience, they have the poorest panel alignment of any cars we ever had in the shop. We installed a suspension upgrade kit for a customer in the ’90s that lowered the car about 1 inch and really balanced out the handling from truck-like to sports car level. The blue and yellow cars are our favorites.
At the car shows, folks used to say that when they saw a TR-4, 250, 6 that had perfect panel gaps they knew it was one that had comprehensive body repair.
Very nice TR6….
Does it use Whitworth or metric?
Sacre Bleu, love all things British, however, I’m a purist, and this color is just blasphemy to me. Paint your Renault Caravelle blue, TR6’s should be green. That Union Jack looks so out of place on blue background. And those rubber bumper things got to go ( I wonder if a sharp trooper would know they were removed) you shouldn’t park your pristine TR6 that close to anyone anyway and of course, no O/D kills the deal for me. TR6’s are more than Spitfires on steroids, they are really nice cars, better engineered, as I didn’t care for a Spitfire at all. Far as I’m concerned, British roadsters go, from poor to best, Spitfire/Midget, MGB, TR6, Jag . They all require attention, and this car will be no exception. It’s part of the fun, I just couldn’t get past the color.
French Blue was an often seen color on TR6’s back in the day. Compared to the limited color choices one sees today, the wide range if available colors is one of the charms of the TR6. The car had to be sold with the rubber overriders but an owner wasn’t prohibited from removing them. Neither of my TR6’s had overdrive but I thought it was a desirable option? Having had two, I would probably not use the term “better engineering” to refer to them.
This is an original color. My TR6 was this color. One of my favorites. The insane bright green was also cool too.
Interesting Howard. Over the span of the ’80s we had 4 or 5 TR6 customers and none of their cars were green. 3 yellow, 1 blue and a red one. Either way, I’m a TR4 fan but the 6s are nice cars.
@Howard:
This car may not have originally been this color but “French Blue” was a factory color in 1974. Hard to say if this possible repaint is a accurate, but it’s awfully close.
Nice nice car, wish I had room, my buddy had a 71, Burgandy and tan, car was a lotta fun, till he spun it thru the front of a bank, rainy morning mid 70s, broke the low wall and the window of the bank, in Manhattan, cops were hysterical
Why do the British not build computers? They haven’t figured out how to make them leak oil. Sorry, couldn’t resist.
TR-6’s are great. I had a ’71. Weak point is in the frame in the rear on both sides where the suspension attaches to the frame. If that’s rusted, you have trouble. The frame on mine was rusted when I bought it but I was lucky and found a frame that wasn’t rusted and put the two frames together. Lot’s of work; you’ll need a lift and you’ll have to remove the body from the frame, etc..