I normally leave the British finds to Jamie, as he is our in-house expert and knows more about these makes and models in his pinky finger than I do in my whole body. However, this 1973 Triump GT6 here on craigslist was just too tempting to write up, solely for the seller’s candidness about the potential for this project-grade example to torpedo your marriage and deplete your bank account with ease.
There are some sellers who just seem to speak with a tongue that only other enthusiasts would understand, and he freely acknowledges this GT6 will require lots of work to resuscitate. However, he does claim to be the original owner and that the Triumph has only 45,000 original miles, two features that are hard to find in cars of this vintage. The paint is quite faded and almost looks as if only the rear of the car was covered.
It also looks like the rear suspension has collapsed a fair amount, given how much tuck there is between the top of the tire and the fender well. Does this mean the suspension has punctured the body or is it less ominous than that? I’ll let our marque experts weigh in on the typical corrosion spots for these cars. It’s a shame if it is a potential rust problem, as the rest of the Triumph’s body looks fairly clean.
The seller does allude to the fact that rodents have made their home in the interior and you’re going to be performing a not-insignificant level of clean-out if you take this home. Which, the seller also opines may open the door to marriage counseling should you decide to plunk down the cash for the $1,200 asking price. This price is already a reduction from the $1,500 mentioned in the message body, so there may still be some room to haggle.
To begin, I suspect what appears to be a suspension issue is really just extra “stuff” being on the left side of the car–although being driven without a passenger can contribute to it. The transverse leaf spring is bolted to the top of the differential, which is firmly attached to the frame…so if there is something awry, it’s REALLY bad and would be immediately evident. GT6’s and Spitfires rust the worst just in front of the rear wheels on the sills, floors that seem designed to capture pools of water and the two front valences, which are actually bolt-on items. I’m guessing at least part of the car was repainted; fading wouldn’t be along the seams. As to which part…who knows whether front or rear, but I’d guess front.
Although the interior shot doesn’t include a shift knob, it looks like one of the pictures taken through the hatchback in the ad itself shows an overdrive shift knob. If that is the case, I’ll bet it will go quickly as they are difficult to find and completely transform the car (right, Howard?). Nice find!!!
Hi Jamie, I agree, the GT6 was a special model.( Like that TR4 Dove, that blew me away) It took the Spitfire to new heights. When I had my ’71 MGB, a guy I worked with at the time had a car just like this. We would go chasing each other on twisting country roads, ( pretty stupid now that I think of it)and in a drag race, we were dead even through the gears, naturally, the GT6 handled a little better, but being front heavy, he did spin it out once ( that was tense) The GT6 just wasn’t quite big enough for me, and still want the TR6. I HIGHLY doubt the 45K mile claim, like you say, they are pretty simple and tons of parts around. Very cool find.
If that was local I’d be running to check it out. Seems like good bones to me.
When these were new and sitting on the showroom floor, they were really cool. I almost bought one in the early 70’s. College tuition got in the way.
Am I the only one that noticed this is a salvaged vehicle. Obvious front end damage
he says the condition is salvage, not the title. The car is what you make it. it has had either the front or the rear painted. It’s original owner, you could just ask and find out which was hit, or if it was just painted.
My next British car will be a GT6 just not this one. Maybe if it was a 69 or 70 I would go look at it as I live in Seattle about a 3 hour drive.
I’m one of those who prefer the later body style.
I saw one at the Dixon,CA British car meet that was near
perfect,in my favorite GT6 color.
Love that color too. There’s one on ebay now this color and year.
I had a car that came from a desert area, the windows all had been pitted by blowing sand, seeing all that sand I bet it needs windows too. Once again the money would be better spent on a good example IMHO. Nice one in Hemming’s for less than you would spend on this one.
super fun car. we had a 69 in red. the small rust holes in floor were great for water injection cooling on a rainy summer afternoons.
I have always liked these GT6+ esp the 73s. But the same vintage Datsun240z is larger, more powerful, and generally a better GT.
I’m not in love with the styling on these, but the price is right!
I hate to rain on the good reviews, but the GT6 I find plows in tight corners. I finally drove one a few years ago and was a little disappointed with the handling.The heavy engine sits in the middle of the front wheels which throws off the balance. A neighbor decided to put a small (4-cyl.) powerful engine in a GT6 and it made a world of difference in the way the car handled. By mounting that engine back like the Spitfire made all the difference. Like many of you, I too love the looks of the car. In my case finding a good one that would take forever to do a transplant.
I had a 71 GT6 with the factory overdrive. A very rare car but I couldn’t bring myself to turn it into a vintage racer. So I sold it to t friend who has. A few minor spring weight changes, coil overs and the car handles like a dream. Through the “S’s” at PPIR you just throttle steer it…lil bit of wheel input and let the gas pedal do the rest. A real blast to drive.
GlenK – I am building a GT4 for that very reason (GT body on a spit platform). Building a Euro-spec 1300 with hot cam – should give me about 100-105hp (7+ more than a stock GT6’s 93). Key is it will cut the nose weight down almost 75 pounds. Add the aero that the GT body provides and the OD trans/3.89 rear diff and I hope to have a very quick lil vintage racer.
Which is what this one would be a good candidate for…
These sure sound neat. Something about that British i-6, it ain’t no Stovebolt 6, that’s for sure.
It’s down at the rear because it’s likely got the original transverse rear spring in it which likely went flat about 1987. New ones are available. Those cars are fun, & putting your foot in that Triumph 2 litre inline 6 is like a having a cocktail of heroin & crack. Your eyes roll back in your head, you babble to the car, & drool in your lap. The stroked 2.5 litre I-6 in the TR6 is more powerful & quite capable, but not the religious experience that the 2L is.