For a sports car that managed about 41K copies, Triumph’s GT6 is one of those seldom-seen models. Of course, the last one assembled was 50 years ago and that may have something to do with it…Today’s Santee, California discovery is very spiffy looking with its silver racing strip and contrasting sharp-looking black finish. It was reconditioned in 2017 and is now available, here on eBay for a current bid of $9,400 with the reserve not yet met. There is a BIN price of $22,000 available too.
Being a 1970 vintage GT6 places this Triumph in Mark III category (’70-’73) – the final GT6 iteration. After this car underwent bumper-to-bumper reconditioning, it was invited to be on display at the California Automobile Museum during the British Car Month event. We’re told that the body is in excellent condition and that car has seen little use over the last six years. It certainly shows well, I’d be hard-pressed to dink this Triumph for any reason. The seller mentions the existence of a few paint chips but they must be very minor and are not obvious. Note the headlight shields, a very nice inclusion! Both should display a Triumph badge in the upper center, just above the start of the vertical trim piece.
Under the lift-up front end is a 2.0 liter, in-line six-cylinder engine which generates about 104 HP. At the time of reconditioning, the engine was, “removed disassembled inspected resealed reassembled with new timing gears and chain, water pump, fuel pump, rebuilt carburetors, oil pump rebuilt, radiator rebuilt, new water hoses and fan belts, new engine and transmission mounts“. Utilizing a four-speed manual transmission (optional overdrive available), this GT6 is claimed to, “run and drive perfectly“.
The interior shows excellently – often not the case with British cars of this era that I have reviewed. It seems that the wooden instrument panel is often hinky and the gauges and/or switch gear reveal vacancies. That’s not the case here, it’s all complete and looking very proper. The seller states that the entire interior has been replaced right along with the window regulators and the door hinges. This GT6 features a rear seat which we are told is a rare option, and it too has been reupholstered.
In summary, this is a fine-looking, and I imagine running, Triunph GT6 – it would seem to need nothing, other than a new owner. The BIN price will give you an approximate idea of the reserve and I can’t attest to its marketability but based on other available examples that I could find, it seems to be in a reasonable range. What’s your thought on that matter?
Hate the wheels.
Agree. They just don’t fit the look of the car. Nice one though.
I was always partial to aluminum slots on these, period correct and just touched it off nice.
Love the wheels. Especially because some guy who can’t afford the car wants to rail against a bargain.
Based on the location of the fuel filler this is a Mark II.
And she’s one fine looker … I’d say yes on this one.
I used to have a 1970, I had the Western wire wheel mags on mine. This is missing the air box for the carbs but it’s a clean example…miss mine.
Love the GT6, having my first one is was what drove me to start racing, had several over the years, put a good exhaust on it and there’s not a better sounding car out there….
I have fond memories of riding in this with my alpha phi omega fraternity brothers when we would drive from James Madison University to University Virginia in Charlottesville for a mixer as the girls were at Madison for the most part boys were at UVA
F. Y. I James Madison at the time in 1972 only had 900 men and 4000 women 50 years ago
Long live the great triumph name!
Commandeer Dr. Robert Matthews
I have fond memories of riding in this with my alpha phi omega fraternity brothers when we would drive from James Madison University to University Virginia in Charlottesville for a mixer as the girls were at Madison for the most part boys were at UVA
F. Y. I James Madison at the time in 1972 only had 900 men and 4000 women 50 years ago
Long live the great triumph name!
Commandeer Dr. Robert Matthews
those headlight cover things need to go too…
I always assumed that stripes originally appeared on racing cars so that the driver could easily tell if the car was tracking wonky after a collision or perhaps due to a parts failure. Stripes on the passenger side sort of blow that idea out of the water.
This is a MK2 the MK3 has a Kammback and was probably the prettiest version IMHO
I thought all of the ’70 to ’73s were Mark IIIs, not true?
JO
The Mk3 was introduced in October 1970
In 1968 I was racing a Healey 100-6 in SCCA E production. At one of the national races, Kas Kastner’s guys showed up with a GT 6 driven by Carl Swanson. My Healey had the Joe Huffaker engine mods and was fast- Swanson’s GT 6 was lighter. We ran together for most of the race, but the GT6 could really pull the revs down the long back straight and I struggled to keep up. Finally I let my ego get the better of me and just let the Healey wind out and broke the crank.
I’m restoring my 2nd GT6. This one appears to be a solid car but the patina under the bonnet and around the engine bay do not compliment the term: Museum Exhibit.
Agreed on the wheels and the racing stripes. Both need to go!
Otherwise a nice car. Solid driver quality GT6’s are hard to find. Maintenance parts are inexpensive and there are numerous performance and handling upgrades that make these cars very fun to drive.
At $22k, it’s a bargain. And most people love the wheels. Because they make it more unique. You couldn’t get an old driver in need of maintenance on the road for $30k unless you did everything yourself over the span of 5 years.
You’ll make yourself SO happy by NOT buying a british car. Just a mess of problems with few solutions.
And your detailed experience with British cars is….?
Mister Green: sounds like you are NOT a Mr. British Racing Green. How about giving us the usual tired, old and boring jokes about beer and Lucas fridges? There are plenty of American cars that give problems. Except for British Leyland-produced cars of the mid ’70s into the early ’80s, English cars are fine if serviced regularly per the manuals, AND BY MECHANICS TRAINED IN SERVICING SUCH CARS…NOT the typical American mechanic who would not know a Zenith-Stromberg carb from a fruit fly.
By now, the glitches on different models are known and fixes are less mysterious. Plus buying an old British car back in the day as your daily work vehicle is completely different from a pleasure car.
Substantiate your claim , my knowledge and experiences says your wrong .
I will join the choir here. I restored my TR250 12 years ago, after sorting out a couple things in the first couple years (me trying and failing with my first transmission rebuild, on me not on the car) I just change the fluids and get in and drive with no reservations, including regular autocrosses. I have had similar experiences with MGs and Austin Healeys. Yes it helps that I have worked on them all my life, but they really aren’t nearly as bad as they are made out to be.
Bought one of these brand new fro $3,120. Lots of trouble with the electrical system, including an instance of smoke pouring from the dashboard. Replaced three tachs because the cable kept snapping. Lost synchros in 1st to 2nd gears. After 22,000 miles I gave up. It had a beautiful body, though and the girls liked it.
I don’t think these ever came in Black,although I’ve
seen a lot of dark Blue ones.
And being in a museum doesn’t mean much – sounds like
this one was displayed for a short time.
soooper! just super, these have it all (to me). The fastback, engine access, i6, OD, this 1 LHD.
Great example, mostly had the southern contenntial models. These competed w/them in fine style. Later years now I’ve seen some intakes I’d like to put 6 MiKuni s on these lill guys
Thnx Jim !.
It’s a sweet ride for sure. What some commenters don’t get is this is a very nice DRIVER, that happened to be in a museum just a a curio. Simply to say a nice example of a car with a beautiful straight 6 small displacement car that should still be made today. I’d go with fuel injection and CDI ignition myself, if meddling with fuel system. I realize it loses some looks under the hood, but probably gets faster and better gas mileage.