This trio of Triumph GT6s are sitting on what looks to be the edge of a property near Salem, Virginia. While it’s impossible to tell from the photos, the cars look like they could be miles away from anything, but more likely is that these cars are all that remains of a collection that’s been cleaned out. The seller has very little information on them, but the price seems right if you’re looking for parts cars. Find it here on craigslist and thanks to Barn Finds reader Ian C. for the find.
This is not an entirely different scene from the large collection in Georgia I’m helping to organize and sell projects out of. If you have access to large acreage of woodlands, it’s all too temping to dump potential projects around the property for getting around to “someday.” While these GT6s may not return to the roads as running projects, there has to be more than $500 worth of parts between the three. Just those Cosmic wheels alone would bring good money.
Someone with far more knowledge of GT6s could likely tell us what parts are the most valuable, but I’m at least encouraged by seeing at least two of the earlier MK2 cars with their taillights as the primary identifiers. The chrome bumpers also look like they could be re-used, and there’s a second set of Cosmics for re-selling as well. Glass looks good on some of the cars, and I’ll bet someone could use the rear hatch glass poking out of the top right of the photo.
Engine-wise, I’m guessing it’s not too realistic to hope for a salvageable drivetrain, but at least the head hasn’t been removed. The interiors are likely trashed, for the most part, so good trim, wheels, and body panels are likely the prizes for anyone who drags these Triumphs out of the woods. The seller seems to indicate removal is the buyer’s responsibility, so be sure to ask a friend with a front-end loader if he’s free next weekend before committing to buy.
“I tell ya, these little British cars get no respect.” Sheesh! I know Salem, Virginia and it’s all mountainous, hilly and moist. I bet these are located far enough off the road to require that front loader, electric winch, tetanus shots and bug spray just to comfortably drag them to your trailer.
The GT6, like Rodney Dangerfield, gets no respect.
I had one in college, a ’69 Mk II (GT6+ in the U.S.) and loved it! Excellent handling, 24′ turning circle, SCCA champ, etc. Lucas electrics helped train me into the electrical diagnostic expert I am today! And we all know why the English drink warm beer…their refrigerators were made by Lucas!
Honestly, these should be free simply for clearing the person’s property. The $500 is going to get chiseled anyway to virtually nothing. Just hauling them will cost that if you have to rent a flatbed.
The 2 Mk2’s should have the improved rear suspension with lower arm and Roto-flex axles. With some cutting and welding those can upgrade any GT6 or Spitfire. The cam and heads were improved over the Mk1’s as well. I’d bet with a hot dip the iron in those blocks and heads will be just fine.
IMHO, all 3 together aren’t worth $10. Let the scrappers have `em. Triumphs of this period had more problems than a red-headed stepchild. Not worth restoring.
I won’t argue that these likely are beyond restoration. However, as parts sources, they could be decently valuable. Too many cars in far better shape still get parted out, so….
While I agree that build quality was not great, the basics were there for a great car. Many of the issues that they had when made have after market solutions that make these cars handle well and given the power to weight ratio they can be spirited drivers. The rotoflex chassis on Mk2 and early mk3 is the one to get
Now, now, Will, calm down. You wouldn’t by chance drive an MG, would you?
Looks like they are well on their way to being reclaimed by Mother Nature.
Easily worth that in parts for someone needing them
Because they have no friends, orphan cars tend to huddle together for warmth…
Now that made me laugh….good post
I figure the land was sold. The developer is looking for a couple extra bucks before they’re scrapped. Hope they are saved, price seems very reasonable.
I live in Roanoke,& not even tempted to go look at them.
The motors might be worth something, but all the parts that are interchangeable with the Spitfire will just collect dust.
I bet they were nice looking cars before the sound of the dueling banjos kicked in! Ned Beatty didn’t have it any better either!
I would not hesitate to get them all to piece into one good one. The hard to find parts are there- everything else is available online and share much with the Spitfire.
Location, recovery and storage would be the killer.
Along with a majority of the responses here, I’m not seeing a $500 value here. Definitely parts cars, but the recovery costs VS value of parts doesn’t seem justifiable.
The owner ought to pay someone $500 to haul them away.
Buy all 3 and break them up for parts, parts for those are scarce enough here in the UK, so I would imagine even more scarce in the US.
300 bucks to haul them to crusher.
I will need it up front
Good GT-6 parts may be scarce in the UK, but every back field around my area of Tennessee seems to have a Spitfire or GT-6 sitting in the weeds like these three examples. If I was closer and had the means I would immediately pull together a set of those alloy wheels for resale. The bonnets do well for an updated look for Spitfires too but it seems one or more of these has seen a tree fall upon them. PASS!
I see maybe $500 in parts. Start with it looks like one good bonnet ($150), if the Cosmics aren’t corroded from being half-buried then thats a big plus ($250), Back hatch with glass if not rusty on the bottom ($100). Bonus points might happen for an OD trans and usable engine parts ($50-$100), if the back-up lights are glass lens and not broken ($5-$10), and any other glass or chrome bits ($10-$25). Past that, the scrap metal return might pay for your gas to go get them and haul them but you are looking at 2-3 trips so maybe not.
Pity the Mk1 looks to be the worst off but the 6+ looks to be the best
KEERECT, jagmanbill—since the Redneck bonanza a few years ago when junk was selling for 16 cents a lb at the scale, the crusher got a lot of ’em. IMHO parts is parts…drag em home if you are into them. Sometimes that odd little bolt or bracket is made of unobtanium–take it off the parts car!!!
Agreed – Wife doesn’t like it but does understand why I have a Mk1 Spit, a Mk4 Spit and a Mk3 GT6 parts cars out back. Sometimes that unobtainable part just needs to be at your fingertips…
From owning several of these in the past the most rare item on these are the lug nuts for the cosmic wheels. Just for fun try finding mag wheel lug nuts for 3/8 studs…
When I had my Mk3 back in the 90’s, I found one local shop that had the correct lugs. I bought all they had, 45-ish IIR. After 4 years I only had 16 left. That’s when I knew it was time to sell.
The two Mk IIs (+ Model for the U.S.) are simply beautiful when finished, and the Mk I models are becoming more scarce. I’ve got two Mk IIIs and one Mk II so “no more room at the inn”, but I’d love to add a Mk I to my collection. Good bonnet assemblies can go for $500+ alone.
These “baby” E-Types are, in my opinion, among the most beautiful Triumphs made. So what if they’re cramped, hot, and smell of oil after a summer drive. You definitely won’t see yourself coming and going at every stop sign. Many reasonably-priced parts are shared with the Spitfire, so restoration costs are not prohibitive. And these are ANALOG cars, not the plastic squished jellybean DIGITAL trash being produced today. Triumph used REAL wood on the instrument panels.
Enough of the rant. Before long I’ll be scheduling a trip to Virginia…about the same time my wife hires a divorce attorney.
Another if I could I would! If I had one I was doing a resto on I would buy them! I saw lots of great parts on them! I think that a person should just back a flatbed up pitch a tent or camper and completely disassemble them stack em up and haul them out that way!
In all my hiking along the Appalachian Trail, across Virginia, I failed to see these precious vehicles….(which perhapes was a good thing…I’ d never have reached Mt Katahdin if I had ! )
I had a 69 GT6+ and it was a blast to drive. I drove it across country when I was in the service from California to Virginia back in Jan 74. Drove it up on a carrier flight deck for the trip from Va to Fla, Reason I got rid of it was the hydraulic clutch cylinder was leaking. Back in the day the parts were kind of pricey so I traded it in for a 67 Ford Econoline Van.
I see several neat aftermarket aluminum wheels.
If there were closer, I would haul them to my yard. Easily worth $500 in parts and they are small enough to fit on one trailer. I tried to find them on Google Maps Satellite images, there are all kinds of cars growing in those woods by the Roanoke River, but I never found the Triumph patch. The GT6 is a blast to drive if you ever get the chance.
JMB#7…how about just responding to the ad and get the address that way? You sound like the perfect candidate for this collection. I spoke with a friend here in middle TN over a couple beers. We ALMOST loaded up the trailers to come retrieve these. Our thought was, strap the two best GT6s to our individual trailers and the worst gets stripped in place with a promise to move it to the closest dump for the seller. That would involve an overnight on the ground or in a local motel.