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Unconverted: 1974 Triumph TR6

front left

This TR6 is listed on eBay in Midvale, Utah with no reserve and bidding is at about $3,500. It’s been stored for almost 30 years. It was being converted to a V8 and the project was abandoned. The seller says he has undone most of the conversion work and most of the original parts are included. The original drivetrain is back in the car. The only rust is superficial. Take a look at this YouTube video for a really good look at the car inside, out and underneath. This is one time, perhaps, when someone knowledgeable of Triumphs could be confident enough in it’s condition, thanks to pictures and the videos, to purchase the car sight unseen on eBay.

inside copy

The inside is bare. The original seats are included but they will need upholstery. It will need a new top as well. The floors are as solid as the rest of the car.

engine

The engine needs a bit of finishing, including ignition wires, hoses and such.

right rear

This TR6 looks pretty good from every angle. The puzzle is, if this is such a good car, why did they not finish this and get it running? They have put a lot of work into it so far. What would it take to finish this car? Could it be purchased and completed for less than what it’s worth or would you be upside down? One big question is how well was the repair work was done to the floors, engine mounts, etc. Your comments on this are going to be very interesting.

Comments

  1. Avatar Doug M. (West Coast)

    I once bought a 74 TR6 that had been converted to a 289 Ford motor. Then they took the motor back out and just sold the car without a motor or tranny. Minor trimming here and there was done, which needed to be reversed back to stock. My questions was always the same: what didn’t work as well as they were hoping? This looks like a pretty nice TR in one of my favorite colors.

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  2. Avatar Paul R.

    The TR-6 is a nice car. I always liked the way they looked and they had a decent tire under them from the factory and has a great engine.
    V-8 conversions have been popular for years for TR’s, MG’s and the early Z cars…V-8 Sunbeam Tigers, Jensen Interceptors and the Cobras showed it was possible to stuff an American V-8 in a small European body and have fun, though most conversions are poorly done.

    Nothing sounds better than an American V-8 and we all crave that. There is plenty of vintage you tube videos where the original Shelby Cobras were racing against the top Euro cars, you can’t help but smile when you hear the 427 Ford Cobra pass the grand stands, its so darn cool!

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    • Avatar Brakeservo

      Sunbeams, Jensens and AC’s were British, not European cars. If you want an American powered European car you should look at Montiverdi, Facel Vega, Apollo, ISO,Bizzarini, DeTomaso, etc.

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  3. Avatar Van

    Not finishing a project is common no mater what stage. Sometimes things change and that thing you wanted becomes inconvenient. A V8 swap would be great fun if done right. An even better solution is to use a BMW 6. The BMW engine weights less, has more power and better mileage, It also fits better.

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    • Avatar david Member

      I can understand why this TR6 wasn’t finished the first time, but the current owners are in the business. This is what they do for a living. They put a lot of work into this car. Perhaps this was being done for a customer who ran out of money. Otherwise, did they find a serious problem? Why would they get so close to finishing it and stop? It would be interesting to know. The engine is an earlier engine and not original, so perhaps it has a serious issue. After almost 30 years, I hope this someone gets TR6 back on the road.

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  4. HoA Howard A Member

    STOP IT!!! Don’t make me buy one of these. Apparently, these do come up from time to time. Attn: Jamie, now this would be more like what I could do. This is 10 times the maroon one from the other day. ( and it’s the correct color) I’m glad it’s returned to stock, as I’d have no use for a V-8. It’s not why I would buy a TR-6. Don’t get me wrong, I love a V-8, in the right car, but this 6 cylinder was a neat sounding motor, and had plenty of zip ( especially for an old man) Seeing this tells me there’s hope I may find a decent deal ( I just may have to drive 2,000 miles to get it)( and I would)

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    • Avatar Jamie Staff

      Howard, I’ll keep my eyes out for you. Seriously, as a Triumph enthusiast for more than 30 years and an officer in two clubs, you’d be surprised what I come across. I’ll be writing up a recent Triumph find shortly, as a matter of fact.

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      • Avatar Terry

        Jamie,I am on the lookout for sub $5000 TR6s to bring back to their homeland,I have just repatriated 3 and have another 3 on the high seas,one of which will be mine to go with my 67 mg midget,if you have any leads on anything like the one in the ad i would be pretty interested,cheers,Terry

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    • Avatar Jamie Staff

      Here you go, with overdrive and wire wheels!: http://tricities.craigslist.org/cto/5602385051.html

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  5. Avatar Dolphin Member

    Guessing from a great distance…….

    This looks like a good car for someone who wants a TR6 at a decent price that they can do light mechanical and interior work on, but that doesn’t need a major rust repair job. This car looks a lot better as a potential project than most that we see here, especially compared to the recent maroon TR6, as Howard mentioned.You could fix the mechanical needs and just drive it without new paint and still feel good about how it looks.

    Someone with decent mechanical skills could R&R the fuel and brake systems, maybe fairly easily since the car looks clean and well kept. The engine is down on compression in a couple of cylinders. If you get lucky they might be adjacent cylinders, meaning that the head gasket might be bad and can be fixed with a new gasket. If not lucky, then maybe a valve job. If really not lucky, the there should be decent used engines available for less than the cost to completely rebuild this one.

    Then keep your fingers crossed on the transmission and rear end. Best to check out the rear trailing arm mounts beforehand, but since the car isn’t rusty they are likely OK. A big unknown are the electrics, which the seller says he “would recommend starting anew” on. That could mean the wiring harness was butchered. Better know electrics, or have a line on a replacement harness, or have a good friend who knows the electrics on these.

    The usual question crops up: These are not too expensive in running shape, so does a buyer want to tackle a project that will take time, energy, and probably cost about as much in the end as a decent running car would cost? Or does he want to tackle a project that he can work on over time and “make his own”?

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  6. Avatar John Layzell

    ….. its condition….. not it’s condition…..

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    • Avatar Brakeservo

      But it is condition that matters . . . it’s condition that matters??

      Like 0
  7. Avatar john C

    Matter depends on conditions…. it’s late!!

    Like 0

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