1967 Triumph GT6 MK1

This charming MKI Triumph GT6 is finished in red with a black vinyl interior. Fitted with the two-litre straight-six engine, it also benefits from overdrive on the 3rd and 4th gears, and what is thought to still be the original interior including a wood-rimmed Mota-Lita steering wheel. 

The GT6’s last owner bought it in 2021 and commissioned our seller, who is a Triumph TR6, Spitfire, and GT6 specialist, to go through it shortly after he had bought it. 

That led to an investment of almost £5,000, which might have been a hefty sum but there was a lot of work involved, and it did enable him to enjoy his GT6 trouble-free for four years. 

He then decided to downsize his collection of classic Triumphs, offering our seller first dibs, an offer he was delighted to accept as he knows better than most how rare a good MKI GT6 is.

In fact, in his 30 years in the trade, he says he could count on one hand the number of MKI GT6s that have passed through his garage.

This is not one to be missed then.

No sportscar’s ever suffered by being finished in red, has it? Throw in a set of chromed wire wheels and you’ve got an elegant combination that’ll never go out of fashion. 

This one presents well as you walk up to it, with good panels and a bright shine to the vivid red paintwork. The plate under bonnet shows the paint code 32, which would be Signal Red, although given it’s obviously been resprayed, we can’t confirm that is still the colour. 

The chrome also has a very good shine to it, and while there is a little bit of pitting on some of the brightwork, an hour or two of polishing would reap rewards.

The chromed wire wheels won’t need anything more than cleaning regularly though as they are in an excellent condition with no obvious damage, scuffs, or rust. 

The Mohawk tyres, which are 155/80R13 in size, all have good tread but were made in 2009, so are due for replacement on the grounds of their age.

The lamp lenses are all good too, and the badges still gleam. 

As for flaws, the paintwork has some ‘orange peel’ to the finish. It is also getting tired in places, which manifests itself most obviously by way of flaking paint, some of which has rust starting to develop under it. This includes the underside of the wheelarches and along the top of the rear wings. 

Some of the panel gaps are off too; the gap between the door and the bonnet is noticeably wider on the driver’s side than the passenger’s.

While the rubber door and rear window seals are both good, others, including those for the windscreen, rear screen, and headlamps, are old and brittle. 

Finally, the front numberplate is cracked. 

We understand the black interior (trim code 11) may be the original, which, if true, explains its warm patina. 

And it is a lovely place to be, with a pair of charming bucket seats that will hold you firmly in place, even during spirited driving, something the wood-rimmed Mota-Lita steering wheel will facilitate.

The wooden dashboard would benefit from being relacquered, but it looks like the underlying structure and veneer are largely sound and the comprehensive instrumentation includes gauges for oil pressure and battery charge, which are the two things to worry about when you’re driving an old car.

The carpets are decent too, as are the sun visors and headlining, although the latter two would benefit from being cleaned.

Lifting the front footwell carpets exposes solid metal, the top of the dashboard is free of cracks, and the fly-off handbrake is ideally engineered for rally-style turns.

The boot is very clean and tidy with a good carpet and a matching spare wire wheel. Lifting everything out reveals a solid, well-painted metal floor.

As for faults, the driver’s door handle doesn’t open the door from the inside (the seller has confirmed that they are very happy to fix this free of charge if the winning buyer would like to take the car to them), the steering wheel’s wood rim has lost its varnish, the plastic plinth that holds the internal light for the boot has a small crack in it, and both the passenger door card and grab handle have splits in them. 

Finally, the top of the central armrest is damaged, and there is a small split to the inside edge of the driver’s backrest.

The car’s last owner commissioned JY Classics to go through the car shortly after he bought it. The work was comprehensive enough to run up a hefty bill, but it was obviously worth it because he had four enjoyable and painless years with the car.

The invoice, which is online, runs to three pages, which means there’s too much to list here. 

The headlines are that they sorted out the ignition and fuel systems, changed the engine oil and filter, checked and topped up the rest of the oils, changed the coolant, fettled the brakes, fitted new rear dampers, a starter motor, and a stainless-steel exhaust, and lubricated the trunnions.

(It would be worth buying the GT6 just so you can drop that last job into the conversation: “What have you been doing dear?” “Just greasing my trunnions, darling.”)

As you can see, the GT6 starts and runs well with a steady idle, good oil pressure, and a healthy charge to the battery. 

However, it is a bit smoky, so that will need investigating. Nonetheless, the seller rates it as a good driving car. 

The engine presents reasonably well, and while there is scope for tidying it up the forward-hinging bonnet provides unparalleled access, with the wheels offering a handy place to sit while you’re working.

Moving underneath, the chassis and sills look good, and no MoT tester has ever questioned the car’s structural integrity. It’s currently protected by a decent coat of underseal too, even if some of it is starting to flake off while other areas have traces of red overspray. 

Despite not needing one, the GT6 has a current MoT. It’s a long one too as it doesn’t expire until July 2026 and it was issued without any advisories. 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Triumph comes with a V5 registration document, the MoT certificate, and that three-page invoice we mentioned earlier.

Oh, and the car’s penultimate owner had it for 14 years, which is worth knowing, and before that it had just three previous registered keepers. 

The moniker ‘the poor man’s E Type’ does the GT6 a disservice as it’s a cracking little sportscar in its own right – although comparisons with the E Type’s beauty are not entirely undeserved.

Easy to work on using cheaply bought bits, the GT6 would make the ideal classic for someone who wants to learn how to look after their own car. 

And, with a guide price of between £12,000 and £16,000, it won’t break the bank either, especially as the seller is offering it with no reserve, which means it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.