1973 Triumph TR6

Purchased by the current owner with some tweaking, fettling and work required, during our vendor’s short time with the vehicle they have transformed it into a wonderfully useable, drivable and genuinely enjoyable example of this six-cylinder sports car, which presents in ready-to-use condition, just in time for summer.

Interestingly, prior to the vendor’s ownership, the car was with its previous owner for around 16 years, during which time the car was body-off restored and the following items addressed:

- New sills, floors, front and rear panels, rear deck, door skins, bonnet and wings

- The chassis was stripped, blasted, painted body colour and then protected

- New KONI suspension

- New rear bumpers

- Poly-bushed suspension upgrades

- Full braking system overhaul

- Unleaded head conversion

- Bosch fuel pump conversion

- Fitment of a 150 cam

- Spin-off oil filter conversion (a well-known modification for home mechanics)

- Oil feed to cylinder head conversion

- New carpets fitted to the interior, along with new trims and door panels

- Seats rebuilt with new foams and covers

As part of the works carried out to the vehicle whilst in its current ownership, a full clutch kit (plate, flywheel and bearing) was fitted almost immediately after purchase, along with a set of refurbished injectors and adjustment to the throttle linkage, whilst previous owners have evidently spent plenty of money bringing the vehicle up to scratch, fitting (among other items) electric fans and having given the vehicle a respray in its original red paintwork.

Now, having brought this TR6 back to full health, pampered it a little and used it sparingly, it is time for this TR6 to head for pastures new, as it simply isn’t getting the use it deserves in the vendor’s collection, spending the majority of its time locked away in a ‘carcoon’ rather than being hustled along a winding B-road as Triumph intended.

Presented in an eye-catching shade of red with a contrasting tan / ivory soft-top, this is a truly head-turning example of the breed, which looks simply fantastic in day-to-day usage.

The vendor notes that the soft top was a previous keeper’s choice, which seems unusual since the hood bag and the tonneau covers are both black leather to match the vinyl interior. We should also note that the roof has a small rip in it on the nearside rear corner (around the size of a 5 pence piece) which has been patched over and looks to be water-tight.

Speaking of the hood bag, two of the pop fasteners on the offside refused to engage, with one being broken and the other simply not fastening.

Other than the aforementioned roof damage, there are no signs of any heavy wear to the bodywork, no tell-tale impact damage scars or mis-aligned panels, and the overall feel is that this is an example that remains in cherished condition throughout.

The paintwork is also in very good condition overall, with a few larger chips visible on the edges of the bonnet, and the odd imperfection here-and-there, but these are par-for-the-course.

The chrome bumpers are in great condition with only a light patina being displayed, with the upper side of the windscreen (the area where the roof meets the frame) being commensurately worn from years of use.

One thing we did notice was that the bonnet catch appeared to ‘stick’ open, so this will require adjustment or lubrication.

All four of the Minilite-style wheels are in excellent condition, with no heavy kerb rash or unsightly marks.

Inside, the black vinyl interior remains in good condition throughout, having evidently been carefully used and cared-for over the years.

Both seats are free from any rips, tears or damage on the bases or back rest, though we did note that the driver’s seat has some loose stitching or a small rip on the lower rear corner, near the car’s B-pillar area.

Up ahead, the steering wheel centre boss requires re-aligning, but the wheel itself, the shifter and the dashboard remain in great shape, with the walnut veneer in particular being worthy of a mention, and free of any lacquer peel or heavy wear.

Looking upwards, the inside of the folding soft-top is in good order overall, other than the aforementioned patched-over rip. The mechanism folds well without any faults, and all of the clips engage without fuss.

All of the gauges work as they should do, with no faults noted during our short test-drive and photoshoot.

Under the bonnet, the car’s original paintwork remains in-situ, and the engine bay presents well on the whole.

The original air filter has been replaced with a cone-shaped item for additional induction noise, and the factory belt-driven fan has been replaced with an electric item for added reliability and cooling whilst in traffic or hot weather.

Out on the road, this inline-six powered roadster performed faultlessly, pulling through the gears with ease, stopping and turning as you’d expect from a 70’s sports car, with plenty of ‘poke’ evident when pressing on.

We did note that the thermostatic switch for the fans kicks in at varying temperatures, with the car sometimes getting to nearly 3/4 on the temperature gauge before the cooling fan springs into life, though it never gave us any cause for concern during the test-drive.

Underneath, the chassis appears to have been painted or treated at some point in its lifetime, and it remains in good order with no signs of any concerning corrosion, and only some flaking paint and commensurate ‘bloom’ making itself known.

Included with the vehicle is an extensive history folder dating back to the mid 1980s, including invoicing, correspondence and other miscellaneous documentation.

There is also an itemised run-down of all parts and costs on the vehicle from 1983 until 2015, which is an excellent indicator of organised and fastidious ownership, along with several ‘big ticket’ invoices, including that for the paintwork in 2015 at a cost of £3,340.

Alongside the larger invoices, there are also some smaller but notable expenditures, such as a partial engine rebuild in 2017.

The V5 is present, showing eight former keepers, alongside old MoT certificates, maintenance literature and other documentation.

As ever, we’ve photographed all of the paperwork that has arrived at The Market HQ with the vehicle, and this is available to view at the end of the extensive photo gallery below.

Previously restored, lovingly maintained and with an absolutely astounding history folder, this is a simply wonderful example of the venerable British sports car in fine fettle, which is ready to simply jump in and enjoy, yet still offers potential for further investment, fettling and improvement should the next owner wish to get their hands dirty.

Offered for sale with NO RESERVE and an estimate of £15,000 to £25,000, could this be your ticket to some roof-down summer fun? Go on, you know you want to…

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.