Triumph GT6 Opinions please

Suitor_Stu · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 19 Jun 2006 Karma :

I absolutely love old cars and have always said that if I could justify buying one then I would. If everything goes to plan in the next few months I will be graduating and starting work, which means I'll have a wee bit of money to treat myself to a new toy! My work will at most be a 40min walk (maybe less) from where I live next year so for getting in I'm most prob just going to either walk, cycle or buy a cheap 125, so I don't necessarily need a car that will be able to reliably do 30miles per day. This has opened up a whole host of options for me!

Having said that, I will be a bit out of the way (Inverness) and would like to be able to use the car to drive around a bit and see old friends (we're talking sometimes 400odd mile round trips here), so I don't want something that is going to routinely leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere in the Scottish Highlands! My sensible head is saying get an MX-5, but my heart says something like a Spitfire or a GT6!

Anyway, I'm after peoples opinions of these cars (mainly the GT6 mind). Any of you know anyone with them, or have you driven them yourself? It's mainly reliability that I would be worried about - I understand that they don't perform like a modern day car and as I understand the handling can be somewhat 'spirited' with the older models, but if you keep on top of the regular maintenance are they fairly reliable? Bear in mind that I have an Enfield, so am well used to doing regular oil changes, tighten-ups, valve checks etc so I kind of have an idea what I would be letting myself in for...

I am absolutely smitten with the GT6 though - both in looks and sound...sound clip here

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/1974.triumph.gt6.coupe.arp.jpg/800px-1974.triumph.gt6.coupe.arp.jpg

Am I stupid to want one? Fire away!
Cheers, Stu

WildGoose · White Van Man Joined: 20 Mar 2002 Karma :

Possibly one of the most beautiful cars ever created, after the E-type, which of course is very bad for making a sensible decision about one, if such a thing exists.

If I had the money spare and a garage, i'd be aiming for one, but no idea what type of money pit they might become, or what getting parts is like.

My dad had an accident on a bicycle in his eary 20's and after he recovered he bought a MK1 GT6 with the compo. It was white, and in those days it was probably mighty fun (when you were actually able to drive properly around London).

He rated it highly for what he wanted at the time, but peformance has come on a bit since then. Someone kindly reveresed into the bonnet in a car park so he had to replace it with a fibreglass one, which is a very common occurance.

I think it was finally got rid of when mum spilled several tins of paint in the passenger footwell. She was popular for a while. Laughing

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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

flat spot · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 Aug 2003 Karma :

I owned a Spitfire for 7 years and it was my only car at the time.

Parts for Triumphs are easily come by and cheap although reliability isn't really an issue.
They are extremely easy to work on. Infact most of it is sitting down on the front wheel.

The biggest problem you'll have is finding a nice Triumph. They weren't the best car when new so rot is a real issue. Next to that is all the bodge jobs you'll find on them. Most are dogs after many owners have had there own little go at restoring.

I'd say go for it, but don't let your heart rule your head. There are loads of them out there. Pay the extra and get a good example off an enthusiast.

TUG · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2007 Karma :

Phil_G · Traffic Copper Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Karma :

ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :

Learn to weld.... Wink

Blau Zedong · Banned Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Karma :

Suitor_Stu · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 19 Jun 2006 Karma :

Yeah I figured the rust issue would be the deal clincher. The main problem is that I am going to be in a fairly remote (well in comparison to the rest of the UK population anyway) location next year and what with it being a rare-ish car there prob won't be too many come up even within a 300mile round trip and I can't really afford to get too choosy about what will be my only car. If something comes up in the area I may have a gander, but I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that it will have to wait until I have the luxury of time to go searching for a good one. Still an MX-5 isn't a bad car, I've driven several and grinned like a loon whilst doing small slides on b-roads - it just lacks a certain what the French call 'I don't know what'...well that and you tend to be viewed as somewhat of a fruity type...

Cheers anyway guys,
Stu

Phil_G · Traffic Copper Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Karma :

1016 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Karma :

Phil_G · Traffic Copper Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Karma :

1016 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Karma :

Took on board what you said Phil, and allowed for the age diifference in my comments, just decided that, IMVHO, the Mazda MX5 (can't speak for any other Mazda) is not 'prone' to rust. This comment (to me) implies that they rust 'quite a bit' on average. Used to break my heart to see examples of Herald, GT6, TR4a, TR6 and even TR5 stacked up in the breaker long before they should have been. (well within 20 years of manufacture)

Blau Zedong · Banned Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Karma :

If you want a real challenge I dare you to buy a Lancia Beta....actually I dare you to find one at all Laughing

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18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

1016 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Karma :

You weren't at Auto Italia last Saturday then? lots of lovely examples there, some totally original.

1016.5 · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Karma :

Suitor_Stu · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 19 Jun 2006 Karma :

This is about the most complete Beta I have ever seen Laughing

(sorry about the poor quality photos btw, they are camera phone shots of photos I took a few years ago)

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/2452442564_a521ceb800.jpg?v=0

It's a Lancia Beta engine in a MKI Fiesta. Mid engined, rear wheel driven with a fully tuned engine (inc custom cam) and a rather short exhaust - sounded like a touring car!

Here's a few more pics
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/2451614193_8a5013bb10.jpg?v=0

It belonged to a friend of mine, he bought it when we were 18-19 after hearing about it through a family friend. It was their son's project car when he was studying engineering at Uni and was developed with no expense spared (would have been worth 4X what he paid for it if it was stripped). After finishing the project and getting it all legit from a road legal point of view, he went off to work - for the Ford WRC team no less - and this stayed in his parent's garage for about 6 years before my mate bought it. Wasn't exactly a sleeper from the subtlety point of view, but the difference is that because it was pretty much a stripped bare track car (was actually certified track legal at the time), it actually had a bit of bite to it's bark! You name it and it had been changed. Was fun for a while, but it was too highly strung and ended up that for every day of good driving you got with it, you had to spend a week working on it to keep it sweet...

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2059/2451614631_e80067739d.jpg?v=0

Sorry for the foray off topic there, just getting misty eyed remembering about that wee beastie again Crying or Very sad

Stu

1016 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Karma :

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

Look at it this way - people always want mx5s, so buy one and enjoy whilst you keep looking for the *right* Triumph, safe in the knowledge that you should be able to shift the '5 el pronto when you need the dosh for your dream GT6. Thumbs Up

1016.5 · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Karma :

1016 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Karma :

True, .5 - if you want to get into a RWD v. FWD discuss, I will go (ultimately) RWD everytime, but that means a good RWD, so sadly wouldn't put std GT6 in that bunch - you must have got similiar variable feedback from your Vitesse occasionally? or did you bend that one as well? (all in fun) Laughing

1016 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Karma :

Sour grapes mate? - comment was relevant to GT6 pros and cons so, Off Topic? How So? (as you would say)

Just for the record, I would always pick a GT6 over an MX5 in an ideal world, but actual running and maintenance is sometimes the harsh reality behind an otherwise exciting,attractive car..

1016.5 · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Karma :

1016 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Karma :

1016.5 · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Karma :

?

... Great post mate.

1016 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Karma :

your just stirring it now - get back to your two strokes.... and then sort that Polini fing Middle Finger