Triumph TR6

The TR6 ranks among one of the most popular British cars for modern everyday transport. The TR6 was introduced in 1969 with a re-skinned body versus the prior TR5/250. More TR6s were produced by Triumph than any prior TR: over ninety thousand were sold before the TR6 was replaced by the TR7 in 1976. With the optional hardtop, the TR6 makes an excellent “Grand Touring (GT)” coupe.

The TR6 was modified in several respects during its production run and the components affected include the gearbox (ratios) and the optional overdrive (type). The trim was also altered and an air dam was fitted below the bumper from 1973.

A useful option on the TR6 was the one piece detachable steel hardtop which easily converted the car to a neat sports coupe.

The TR6 came to the end of its production in July 1976 (February, 1975 for UK-market models). In all, 94,619 TRs were built, of which 86,249 found homes overseas (US mostly), only 8,370 being sold in the UK.

The car retained the appeal of traditional British sports models but had the additional, exciting element of being faster and more furious than many would-be rivals. This combination of tradition and power helps to explain its popularity today.

The red 74 TR6 shown here is mine.  I bought it from my cousin’s husband in 1982.  I spent plenty of money on this car – but I really loved it.  I wish I had taken more photos of it, but back then I wasn’t so much interested in photography.

Some misesrable creep sideswiped the entire length of this car in a parking lot in Hamden, Ct. I later sold the car to a guy I used to take the train with.  He was going to restore the car.  I don’t know if he ever did.

The black and white is a photo of me in Fenwick Island, CT.  I was home on leave (stationed at a radar site on top of a mountain in upstate New York).  My friend Charlie took this photo – I believe it was in December  (I know it was winter, just not sure of the month).

This is my friend Jim’s TR6.  He’s got a few words to say about it:

My 1969 TR6, photo taken at Sleeping Giant State Park, with my new Nikkormat FTn. Note hubcaps, they were unique to 1969 US TR6’s.

Extra lights were 1 fog light and 1 driving light.  I had added a rear anti sway bar and had the head milled when I needed a valve job at 20,000 miles.  1969 was the beginning of emissions control on US autos.  Triumph leaned out the carburetors to meet emissions standards.  The result was a much hotter burn.  Burnt intake valves before 20,000 miles.  Three of us at P&WA bought new TR6’s in 1969.  We all had burnt valves before 20,000 miles. One friend had a burnt valve and a cracked head between valves.  Good old British engineering.

At that time they were trying to control hydrocarbon emissions and a clean car emitted CO2, a clean gas.  Then they made up this global warming non sense and now call CO2 a pollutant.  Don’t believe this non sense. True Science rejects all this Global Warming crap.