Page 55 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

This handsome example wears period magnesium wheels and bears the distinctive Union Jack decal on the rear fenders that arrived in 1973 for examples sold in the American market. They remained in use until
the end of the model’s extended production run.
an Alfa Romeo and easier to maintain than most anything else, it’s a solid alternative to machines costing two or three times as much.
When introduced back in 1969, Autocar summarized the new model’s appeal: “Even if the Austin-Healey 3000 had not been dropped, the TR6 would have taken over as the he-man’s sports car in its own right. It is very much a masculine machine, calling for beefy muscles, bold decisions and even ruthlessness on occasions. It could be dubbed the last of the real sports cars, because it displays many of the qualities so beloved in vintage times. In spite of all this (although many would say because), it is a tremendously exhilarating car to drive anywhere.”
Even in the United States, where the North American- specification TR6 suffered from almost 50 fewer horsepower than the rest of the world models, road testers found much to admire. Even without fuel injection and its additional power, Car and Driver wrote, “the new car is nonetheless the fastest, most comfortable, best-mannered Triumph ever.” With carbureted examples still able to cover the standing 1⁄4-mile in 18 seconds and sprint from a stop to 60 mph in 11.6 seconds, the TR6 remains quick enough to handle modern traffic conditions and (especially with overdrive fitted) cruise comfortably on the freeway.
ABOVE: The TR6 PI featured the same 2498 cc engine from the
TR5 that was fitted with the Lucas Mark II petrol injection system. The rated output was 142 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 149 lb ft of torque at 3,000 rpm with a 9.5:1 compression ratio.
RIGHT: Stay away from examples like this unless you have plenty of time and money to spend or want to perfect your restoration skills.
A Bargain Barnstormer
If the car has suffered from perennially stagnant values, which are always rumored to be on the rise, place the blame on the Karmann redesign, which produced a car that still manages to look modern almost 50 years later. It seems that many enthusiasts want their collectibles to look suitably vintage, an affliction from which the TR6 has never suffered.
On the road, the exhaust note emanating from the inline six sounds as good as anything else on the road, and the transmission encourages frequent use, even though there is enough torque on tap to make frequent shifts unnecessary. For a 1970s-era sports car, the ergonomics could be much worse, although Triumph certainly tried when it moved the ignition key to a hidden position under the steering column, and like any other TR the cabin is narrow, but these are minor quibbles given that the essential layout pioneered by the TR4 was carried forward largely unaltered (which is a good thing).
The trouble with the TR6 is finding a good example. With so many produced there are plenty to choose from, but selecting one that has been properly restored and fettled is harder than it sounds. Because these have always been affordable sports cars, amateurs have restored many, with results ranging from very good to really, really bad. It bears stating the obvious: never buy any British sports car sight unseen and never ever (repeat for effect) purchase a TR6 without driving it first and having an expert inspect it.
But select a good one and you’ll experience many of the same thrills that you would get from a Jaguar E-type at a small fraction of the cost. If that sounds crazy, try driving them back to back and see what you think, especially if you can find one with some minor performance enhancements baked in, such as a hotter cam, better- breathing cylinder head and a free-flow exhaust. Just stay away from the bad examples; they’ll make you want to set the thing on fire. Trust me.
Wayne Carini  Affordable Classics  53