Triumph Sports Cars

[Aggressor]

It's a bit slow on the forum so here's another video of general interest.
As many of you know by now I'm a staunch Triumph Sports Car fan.
I've been driving Triumph sports cars since 1969.
The link below has a fairly interesting history of the TR car series.
Also a good bit of racing footage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2qrOg8COx8

Enjoy

-Aggressor

[ralphscott]

Yes I had a GT 6 which I dearly loved, tried a few years ago to buy one in disrepair as a restoration project, but the owner would not sell. One of those "someday I'll restore it kinda of guys" I would imagine that parts are hard to come by these days. My love of sport cars started with an MG-TD I owned in high school and college....

[scottmiller]

Yes I had a GT 6 which I dearly loved, tried a few years ago to buy one in disrepair as a restoration project, but the owner would not sell. One of those "someday I'll restore it kinda of guys" I would imagine that parts are hard to come by these days. My love of sport cars started with an MG-TD I owned in high school and college....

In a previous life I was a Triumph mechanic, specialized in TR-7 (somebody had to do it) but I did love the GT6, owned 5 of them. Over the years I accumulated tons of parts and sold or gave them all away. We need to get together and talk triumphs. Scott Miller

[Aggressor]

I don't know if you've seen my past forum comments about my GT6 MKIII. I bought the car new in September 1972. After 41 years it is still my favorite. I attended the Spring Ford Swap meet in Columbus Ohio this past April. My car of choice to drive round trip from Harrisburg PA was naturally my GT6. As close as I can figure I have well over 250,000 miles on her.(After replacing the speedo 3 times during our time together)
-Geary

[TurnpikeBoy]

You still fit into it? That may be even more impressive than 250K miles on it. Apart from the top rear leaf spring that was forever breaking, and a noisy trans, my GT6 Mk.III (ca. 1973, I think...) was a joy to drive; but by the time I hit 50, I simply couldn't bend well enough to make getting in and out something less than a yoga exercise. And getting under the dash was a virtual - if not literal - impossibility.

The GT6 and the 1971 Spitfire were the 2 that I owned the longest. Both went well over 120,000 miles, the Spitty way beyond. I had an early (1963? 1964?) aluminum-hooded MGB, with overdrive, that also ran forever. Of all the cars I have had thru the years, it is the British sports cars that I have loved the most....and wish I still had.

[Aggressor]

When I'm at a car show with my Unique it's amazing how many people will walk up and comment on how small the car is. How does one fit in there?
The 427SC is enormous compared to my GT6. To respond to the above comment- I fit really good in the TR. I'm 5'9" and it fits me like a Jim Clark racing glove.
Seemingly 90% of your body is in contact with something so it's an intimate man-machine relationship.

The only complaint I have with the GT is if I'm working in the engine bay I end up with a bad case of what I call "Triumph-Back". When you stand along side of the front tire and lean at perhaps a 45 degree angle under the raised hood you will develop an acute ache in the small of your back. Before someone comments - It's not age related. MY back took the same abuse from my Spitfire MKIII when I was 19.

-Geary

[Aggressor]

Found a vintage GT6 commercial link for all the GT6 fans out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwdTC3srgro

-Geary

[ralphscott]

Mine was Daiman Blue steel wheels rather than wire. drove it 5 days a week ( 60 miles each day) who knows how many during the weekend replaced rear axle joints, clutch and flywheel; so easy pulled the tranny into the passenger compartment and replaced the flywheel and clutch from inside the car. Carb tuning simple and full access to the engine compartment. I'm about 5'8" so I fit very comfortably in the car hated to sell it but needed to as our first child was coming money was tight and no place for the little. Hope it is still on the road and it has an owner that loved it as much as I did. Had a bunch of other cars '56 Porche Cabirolet, '53 MG-TD, MGB memories for sure!!

[TurnpikeBoy]

Once the hood was flipped up, working on either the GT or the Spitty was sweet; had a built-in seat in the form of the front tire. Even front brake pads could be changed without removing the wheels - pull the retaining pins, yank the pads, push the pistons back and insert the new pads. Thru the years with them both, I cannot ever recall an honestly miserable experience. Closest would have to be the winter of - ? - 1977?, when water in the fuel line of the Spitty froze halfway to work one morning. Left me sitting by the side of the road, in dress clothes, until I finally figured I would have to take action or freeze to death. Screwdriver released the choke wire, yanked from dash, rammed up the fuel line until ice was cleared. All back together, heat restored with running engine, made it to work, stinking only a little from gas bath on hands.

Lord, those cars were great.

[ralphscott]

Boy they sure were great loved to work on it and it was fun to drive. The British sport cars I'm sure is what got me to want a Cobra back in 65-66. They just looked right!

[Aggressor]

TR-S cars at LeMans 1961

A link to a video of the TR-S (Sabrina) Prototype cars at the 1961 LeMans.

I think Charles Runyan of the Roadster Factory owns at least 2 at this point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGfQOLFHgYE

Below an image of a TR-S and an SAH based Lemans Spitfire

-Geary

[ralphscott]

Thanks for the posting of the LeMans 34 minutes went by too quickly!!!