Triumph GT6

[CrazyGirl]

well I found the one Triumph I never owned , owned all of them except the GT6 , I just bought a Lindberg GT6 , does anyone have this car ??????

[Ace-Garageguy]

I've bought a couple as incomplete gluebombs over the years. It's a multi-piece body (with separate doors) that will take some care to get right, which is why so many ended up hopelessly bodged. The windshield opening is all wrong, but can be corrected fairly easily. The vent window frames are kinda heavy too. Proportions are pretty good, and there's enough there to make a start on a beautiful model...with enough work.

I had a red '67 1:1, by the way. Ran it on ethanol for a while in conjunction with an early GA Tech alcohol-fuel research project. The exhaust smelled great.

[CrazyGirl]

Bill I had Spitfires , TR4. Tr4a , TR3 TR250 and TR6 had them all at the same time , miss those cars , but always always wanted the GT6

[Ace-Garageguy]

Wow, all at the same time? Nice choice to be faced with every day.

Only other Triumph I had was a TR6, wire wheel, chrome bumper car. Still one of my favorites (love the engine sounds of that and the big Healy). Put a Ford Pinto 2-liter in a Spitfire once, did a full structural resto and paint on an early TR2, both client jobs. A guy I worked with put a Weber carbed TR6 engine in an early Spit. Pretty quick little car....surprised a lot of Porsches.

If I have the time, I'd really like to do a 302 Ford swap in a TR6.

[blunc]

I have this kit also, Bill is right on with his comments regarding this kit, there are a lot of fiddly elements to it but careful research and execution should yield a real gem.

I have a '63 TR4, I got tired of having to tinker with the tractor engine it came with (and most english cars run too hot for Arizona weather) so I put in a 2.8ltr V6 from a Bobcat wagon (used the seats and shifter too) without having to hack up the Triumph.

Upgraded the brake flex lines to braided stainless and urethane bushings on the front suspension.

Electric fan from an 87 Buick bolted to a mustang 6-cyl radiator handles the cooling duties quite well.

Delco "single wire" alternator takes care of the battery.

swapped in a 3.45 ring/pinion from a Herald to get better highway performance.

ignition is handled by a GM HEI ignition module mounted to a heatsink linked to an external HEI coil and connected to the original electronic distributor.

custom headers were made by a local race shop because the original exhaust manifolds stick out like bird wings.

replaced the wire wheels with spline hub alloy wheels from Victoria British.

Just need to finish some interior and body work on it and have fun driving it.

[blunc]

Wow, all at the same time? Nice choice to be faced with every day.

Only other Triumph I had was a TR6, wire wheel, chrome bumper car. Still one of my favorites (love the engine sounds of that and the big Healy). Put a Ford Pinto 2-liter in a Spitfire once, did a full structural resto and paint on an early TR2, both client jobs. A guy I worked with put a Weber carbed TR6 engine in an early Spit. Pretty quick little car....surprised a lot of Porsches.

If I have the time, I'd really like to do a 302 Ford swap in a TR6.

Have you ever considered dropping a pontiac 301 into a TR6?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Have you ever considered dropping a pontiac 301 into a TR6?

Though I'd like to build a hot-rod with a real Pontiac V8 at some point, the Ford 289/302 appeals to me in a TR6 because it's longish and narrow through the heads. I THINK I did some rough measuring years ago, and if I recall correctly, it will go where the L6 lives without having to notch the wheel wells, etc. Having the distributor in front of the engine bay appeals too, though with the TR's forward-opening hood, it might be a head-banger at tuneup time.

Edited April 18, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[blunc]

Though I'd like to build a hot-rod with a real Pontiac V8 at some point, the Ford 289/302 appeals to me in a TR6 because it's longish and narrow through the heads. I THINK I did some rough measuring years ago, and if I recall correctly, it will go where the L6 lives without having to notch the wheel wells, etc. Having the distributor in front of the engine bay appeals too, though with the TR's forward-opening hood, it might be a head-banger at tuneup time.

I had thought that the exhaust manifold position and the low deck height of the 301 might lend itself to this type of transplant but I've never taken any measurements because I've never had the option to try this mod.

[IMSANUT]

It originally was a Pyro kit. Has anyone considered converting it to a Spitfire?

[Ace-Garageguy]

..... Has anyone considered converting it to a Spitfire?

Anybody know of a source for the little Triumph 1147 / 1296 cc 4-cyl.engines?

[IMSANUT]

Would that not be the same engine in the Fujimi BMC Mini?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Would that not be the same engine in the Fujimi BMC Mini?

No. The Mini used the BMC A-series engine, from 848 to 1275cc displacement. The Triumph unit, though also an inline 4, was an entirely different engine, with all of the manifolding on the opposite side of the engine from the BMC A engines.

BMC A-engine, rear of engine (gearbox / flywheel end) to left.

Triumph Spitfire engine, rear of engine (gearbox / flywheel) to left...ALL manifolding reversed from the BMC layout.

The block is entirely different as well, one notable difference being the distributor placement rather high at the center of the left side of the Triumph, but towards the lower rear on the right side of the BMC.

The little BMC A engines (Mini) would be correct for early MG Midgets / Sprites, and the LATER, rubber bumper Midgets got the Triumph 1500 engines.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy