1972 TRIUMPH TR6

The main reasons you bought this car? 
I’ve liked Triumphs from my teenage years, and my mother had a Triumph 2000. Later a flatmate had a TR6 and I had the pleasure of riding in it a couple of times. Going forward I wanted one myself but wasn’t in a position to own one until recently. 

How long have you owned it? 
Six years. 

How do you rate the overall condition, out of 10? 
About 7.5. It’s a driver not a show pony, and I bought it to drive. I could do lots of things to make it better. 

The design feature you like most? 
The overall look. Prior to the TR6, Triumph sportscars were of an Italian design, but this car’s boxy look came from Karmann of Germany. I like the more brutish design. 

How often do you use it? Approximate annual mileage? 
I’m certainly not afraid to go for a run in it. I’d cover 4-5000km a year. 

Your longest trip in this car to date? 
Auckland to Dunedin via the West Coast for a national club weekend. It really responded to South Island roads. 

Have you made any improvements to it? 
A lot, starting with cosmetic improvements to correct some of the previous owner’s work. I’ve added two-inch exhausts to improve the sound and also redone the front suspension.  

Who carries out the majority of servicing work? 
“I do.” 

Does this model have an Achilles heel? 
Independent rear suspension is a chassis weakness. The old lever-arm shocks at the back are often updated to more modern types but correct attachment is critical. 

The most complex service or repair job to date? 
I’m underway with an interior refit which includes fitting more modern seats for more travel. The dash needs to be taken apart to fit a new wiper box in the underside – tricky. 

Has the car exceeded your expectations? 
Absolutely. I still smile when I drive it and enjoy the looks I get from others, and the opportunities to drive with a bunch of other owners from the TR Register. 

Do you have long-term intentions with your TR6? 
Yes, and my wife and daughters also enjoy it. 

Have you owned other models from this marque? 
Only six-cylinder saloons, starting with a 1975 Triumph 2500TC. I returned from Australia, sold a Monaro, and bought that car in 1984. I wish I still had the Monaro though! 

Do you currently own any other special-interest vehicles? 
1965 Triumph Bonneville motorcycle. 

What was the first Triumph you drove, and where did you drive it? 
My mother’s Triumph 2000, as a 17 year-old living in Green Bay in the early 1970s. I probably drove it to dancing.

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