GT6 would you travel 12 hours to see this GT6?

[petrops]

Hi again folks

As I continue my search for the right car, and get great feedback from the board every time, I am fielding a steady stream of pictures in from sellers.

Here is my objective: Find a GT6 with a sound foundation that I can work on with my 14 year old son. I am not sure that I want a concourse quality restoration but getting to something that I can be proud of and that I can pass on would be great. I have rebuilt a motor and replaced fenders but that was many many years ago. None of those tasks put me off right now but putting too many of them together may buy us a car that will never get out of the barn. I am not opposed to removing a body and having a frame blasted and painted and doing the same with the shell. Rebuilding a motor could be fun, especially if it was an extra and the current one worked well enough to enjoy the car while the rebuild took place.

I definitely trying to avoid a serious rust bucket.

With that said, I have the following car available.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23437081@N05/

This paint is reported to be over 10 years old.
I see a bit of rust but it has been so long since I have dealt with such symptoms, I thought I would ask the medical staff here at the board what they think. Do you think we are dealing with rot or surface rust.

Thanks again

Jack

 

[VitSport6]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23437081@N05

Just helping out...
BTW Ive gone to Kentucky from SLC Utah to get a vehicle, Denver as well.
Good luck

 

[VitSport6]

Upon looking at the pic's Im not diggin the white paint all over the bulkhead covering stuff.
I would imagine the price is where you would like it to be, does it run well?

 

[TR4]

From the description of what you are looking for, this car sure seems to fit the bill and I would say well worth traveling 12 hours to check it out. Taking your son with you makes it a terrific outing. My neighbor flew to Vegas with his son and drove back to Ohio and said they had a very memorable excursion. Memories for the keeping even if you don't end up buying the car.......

 

[pjsmetana]

Your link isnt exactly copy-n-paste, so here tis the clicky-clicky version.

It looks to me like one that has been in the rain for a while. Not bad, but not great. The engine and interior look great, but the underside is what worries me. If the guy is asking like 2-3k for this, then yeah go get it. It is absolutely going to need to have the body pulled from the frame, and both the lower body and the frame its self are going to need sandblasting and so on.

But yeah, 12 hours with your son could be a lot of fun. Nothing like a father-son road trip, especially when a cool car is involved.

 

[tomgt6]

Were is it located. Maybe someone from the forum can take a look at it for you. If it was close by I would offer to take a look at it for you. I would just take a nice motorcycle ride over.

I had the same issue. I bought 2 cars with my sons and worked on them together. I can say the faster that you can get it on the road the better. I call it a working, driving project. This way you get to enjoy some of the car on the road but in the winter can work on it. A 14 year old bores easily and I found so do I when I can't drive it.

I also notice this a mkIII but has the rotoflex in the back end. That is somewhat rare. If I remember that was an add on option in the mk3. The car look pretty good. If it is running well then it may be worth a look.

 

[tdskip]

In a word - no. I'd ask a local Triumph club for help doing an inspection first and then making the decision to go. If the car checks out then make the road trip.

After 12 hours of travel there can be an awfully strong drive to buy-in regardless of what you find.

It might be just surface rust that the careless white rattle can is covering, but maybe not. Has the driver side front sill been replaced already?

Just my opinion, as they saw YMMV, and just my person opinion. Pete and others make good points.

 

[jjw]

I'll echo the comment on geting a local (to the car) Triumph club member (or Forum member) to take a look first and give an assessment. If things still sound good, then I'd take the 12 hour trip...

Good luck...

 

[Andrew Mace]

I also notice this a mkIII but has the rotoflex in the back end. That is somewhat rare. If I remember that was an add on option in the mk3.

Not quite. The MkIII GT6 continued that rear suspension from the Mk2/+. It was only the last of the MkIII (1973 models) that reverted to swing axles, "commonising" the setup used on the MkIV Spitfires (and therefore incorporating the "swing spring" and longer axle shafts).

 

[tomgt6]

I will refer to Andy. He is about 110% more knowledgeable on this stuff then I am.

 

[tdskip]

Where is the car - I've been more than happy to check out a couple cars for folks here and had other people (Thanks Ian!) scope out other cars for me.

If you are uncomfortable posting the location of the car then simply check the location of the folks here and maybe drop them a PM.

Any hey, as pointed out some father/son time is never a bad thing if you do decide to make the haul...

 

[petrops]

So I am hearing a range of responses but in general they are encouraging. Most are emphasizing the experience with my son. That, of course, is more than half of this enchilada.

The other half is that I am ok with doing some work like stripping paint, sanding down surface rust and maybe removing and installing some exterior panels or even pulling the whole thing off of the frame. At 10 years of age, this paint looks to me like it is not hiding anything, and it seems like folks here are not suggesting that there is anything deeply wrong with this thing FROM THE PICTURES. The owner states that the car runs well but has difficulty at idle.

The asking price is $4500 and the car is in Grand Rapids MI. I am glad to pay a reasonable fee to have someone take a first look for me. Typical inspections (generic) are around $100 and if someone with Triumph knowledge could look at it I would be more than willing to shell out all of that and more.

You guys are great. Thanks very much for the info.

Jack

 

[mikecyc72usa]

It's a fun drive from where you are. My dad and I went from Rhinebeck, NY to Altoona PA one weekend when I was 13. We went to check out Horseshoe Curve since we both love trains, and he used to do Revolutionary War reenactments, as did I. That was 24 years ago, and we still talk about it. When I get my Spitfire finished, I'm going to drive from Austin, TX to Hilton Head, SC where my parents live. Then my dad and I are going to load up camping gear, and we're going to drive to Watkins Glen to catch the vintage fest in a year or so. Him with his TR7 convertible and me with my Spit. We can't wait.

As to the condition of the GT6, it looks pretty sound. They are easy to fix bodywise if you take your time. If the price can come down some, I'd say go for it, in the offseason get the frame and bodywork done, then finish details as you drive it. You'll be laughing about it and talking about it for years to come.

 

[Mark Jones]

Unfortunately I'm about 4 hours from Grand Rapids, otherwise I'd go take a look for you.

 

[tdskip]

You could try these folks - it's a big state obviously...

MICHIGAN

Detroit Triumph Sportscar Club
8972 Deborah Ct. E., Livonia, MI 48150, 810-771-3227
Michigan Triumph Association
9349 South Westnedge, Kalamazoo, MI 49002

Twin Bay British Car Club
Traverse City, MI, 231-267-5398, TCPhoto @ aol.com

Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association
3160 Thornapple River Dr., Grand Rapids, MI 49546, tel: 616-949-8281

Mad Dogs & Englishmen
P. O. Box 2866, Kalamazoo, MI 49003-2866
Tel: Susan Lane 269-344-5555

 

[Mark Jones]

Jack; Maybe you could contact a member of the West Michigan "Old Speckled Hen" MG Car Club . Maybe a mbmer would be willing to go over and take a look at the car for you.

 

[MadRiver]

I concur with having a local club take a look. I've had great success with that over the years. That said, a road trip is always fun, and can make the trip more about seeing the car. If the trip itself looked fun, I'd say drive it and just make the car viewing part of the enjoyment.

 

[Mark Jones]

Jack;

If you and your son do decided to make a road trip of it and go to Grand Rapids to see/buy the car, you are more than welcome to stop by for a bathroom break, beer, or place to rest your head. I'm located about 3 hours east of Grand Rapids.

Mark

 

[DNK]

Is this instead of the TR8, did you give up on the 8?

 

[petrops]

Great Suggestion Mark

Thanks

Jack