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TR6 Commuting in a TR6

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alwaysride

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Hello all,
I haven't owned a TR6 since around 1988, but for about 15 years before that I always had either a TR6 or a TR250 as my ONLY vehicle, year 'round, here in Massachusetts.

My kids are getting older now and I want back in!

Does anyone commute in their TR6 or are they all becoming collector items? My drive is 25 miles each way, sometimes in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
When it snows I'd take another car, but for the majority of my trips I'm thinking of getting a TR6 and really using it like I used to.
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gifWelcome! I'm in my six every chance I get, including work commutes (but that's only 12 miles). Here in western PA, the winter hasn't arrived yet (been in the 60's the last few days), so I've been able to extend the fall driving pleasure to the present.

By all means, get back in and drive! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
 
Once I get mine back together I plan on driving it to work two or three days a week - depending on weather.
 
Welcome to the forum! If you're asking whether you should not risk potentially banging up a TR6 while commuting because they are getting rare and worth big bucks, I would say don't worry about it, at least not for the near future. You can get nicely restored examples of these cars, with options like a hardtop and overdrive, for not that much money when compared to other cars of that era. 15K would buy you a beautiful car in like showroom condition, that same 15K would get you a basket case E-type, or maybe a slightly better condition big Healey. I was at Moss fallfest this past September and a guy in my club was there trying to sell his AH3000 that had recently been in a collision. He rear ended someone when the brakes failed coming up to a light and the car basically needed an entire new front clip, although the motor seemed OK. He had never gotten around to doing much other restoration work to the car though, so it still needed most of an interior and some minor bodywork on the rear half of the car, plus paint (it was Kharman Ghia orange) and various other mechanical freshening ups. Anyway, he was looking to get 5K for it as is, 5K would get you a pretty nice condition driver TR6, one that you could probably jump in and go as is with minor work, or with a little more work turn it into a very nice car. Check out Ebay if you want to get a gauge on what people are paying, but I think you'll find that they are truely a bargain classic, and parts, for the most part, are still easy to get and not that expensive. The TR7's are even more so, if your tastes run that way. I've been looking for a nice TR7 coupe myself. I'm not as passionate about the looks of those cars as I am about the 6, but for what people are asking I just can't walk away! Just get something with a solid body and go from there, everything else is (relatively) easy to repair and/or replace.
 
Hello, welcome to the Forum! No doubt, communing in a TR6 would be tons of fun.

I think the answer to your question hinges on two important items.

The first is your skill and ability to repair mechanical problems. If you're handy with a wrench, have a nice, warm garage with plenty of tools, and are skilled in the repair and maintenance of these cars, and have the funds to sustain it, I'd say get a TR6 today and start your everyday commute!

The second item is related to your budget. For example, if you must pay others to perform routine maintenance and repairs (and trust me, it will need them!), this TR6 commute may become relatively pricey. And, when and if the car is being repaired, you'll need another car to drive to work.

If you can successfully negotiate these two factors, your TR6 commute will be most enjoyable.

Bottom line, in my humble opinion, I'd purchase a dependable "beater" for the commute, and then drive the TR6 for pleasure only.

Whatever you decide, please let us know, and best of luck to you!
 
[ QUOTE ]
communing in a TR6 would be tons of fun.

[/ QUOTE ]

As I recall, it was . . . . commuting in one is also nice . . . . .

The wife's '75 TR6 was her daily driver for about 28 years until we decided it needed some 'freshening'. She bought it new in Indiana and at it spent 20 years with us in Alaska. Aside from some nasty winter periods in Anchorage, it went to work with her everyday. As soon as I get it back on the road, it will again become her main transportation or at least that is what she says now.
 
I can't speak to daily driving in a TR6 as I've never owned one, but I can write about daily driving to work in a '72 MG Midget, a '78 Spitfire 1500, a '78 MGB and an '80 TR-7 Spider. I've lived in Vermont and Maine all this time so my driving has been in genuine winter weather, too.

The Midget and the Spitfire lasted for many years [7 and 10 respectively] until I sold them for other cars. The winter salt did them no good but repair parts were easy to find for both cars. The MGB died when attacked by a deer and the TR-7 has been in daily, year round use for 3 years. I rely on them to get me to work and need them to run daily.

First off, stay on top of all maintenance and don't be afraid to replace a part before it dies on you. We all know that the life of alternators and starters is limited, so why push the envelope? I carry a bag of tools, vital fluids, some quick spare parts, a monkey suit, hand cleaner and shop towels. I also have a AAA membership and, even in a very rural area, an alternative ride in mind when necessary.

Our cars were designed and constructed to be used daily and can be very reliable. They're not appliances but they can limp along a long time before leaving you stranded.

My strandings were from a dead electric fuel pump [2 times], a failed wheel bearing on the TR-7, and a broken rear axle [Spitfire]. But every day's trip for the past 30 years has been a delight - and that's what our LBC's are all about.

Jeff
 
I drive my TR6 to school 60 miles round trip 3 times a week...


NOT ONE PROBLEM... the only problem I've had with the car is one of my old goodyears throwing a belt! That's it.

I just check the fluids often and get on my way.

I drive the heck out of the car too...

A car is meant to be enjoyed, DRIVE IT!
 
Great to hear so many of you getting lots of use out of your TRs. One of those cars to the left is my hobby -- the other one is my driver. I'm not sure which is which.

Good advice on performing your own maintenance, no one else will take care of it as promptly or as well as you will. Whether you'll like it for commuting may also depend on the bumper-to-bumper traffic you mention. I love these cars when they're moving and most of my driving avoids traffic but long waits in warm weather may prove to much for you if not the car.
 
I use a '78 Midget as my daily driver, makes even Tokyo traffic a delight!
I'm by no means a mechanic but try to keep on top of things as best I can. Have had no serious problems bar an annoying misfire a few months back. Never been stranded.
Used a '76 Mini come rain, snow,sleat or shine in Sweden for many years. No worries.
Enjoy your TR6 and Waxoyl it yearly! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
 
Wow! Lots of great info in less than a day! I think I'm gonna like it here.
I'm handy with a wrench and when I had my Triumphs I was in the habit of checking fluids every day so I'm familiar with that routine.

In response to Dotanukie's question: "If you're asking whether you should not risk potentially banging up a TR6 while commuting... "

No, I'm not concerned about that. A few dents and scrapes give a vehichle character. My main concern is reliability. Where will it be vulnerable? I rememeber rebuilding a few clutch masters and slaves, but that is the only weak spot I recall about the TR6s.

That was 17+ years ago and I'm wondering how TR6s in general are doing today.
For example, are most of them drivers or hobby cars? Back when I owned them they had little or no collectible value. They were just great looking cars with character and torque.

In traffic I'd worry about the clutch fluid. What about overheating?
 
Well, I don't use my TR6 as a driver, occasionally to work or to run errands in the nicer weather, but mostly it's a weekend toy. Sometimes I just can't find the time to drive it as much as I would like, with two small kids and a wife that works it's sometimes hard to find an opportunity, especially if i have the kids with me. My wife often jokes that I should bolt a booster seat down on the parcel shelf between the front seats. However, I don't have anything against someone using a car like this year round as primary transportation for two reasons, A) it's your car, do with it what you like and however puts the biggest smile on your face, and B) it was built to be driven, SO DRIVE IT! My buddy has a 96 Dodge Viper, he drives the heck out of it, track and street, and takes some flack from guys in his club for the miles he's racked up on it. Why spend that kind of money on a car like that if you're not going to drive it? Especially a Viper, they're not all that rare. He also had a 67 Shelby GT500 Mustang a few years back, which he spent several years restoring from basically just a shell. When it was done, it had cost him so much to put together and the car was worth so much that he was afraid to drive it for fear of it getting damaged. At that point he decided he had to sell it, he didn't want to have a car that he couldn't drive and enjoy, no trailer queens in his garage. With that money he bought a normal 67 Mustang fastback, restored it, and now he drives the heck out of that, street and track.

This is kind of funny, of all the classic cars I've had, I think the TR6 has been the most reliable. I know everyone cracks on Brit cars for Lucas electrics, Girling brakes, etc. but if you stay on top of things they can be pretty reliable. They really are cars for tinkerers though, which is what I try to tell prospective buyers. If you stay on top of them and be proactive, you can avoid alot of the problems traditionally associated with these cars. You just need to go into it with your eyes open and come to grips with the fact that these cars are not plug and play, they require attention and tweaking to run at their peak, so be prepared to spend some time under the hood or get your checkbook ready and pay someone else to do it. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, sorry.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My wife often jokes that I should bolt a booster seat down on the parcel shelf between the front seats.

[/ QUOTE ]
She might not be joking...I've done exactly that in the Midget for our two-year old. Works a treat! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sometimes I just can't find the time to drive it as much as I would like, with two small kids and a wife that works it's sometimes hard to find an opportunity, especially if i have the kids with me. My wife often jokes that I should bolt a booster seat down on the parcel shelf between the front seats.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was one advantage to my MGB. I took a rear seat from a B GT, and dropped it in. Added seat belts, and the kids loved it! You might be able to pull that off with one kid on the rear shelf of a TR, but I'd hate to try and explain that to the local law enforcement!!

If you want to use yours as a daily driver (as I do when it gets back on the road), check the catalogs for parts that say "better than stock", etc. There is so much available for these cars, and technology improvements can often be "retrofitted!"
 
I recently got my first Brit car as well, a 6, and up until 3 weeks had been driving it every chance I got. Right now I'm doing an engine overhaul and painting the engine bay, which is almost done, and I fully intend to have it as my daily driver once I get it back, come rain, sleet, snow or shine. It's just a car, something to be enjoyed, not a relic. However you get joy from it, that's what's important. And another thing to remember is that pretty much nothing on the entire car is irreplacable, and if there is something that can't be redone or replaced, I've yet to hear of it.
 
I just wanted to complete the loop on this thread.
I posted this question back in January when I started to consider getting a Triumph and using it as a driver.

Over the months I found a couple cars and got great advise from people here. Based on that advise I didn't purchase a car until August when I found 2 1972 TR6s located in 2 different towns in my area. It took a few weeks to turn the 2 cars into one good driver, and I've been on the road for a couple weeks now.

At about 700 commuting miles so far, city and highway, rain and shine, the car has been great.
 
This is wonderful to hear. I'm considering getting a GT6+ to use as a daily driver/commuter, although I'm also wondering whether a TR6 might be a better choice because of parts availability. It's nice to know that folks do still use these cars for their intended purpose. I last used a Spit as a daily driver in the early 80s, and I remember problems with reliability. Of course, back then, getting to work didn't seem as important as it does now, so the reliability issues didn't bother me as much. I also didn't have enough money to properly maintain the car, which no doubt led to some of the reliability problems. Maybe it's time to get back on the road.
 
Hey All, I don`t know about the 6, but I have a `76 7 coupe that I drive every day and have found it to be reliable and fun to drive. These things are more expensive to drive then most other cars but the fun factor is also much higher. Just a thought from south Wyoming. Robbie
 
The problem areas on a 6 are:

1. Clutch. The shear pin attaching the fork to the cross shaft has a tendency to break, rendering your clutch useless. If you have to get into the clutch, cross drill the shaft and fork and fit a hardened bolt in addition to the shear pin. Replacement clutch components are often of sub standard quality and many folks have shuddering and sticky clutches after a replacement. Gunst bearing is the best cure known for this.

2. Thrust washers. The thrust washers are at the rear of the crank. They tend to wear out and drop into the pan. If this happens, you will ruin a good engine in short order. Check end float on the crank regularly. If a repair is needed, the pan can be dropped without taking out the engine. That's a good time to replace rod bearings while you're in there.

3. Differential mounts. The rear frame area, and all the frame for that matter, is weak. The torquey 2500 tends to break the diff mounts off the frame. Repair for this is a real pain as you have to weld the mounts back on. Roadster Factory sells a repair kit for this.

4. Rear hubs. They just wear out. Special tools are needed to rebuild them. They are better sent off to a pro to do. As a side note, the rear control arm is aluminum. The six bolts that hold the hub to the control arm can easily be overtightened, stripping the threads. If these back out on you, you could lose a wheel! Check these any time you have the drums off the rear. I had one bolt to back out and bang around in the drum. The fix is to fit a helicoil.

These are the areas that I've seen give the most problems with the 6. Other than that, the rest is just regular maintenance stuff.
 
I drive my TR3 to work every day there is less than a 50% chance of rain. I think driving them is the best thing you can do. The more you drive the car the more reliable it is.
Enjoy it.
 
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