GT6 GT6 - no offense anyone, are they worth restoring

[TRDejaVu]

Sorry guys, but I like to drive mine not work on it. I do all my maintenance and enjoy tinkering, but at my age i am not interested in a 4 year $15-20,000 project. I would part with my Harley before my TR-3. It is a driver not a collector and that is the way I like it.

Less of them to drive if they keep getting unnecessarily parted out.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Sorry guys, but I like to drive mine not work on it. I do all my maintenance and enjoy tinkering, but at my age i am not interested in a 4 year $15-20,000 project.

That's fine, and I respect that. But it doesn't mean that others don't -- or can't -- enjoy the "work on it" or "project" aspect of the hobby!

 

[terriphill]

Well, it takes both doesn't it? Those who love to drive them to keep interest alive and those who like to work on them to keep a supply for those who like to drive them. There are so many of these cars that have been "pedroized" by DPO's and not put back together "right" We do not always go "original" We tend to go with what we like, but try to keep them correct. (No Miata seats or chevy V8's..I apologize to those who do not agree)
Our B was a basket case that ran and that was about it. Poorly patched pans, wiring that was patched and cut and bypassed and a fuel pump that was downright dangerous in the way it was rigged. When we are done, it will be a compilation of the things we like from several periods.
Not original, but safe, working and done correctly.
How long will we keep it? Who knows. Maybe six years or maybe six months...we'll see. First I have to get it out of the garage and on the road.

 

[TRDejaVu]

"pedroized"

Shudder... A new verb is born, to Pedroize; it joins to Google, to Hoover and to Xerox.

 

[TRDejaVu]

Our B was a basket case...

As your on the Triumph side of the fence, won't you need parts from other mfgs to make it closer to being a good car?

I'll say goodnight and get my coat.

 

[TR4nut]

Another comment on the parting out thought- personally I don't like it, but I think everyone should realize that their own cars are probably running on parts from donor cars - it is why our hobby is still, relatively speaking, less expensive than if our cars were truly rare.

I have a true basket case TR3A I bought in boxes - it will be sold off in pieces once I know what I don't need. And I don't feel guilty about it!

Randy

 

[Andrew Mace]

...I think everyone should realize that their own cars are probably running on parts from donor cars....

No doubt about it, and I'm a great example. In addition to (semi-)complete cars, I've been collecting true parts cars (wrecked or too rusted or stripped for any hope of salvation) and stashes of parts for many years. Just from one 1973 Spitfire 1500 that sadly met its end when rear-ended in 1985, I know of nearly a dozen later Spitfires that ran and continue to run today thanks to various bits from that car. And there are still a couple of those bits left!

...it is why our hobby is still, relatively speaking, less expensive than if our cars were truly rare.

I agree...to a point. Now, some 30 or 40 or more years since the last ones were built, remaining cars in any condition are beginning to become scarce. If there's reasonable hope of salvation for a relatively complete Triumph, I'd hate to see it parted out now...almost as much as I hate to see a "full, body-off restoration of a low-mileage original..."

 

[TR4nut]

I agree...to a point. Now, some 30 or 40 or more years since the last ones were built, remaining cars in any condition are beginning to become scarce. If there's reasonable hope of salvation for a relatively complete Triumph, I'd hate to see it parted out now...almost as much as I hate to see a "full, body-off restoration of a low-mileage original..."

Actually Andy, I think we may be in pretty close agreement - its why I have a TR4 sitting in my garage with rotten sills and floorpans with no near term restoration plan - I just don't have the heart to part it out because I bought it from the original owner who described seeing it come off the assembly line. But it will cost me dearly if I decide to restore it myself, and if I sold it whole I won't get the true value out of the overdrive and good fenders it does have. So it still sits there!

On the other hand, what used to be a late TR3a but is now mostly a rusty body tub with no apparent title, well keep your eye on ebay! I think my point is that not all Triumphs are destined to be brought back to restoration, there is a strong amount of survival of the fittest - the weaker ones become organ donors..

 

[Andrew Mace]

Actually Andy, I think we may be in pretty close agreement...what used to be a late TR3a but is now mostly a rusty body tub with no apparent title, well keep your eye on ebay!....

You are correct; we <span style="font-weight: bold">are</span> in pretty close agreement!

Just last weekend, I had a potential buyer turn down what was left of a small-mouth TR3. He was a bit disappointed that I'd been so accurate in my description of it, since he really wanted a small-mouth 3!(Fact of the matter is, it's the kind of car that you'd basically jack up the commission plate and drive a new car in under it; problem was, there's no comission plate! Truly a parts-only car, despite the fact that, in 1956, it was a presumably beautiful beige small-mouth TR3 with overdrive, wire wheels and vermillion interior. But for the last several decades, there's been little solid metal either on the chassis or on the body below the top of the sills.)

Lucky for me, a casual mention of a late TR3A I had stored elsewhere led to a sale of that car! Still a massive project (and priced and paid for accordingly), but almost complete and much more worthy of salvation! :laugh: