Hey! I'm a new member that just bought a triumph.

[Trevor Jessie]

GT6 is based on a Herald frame. :wink:

I'll be heading back over to the spridgets forum now.

 

[Andrew Mace]

...Oh, quick question before i go, do you know if this car is a unibody or just body on frame?

Technically, it's a bit of both. The body itself is what some described as "semi-monocoque" in that it derives much of its strength from the sills (rocker panels) and other elements of its construction. That said, though, the body sits on what is essentially a backbone chassis that does detach.

Oh, and "Trevor Jessie" snuck in while I wrote the above...and he's right for the most part. Originally, the essence of the Herald was the basis for the Spitfire. Meanwhile, the Herald also begat the six-cylinder Vitesse, and that car basically parallels the GT6. The central "backbone" part of the Herald/Vitesse chassis is pretty much the same as that of the Spitfire/GT6, but the Herald/Vitesse bodies are in major sections that bolt on, where the Spitfire/GT6 is essentially two pieces: main body tub and bonnet!

 

[rotoflex]

However, upon further inspection last night i noticed that i may need to have some supports fabricated and welded on the front suspension because it looks like some supports were hacked off (i'm assuming during the engine install).

By supports I'm guessing that you mean the suspension uprights/"shock towers" to which the engine mounts are attached. They look similar to, but are not the same, as the ones on Spitfires. So keep an eye out for some GT6 uprights (they're the same on all GT6's).

It's body on frame. You can get body bushings (for between the body & frame) from a number of places, including Spitbits.

If you're taking the body off the frame, leave the doors on to increase rigidiy & decrease twisting.

The best garage setup I saw on the internet of a GT6 restoration was body off & mounted on a wood-framed 'rotisserie' that had its legs on casters & far enough apart that the car's rolling chassis (frame, suspension, wheels) could be rolled underneath for storage as it was worked on & when completed & work was being done on the body. You just rolled either the rotisserie or chassis out of the garage as need to get room to work on either.

Paper copies of the factory shop & parts manuals really are essential for trouble-free restoration & work. While you're watching for them on eBay, go ahead & get them on the CD-ROM from the Heritage Motor Centre
https://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/s...1973/index.html

The parts manual solves a lot of mysteries about how the parts go together, it's not really optional. Also, the standard Haynes manual is very useful & portable to take out to the car, as are older manuals from Autobooks, etc. You sound like you're going to put the Triumph engine back in (best move you can make, it's beautiful in performance & looks), so you probably also will likely be doing some work on the engine. Get the _British Leyland Competition Preparation Manual for Triumph GT6 & 2000_ which shows up occasionally on ebay. It's a fast read & course in some engine & other improvements. You might also want to go to Kas Kastner's site https://www.kaskastner.com & get his updated, expanded books on Triumph preparation (Kastner wrote the 1st edition of the BL Competition Preparation Manual).

Go ahead & put polyurethane bushes on it during suspension work. The GT6 can get tight with Koni shocks & some folks find that many polyurethane bushes take it to a point of being not very comfortable, but there seems to be a consensus that Chris Witor's Superflex bushes are exactly right.
https://www.chriswitor.com/

Canley Classics has some great parts for repair and modification, not the least is a stainless steel water pipe for the heater
https://www.canleyclassics.com

If it all comes apart, it is a really good idea to add the period optional overdrive to a GT6 for economy at least. The unit goes on the back of the transmission, but it's not bolt-on since the xmission's output shaft must be changed. If you can't find a salvage OD transmission, try Quantum Mechanics, of whom everyone I've read has had nothing but praise for.
https://www.quantumechanics.com/

With the OD, everyone says the best differential ratio is the late Spitfire 3.63, which unfortunately didn't make it to the US. However, you can construct one with available parts:
https://www.geocities.com/rotoflex/gt6-mod.htm#_construct_363_diff

It's a byword that many replacement rotoflex couplings don't last very long, a huge problem considering their cost & the process of replacing them on the car. Be sure to get real rotoflex couplings, which are manufactured by Metalastik. Someone did some checking to see where the Metalastik couplings were being shipped, and Spitbits was on the list. Regardless, be sure to check with whomever you order from & confirm that they are Metalastik, & if they arrive & don't say "Metalastik" on them, send them back & get your money back.

FYI: The GT6's weight distribution is heavily toward the front, even with the steel hardtop (you see why a Spitfire 6 was unattractive as something you'd want to sell to the mass market), so if you see places where you can save weight on the front, you'll probably like to do so. Canley Classics makes a lot of lower-weight aluminum replacement items, but for daily drivers & not track cars being shorn of every ounce, I'd think you'd probably just like to save weight in front and leave everything pig iron in the back. Aluminum water pump housings and alternator brackets are shiny, too.

When you put the interior back in, be sure to use a modern heat-insulating material under the carpet and lining the underside of the transmission cover. The GT6 interior can get a little warm otherwise. Not quite as warm as 5 suns colliding together in space, but close. When you're upside down working under the dash, don't get stuck.

 

[Eric_B]

Wow, thanks for all the advice! And even though i currently don't know exactly what all those parts you were talking about are, i'm sure i will have a very close relationship with them in the near future! Thanks

-Eric

 

[tdskip]

Eric - have you scored good manuals for the car yet?

 

[Eric_B]

All i have so far is a shop manual that was put onto CD. It is working out really well and is very helpful so far. It has a 551 page manual on it! Plus a little GT6 history too. Kind of cool.

-Eric