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SCguy

SCguy

Jedi Warrior
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Well after close to eight years and more money than I care to mention, I can finally drive my 73 TR6.

Some of you might remember my post from the spring. It was then that I got fed-up with the mechanic who I was paying to restore my TR6. I had my TR delivered to me unfinished (about 90% done). Since then I've been finishing the stuff that was unfinished and fixing the things that I "know" were just done wrong. By the way... does anyone know how to put in the top rear fender clips/bolts after the fenders are already on? There are still plenty of small issues to deal with. Currently the suspension has TRF heavy duty springs, stock rubber bushings and a heavy duty front (only) sway bar. I'll be going with Goodparts suspension once I have time as the car doesn't feel too safe going around corners at the moment. It will never be concourse or even close, but I'm /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


 
Congrats!!! I know how nice it is to bring a car back from the dead.

Enjoy your TR6 -- take pleasure in driving it.

sam
 
Hi Larry,

Congratulations on reaching this stage of your project! It may take a while to get the car dialed in, but that can still be a fun part of the process. That is a fine looking machine you've got there!

I did a lot of research during my TR250 restoration (there's all that TIME, you know....) and decided to go with a fairly "soft" suspension setup. My theory was, and still is, that the TR suspension does not permit a lot of compliance, a lot of capacity for rebound. I think that if you go too stiff in the search for better handling you may end up with a car that only handles well on smooth race tracks. I have stock front springs and shocks, stock front rollbar, mild upgrade rear springs, and heavy-duty rebuilt rear lever shocks. The car rides on Yokohama radials sized to match the original profile. The car still gets a little skittish on bumpy turns, but sticks like glue everywhere else. I don't expect it to handle like an MR2 or even a Miata, but it is a safe fun ride. I just have to be careful on really irregular surfaces because the car is soft enough that I can end up on the little rubber rebound bumpers very quickly.

Make sure that you get a good 4-wheel alignment. It was fun taking mine to the shop and having the guys stand around under the lift, trying to figure out what to do with the rear suspension. They finally got on the phone with a senior mechanic at one of their other locations, and he told them what to do! The car tracks and drives very well.

Enjoy that shiny toy,
 
That is a really nice looking car, love the color. Are you going to put the front chin spoiler on it at some point or just leave it as is?
 
Congratulations on your accomplishment. There is true enjoyment in finally driving a car that you have been looking at/toiling over for a long time.
I am currently running Goodparts suspension and love it. I just installed rear tubular shocks and couldn't be happier. Since I'm not running with spacers, ground clearance has been an issue. The new shocks have reduced bottoming out considerably. With the current set-up, 205-60 15's fill the wheel wells nicely.
With this upgrade, the car is very well balanced and doesn't leave you guessing on rough and/or twisty roads. Your kidneys though...that may be another matter.
I would put the rear sway bar on asap. That would be like running radials up front and bias in the back. You could be looking from whence you just came in a heart beat.
Enjoy, but not too much.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I would put the rear sway bar on asap. That would be like running radials up front and bias in the back. You could be looking from whence you just came in a heart beat.
Enjoy, but not too much.

[/ QUOTE ]

Careful, a larger sway bar in front and no sway bar in the rear will only increase understeer (push)torwards neutrality, not oversteer so he shouldn't be swapping ends very easily yet.

In fact, the addition of a rear sway bar on a TR6 will make it more neutral in the dry but can cause a snap oversteer conditon in the wet.

I have found that after lowering my car, with the right mix of poly and rubber bushes, shocks, springs, a 7/8 front sway bar with no rear sway bar and good performance tires that my TR6 is very agile with just enough understeer to keep it safe. The back end will only come around through throttle steering. Very balanced overall. But that could also just be me and my driving style. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
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