TR6 TR6....Restore It or Chuck It?????

[GA72TR6]

I purchased a 72 TR6 about 9 months ago and have done the basics...hydrolics, fuel (from tank to carb), breaks, clutch, front end and suspension, etc...

I started doing body work two months ago, first removing all the fenders and (surprise) found quite a bit of rust...one a-pillar, back of both b-pillars, around tops of rear inner-fenders, floor pans, and rockers. I bought the parts I needed and started repairing/patching underbody panels. I'm a patient welder so you can't even find the patches. I could easyly finish repairing inner body pannels, then install new outer body panels (about 1/2 need replacing). But...

...before I go any further, I have questions about the frame. There is some rust around the ends of the brace that goes over the rear end. I understand it can be replaced. However, I'm concerned about the rest of the frame given what I've experienced so far.

I've read horor stories about frames rotting from the inside and, after finding a small factory-drilled hole in the frame rail under the passenger's door, I inserted my finger to find about 1/8 inch of rust fragments on the bottom inside of the rail.

Is there a way to determine if this car is salvagable before I contine...from the standpoint of the frame and potential rust damage? I've done all kinds of auto work, but never on a car this age, so I'm not sure if I just bought a dog that should be subjected to the torch and sold as parts (could probably break even) or if I'm just over-reacing to someting that can be repaired....by someone who knows what they're doing, of course.

HELP...before I drop any more money!!!

 

[Guest]

Tough call, Robert. It is a shame that you did not have a professional opinion of the car before you aquired it. There are so many variables here that it will be difficult to advise you without stepping over the line. Advice is cheap but doing a total restore on a TR6 is not. Inherently, the car has no great value. Unless you are willing to pull the body off the frame completely and mounting it on a rotisserie, sounds like you will never get all the rust. Frame rot is a very real and important fix. Again, if you have the time, expertise (good welder) and $$$ then go for it. Sounds as though you have a fair amount of cash into the car already but say you can come out even if you part it out. What condition is the engine/tranny in? Remember, you have wiring, interior, etc. to deal with. Case in point: a buddy had a similar situation with a TR4, shut it down with basic body repairs and sold it for what he had into it. I, for one, feel you can find a restorable car that needs less major repairs and go from there. Next time, take someone with you that can detect all this rust without taking the body down, it can be done. So, my vote is, get out while you still have your shirt on and find a better example to spend you time, love and money on. Obviously, others will differ. But I have been there and done that.

Bill

 

[PeterK]

Checkout www.triumphworks.com. He sells and exchanges frame repair sections or entire frames. This is the most important part of your TR. Often I see a TR6 rolling chassis on ebay of vtr.org classifieds for a good deal. Other than this, you can repair the body yourself, re-do the mechanicals and end up with a wonderful car! Keep it by all means. PeterK

 

[vrod]

this subject matter hits home because its an area that i have been working with in the last 12 years, that is automotive frame and floor repair. I do this part time but have seen many rusted frame conditions. I personally would start by taking a pointed hammer, similar to a welders slag removal hammer and start twapping very hard on any suspected rust areas on your frame. remember these tr6 frames are only 16 gauge metal thickness and if there is any serious rust, the hammer will poke through and locate the weak areas. As the hammer pokes through keep beating in a circular motion untill you expose the total area of weakness. after doing this you will be able to give a better evaluation of all the weak areas then get an air gun and blow out all the rusted flakes from the inside of the frame sections and if you feel that their is too large of an area for you to handle then their are allways frames or complete rolling chasis that can be purchased off ebay. your final decision will depend on the equipment you have to work with good luck and let me know how it works out.

 

[trrdster2000]

GA72TR6, Saw this on Ebay and it could be a big problem solved, all the working goodies redone and a good frame, or so the story goes. Wayne

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...439355&rd=1

 

[jeff3113]

I think that there are clean frames available like the one on Ebay. It's your call about time versus money......
My 1975 frame was for the most part-lost. I ended up welding over 30 feet of 3/16 x 2 inch plate along the frame bottom and sides. It took about 2 weeks of sanding and cutting. This was with the body in place. The entire middle section around the driveshaft was rusted out. That got a 3/8x12x16 plate welded to it. Bottom line was that it WAS the car I wanted to start with - non-restorable. Also turns out that was what I needed to do for the +300hp engine I installed. I would have not bought that rust bucket had I wanted to leave it stock.
It all comes down to how much $$ and time you want to put into it. IMHO, You can probably weld some reinforcements to the frame and be good to go. Just depends if your goal is a pristine unit.

Good luck in your decision,
Jeff

 

[Alan_Myers]

Hi,

As others have said, it's really your call. If you want to do the work, certainly the car (and all your work to date) is salvagable.

I'd suggest what others have, look for a replacement frame. I finally took this route with my TR4, but not due to rust. The car had been hit and repaired at least twice, and the frame was crumpled in one place, twisted a bit overall. I repaired around this and drove the car for many years, but finally decided to just do it right. For the large part, it's been far easier than I anticipated.

In fact, I would probably start with a second frame with almost any future restoration, just for the convenience of having a clean starting point. IMHO, most of our 30 and 40 year old cars really should have a frame-off restoration for safety, driveability and future value. This might be even more true of the later IRS models, with their more complex rear suspension, than the ladder frame on my car.

As a bonus, you could well get some of the other parts you need if you buy a tub on a frame. I ended up with two complete front suspensions, steering racks and other assorted sundries. If I wanted to, I'm sure I could recoup much of the $250 I spent buying the frame (found locally after a short search and some posts to Internet groups), selling some of the spares on eBay!

Yes, the hammer is the best way to find lurking rust areas. Be a little careful, though. The 16 gauge steel can be dented even with an improperly placed jack, and those can be a pain to straighten in enclosed frame members.

Especially look at the diagonal strut just behind the front shock/spring tower. It most likely was never provided with a drain hole, and they often rust right at the base where it joins the large, rectangular frame rail. Also look at that frame rail directly behind the front wheel, where road spray hits it constantly. That's about the extent of my knowledge of TR6 frames, though. I have mostly worked on the earlier solid axle cars.

You might look for a copy of Roger William's "Restoring TR250, TR5 and TR6". Also his "Improving TR..." book pertaining to your car. Both have tons of detail on repairing these sorts of problems and lots of ideas based upon experience of what to look for and what you might want to upgrade.

And, the original factory manual has detailed information on removing a body from a frame, which is not nearly as big a deal as it sounds. I pretty much stripped my car to bare bones in two days, by myself except for a little help from a friend lifting out the engine and gearbox. There are even suggestions how to rig and lift the body with minimal interior and exterior part removal, although I'd go at least one step farther and at least bolt in some temporary braces to keep the door frames rigid (bolt to the top frame mounting holes on the B-post and the windshield anchor holes on the A-post, for example). If the body will be off the frame for a while, most like to weld these braces in place, instead.

The manual also will provide detailed dimensions to use checking any replacement frame candidate for straightness.

If you decide to tackle this, try to reserve most of a two car garage, at least. I'd like to have more space than that, actually! You'll need to label everything and keep it organized. I sometimes spend way too much time trying to locate a particular part that I'm sure I have all ready to go and need for the next step in my project.

A bare frame gives a great opportunity to check it closely for cracked welds, make repairs and put in reinforcements. It also makes a lot of whar would normally be undercar assembly very easy, such as brake pipes, exhaust systems, etc.

If you decide to tackle this, I suggest you complete the internal body repairs on the current frame, but hold off on any external body work until the new frame is under the car. This is because there is always some variation in these essentially hand-made cars, and the mountings provide for adjustment of door frame gaps, etc.

By the way, I will be keeping the old frame from my car... it's totally rust free, thanks to the TR4 open engine breathing circuit keeping the underbody nicely coated with oil. Eventually I hope to build a TR3A "Beta" replica and will use it for that, after repairing and modifying the frame a bit.

I hope this helps with your decision. Personally, I must admit I'm a bit of a sucker for a "lost cause". But, it's generally worked out fine and I've learned alot along the way!

Alan