• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

TR6 TR6 Top Speed?

Share this page

LastDeadLast said:
I've read a couple of old road tests that put the top speed of a TR6 at about 109-115mph. Which based on the horsepower and the ever stylish "brick in the wind" aerodynamic shape, sounds about right. Not saying that the above posts didn't see speeds that they reported, but usually speedometers are calibrated to be most accurate between 50-60mph; after that the faster they go the more inaccurate they become.
Click to expand...

This is where I opened up my GT6 a few times. The road is somewhat improved in the 40 years since then and I am a much different person.
I went through the radar not quite a mile back of where the pic is taken and was going around the farthest corner when I saw the officer at the top of the hill which is behind where the photo was taken. 7,000rpm in 4th covers ground in a hurry. (7,000 was redline on my GT6) I stopped at a gas station further down the road and waited for him. Had the bonnet up and was checking the oil when he arrived.
I agree, it was stupid on many levels, but it did happen! And I did not do it if there was other traffic. Except one night with a Tiger.
Today the thought of it is sobering in so many ways, but I have to admit that there is a little corner in me that still relishes the memory. Unless you have heard one of these six's at 7,000 rpm it can not be imagined.
 
Sobering yes... I remember back when I was in college I raced a motorcycle (OK, so I wasn't the brightest light on the tree back then). At the time, I had a 68 Camaro with a really, really souped up engine running around 400hp.. and a 3.08 final drive... Wasn't much on the take off, but she was never beat at anything past 40mph. Anyway the speedo never worked so I had to rely on the tach for speed.

I was on the bikes rear wheel at 135mph when the rider finally lost his nerve to go faster.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.
 
The luckiest part of that day was the Shirley, my bride of about 6 months at the time, was following in our '70 Chevy Impala at the speed limit. She saw the officer's lights very briefly as she made the top of the hill and was not happy. She was sure she would find us just over the top and when she did not find us on the other side was worried about how much it was going to cost. She finally found us discussing the "weather" at the gas station. She was waiting for me when I got home.
 
I won't even post the stupidity that I exhibited in my turbo 280Z. And that was after owning five worked over muscle cars and a Porsche 911.

That's why I get a kick out of toying with Jags and AH's on the way to club events. You can tease them, but never have to follow through with the challenge because no one wants to go to jail or destroy a car.

I won't mess with TR-8's though. They can embarrass you in a hurry.
 
LastDeadLast said:
I've read a couple of old road tests that put the top speed of a TR6 at about 109-115mph. Which based on the horsepower and the ever stylish "brick in the wind" aerodynamic shape, sounds about right.
Click to expand...

I can verify these numbers. In '69, I bought a new TR6 while I was still in the army stationed at Ft. Sill, OK. My father drove down in his Saab Sonnet, and we headed out to Las Vegas with both cars for a vacation. When we hit the Nevada border, it was pedal to the metal...legal back then. The TR topped out at an indicated 112 with the top up and windows closed (man was it hot in the car). The TR got up to speed faster then the Sonnet, but he finally got past me, as the aero on the Saab was a whole lot better. He topped out at almost 120.
 
Art, that does not surprise me. Granted my TR6 wasn't real healthy when I bought it, but I was pretty disappointed in the performance. Then it did not seem as fast as my TR4 was. Now after the rebuild it has pretty good power and is quicker than my old GT6 but I am certain it is not nearly as fast.
 
Cannot speak for the TR6, but many, many years ago when I had more testosterone and less IQ, I managed to "pull the ton" in my somewhat modified MK 1 Spitfire. At which point the engine literally "blew a gasket" and I had to get towed home. In retrospect - just as well really. Not the sort of car you'd want to come unstuck in at that speed.
 
crj7driver
When I bought my 6 about 12 years ago I was curious and 'tested' on the freeway one quiet night and managed to squeeze 120mph out of it in overdrive, no wind and a slight down hill slope. I'm not sure on the accuracy of the speedo, but it seemed fast!
I don't think I would attempt that now (as I'm older and hopefully wiser) and I don't trust the car's mechanical age. I've had 2 front suspension failures since purchase and a cracked chassis just behind the front suspension. A failure like that at 120mph would be catastrophic........
Regards
Craig
 
In stock 2.5 I6 form it was bouncing up and down at 120 mph in 4th gear.

The world has changed. With a certain amount of survival instincts intact, in V8 form I would venture 160mph in 4th gear(with OD to go).

That is VERY fast for a car that size.
 
Many moons ago, before I built my current hot street engine, I spent a day at an "open track day". With the top and windows up, I was able to see an indicated 115mph on the speedo. A radar gun near the end of the longest straight confirmed that my speedo was very close (it said 114mph). The modifications to my car at that time were few but significant. They included K&N Filters, richer needles, a twin sports exhaust, a pertronix and a Jacobs Electronic Ignition system (fancy MSD). Outside of the engine bay was a lowered fast road suspension and 195/65R15 Continental Super Contact tires. I was very suprised at the accuracy of the speedo with undersized tires. This was all at 5,000 plus feet in altitude as well. The 'track' was on the remnant runways of the old Stapelton Airport.
 
I have seen reports of the TR6 reaching 145mph at Road Atlanta, this was in 1975 by which time they were allowed carburation changes which moved them up to C Production, so the final development of the 2.5 litre engine. (This is a car with no windshield so lower drag.)

With a longer straight 150mph might be possible but I very much doubt any higher.

I think there is a certain amount of fantasy involved in the top speeds quoted for standard cars!
Simon.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]At those speeds I'd be afraid of the car rattling apart! [/QUOTE]

I'm with Kodanja on that point.

The fastest I've seen my '6' go was 80mph before losing my nerve. It was not a confidence inspiring experience what with the wind, vibration and wander.

I have cruised the Autobahn at 160kph (about 100mph) in rental cars such as small Opels and they are quite capable of cruising happily at that rate..but..you as a driver have to be all eyeballs and attention.

Modern small cars like Caliber, Cavalier/Cobalt, Neon, and Focus are happy to cruise at sustained speeds that would leave our LBC's huffing in the rear view mirror.

Still love those LBC's.

Cheers.
 
Mines built to drive, (((not to crash!))) /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/driving.gif

I still dont see the advantage of putting a V8 in one of these LBC's.

I really don't belive these cars were designed to exceed speeds over 70 mph.

BUT MAYBE I'M JUST CHICKEN!!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif
DSC07922.jpg



I did get my 73' GT6 w/od up to 100+mph one time, then I slowed it down when the front end started to lift off the ground!

Not to mention the rear end was whinning like a cat in heat!
These cars are for touring as far as im concerned theres really no reason to go that fast unless you enjoy beating on your car!. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wall.gif

IN THAT CASE YOU MAY AS WELL GET A MUSCEL CAR DRIVE THE CRAP OUT OF IT!!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/driving.gif
 
100 MPH in a GT6 is like about 150 in other cars. Front end starts to get very squirrelly.

Excessive speeds in LBCs: Not my idea of fun! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cryin.gif
 
My '73 TR6 PI comfortably cruises at 90mph. The engine really starts to purr at 3000rpm in OD. Have driven it at 120mph, with quite some spare rpm's left. Given all the horror stories here decided to leave it at that ........... for the time being.
 
"These Cars", in the discussion of TR's at least, were all designed to be able to 'break the ton'. That is, exceed 100mph. If you had a whole lot of shakin' going on then there/are some worn out items somewhere in the driveline or suspension.

Since the engines are very reliable in stock 106hp form, I concentrated on making my suspension and driveline 'right'. Lowering the car improved the aero slightly, it also made it handle better. The mostly poly bushings and solid steering rack mounts really tightened up the feel, steering and response. I did all of that before my track day excursions. In comparison to my TR6, a stock car does feel more like a Buick so I could see how it might be a bit unnerving over 70. Especially if you have vibration and such.

Here is a pic of my TR6 at that Stapelton track day event.
Stapelton2.jpg

The other TR6 had a solid 150hp engine and still only posted a 118mph trap speed by the same radar gun that clocked me at 114mph. A top down TR6, even without a windshield, is less aerodynamic than a top up TR6.

My car is built to drive too. I drove it to AND from every track event that I took it to. Now its all pretty and has a hot engine in it. The rapid nature that it can reach the ton makes me quiver but I have no real need to check the top speed out on it. The sad thing is that my TR8, with a mildly modified suspension and stock everything else will outhandle, out accelerate (though they are both pretty close here), out comfort and just about out every thing else except turn heads. In that, my TR6 still wins every time.
 
Back
Top