1973 Triumph GT6 MKIII

Built in November 1972 and first registered by LF Dove of Woking in February 1973, the details of this GT6 MK3 are validated by its Heritage Trust certificate. It also indicates that the GT6 left the Canley factory painted in the slightly lighter and bluer Emerald Green (a few vestiges of which can be seen in the engine bay) rather than the arguably more desirable British Racing Green it wears now. Pleasingly, it is equipped with overdrive gearbox.

This good-looking sports fastback coupé is ready for a new owner to jump in and start enjoying straight away. How do we know this? Well, whilst many of the cars we sell get delivered by trailer, the vendor of the GT6 couldn’t wait to drive it to us - just over 100 miles from Kent to Oxfordshire.

Also, from what we can see in the garage bills and photo archive, our GT6 has undergone a number of restorations, renewals and significant maintenance with previous owners (around 2006 and 2014). The current owner has also replaced or upgraded a number of both mechanical and cosmetic fittings over the last two years as recommended to keep the vehicle in very good, and very usable condition.

We’d describe the British Racing Green finish as a good older repaint with a few minor blemishes but otherwise very tidy and presenting very well; if it were ours we’d just drive it as it is. After all, it’s solid and looking good, which is all you need to know about an early-seventies Triumph that you could happily use as your daily drive.

The exterior brightwork is good, although there is some dechroming on the recessed door handles. Again, there’s nothing there that would worry us as this is a car for driving rather than keeping highly polished for show. Door seals and window rubbers appear recent and in very good condition and overall the panel fit is pretty reasonable for an early ‘70s Leyland product.

As you can see from the photos in the gallery, the car is currently running on good condition 4-spoke Triumph GT6 Revolution alloy wheels - a popular upgrade among Spitfire and GT6 owners. The original steel wheels and their chrome centre caps also come with the car - the steelies are usable but have been overpainted white. All eight wheels are shod with Michelin Energy tyres which appear like new.

The black interior is very tidy; the cloth seats were reupholstered in 2006 with new covers and squabs and present well, other trim items such as headlining, door cards, centre armrest, sun visors and carpets have also been restored or replaced by recent owners. This GT6 also has the factory optional rear seats fitted which fold forward to give a large flat area to stow additional luggage.

There is a small split in the original vinyl dash with signs of repair and another in one of the door tops but neither detract from the car’s overall appearance and otherwise the interior is in very good order.

The Mountney leather-clad 3-spoke steering wheel might not be original but it is of the period and fits very well with the character of the interior and the sporting nature of the GT6. Compared to the larger original wheel it gives better access to the ignition key which Triumph decided to locate down low between your knees rather than in a more conventional position on the dash!

The later-era glass sunroof might not suit the purists but allows more daylight into what is otherwise a fairly dark cabin.

The numerous garage bills from the mid-2000s show that many components were replaced or renewed at that time. Notably the Laycock-de Normanville overdrive (available in 3rd and 4th gears) which was fully reconditioned in 2007. This useful overdrive option lengthens the gearing by 20% and makes for more relaxed high-speed cruising.

The current owner had the differential replaced with a reconditioned unit in July of this year along with a full specialist service. At some point, a more fruity-sounding twin-exit exhaust has also been fitted.

The current owner has also had new rear springs fitted and as a result there is a slight positive camber at the rear. Prior to their replacement, there was apparently an equal and opposite negative camber! Traditional Triumph Herald/Spitfire situation.

The underbody areas and subframe can be seen well in the photos. There is some dirt and corrosion present, nothing serious enough to trouble the MOT tester, but a new owner may want to prep and paint with black underseal so that it presents as well as the topsides.

The engine bay and under-bonnet areas are incredibly clean and tidy having undergone a complete restoration during the mid-2000s. There are many newer items in evidence such as road springs, brake cylinders, radiator and hoses. Even the characteristic two-tone horn has been replaced. Aluminium engine bay boards (valances) have been fitted which have doubtless helped to keep the engine and mechanicals clean and out of the road dirt and spray from the wheels.

The boot lid is in excellent order with no signs of rust or filler around the catch or bottom lip. Inside the boot is a full-size steel spare wheel and tyre, a cloth car dust cover and a box of running spares including rubber seals, oil filter and fan belt.

As well as early garage bills, this GT6 comes with numerous invoices from the time of its restoration in the mid-2000s which left the car mechanically and aesthetically refreshed. Just as importantly, many more recent invoices cover the work done since, including over the last 4 years of current ownership showing that it has been regularly used, and cared for. Few things are better for a car’s general health than regular use & maintenance; sitting static in a museum, showroom or garage is a painful, slow death leading to shrivelled rubber seals and seized and rusty mechanical components.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern, and the car has an MOT valid until July 2020, a number of expired MOT certificates plus a certificate from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust confirming its original specification. It also comes with the original wheels, centre caps, indoor dust cover and an owner’s handbook.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of these and all of the other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been restored and maintained to a very high standard.

This car is very clean and tidy, so it’ll be great to tinker with and enjoy on a sunny day but not so concours that you’ll be afraid to use it when it’s raining! It’s a very good, solid, usable car with recent money spent that its new owner can jump straight into and enjoy for many years to come.

In its desirable dark green BRG paintwork, black wheels and rear pillar louvres this sporty fastback almost evokes a miniature Bullitt Mustang - even more so if you squint - which funnily enough is what the vendor has bought next!

As for price, we have seen GT6 values rising steadily over the last five years with stunning cars now approaching £20,000. We think that this GT6 Mk3 is a very solid, condition 2+ example which will sell for between £8,500 and £13,000, at which level the new owner should be able to relax and enjoy worry-free motoring without any major planned expenditure on the horizon.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.