1974 Triumph GT6

Built on the 31 August 1973 and despatched to Hollingdrakes of Stockport on the 10th October, this eye-catching MKIII GT6 comes with a list of its previous owners painstakingly compiled and presented as a neatly typed list. 

More importantly, it benefitted from a nut-and-bolt restoration in the early noughties by Neil Richmond, who also completed a full engine rebuild and respray. Neil obviously knows what he’s doing as he runs a business specialising in Triumph, MG and Mini parts. He has pictures of the GT6 on his business site as an example of his work. Neil upgraded the carburettors to SU from Strombergs to release more power from the engine and double welded the sills, waxoiled and painted the underneath with Hammerite to rustproof the car. Neil reckons the engine had been previously ported to release some extra horses.

This GT6 was treated to an even more recent respray in magenta, a colour that its British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate confirms is to the car’s original specification. It is also one of the very final cars ever built, believed to be number 348 from the end of the line. The car has covered very few miles since its most recent full service.

Wonderfully, the car’s third owner got in touch with the vendor recently to tell him that this very car was directly responsible for him marrying his wife; he spotted her wandering past and persuaded her to pose alongside it for a photograph and the rest, as they say, is history! We aren’t sentimental souls (dealing with the car trade soon knocks that out of you…) but we can’t help but think that any car with a history like that can bring only good luck into your life.

The magenta coachwork is in good condition, as well it might be after such a recent and expensive respray. There is still the odd blemish but nothing at all to worry about; 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 a mid-seventies Triumph that you could happily use as your daily hack, isn’t it? (And what a daily driver it would make, eh?)

The exterior chrome is largely good, although there is some pitting, most noticeably on the offside rear light and the recessed door handles. But, again, there’s nothing there that would worry us; we think that the chromework and magenta paint looks utterly fabulous together, especially around the car’s rear haunches where the combination adds a muscularity that we hadn’t noticed the GT6 possessed until now.

The steel wheels, complete with chrome centre caps, are in good condition, with only minor marks to their surface. The underside is similarly neat and tidily undersealed; it looks like someone has taken the time and trouble to get everything looking shipshape and has then left well alone. This is a Good Thing.

Problems? Well, the front number plate is wonky. Does that count?

The black interior, complete with contrasting red seat-belts, is largely new, and it shows; it’s a lovely place to be and probably finished to a much better standard than Triumph ever managed in-period. The wooden steering wheel might not be original but it is a delight to look at as well as to hold, and far nicer than the stock item. 

On another positive note, the seller tells us that the replacement interior trim includes a new parcel shelf, both door cards, both seats, and the sun-visors. It looks great to us and has freshened the car’s interior up nicely.

Problems appear to be limited to some peeling vinyl in the boot area and the odd crack in the wooden veneer on the dashboard. Neither detract from the car’s overall appearance and both would be satisfying and relatively cheap to put right.

The car’s early-noughties’ restoration left the car mechanically refreshed and, just as importantly, it has been regularly used since then. Few things are better for a car’s general health than regular use; sitting static in a museum, showroom or garage is a painful, slow death leading to shriveled rubber seals and seized and rusty mechanical components.

The seller tells us that he believes the previous owner breathed on the engine, we know it has been fitted a “fruity” twin-exit exhaust, which he tells us sounds absolutely sensational, and upgraded the car with electronic ignition. The four-speed gearbox is fitted with an overdrive, which usefully lengthens the gearing and makes for more relaxed high-speed cruising.

The engine bay itself is neat and clean without being obsessively so – and don’t think we’re damning with faint praise; cars that are too clean can be a bit of a challenge to drive regularly as you’re constantly worried about getting them dirty. This is clean and tidy, so it’ll be a joy to fettle on a sunny day but not so concours that you’ll be afraid to use it when it’s raining!

The GT6 comes with around 140 old invoices and bills, more than enough to convince even the most jaded classic car buyer that it’s a good ‘un, surely? 

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever either, and the car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a certificate from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust confirming its original specification. It also comes with a Triumph Competition Preparation Manual, period Club Triumph papers, and an owner’s handbook. 

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

If you’re going to buy a period Triumph, then you might as well go full-on Sweeney-spec, hadn’t you - and nothing says 1970s quite like a magenta car! And while we accept that it’s not going to be to everyone’s taste, we think the colour is fabulous.

It’s beautifully finished, too. While not concours, it’s a very good useable car that its new owner can jump straight into and enjoy for many years to come. It’s a lucky car too, so if you’re single and fancy meeting your lifetime partner, why not have a cheeky bid? After all, it wove its magic for its third owner…

As for price, it’s solidity and condition mean that it isn’t going to be cheap; we think that it’ll sell for between £13,000 and £17,000, at which price point 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 car can be seen in London; 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.