1973 Triumph TR6

First registered on the 18th of September 1973, this charmingly patinated Triumph TR6 has had just five registered keepers. The car’s previous owner kept the car stored in his barn for 27 years, and his son bought the bits needed to recommission it after his death but never got around to fitting them.

The vendor picked up the baton a year ago, recommissioning and servicing it with the parts the son had purchased. We are told that these included all new seals and gaskets - and the end result was an advisory-free MOT.

Wisely, he opted to preserve its cosmetic condition, carefully valeting it but not over-restoring it; preservation was his aim rather than ripping its heart out with a full restoration.

What seems to be utterly solid and running well and with only a few niggles still to sort, it needs more time than money; as such, it would be ideal for the experienced DIYer or someone looking to develop their skills with their first classic car.

Best of all, the vendor has agreed to offer it with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid. So, if you’ve been looking for a classic British sportscar to play with this winter, look no further…

The paintwork is pretty darned good – and it might even be the original given the length of time it was in storage.

And we don’t think it has ever been taken apart, either; just take a look at the alignment of the doors: sporting very tight and even shutlines, the panels are in a very good condition indeed. Free of notable ripples and other damage, they could easily be left ‘as is’ and the car shown off without embarrassment.

The chromework is a bit scratched and patinated but the flipside of that is that it is almost certainly the original, so we can see the car’s new owner will probably want to have it re-chromed rather than replaced.

The folding black hood is in a reasonable condition, and the car comes with two tonneau covers.

It’s also got a full set of four matching new 205/60R15 tyres, which have been fitted to the very good steel wheels.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you an insight into their attitude towards maintenance.

Other work to do? Well, there is a slight tear in the hood on the nearside top corner. But really, if you don’t mind owning and driving a car that wears its heart on its sleeve then there’s little to worry about here.

The interior might well be the original too. The seats, for example, might be a bit soft and shapeless but the black leatherette covers are still in good shape; if it were ours we’d be tempted to have the seats rebuilt with new webbing and stuffing but would reuse the covers to maintain as much of the car’s originality and integrity as possible.

It’s much the same story for the wooden veneer, which is scruffy and faded. However, it looks to be salvageable – and how satisfying would it be to refurbish it instead of replacing it?

Clever buggers might be able to save the steering wheel but us mere mortals would be excused for buying a new one. That said, you’ll be able to save a few quid on the switches and dials because they all look decent and in need of only light titivation.

But then you’ll be tempted to splash out the money you’ve just saved on having the twin-spindle Pioneer radio/cassette refurbished but that’s a job that could easily wait until the rest of the interior is fettled.

The boot is untrimmed but it does look to be solid.

What other fettling is needed? Well, the speedometer isn’t working but everything else seems to be in good order bar the driver’s inside door handle, which falls off under only slight provocation.

A new stainless-steel exhaust and a battery have been fitted in addition to the seals and gaskets that came with the car. It’s been freshly serviced too, and MOT’d.

Other than that, it’s been left pretty much ‘as is’ which means the engine bay is scruffy – but then this car has so much charm that it carries it off well.

The owner tells us that it drives well. We’d agree but we did notice that the throttle is slightly sticky, the clutch has a very short travel, and it’s leaking petrol onto the exhaust silencer. The latter only happens when the car is running, so it is likely to be a leak from the fuel pump or lines rather than the tank.

It’s very solid underneath, as you can see for yourselves in the photos. Again, the vendor was at pains to point out its originality, saying that there is no evidence of it ever having been welded. Free of serious corrosion and rot, what little rust there is is limited in scope and surficial in nature.

The TR6’s MOT certificate, which is valid until August 2021, was gained without a single advisory point. As might be expected, there isn’t much in the way of paperwork given its barn-find status other than an MOT certificate and a current and an historical V5 registration document.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

This Triumph TR6 would be the ideal project for anyone who has more time than money; with very good bodywork, it needs some attention lavished on the interior and engine bay – and because it appears to be so original, it would be a shame to junk the original fixtures and fittings so refurbishing them one at a time would be a very satisfying way of wiling away the winter.

Largely free of rust too, which is remarkable. Strong and solid, we think it’s going to sell for between £12,000 and £18,000, which is remarkable value and should give the lucky new owner a head start in their new relationship with this delightful TR6.

And it’s being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid no matter how insulting that might be…

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’.