Nick Jones

This….. he’d like a TR6 but all the ones worth owning are well over his budget…..

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/23/trump-and-harris-are-neck-and-neck-this-is-a-five-alarm-fire

Torque reaction forces from acceleration are passed back to the diff and its mounts. However, the opposite and sometimes larger braking torque forces are passed directly into the vertical link and must be resisted by the suspension links. The proportions taken by the various parts varies from layout to layout, but quite a bit in all cases by the damper I think. This especially true with roto style layouts using closely spaced lower links with Rose joints at both ends. They do exist and appear to work just fine (evidence GT6Steves very successful red racer).

Not sure this is your biggest problem, you are out-gunned!

Didn’t look at it. The vendor became much less friendly when she realised we weren’t going to buy the TR6. My (very diplomatically delivered I thought) suggestion that it is actually a project car and describing it as a “very useable classic” was misleading as it was far from roadworthy, even actively unsafe, wasn’t well received. Phrases like “it’s MoT exempt” (but not roadworthy exempt!!) and “cheapest TR6 in the country” (it isn’t, just the cheapest that doesn’t admit to being a project!) we’re used. Even the implicit suggestion we were wasting her time! Wat?!! Er, hello, we’re the ones who’ve made a 350 mile round-trip on the basis of your deeply misleading description! Time to leave. Wasting my breath and fast running out of cute. My unsubstantiated opinion is that even the high-end MoT exempt stuff might well fail an MoT as I don’t think they worry about anything except the cosmetics.

Wow! I think that video says it all. That is a quick car. And the driver is very skilled…….. and brave!. That track/course!

Yes, that’s hard. Mostly on those left behind. Though having a front row seat to watch several aging relatives fade away from a variety of unpleasant age-related afflictions, I’m really not sure which is worse.

This! Punching well above your weight! So how many horses does the new greased weasel have at his disposal?

It depends which 4.11. The later ones (mk3 Spit era onwards) have the same size output shafts (though not flanges) as the others and not significantly weaker. The main weakness is the carrier itself (that carries the crown wheel and differential gears) and the cross pin. So yes, the gears themselves are reasonably strong when correctly set so an LSD/ATB centre makes a big difference. It’s the main reason I put the Blackline in the Vitesse, the torque bias effect is a bonus!

350 mile round trip today to view a “cheap” TR6. This is the description given by the high end classic car dealer: 1973 Triumph TR6 2500. Green with black Ambla upholstery and black hood. This TR6 has just arrived with us and has been with its last keeper for 6 years, he personally imported it himself from Long Beach California in 2018 and has enjoyed it immensely since. (It’s done 20 miles since he attempted to auction it in 2022 and under 1000 since import, so I’m doubtful he enjoyed it very much!). Being a U.S car it is the carburettor model and is left hand drive. It seems to be fairly original retaining the correct seats and steering wheel and deep dish steel wheel. This is true, though the seat stuffing is a bit weary and the newish carpet is well stuck down (more on that later) The straight six engine fires straight up when requested and pulls well It did fire up easily with no nasty noises. Oil pressure not great, though the erratic aftermarket gauge may be lying. Sounded a bit odd, I think on 5.5 cylinders with a leaky exhaust valve. Didn’t drive it so can’t comment on the pull. Crank end float wasn’t horrific but it looked pretty sludgy in the rocker box. Came up to temperature (aftermarket gauge also erratic) and held it. and the manual gearbox operates correctly Gears selected nicely and all transmit torque. Clutch is right on the floor and on/off is the difference between touching the carpet and squashing the carpet. and the car drives well. Didn’t try it but highly unlikely. There’s 30 degrees of free play at the steering wheel due to the disintegrated rack mount bushes and both track rod ends are shot. Column is loose and bushes within it shot. Massive play detectable in something (wheel bearings?) even with weight on the wheels. Tyres are Michelin and have good tread, but are ancient, cracked and crumbly. Lever arm dampers still fitted at rear and very oily. Failed bounce test. Lots of driveline backlash. Brakes did work and fluid looks clean. In 2021 a new stainless steel exhaust system was fitted with the invoice on file. The exhaust is relatively recent and some is stainless. But not all. The back box has been recently silver painted but is rust pitted under the paint. We have all of the import paperwork showing all duties were paid when the car arrived in 2018 and a U.K logbook showing just one owner. A very usable classic that can be used as is or taken to the next level. No! It really cannot be used as is. It’s not safe. Steering/front suspension is in urgent need of attention. It’s never been MoT’d in the UK and would fail miserably on many items including welding needed. The paintwork has some orange peel effect but is still presentable. It’s a 10 footer. Maybe more in good light. VERY orange peely. Non external areas are satin black. An all expense spared respray. The chassis seems solid enough True. Chassis looks fine. However….. the floors are holed (the drivers footwell extensively so) and “repaired” by dropped some roughly cut 2mm flat plate on the top and holding it down with the seat mount bolts and tek screws on the corners. There’s quite a decent newish carpet set over it all and well glued down to make it harder to spot. Both sills have been splattered with raptor bed liner or similar. The LH sill at least is partly filled with polyurethane foam…. No rear wing seams evident (other than early signs of cracking bubbling) and reaching in underneath produced som pretty big lumps of bondo, so she’s frilly there….. and you can see various parts fitted over the years. We have priced the car accordingly and think this represents great value especially for a TR6. Nope! It’s an over-priced project. Actually a decent basis for a restoration, if described and priced as such. £ 8k is about £3k too much even at today’s crazy prices. We didn’t buy it btw….

Don’t forget that 4 stroke engines only have half their rated displacement/rev. AMR500 is rated up to 16,000 rpm and is considered ok for up to 2L engines though the boost or engine rpm are a little restricted at that size.

This. Though the standard 4.11 provided with the Mk3 the engine was in might not have lasted.

No. Cooper S is an Eaton M45. OP was an Aisin AMR500 roots type blower. I think the one in The Hyde Motor Works video is too.

I think you are basically right, though with the right prep it might have lasted longer. I broke one in the same place on my 1300 Herald (probably about 100 bhp). The metallurgist and crank specialist who looked at that for me (then work contact) said it was entirely down to poor radius machining where the journal met the web. I’ve also seen a couple break at the front where very little torque involved.

Great to hear from you Matt - but very sorry to hear about Dad…… no cure for old…… You gave him a great day though. The Beast made you work for it though - well done for pushing through with it. Look forward to updates as and when