Triumph TR6 PI Review: Classic British Engineering. Was it Rubbish?

[@markwilson9927]

Great video! I live in North Carolina and purchased a ‘73 TR6 in 1975 while in college. Right after purchasing it I had a rude awakening after taking it to the British Leyland dealer for repair. At that point I bought a manual and started doing all of work myself. I added overdrive in 1976, and used it as my primary vehicle until 2002. By that time I had put 200,000 miles on it. I kept it in good mechanical condition, and it has never left me stranded. In 2002 I purchased a Ford Expedition and started making the TR6 look as good as it drove. In 2012 I overhauled the motor, shaved the head to move the compression from 7.5 to 9.5, and added a cam that is similar to the one originally used in the 1969 150 bhp version. The cam was developed by Good Parts located Pennsylvania. It preserves the idle quality while adding the power. What a difference! It will now burn a little bit of rubber, and it is a blast to drive. Bottom line, a TR6 is fun to drive, looks great, and reliable if well maintained.

[@PeakTorque]

Love that story! Enjoy it.

[@GraphicMill]

Mark, your post is encouraging. I bought a 75 TR6 last year. It’s in great shape but put a great deal of work into it already and more coming in 2024. I assume you have a Good Parts header on the beast, what did you use for the exhaust. I have a dual Anza with a couple of resonators under there as well, yet it’s so loud I can’t have a conversation with a passenger without shouting. Bottom line is, I want a performance boost but a more sane noise level. Any suggestions?

[@mrnobody9821]

Amazing review, you've completely put me off owning a classic car!

[@MrWaalkman]

Ha! It's not for everyone. :) But I loved my TR4.

[@blankroomsoup666]

No torque sounds charming, but pigeons and potholes would have been even better- the essence of Cheshire.

[@welovecheshirecats4557]

The real question; Is it compliant? ; )

[@Gregory_tottie]

Calibrating the butterflies is an art. Building a bike wheel is not an art. Got it! I’m learning a lot from this channel. I love it.

[@davidburgess741]

Building wheels is straight forward, butterflies always elusive! GDI with sensors and modern controls priceless! They work.

[@spdaltid]

Fantastic, love the TR series, mostly, and would love to own one someday. I'm sure you totally enjoy it and get even more than 110+%, satisfaction when driving the machine [in spite of Lord Lucas, Prince of Darkness, who much to answer for.] For me, a diet of Alfas gave me indigestion, so I settled on a dessert of Stuttgardt's 'finest'. Might still need an Underberg or two.

[@pj9375]

Yes do more reviews on cars! Straight talking no BS 👍

[@GraphicMill]

I appreciate hearing the rattles when you go over a bump, since I’ve been hunting down rattles forever, trying to fix them in any way possible. Attempting to reduce that feeling of they forgot to tighten all the bolts when they built it. It’s getting better! Or maybe the roads are better!

[@PeakTorque]

Most of them in this clip are from the soft top pivots and loose nylocs but i know what you mean!

[@kevinreilly191]

Enjoyed the video, having owned a 1972 UK TR6 some years ago it was great to watch. A couple of things I think which would have been worth a mention? The engine hp output for UK cars did differ 150 ( allegedly) until end of 1972 then 125 until end of production. The US cars were around 105 hp and as you say had carbs. I worked on these engines in the 1970’s and when one came in ( same engine in the saloon 2500 PI) with a misfire the first place to look was the injector. Failure mode was the injector end came away and was loose. Very quick job to replace.

[@alexohara1548]

I have no clue what you were talking about but this may have been the most enjoyable 14 minutes of my day.

[@romansokolov6893]

That was good and a playlist might be a good thing just to keep everything searchable on the channel. By the way I think the audience would thoroughly enjoy you talking about modern car design or shitting on them actually.

[@1000750]

Way better review then one from Top Gear 🤙

[@glennoc8585]

Mechanical fuel injection can be surprisingly good and less maintenance than EFI. Ive had a few cars on mfi and the Bosch was the system I liked the most. I converted the points over to an optic electronic in a Lucas distributor with uprated coils. Did you retain the rotor and cap or do away with the dizzy altogether? My mate had a TR5 and a 7 and another mate had a Spitfire. I always fancied a Spitfire but bought a TVR S instead. Triple carbs can be a bugger to setup especially the SU's but once you get Weber's or dellortos balanced they tend to stay that way. I had a vacuum and ball device that I had great success with on a twin carb lotus.

[@WowRixter]

Beautiful car! BTW, what fuel do you use?

[@PeakTorque]

Super unleaded with castrol lead replacement. The valve seats haven't been hardened yet, but its on the list to get the head off again and do that.

[@WowRixter]

@@PeakTorque Cool. We just sold my fathers 67 Porsche Sportster convertible. It was a great little car, but not for me. When the weather's nice, I'd rather be on 2 wheels

[@docdavo1]

Lol… spoke to grandfather-in-law about having to setup the Lucas control on the GT’s Blackburn’s where using setting them up for altitude… sounded an easier job than this!

[@andyjones5192]

Harry’s Garage…the younger years.😄

[@stuartjamieson2551]

Had a 1969 Aussie TR6 1982 to 1990. No trouble with petrol injection. Did wallow around a bit. Loved it.

[@Tracersport]

This video was a revelation for me. When I was 18, I had a 1972 TR-6 and drove it off to college for the next 4 years. The top was always down, never mind the weather. Autocrossed it successfully and every girl I dated loved it. For me it was a dream car but I was nearly certain that if it only had P.I. vs. carburetors, for more power, it would be an absolutely perfect car. I never could have guessed that in comparison to carbs, P.I. would be such a nuisance to tune and maintain. I could never have done it right. Glad to know that my TR-6 was really perfect just the way it was.

[@PeakTorque]

I agree about the girl comment 😬

[@Tracersport]

@@PeakTorque Not to belabor the point; but roadsters are one of life's most reliable panty peelers. My last one was a Honda S2000 when I was still single. A peak experience.

[@robertm1552]

Bikes, cars, now you need to add light aircraft. Great stuff and you have me motivated to get back on my ‘71 TR6 project

[@reginaldscot165]

I almost bought one 10 years ago... yellow. Such a lovely car.

[@tonyboughman8050]

I watch a lot of car videos. This "bike guy's" car video is better than all of them! Thank you for the info! I live vicariously when it comes to classis sportscar ownership :)

[@bartmotorcycle]

Wow so much info. Thanks for this!

[@GT6Andy]

Nice looking TR6, I owned a GT6 mk3 for 23years (hence the youtube name!!) but sold it back in 2017. I converted that to 2.5L back in 2004, but ran with carbs and 3D mapped ignition, always ran well with that set up and minimal routine maintenance. Good to see some Cheshire lanes, I occasionally cycle out to Beeston castle.

[@PeakTorque]

Great loop around beeston and bickerton. Couple laps of that at tempo is very sapping on the legs... potholes galore tho.

[@arcboy2011]

Love that car. I was able to do some restoration to a TR4A and got a few rides in it and loved it. Totally started my love of British cars (Lucas electronics not so much).

[@richardcarter1000]

Great review. I love my TR6. Of my whole collection, I do the most miles in it. 2k+ miles a year. Mine's an early US car, converted to RHD with a hotter cam and new SU's which I'm very happy with. Proper sports car.

[@patrickthorpe6428]

I have the same - ex US car fitted with SU's - lovely car that is a joy to own!

[@trundle_bliss]

That straight six sounds fantastic.

[@TheSoupdragon1968]

I had a tr6 you can get a modification from revington tr for the throttle bodies it fixes all the issues one and for all, they also do an amazing stainless exhaust!!

[@frankdivecon]

hello nice review,also have tr6 pi.the meteringunit can be a pain, but here a tip , install a lambasonde this will help to get it right.

[@andyjonathan2486]

Beautiful classic roadster you’ve got there! It certainly takes a patient engineer to drive a car like that. It’s not always about gobs of horsepower and blistering track times, but the sense of occasion and adventure just simply driving it to the grocery store. It’s far more of an adventure driving my locost seven around the block at 20 mph, than my 335i at 80 mph on the freeway. As an automotive engineer, I wouldn’t have the patience to put up with vintage engine antics and would have converted the engine to EFI with a modern standalone ECU, with o2, knock, MAF sensors and so on, while keeping the vintage roadster exterior. Or I’d swap the power train for a stock s2000 engine, trans, and ECU, and dramatically improve the cold start, BSFC, emissions, an so on-however the “charm” of vintage British engine reliability issues would be gone; which would be part of the adventure?

[@eileencornell625]

Had a USA 1973 TR6, bought it new and loved driving it EXCEPT for the brakes. The brakes squealed enough to turn heads, and no one seemed to know how to fix them. This caused me to sell the car after a couple of years.

[@benc8386]

Yes please car videos. Can we also have some bleeding knuckle ones when it breaks down (which I assume it does regularly).

[@Ozravens]

Great video and whilst I'd love another TR especially a 6, after a constant love hate relationship with my TR5's PI I vowed never again! But damn they are an intoxicating looking sports car! Thanks for reaffirming my thoughts on the PI

[@davianlomboan2397]

Thoughts on the new 2022 F1 car?

[@AltaMirage]

Great review! Thanks! I am in Canada and looking at buying a thoroughly rebuilt twin carb 1975, tweaked performance cam, which also has a retrofitted roll bar which also functions as a chassis stiffener and a bunch of other stuff. Loved your discussion. Excellent stuff. Thanks again! So... final question: do I pull the trigger? Is the TR6 worth it? Thanks anyway, mate!

[@PeakTorque]

Buy it! Your ears will thank you for the sound. Anything mechanical can be fixed easily, but rust is another issue...

[@richardcarr6493]

LOVE THE CAR l give you credit for keeping with Lucus injection l d probably got Weber s and petronix electronic points replacement in the distributor for reliable spark . THANKS FOR SHOWING US YOUR CAR

[@alanlukes7668]

The short version would be nice. I stopped listening after a while but I wanted to know more!

[@Lestalad1961]

The last of 5he real TR’s. My Mate has a mint 4A. Beautiful

[@chalesnu]

love the car. i always wanted a tr6 back late 80s when i was driving a spitfire.

[@DavidMartin-tk4fs]

Dammit, I want my MGB back now! Preferring a proper roof I Always wanted a Gt6 until I actually sat in one and realised the MGB GT was the better car in many ways, apart from the rear axle possibly, although a C would have been cool for the Big 6 but also biiiig money. Pleased to hear how you’ve taken up the challenge of attempting to get the OE mechanical fuelling optimised. Are you not even slightly tempted to retro fit a modern stand alone EFI system to get the mapping absolutely dialled-in and be able to easily tweak it for upgrades or “ongoing developments as the engine evolves” ( read; wears) and hopefully stop it from slipping out of tune? You don’t strike me as an originality freak with other mods you’ve mentioned. Would love to see more of this side of things - looking forward to the next one!.

[@PeakTorque]

My bro in law runs a gt6 mk3. I love it, but I am too tall to drive it even with a small wheel. Their prices have done very well recently! EFI - maybe some day. Certainly going to get a lambda sensor and weld that in to the exhaust soon, really want to create some sort of picture of what is happening. Otherwise I am just pissing in the dark trying to tune the MU and timing with no feedback.

[@racketman2u]

I'd have the GT6 over an MGB any day, better looking, sweet smooth six, woodgrain dash ...

[@bodieb.1239]

I own a 69 and it's a drivers car but honestly great to drive and the exhaust sound is perfect. Mine is here in the states so as you said it's got carbs. They're called classic because they are from another era. When I'm done with my driving I hop back into my Toyota Avalon and WOW .... but......boring..... Likes your video. Thanks.

[@theteadrinker-143]

Just looked at one this evening , going to make an offer on it .subscribed 👍🏻

[@lightningusain3708]

A review of your m3?

[@WNevill71]

Best Cheshire rides?

[@rotaxtwin]

Gawd, Lucas mechanical fuel injection... credit to you for keeping it running happily.

[@davidburgess741]

I don't know if that one has the Lucas ignition with the positive ground like the Ford Cortina. That would be trouble. The axle wound up so that the left rear would lose traction first. Engine turned the reverse direction from an American car of that live axle design. Rust, rust, rust, leaks! Cortina GT that is with the peace sign tail lights. Green Black.

[@rotaxtwin]

@@davidburgess741 thats the first I've heard of a reversed rotation drivetrain vehicle.

[@zedavia]

@@rotaxtwin most Hondas until 2003 ran reverse rotation. Simplifies FWD application in that case.

[@rotaxtwin]

@@zedavia Yeah, that makes sense.

[@andrewpreston4127]

Re: They leak like a sieve..., when they left the factory..". Total rubbish. In 1973, I bought a 9 year old TR4 with Surry top. It' didn;t leak like a seive. In 1976 I bought a 1967 TR5, with Surrey top. It didn't leak like a seive, whether it did or didn't have the canvas top section fitted or the hardtop. In 1981 I bought a 1971 TR6 softtop. It didn't leak like a seive. I had zero problems with the injection or metering unit on either the TR5 or TR6. A previous owner had fitted twin Webers to the TR4, they were an absolute pain in the behind.

[@dyzoly]

Potholes, pigeons...and a very chilled out pheasant @5:23

[@kenster865]

Had a '69 TR6 in the early 70's. Carbs of course here in the States. It was always in the shop for one thing or another. I missed it so late in 2020 I got a new Mazda Miata. More HP at 181 plus spot-on reliable. Total blast to drive. Forget the TR6's unless you want to constantly tinker. If you truly want to enjoy top-down driving in a modern platform, buy a Miata.

[@racketman2u]

well if you want a modern 4-cylinder car, you could but just about anything.

[@kevinmopar1211]

What is waxoyl?

[@ironmantooltime]

Rocking the preppy look, on your way to see ur gfs father who's a vilage GP? 😁 Seriously though, new level of respect which was previously.. no respect 😆 Nice work 👍

[@hisdadjames4876]

Nice first car review. Thanks. Lovely looking TR5 but , after 10 stupidly expensive years with a Triumph Snag, Im not tempted. 😳

[@brianbrowne206]

Good combination triumphs and bikes. I've got a GT6 with the 2 litre version of the same engine to go with my bikes.

[@davidburgess741]

Triumph Stag looked cool too. Prefer TR6 though. Need a remake like Dodge Challenger, Mini Cooper, Fiat 500, (pre Guppy cop out ) Nobody could do it better than Hyundai/ Kia. Leyland no longer exists so maybe they'd get away with a loose interpretation and call it something else. Ah, they do a good 4, so maybe TR 4! Just not the 2.4 non turbo. Chairman of Hyundai too important to the Korean economy to be imprisoned. Above the law like a former Orange hued world leader.

[@cubatea]

don't know why but I always thought you were based in Hong Kong or something. Obviously wrong with that assumption, as them there's some fine English roads. Great content as always

[@michaeltrollope8048]

Nice video, nice car. I have an MGB myself. Seems too be a few classic loving cyclists around. Not as many in our age group tho 😮

[@DavidMartin-tk4fs]

Agreed. I think old cars and bikes go together naturally as they both need a hands on attitude compared the single use throwaway cars produced in the last 20years. Owners will naturally get younger as the generation these classics was built for get to the age they can no longer drive. I had to sell my 71 B GT last year as it had become a long term project I didn’t have time for and I needed the garage space to work on other peoples’ TVRs and, of course, lots of bikes. My now 20 year old TT fills a similar niche, and seems to have slipped into the “classic” zone, but does not claw into your soul in the same way as the smelly, clunky, snorting, slidey, rorty, beast the MG was. I miss the conversations at every fuel stop and the arguments at shows about wrong wheels, tyres, bonnet, suspension, air box, exhaust, basically everything. I did what I wanted to it, if it annoyed the purists that was just a bonus. 😬

[@johnmacleod7259]

Hi. I have owned a 1972 TR6 for over 40 years, still on the same injection system. Goes really well, hammered it around Castle Coombe 3 times including April this year at up to a ton on the start line straight. I wonder if your diff is your main issue because you are not getting the benefits of all the torque... 70mph in second overdrive, ton in 3rd overdrive etc. BTW, early diff was 4.125:1 Good luck though. Keep on enjoying it.

[@GG-gotr6]

John, I purchased my TR6 when I was 21 - still have the car and I'm 67. 46 years of enjoyment. I don't agree with half the comments the reviewer makes. To pick out one comment about "constant use, doesn't like to sit around", when I had to pay road tax I only used it for 6 months, left in the garage over winter - still started fine and ran well. As to the diff - a quick search on google for TR specs states final drive ration is 3.45, I know Cox and Buckles used to build and sell a 3.7 ratio diff for hill climbs but the figure 4.125 is unknow to me. When was that fitted?

[@johnmacleod7259]

@@GG-gotr6 Hi GG. You are absolutely right, I was writing from memory and had a brain fade. Thanks for correcting my mistake. I shall be taking my daughter to her wedding in the TR in a couple of weeks, so the memories continue to collect. Though I do have instructions to drive sedately for the sake of the hair do. 😊

[@truxton1000]

It’s an accurate and good review. In terms of pushing this kind of car hard around corners and trying to make it do what a modern sports car would do is not really what this car is about though in my opinion. I have owned a TR6 for 8 years, restore it in 3 years and enjoy keeping it in good shape, cleaning and polishing it. The way I use it is to only take it out on nice days. I hardly ever put the soft top up as I hate driving it like that as it’s actually a lot more noise with the soft top up. A bit of spirited driving is ok but mostly it’s about cruising around on smaller roads enjoying the view, listening to the glorious engine, smelling it and doing this with fellow owners of classic cars. Going to classic car meetings is a huge part of this, talking about maintenance, modifications, studying other people’s cars and just taking it all in. It’s cheap to repair, most parts are available, easy to repair (when on carbs) and it’s solid. Some people say these cars was poor quality but I strongly disagree, try restoring a Japanese car from the same time and you will see what I mean!

[@PeakTorque]

The only reason I had the roof off is so you could hear me! (sort of)

[@assaultedpeanut9]

I'm not into cars but that one does look good

[@robinrai4973]

Awesome video, love it

[@Pratalax]

This was great but now i've got a billion videos about the tr6 popping up on my homepage...

[@Woody10719]

I want to see more of your TR

[@GalenMittermann]

This car is why I own a Miata. Mostly not kidding.

[@DJP852795]

Bloody marvellous… subscribed

[@myleschillingworth7614]

What a lovely car.

[@nerodrive4254]

absolutely loved it

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Sadly from 2030 on all the combustion cars including classics will be banned from public streets in EU :-( In Germany the Green party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing petrol stations to only one state owned peoples gas station per city or county. :-(

[@feedbackzaloop]

"Wellcome to the butterfly effect..."

[@davidburgess741]

I always admired those. That said they were oil leaking eventual rust buckets. The Japanese really did us a favor by waking is up from the trance of mediocrity. I'd take one for the first 6 months.

[@PeakTorque]

Datsuns also rusted like old nails! But definitely better thought through.

[@davidburgess741]

@@PeakTorque True that! Did a clutch on a 240Z and that chassis underneath looked bad. Nissan now uses a CVT on all models and I won't touch them. Subaru also, but with better rep.

[@PeakTorque]

@@davidburgess741 a CVT, as a petrol head, is the devils work. Hate hate hate.

[@glennoc8585]

@@PeakTorque The Honda SUV CVT is a shocker.

[@hombrealagua]

Yes more cars!... and bicycles! Petrolhead + cyclist also here.

[@jackmason4374]

I had one in 1980 when I was 22 , insurance was 600 a year 🥱

[@PeakTorque]

Ouch. Its 120 quid now

[@coreygolphenee9633]

I took you more as a Saab 900 turbo guy but props, you want a butch mistake and I can respect thst

[@tedwaetford]

I'm looking at getting a TR6, and this is a good honest review about what to be aware of. But overall it came across as pretty negative. You've owned the car for 11 years, so you clearly must enjoy something about it. But none of this came across in your review. Add some subjective stuff about why you like the car.

[@robbey300]

Good back in the 1970s but they have not endured well and the new E10 petrol is the nail in the coffin. I used to love Triumphs back in the day but not now. The cheap materials BL used from the steel body to plastics to wiring to soft top are not great. People asking £30,000 plus are having a joke as a good Mazda MX5 gives better performance and reliability.

[@PeakTorque]

Of course and not to mention an mx5 drives a lot better! Cheers

[@donwalsh4445]

it had a different cam ,that where the 150 hp come from ..mister engineer

[@kevelliott]

That motor sounds like a WW2 fighter!

[@82vitt]

Yeah, and smells like one too. They should be kept in garages and not see the road anymore. The smelly bastards.

[@BenitoAndito]

If Top Gear were a serious show, you'd do great alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May.

[@fast.biking_freddy]

Rides bikes and likes cars?! Epic

[@Ditypo]

get yourself a mic!

[@paulbusek7265]

Yip - new channel for cars please!

[@waynosfotos]

Hee hee, it is an english car with a soft top they always leak! Lol i own a lotus, so know english cars. 😆

[@davidburgess741]

Oil, you mean! Front pan to oil seal. Infamous.

[@andyMSH700]

Lightweight report with no evidence......a lot of assumptions. Only real negative ever on the TR was no power steering once you upgraded it . Not a great video in order to promote TR6.

[@Wildschwein_Jaeger]

One of the worst car to draft behind. Stinky exhaust.

[@howardwalker759]

Z

[@hscomet]

Carbs better than a well setup PI!? you're talking absolute rubbish - period.

[@Civairda]

No cars please!