1973 Triumph TR6 Resto - NOW SOLD

[darrencambs]

Hi All,

Thought I'd post some details of my TR6 restoration for you to have a look at.

It's been ongoing for around 5 years now (bought the car as an abandoned resto in Nov 2005 - Bit of a basket case, and what had been done had been done very badly... as is often the case I guess!).

Full pics on my Flickr page as per my signature below.

This is how it looked when I first saw it:


Didn't look too bad when it arrived home:


But once I was able to start poking around, I soon realised how much of a state it was in. What was expected to be a case of just finishing off the bits that had been started turned into a full strip down and nut-and-bolt restoration.

The Chassis was weak with rust and kinked at the front o/s corner. Fuel and brake lines rotted through, Body was full of patches welded 'pigeon poo' stylie over rust, Engine full of gloopy old oil that had probably been in there since 1981 when the last tax-disc expired. It had apparently been repainted (the story was that's why the previous owner had to sell it... he had to raise cash to pay the painter... that's the story I was spun, but it turns out the paint was wafer thin and had just been blown on over the transit primer on the few new panels with little, if any, prep).

So.. Strip down commenced, and I was soon ready to separate body and chassis. As it always seems you can never rely on helpers being around when needed, this was easilly achieved single handed with a 2-ton engine crane, some lifting straps, and a few trestles:


Body restoration ensued - cutting through the floors and restoring back end then front end, then joining the two halves back together again with new floors and sills.







Chassis restored and jigged, then built up with new / restored running gear:






Engine stripped and rebuilt








Body stripped, etch primed then painted








Then mounted back on the chassis, and engine, gearbox, propshaft, loom, fuel, etc all connected up.... and finally running after being out of action for 30 years




Engine running clip here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darren-cam ... 681163702/

Body panels were all stripped and etch primed late summer last year. Plan for this summer is to get them painted and refitted.




All being well, I hope to have the car finished this year. Then I'll have time to crack on with the VW Bay Window restoration!

[Luxobarge]

Thanks for that - great cars these & a proper job sir!

10/10 for use of gazebo.....

[darrencambs]

10/10 for use of gazebo.....

As they say... "neccessity is the mother of invention"... One gazebo plus gaffer taper plus pvc dust sheet = home spray booth.

Did get a bit foggy in there though

[darrencambs]

Have been making a little progress on the TR6 this year. Had to have a clear out in the barn and shuffle the TR and VW around so I could make room to work. I've been filling all the little dents and dings in the body panels, rubbing down, and getting ready for paint.

Seems to be taking forever - I have great admiration for people who do this as a full time job. Although I'm quite a patient man, I must admit I do find this part of the restoration somewhat tedious. Trying to find a day where the sun is shining, humidity is not too high, and I don't have any other more pressing matters (usually determined by someone other than myself) is proving the main challenge. I have got 3 panels primed though, and spent today flatting them back. Should get another 3 or 4 done tomorrow if all goes to plan. Will try and remember to take some pics and post them up.

Whether this project will get finished this year or not, I'm not sure. If I can get the top-coat on before the end of the summer (has summer started yet??), then I should be able to get all the trim back on and get him on the road quite quickly - DVLA and MOT permitting of course!

Hope to have some progress to report soon!

[Aar0sc]

Looks fabulous!

I can see quite a few "family traits" in that engine from mine!

[darrencambs]

Looks fabulous!

I can see quite a few "family traits" in that engine from mine!

Thanks Aar0sc. Getting there slowly.

I guess you're talking about the Spitfire engine by "family traits"... indeed there are: TR6 engine is essentially the same as the spitfire but with a couple of extra cylinders I guess. Still 6 cylinders short of a V12 E-type though

Made a bit of progress today while the weather was dry here: All body panels except the bonnet given 8 or 9 coats of primer, so they're ready for flatting back in prep for top coat. The bonnet needs a bit of reshaping where the previous owner must have put the wrong bolts in for the hinges.... then dressed the bulges he created back with a BFH. I don't think bodywork was his specialty!

[Aar0sc]

Looks fabulous!

I can see quite a few "family traits" in that engine from mine!

Thanks Aar0sc. Getting there slowly.

I guess you're talking about the Spitfire engine by "family traits"... indeed there are: TR6 engine is essentially the same as the spitfire but with a couple of extra cylinders I guess. Still 6 cylinders short of a V12 E-type though

Yeah; my engine's in the Spitfire. Should probably make that clearer; but I'm a 17 year old student - and as a result a Jaguar V12 E-Type would be ever so slightly out of my budget. Mainly because it does 14mpg; but they're also expensive to service; requiring about £50 worth of spark plugs and £100 worth of oil minimum! It's my dad's classic; and to annoy people we refer to them both as "Just red 70s convertible Leylands"

In fact, speaking of my Spitfire; if anyone has a nice guide to rebuilding the engine in one (Haynes is a bit confusing) I'd love it, as my engine uses about 2 litres every 133 miles!!!

[darrencambs]

Hi all.

Thought it about time I posted a long overdue update.

I've made some decent progress over the past few months. Not quite finished, but definitely getting there. The painting took a little longer than planned as the weather never seemed to be quite right.... I did all the priming outside, so was forever waiting for a warm, dry, and not-very-windy day. Very few and far between. Then, after all the flatting, skimming with stopper, priming, flatting.... etc, etc, the panels were all ready for the top coat.

Most of the panels needed a skim of filler, but this door was worst of all. I think the previous owner put the door skin on with a Fred Flintstone toolkit.


Primed with about 4-5 coats of celly, then dusted with a guide coat. Flatted back. Primed with another 3 coats, then flatted back again. This was done to all outer panels.


Finally, after waiting for weeks, we had a perfect spraying day. 22 degrees or so, very little humidity and no wind. Fortunately I'd already prepped the gazebo spray booth, so it was all ready to go. A few hours later and I had all the panels painted and they were out curing in the sun.



I can't remember exactly how many coats of colour I put on now, but I think it was about 6 in total. First four were 50:50 paint to thinners, then two coats of 20:80 paint to thinners. Got a decent gloss from the gun, although there were a couple of runs on one panel where I was a bit too keen.




Left them to cure for a week or so before I started getting them fitted.


Getting the panels on was a major step forward. It certainly gets the enthusiasm pumping again seeing it all taking shape again - finally having something that resembles a car as opposed to a collection of parts scattered around is very satisfying!


There was quite a bit of fettling needed to get a decent fit. Strange how everything was perfect when I trial fitted before painting, but would they just slip back into perfect alignment once painted? Of course not.




Back end masked up and sprayed in halfords satin black (quite a good match for the original finish). Looking like a 'proper' TR6 now!


Got the windscreen frame stripped down, painted and fitted last weekend during our Indian Summer. Also got the lights fitted up too (no headlights yet though).




Decent weather again on Monday this week, so I left the windscreen seal out in the sun all afternoon to soften up, then went out about 4.30pm and popped the windscreen in. A few squirts of diluted car shampoo, a ratchet strap and a length of string and the job was done in no time.






So that's about as far as I am at the moment. I did put the door glass in last night and fitted the door seals. Good news is the glass lines up just right with the windscreen frame. The door seals are a bit too fat though so the doors aren't that easy to close. Shouldn't be too difficult to sort that out though.

[Aar0sc]

And did you take it for a spin?

Must say; I LOVE TR6s!

[Luxobarge]

Again, more superb work sir! You've gt to that very satisfying "nearly done" stage.

Don't get down-hearted about how long it's taking, you seem to be making excellent progress IMO - mine took 7 years, and it's a much smaller car!

Keep the updates coming - this is how a home-resto should be done!

Cheers,