The TR6 is one of the best looking 4 wheel Triumphs IMO. Personally I think the OEM steel wheels suit it better than wire wheels which belong in an earlier era. Both the TR and the Stag can be reliable motors but require regular maintenance to keep them tip top. In the 70's, Triumph cars came under the British Leyland mantle and we all know the problems that beset the company. As regards the age/riding thing, I'm 64 in a couple of weeks and while I'm not without health issues, I hopefully have a couple of decades left in me ! I have a small gym in the garage with a bench, pulldown machine and free weights which I use 2-3 times a week and still enjoy it although not with the same vigour of 30 years ago! As well as physical benefits I find weight sessions a great stress buster. There's nothing like nipping into the garage and throwing some iron around if you've had a bad or stressful day!
Heaven knows what Triumph (BL) were thinking with the TR7. I saw a TR8 in a supermarket car park a while back which did sound nice and probably went well but still looked crap. I'm not sure if it was a factory car as relatively few were made and most were LHD. Conversions of the TR7 are more common.
I am waiting for some supplies before I can go any further on this project. I plan to adjust it's valves later this week. I stripped out the goofy vacuum retard on the distributor last weekend. It was required for emissions in the past, but the car is now exempt. Someone in the past has already installed an electronic ignition upgrade. I will be careful to get its timing advance correct because of the retard system being removed. It should run great. Also working on sorting out it's title and insurance requirements. ...J.D.
Is it a carb or a FI model? The were two versions of FI, 125 and 150bhp. A workmate of mine had one of the 150 models back in the 80's and really "drove" it without any engine issues. The only problem he had was a recurring one with the overdrive unit. It was his only car and I remember him selling it for something more practical and he regretted it almost immediately. Sadly he passed away a few years later from MN disease.
All the US delivery ones had carbs. There were a lot more TR6's sold over here than in the UK for some reason. ...J.D.
The California DMV and CHP are making me jump through some legal hoops to get this licensed. Their computer system has problems if the VIN# is not the standardized 17-digit VIN. These old Triumph have a 7-digit VIN. In the process of bringing this in from Florida, somehow the nationwide database has lost this car. I am going to have to get it inspected by the CHP before I can get it registered. Before I do that, I have to fix a bug in its lighting system. I have no low beams. I took my meter and checked it out today. I need a new dip switch before it will pass inspection. I did its ignition timing today. It runs MUCH better now. So goes the adventure. I am enjoying it. ...J.D.
All the workouts and exercises are not going to help. You just have to be realistic. Saturday was cold and windy, and the wife was gone, so I spent some time in my cozy heated garage adjusting the valves on the TR6. Hope to have it nice and fresh when the weather warms up again. ...J.D
