Why you’d want a Triumph GT6
Another project from the innovative young team led by Harry Webster at Standard-Triumph in the 1960s, the GT6 brilliantly combined the Herald chassis – already adapted for lower build in the Spitfire – with the Triumph 2000's straight-six, as fitted to the Vitesse.
Giovanni Michelotti continued his prolific, accomplished styling spree to produce a pretty fastback body – first seen in 1964 on the Le Mans Spitfires, which also competed with success at Sebring that year then won their class at Le Mans in 1965.
That racing pedigree did no harm to the GT6’s sales prospects, while the smooth six-cylinder engine and welded steel roof added effortless performance, stiffness and sophistication that helped to earn the car the ‘poor man’s E-type’ moniker.
Adding a Jaguar E-type-style bonnet bulge and louvres helped, while keeping the GT6 as a fixed-head fastback only, and the Spitfire as a roadster (with optional hardtop), helped the two carve out their own market niches.
The GT6 comfortably outperformed the MGB GT, while keeping the heater, overdrive and leather instead of vinyl for the bucket seats as options helped Triumph undercut the MG's price, too.
Though it worked well if powered through a corner, lift-off oversteer and inattention on wet roads caused a few spins in early cars, so Triumph developed a reversed lower wishbone and Rotoflex coupling solution for the Mk2, giving it excellent handling and roadholding as well as the comfort of fully independent suspension, when most British rivals still ran live axles.
Ventilation was also much improved, with eyeball dash vents and rear pillar outlets.
Towards the end of Mk3 production, the simpler swing-spring arrangement that had been developed for the MkIV Spitfire was substituted – cheaper to produce and maintain, without drastically affecting the handling.
As a classic buy, the GT6 is a great prospect because its separate-chassis build makes it hard for the unscrupulous to hide bodges: get it up in the air and have a really good look beneath, as well as under the bonnet.
Almost all will have had chassis and sill repairs, so check that work has been done properly – and the body hasn’t been welded to the chassis.
On the test drive, the car should feel taut and of-a-piece: a worn or oft-dismantled car will be sloppy and rattly.
Images: Jack Harrison
Triumph GT6: what to look for
Trouble spots
Please see above for what to look for when you check out any Triumph GT6 classic cars for sale.
Engine
The Triumph straight-six is a lovely, smooth engine with no particular vices and is easily upgraded if desired.
Check the engine number and ancillaries for specification – some have been uprated to 2.5s, even Pls, others have been downgraded.
Engine numbers: Mk1 KC prefix, Mk2 KC50001+, Mk3 KE prefix.
Suspension
Triumph GT6 classic cars boast a tight turning circle and easy maintenance, but it is vital to keep trunnions oiled and racks greased: heavy steering suggests something is amiss.
Rear suspension
Rotoflex rear suspension on Mk2s and most Mk3s is the best specification – inspect the couplings for splitting.
Originals last well; repro ones don’t.
Gearbox
High gearing means the all-synchromesh gearbox is worked hard – check for smooth changes and no excessive transmission noise.
Rebuilt gearboxes don’t always last.
Interior
The comfortable bucket seats were progressively improved through Triumph GT6 production, with brushed-nylon centre panels added on late Mk3s in 1973.
Triumph GT6: before you buy
Low values for many years, and availability of cheap used parts from other Triumph models, have led to many GT6s becoming parts-bin specials.
Getting them back to original form can become difficult and costly, so if you prefer originality shop around for a well-preserved example.
Mechanically simple and easily maintained, with outstanding engine access, their specifications are easily checked and wear is hard to hide.
With a cast-iron head, unleaded fuel will eventually erode valve seats if they are driven hard; some will already have been fitted with hardened seats.
Check which rear-axle ratio is fitted – 3.89 with overdrive and 3.27 without were used at first, except on Mk2s which were all 3.27; but many have been swapped over the years, not always for the better.
There is no need to take the axle apart – if it feels right, it probably is. The 3.27 was unusually high for a 1960s car, but gives excellent top-gear fuel economy.
Wheel widths were always 4.5J, including the optional wires (knock-off on the Mk1 and Mk2, bolt-on for the Mk3), but many cars have since been fitted with wider rims.
Big wheels may look better to modern eyes, but they do put significantly greater loads through the front suspension, increasing wear and even causing the vertical links to break if the trunnions are not regularly oiled (not greased).
Likewise, rear-end breakaway is much more sudden on Mk1s if wider wheels and tyres are fitted, especially when those tyres get old and hard.
Triumph GT6 price guide
Restoration/average/show
- All models: £2000/10,000/20,000
Prices correct at date of original publication
Triumph GT6 history
1963 Michelotti styles Spitfire GT
1964 Prototype Spitfire GT with 1600 ‘six’; works Spitfire fastbacks race at Le Mans
1965 Two prototype 2-litre GT6s built
1966 GT6 launched at Paris Salon (13,755 Mk1s built); early production all to USA
1967 First UK cars on sale
1968 Mk2 (GT6+ in USA): facelift, more power, better ventilation, rear suspension lower wishbones, alternator, heated rear windscreen, optional rear seat (12,067 built)
1969 Reclining seats, stronger bulkhead, new rear lights, matt-black windscreen frame
1970 Mk3: facelift à la MkIV Spitfire, steering-column ignition lock (13,044 built)
1972 Engine redesigned for emissions
1973 Black chin spoiler, stiffer front chassis, nylon seat panels, tinted glass, swing-spring rear suspension, servo, optional headrests. Last GT6 built in December
The owner’s view
“I bought this GT6 in 1982, originally as a runaround for my wife,” recalls Martin Pinney.
“It turned out to be chassis KE1, the first Mk3, which was shown at the Turin motor show in 1970. It had 5000 miles on the clock – I assume it was really 105,000 miles.
“After three years of ownership there was a bit of rust showing on the front of the chassis, so it went into Nan’s garage and I took the body off.
“The chassis was fine, so a friend welded up the front, and I painted it and put the body back on – but then kids came along and the Triumph was off the road from 1985 to 1993, when we finally started using it again.
“It was resprayed with new sills, a door and a wing after someone drove into it, we’ve had two kids riding in the back and we have been to Italy, France, Guernsey and more – it’s now up to 165,000 miles.
“It has had two gearbox rebuilds, and a diff three years ago.”
Also consider
The MGB GT (left) and Ginetta G21 are alternative buys
MGB GT
Simple, rugged and reliable, with 2+2 seating and a throaty exhaust note, the MGB GT won many friends despite poorer performance than the Triumph and an even greater propensity to rust.
Sold 1965-’80 • No. built 125,618 • Price now £1-18,000*
GINETTA G21
Pretty and well made, sold only as complete cars, the G21 used mostly Hillman Hunter power to good effect and also offered 2+2 seating in its sleek glassfibre body. A few had the Essex V6.
Sold 1971-’78 • No. built c150 • Price now £3-20,000*
*Prices correct at date of original publication
Triumph GT6: the Classic & Sports Car verdict
A good Triumph GT6 is a delight to own and many enthusiasts keep them for decades – which speaks volumes about their appeal in daily use.
Choose carefully for condition first and specification second – and beware, they do tend to become loose and rattly with age.
Simplicity means they can be rewarding to rebuild at home, as long as the price is right at purchase time, but a rough car may cost more to rebuild than it’s worth.
FOR
- Reliable and simple to maintain
- Parts very reasonably priced and generally widely available
- A good GT6 can be a joy to own and surprisingly practical to drive daily
AGAINST
- Separate-chassis construction and tendency for parts-swapping means many have been bodged and need uneconomical repair
Triumph GT6 specifications
- Sold/number built 1966-’74/38,866
- Construction steel backbone chassis, steel body
- Engine all-iron, ohv 1998cc ‘six’, twin Stromberg 150CD carburettors
- Max power 95bhp @ 5000rpm to 104bhp @ 5300rpm
- Max torque 117lb ft @ 3000rpm
- Transmission four-speed manual, optional overdrive, RWD
- Suspension independent, at front by wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar rear radius arms, transverse leaf spring; Mk1: swing axles; Mk2: lower wishbones, split driveshafts, Rotoflex couplings; late Mk3: swing-spring; telescopics f/r
- Steering rack and pinion
- Brakes discs front, drums rear, optional servo
- Length 12ft 1-5in (3680-3785mm)
- Width 4ft 9-10¼in (1450-1485mm)
- Height 3ft 11in (1195mm)
- Wheelbase 6ft 11in (2108mm)
- Weight 1904-1995lb (865-907kg)
- 0-60mph 10.4-9.5 secs
- Top speed 106-112mph
- Mpg 24-34
- Price new £1125 (Mk2, 1968)
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