1974 Triumph GT6 – Auction Car of the Week
October 31, 2021
The eagle-eyed among you will no doubt question the production date as Triumph officially stopped making the GT6 in 1973 but a few cars were sold the following year, including this one, which makes it one of the very last to ever roll out of the factory, and therefore rather special. With its six-cylinder engine and beautifully styled body the Triumph GT6 proved that you didn’t have to be particularly deep of pocket to be able to enjoy such sporting characteristics. Characteristics habitually reserved for much more expensive metal, the “poor man’s E-Type” epithet was a fitting, if somewhat derogatory sobriquet that frankly still rings true today.
This particular Mk III model is in fantastic original condition and has covered a mere 20,000 miles from new. Stored indoors all its life it is a leading example of the marque and still retains all of the attributes that made the GT6 such a great car. Based on another of Triumph’s sports cars, the convertible Spitfire, the GT6 began life in 1966 as the Mk I. Originally designated the GT4 and designed by the legendary Giovanni Michelotti, who also penned cars for the likes of Ferrari and Maserati, this initial attempt was abandoned by Triumph due to lack of performance thanks to a rather boated curb weight and lacklustre four-cylinder motor.
They did however produce a fibreglass shell and took this new prototype GT-bodied version racing. Thanks to improved aerodynamics over the original Spitfire the car was successful on the track and this in turn inspired the top brass at Triumph to have another crack at a road going-version. To overcome the performance issue they simply shoved a bigger, six-cylinder engine from the Vitesse under the now enlarged bonnet and following some design refinements the GT6 was ready to roll.
The Triumph GT6 evolved over the years from the original Mk I, through two further incarnations, arriving at the Mk III we have here. It certainly looked the part and the tuned, six-cylinder Vitesse motor was able to smoothly deliver 95bhp, all to the rear wheels via a four speed manual (with optional overdrive) and could send the sleek new Triumph to a top speed of 106mph. The Mk II saw the introduction of a redesigned rear suspension setup to replace the quite frankly horrendous, swing spring system that was fitted to the Mk I and that everybody hated. Amidst some bodywork and interior updates the engine received some top end fettling too, with a new cylinder head, camshaft, and manifolds raising power to 104bhp.
But it’s the Mk III that is the most accomplished and refined of the bunch and therefore the most desirable. Any inherant problems with the car had been ironed out by this point and a brake servo was also added in 1973. Better braking was welcome as even though the performance of the engine remained the same as the Mk II, due to the revised bodyshell the car was now slightly quicker than its predecessor.
As mentioned, the car available here is one of the last ever made and so comes equipped with all of the good stuff. It has also been treated with Ziebart rust protection from new and so remains a completely rust-free example, and the fantastic original condition of this classic Triumph is clearly evident from the photos. Having lived most of its life in a literal protective bubble it was recently purchased by an American gentleman who unfortunately (but fortunately for you, potential bidder) was unable to export the thing and so it remains in the UK, ready to be enjoyed by its lucky new owner.
This has to be one of the best and cleanest GT6 Mk III models currently on the road and with only a smidgen over 13,000 produced there really weren’t that many to begin with. Easy to work on with great parts and club support from the likes of Club Triumph (among others) the Triumph GT6 has to be a contender for one of the easiest classic British sports cars to live with. Not only that but they are great fun to drive. So, what’s stopping you exactly?
