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GT6 GT6's

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DesertSprite

Jedi Warrior
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Aloha,

Just wondering if someone can give me the run-down on GT6's. I've been looking at every single LBC I know of, since I plan on buying one sometime in the future, but I don't really have any handsdown favorite (anymore). It seems like I see a different car each time I pick up Classic Motorsport and think "hey...that's pretty cool...maybe I should get one of those..."

So, how much power can you get out of a GT6? Does it handle well? Are parts in short supply or do most Spitfire parts swap over to it? What engine does the GT6 use? A different six than the TR250/TR6?

I did a Google search and found the Spitfire/GT6 Information Warehouse. There seems to be some good information there, but anyone have any other directions they can point me?

mahalos,
Joel

cheers.gif
 
There's a lot of good websites out there.

In short, they're way too small, way too fast, and generally speaking handle horribly. They're also a lot of fun.

Engine is basically a 2.0 version of the standard 2.5, which you can put in. Weakest spots are the tranny and rear end.

Very hot, and the handling is just a mess (particularly the Mk1).

Compared to a BGT, the MG is more comfortable, rides better, and handles bettter. The GT6 is considerably faster and arguably more fun.

Have Grassroots send you a back issue with the GT6 story I did a year or so ago. They're neat cars.
 
There's an article floating around the web that refers to the Triumph GT6 as "the devil car with the hellish howl". That pretty much sums it up.

The MGB and GT6 are splendid cars to restore, drive, race and enjoy. Parts for both are widely available, with MG parts and service more prevalent because of the relatively large numbers of MGs produced. The MG offers greater comfort for the driver with one of the most comforable cockpits of any LBC. But, the MG is not nearly as fast as a GT6 which is a "racier" car in general: lighter, stiffer suspension, bigger engine, etc.

In such buying decisions, let your conscience be your guide. You'll know which car you "need" after driving them: one will reach out and grab you.

But, please don't purchase unless you have them checked carefully. Then, buy the best example your budget can afford. These cars are famous for extensive rust, and body work is the most expensive part of any restoration. If you are not an experienced British car restorer, PAY someone who is to inspect the car. You (and your wallet) won't regret it.

Please let us know what you decide and post your experiences here. There's lots of friendly help and excellent advice on this website.

Good luck, welcome to our fold!
 
BTW, GT6s have an undeserved reputation for being "hot", that is, a hot cockpit.

This is not the case. Heat in the cockpit area may be effectively abated and controlled with proper insulation in the gearbox tunnel cover and firewall. Many GT6s also do not have the proper fastening hardward for their tunnel covers which allows hot air from the engine to be sucked into the cockpit. There's no need for this to occur.

When properly sealed with modern insulating materials, the GT6 cockpit is no "hotter" than any other, non-convertable LBC.

I hope this is helpful.
 
I just bought my GT6 in Nov. and really haven't got to drive it yet do to the fact that I live in Minn. and it is the land of ice, sand and salt. Also the car needed new hydraulics do to the fact the car sat for years.

The other posts are correct in that it is worth having it looked at if you don't know much about these cars because they tend to have the same issues and someone who knows these cars can find them in seconds.

Why did I choose the gt6. Well because I always like them from the time I was a teenager. A friend had one and we always had fun in it. Also I liked it better the the MGBGT because of its look and I liked the way the bonnet come up so it made it easier to work on.

They are quick little cars but if you think you can beat my wifes mini van in a straight out race then she will give you a good run for your money. But they do handle in the turns ok. With the light back end you can break it loose pretting easy.

Why deside on a gt6? Why deside on any British sports car? Well, they are fun, look need and you get to have a toy you will always be playing with.

So far I haven't had any trouble finding parts and the few parts that are had to find you can normally find them on ebay or on a forum like this. What ever you decide take it for a long ride first and decide what type of driving you want to do with it and that will help you decide the right car for you.

Tom
 
Mark, the MkI GT6, with no dash vents, and no quarter light vents, coupled with the fact that it only has louvers on the top of the bonnet, make the interior an oven!
Joel,I have a friend who worked for Luigi Chinetti when he was still a Triumph dealer, as well as Ferarri, and after she sat in my MkI, her first comment was, "I remember these things were the hottest car I ever drove in my life." She sure wasn't referring to the performance, considering all the Ferrari seat time she had!
As far as the handling characteristics of the GT6 in general, I'll defer to Baxter, as I haven't had the oppportunity to drive mine yet, other than about 15 miles in a straight line. I do have a link to Burt Levy's article, and will dig it up, and post it for you. Keep in mind, however , that it is about Group 44's GT6, and only has a passing reference to the original handling characteristics of a stock car.
When I started racing a Spitfire, I think one thing that kept me from feeling entirely comfortable with pushing the car to its limit, was all the horror stories I had heard over the years of its evil handling.
Toodles,
Jeff
 
Alohas,

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like a mixed bag of opinions on the handling. So the gist I am getting here is that the GT6 can be a little squirrely in the corners, but if you like that sort of thing (like the old 911's) then its a blast to drive. Sounds like fun to me!

Baxter - you wouldn't happen to know the issue of GRM that your article is in would you? I like the looks of the BGT as well, but the GT6 has an inline six...

Jeff - I'd like to read that article on GT6's by B.S. Levy. I like his writing style, always throws in a good dose of humor.

Eric - I'm 6' as well and the only two Brit cars I've ever taken a seat in were an MGB that a friend owned in high school and a AH Sprite (Mk.II) I fit perfectly fine in the MG, but it was a squeeze in the Sprite. I think the seat track wasn't working correctly.


mahalos,
Joel


cheers.gif
 
Joel, try this.
https://www.gate.net/~mperry/evil.html
I had a friend, Lee Mueller, who ran GT6's for Kas Kastner, (the west coast rival of Bob Tullius and group 44.) He loved the car. When I "restored" mine, I relied heavily on both the ideas from Lee, and Kas, to make this thing both streetable, and performance oriented. I don't know if I would recommend a GT6 as an initial entry into the LBC group though, as they can be a handful to those that aren't used to their quirks.
Jeff

[ 03-09-2004: Message edited by: Bugeye58 ]</p>
 
Took a minute to find it. September 2002.

And to be fair, both the ventilation and handling were greatly improved after the Mk.1.

Comparing it to the BGT, the MG wins for handling, room, comfort, build quality and usability.

GT6 wins on straightline performance and visceral appeal.

Both make a glorious noise, but the straight six in the Triumph really is a glorious little engine. I'm a fan of the B-series lump, but that six is just a wonderful motor.

Looks -- I'm calling a draw. One's a mini DB5, the other a Mini E-type. You pick.
 
Awww, it's not like I'm some authority. I've owned two, but there's folks out there that have forgotten more about GT6s than I'll ever know.

I'm just a decent researcher who can occasionally turn a phrase.
 
Yeah, and Burt is just a ride mooch with a good agent.
Me, I just drive, and try not to offend people when I tell them the truth.
Lose more jobs that way..........
Jeff
 
Aloha,

Baxter - thanks for digging up that issue. I like the way you compare the BGT and the GT6. Mini DB5 or a mini E-type. Hmmm.

Jeff - that was an interesting article. Sounds like it was a spooky ride, but it also sounds like fun. Let me put it this way, the thing HAS to handle better than a VW Bug, right? The only classic I've ever owned have been VW Bugs. Unfortunately, most VW guys are into drag racing but I like the twisties, so I tried getting my Bugs to handle like an LBC. That bouncing, skittish handling that Levy talks about...well that's how I would describe a Bug in the curves.

Oh yeah...Tom said that a Minivan will outrun a GT6. Can this be fixed?

~Joel

cheers.gif
 
I've had my GT6 MkIII for about 6 years. First, it's small, but I'm 6' tall and fit fine. Wear narrow shoes. It's not hot inside when properly sealed and insulated (assuming the PO hasn't installed the heater controls backwards
rolleyes.gif
) and is a blast to drive. Parts are cheap, cheap, cheap and readily available. It makes a glorious noise when leaned on - for that alone I'd take it any day over an MGB.

Don't believe everything you hear about the handling. The Mk I were fairly evil (the car was tapered at the rear to help it slide backwards through the bushes), but the MkII (GT6+ in the US) and the rotoflex MkIII's handled quite well by the standards of the day. The late MkIII's (like mine) had the swing spring rear suspension (shared with the Spit 1500's), which was a compromise.

The car does oversteer when pushed, but its perfectly managable. If you jump off the throttle in the middle of a corner, it will come around on you (like older Porsches), but keep the rear squatting under power and it will be fine. Modern tire compounds work magic, but stay away from low profiles, as they don't like the camber changes. The car won't post big handling numbers like a modern car, but it's GPM rating (grins per mile) is unmatched.

Now if the snow would just disappear............
 
Thanks for your input on the GT6s interior heating, Jeff. But, I'm certain that there's no reason for a modern GT6 to have an interior heat problem, whatsoever.

The stock, unmodified GT6s generally had hot interiors, as you indicated. With a cardboard tunnel cover and poor ventilation (Mark IIs & IIIs have dash vents and quarterlite windows that open), a hot interior was inevitable.

However, with modern insulating materials (I used $24 worth of heat resistant aluminum sandwich material from Lowe's), hard plastic tunnel covers and proper fasteners, there's virtually no engine or exhaust system heat transmitted to the interior. Zero!

BTW, I disabled my dash vents but fitting Smiths gauges in each vent -- and I have no heat problems! And, I show my car at regional car shows and I'm a member of two British car clubs. I've never encountered a GT6 owner who has failed to fix the heat problem utilizing the above methods.

It's part of owning a GT6, you've got to take care of this minor interior heat problem. We also do other "modernizations" such as fitting radial tires, suspension upgrades, etc. Anyone who drives a GT6 with a hot interior is ignoring, and lacking these simple, inexpensive methods for abating engine-related heat.

So, to all prospective GT6 buyers, trust me, the heat's not a problem!! It's a "cool" car in every sense of the word!
 
Ignore the dash vents - they put out so little air, that they don't make much difference. Insulation and careful sealing of the trans cover is the key. Also, mine had a variety of "portals" through the firewall from a varied history of PO's, which also had to be carefully sealed.

I've driven mine extensively in 37 C weather (about 98 F), and its no warmer than any other non-A/C car in those circumstances.

As for fitting in a Sprite - does anyone fit in a Sprite? My son is 6'3" (long legs) and fits fine (well - fits) in the GT6, but his oil barge sized feet can't use only one pedal at a time. People are constantly staring in amazement when the two of us unfold ourselves from the GT6.
 
Being a GT6 lover and finally getting the car I have been wanting since I was 16, I say go for it. Get what you want and have fun. You can't take it with you and life is short so eat desert first. Tom

By the way I do have a way of fixing the mini van. I flattened the tires and put a block of wood under the gas pedal so my wife can't push it down so far.

Really once I get it tuned right it will be a quick little car.

Tom
 
Being of unsound mind and former owner of a 68 GT6 in South Florida, lets address what can be done about the heat and handling.

First, the heat. No need for a heater in the winter on these cars! Now put in an after-market pop sunroof and behold, a nice breeze in the cabin. Take out the glass and roll down the window and it is almost like a convertible. I said almost!
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Secondly, the dreaded swing axle handling of the early and late GT6's. If, and a big if now, you can find an ADCO REAR sway bar, put it on immediately. WOW! What a difference. No more lift. Also get a late model Spit FRONT sway bar that is roughly 7/8" and replace the stock 5/8". Better still. Now drop the front end by an inch with a modified set of springs. Next put on some 185/70-13 tires (205/60 will fit with a slight rub but you better have strong arms for slow speed turning) Behold, a VERY nimble car. One thing to remember is that the car will turn around in its own shadow so don't crank the wheel too hard.

Also, TR7 stock steel wheels fit nicely. Look very nice too with the MK3 chrome centers. Gives you a 5.5" wide wheel.

Don't play with the power too much, tranny and rearends cannot handle much more.

Check out my pics in the owners gallery. I also redid the dash to add a some gauges. Better layout in my personal opinion. No bias here.
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2 cents
 
One other thing. The NON overdrive cars came with a 3.27 rearend while the cars with overdrive car with a 3.89. That creates a lot of difference with straight line performance.

I do now someone that put in a 4.11 rearend in a Spit6 and that thing was QUICK. Great autocrosser. But royally **** on the highway. It turned too many RPMs at 60 mph with no overdrive.

Alan
 
Fitting into a GT6 is not a problem unless you're VERY tall.

For example, I'm 6'2" 200 lbs (wear size 12 shoes) and fit/ride very comfortably in my '70 GT6+. I also have Mazda Miata seats which take more room than the stock seats and reduce cockpit space just a little. It's still a good fit for me and just about anyone else.

However, I don't think Shaq O'Neill or someone his size (7', 330 lbs) could get in there, but most folks could with no problem!
 
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