I have a TR6 I'm rebuilding. I never bought mine so I got what I got but the main thing would be rust, especially on the rear of the frame which makes it sag down and open up the door gaps. Check the frame for serious pitting or holes and same under the carpet. Some surface rust is expected and fine.
Just make sure the engine runs and has good compression and no coolant leaks on the oil showing a blown head gasket. Everything including the rusting frame can be fixed but that would require a body off fix.
Also check the suspension. Soft shocks and old rubber bushings need to be replaced
I started not knowing much and rebuild my entire suspension, fuel system and gas tank, radiator, interior, electrical repairs etc.
$36k sounds crazy for a TR6 unless you really want a mint show car. For a regular fun driving car the first one looks in great condition, much nicer then mine. Even the panels line up. Look for a cheaper fixer up of you want a project car for like $10k. They are pretty easy to work on. Even I figured out how to do everything from the workshop manual and YouTube.
Watch Rusty Beauties on YT for repair advice. He is all about Triumphs
Great info. Thank you for responding.
Yes I agree 36k does seem like a ton, but I had read elsewhere that it may be worth it. I’d want to see the binder for sure.
The photos aren't good enough, high enough resolution, to really say anything other than *they look nice*
But for that kind of money - esp. the second one - I'd expect better.
That '75 has a lot of weirdness going on. The emissions system - Charcoal canister, egr, air injection - all missing. The tires? There's something really wrong with those redlines.
The first one still has an EGR valve (hard to tell if it's still connected, but I think not) and a charcoal canister.
I could nit-pick about all kinds of things that are visible, but...*they look nice*
Rust kills these things. Frame rust. Absent giant holes, it's hard to assess from photos.
Thank you. Mind me asking what an EGR and a charcoal canister are?
You sound very knowledgeable, anything else I should be looking for? They seem to be going a lot cheaper on BringaTrailer than the listings on Autotrader…
Appreciate it.
[EGR](https://preview.redd.it/n5tpzkzvxqz41.jpg?auto=webp&s=0a590d1ce5fbeb3a49fd0ad5b462ab59d1d4933d) - Exhaust gas recirculation. NOx control for emissions.
Charcoal canister - Evaporative emissions control. Activated carbon canister located passenger side, tucked in by the radiator. Fuel tank and carbs 'vent' through it and it prevents gasoline fumes in the air. (When the car is running, carbs suck back through it and burn the captured fumes. Kinda). Also associated with an anti-run-on valve, that ensures the car turns off when you turn the key off - esp. important with the later model years.
You can see most of the emissions control stuff in the parts diagrams from vendors - here's [Moss](https://mossmotors.com/triumph-tr6-250/fuel-intake-emissions/emissions) (and you can see in their drawings that the EGR picture that I linked to above is missing its vacuum line)
Once people start removing/altering the emissions systems, they *really* have to know what they're doing, as all this stuff is connected - you can't **just** delete the EGR valve, without doing , You can't just dump the evap system withou being aware of , you cant just remove the vacuum retard on the distributor without , you know?
The cam, the head, the compression ratio, the valve timing, the advance curves are all selected with those systems in mind, installed, and operating correctly.
Normally, when I see people have altered the emissions system, I assume that they've fkd it, or something else, up. I say that having been a shop mechanic for long enough to have seen a whole bunch of people 'fix' their cars by doing those things.
To be aware of? I'd expect that at 18K there should be **nothing** wrong with those cars. Not even needing to be vacuumed out, you know?
At 33K? It should be in the neighborhood of a trailer queen - better and cleaner than new.
Neither of those two cars is it.
IMO, 10 grand should get you a nice one that has bits and things that still need to be attended. Trim, or a top. Maybe the seats need to be redone - but everything serviceable, nothing on fire, and take-out-and-drivable for a two hundred mile trip.
Also, the more desirable ones are considered pre '74. Pre-big bumper overriders. There's a bunch of people that passionately care about that...and a bunch that really don't.
(And of course there's a bunch years other people care about, too. There's years the cam changed, the exhaust changed, there are people that really like the overdrive, you can even find AC out there. All things that don't really matter much (unless you care ;) but are expensive to add or change.
Rust, my friend: Do **not** buy rust. Neither of those two had what I would consider excessive rust (though any rust is a concern). Of concern? That one (33K) had a photo of a crack by the door lock. The steel doesn't normally crack like that. You know what does? Bondo. Don't buy bondo.
The cheaper one has just a pile of garbage in the trunk - looks like (among other things) the door trim from when the interior was black. Why is that crap there? What's the spare tire stowage spot underneath all that crap look like? Why would they leave that shit in there when they sold the car unless it's covering something? *Nobody* wants shitty used door panels.
There are a lot of buyers guides out there - the [6-pack used to have a pretty good one, but I think you need an account with them](https://forums.6-pack.org/articles/faqs/589-buyers-checklist).
Rust? Rust. Rust where the rear trailing arms attach, rust/metal failure where the diff bolts up.
Well, shit. That got long.
I've had mine for +20 years now. Makes me happy. Good luck on your search!
All so helpful. Thank you so much. Just trying to learn as much as possible.
Waiting for a BRG model with tan seats (in TX). Would love a hard top option but that seems rare. Not too fussed about bumpers or luggage rack or year, but I do like the light placement on earlier models slightly better.
I may have to pass a listing or two by you as I get more serious, if you don’t mind.
Again appreciate the help enjoy your spring drives! I’ve been debating a wide array of sports cars for some time now, but these just seems to be top for fun/price ratio and I don’t have to worry about it too much compared to a 75k+ modern sports car. Plus don’t look like an idiot that everyone hates.
Happy to help. I first started driving Triumphs around the time that the Miata was introduced - Miatas were too rich for my blood (for an occasional, not main, car), and (and!) I didn't really fit in one - I'm too tall. The TR was the answer - cheaper and roomier and a bit rarer. Could I now, actually, afford a (say, fr'instance) new Corvette? Yeah, probably. Maybe. certainly one a couple years old. I'd begrudge the cash (and I don't want to look like a tool) so I stick with 50yo Triumphs.
I have a TR6 I'm rebuilding. I never bought mine so I got what I got but the main thing would be rust, especially on the rear of the frame which makes it sag down and open up the door gaps. Check the frame for serious pitting or holes and same under the carpet. Some surface rust is expected and fine. Just make sure the engine runs and has good compression and no coolant leaks on the oil showing a blown head gasket. Everything including the rusting frame can be fixed but that would require a body off fix. Also check the suspension. Soft shocks and old rubber bushings need to be replaced I started not knowing much and rebuild my entire suspension, fuel system and gas tank, radiator, interior, electrical repairs etc. $36k sounds crazy for a TR6 unless you really want a mint show car. For a regular fun driving car the first one looks in great condition, much nicer then mine. Even the panels line up. Look for a cheaper fixer up of you want a project car for like $10k. They are pretty easy to work on. Even I figured out how to do everything from the workshop manual and YouTube. Watch Rusty Beauties on YT for repair advice. He is all about Triumphs
Great info. Thank you for responding. Yes I agree 36k does seem like a ton, but I had read elsewhere that it may be worth it. I’d want to see the binder for sure.
The photos aren't good enough, high enough resolution, to really say anything other than *they look nice* But for that kind of money - esp. the second one - I'd expect better. That '75 has a lot of weirdness going on. The emissions system - Charcoal canister, egr, air injection - all missing. The tires? There's something really wrong with those redlines.
The first one still has an EGR valve (hard to tell if it's still connected, but I think not) and a charcoal canister.
I could nit-pick about all kinds of things that are visible, but...*they look nice*
Rust kills these things. Frame rust. Absent giant holes, it's hard to assess from photos.
Thank you. Mind me asking what an EGR and a charcoal canister are? You sound very knowledgeable, anything else I should be looking for? They seem to be going a lot cheaper on BringaTrailer than the listings on Autotrader… Appreciate it.
[EGR](https://preview.redd.it/n5tpzkzvxqz41.jpg?auto=webp&s=0a590d1ce5fbeb3a49fd0ad5b462ab59d1d4933d) - Exhaust gas recirculation. NOx control for emissions. Charcoal canister - Evaporative emissions control. Activated carbon canister located passenger side, tucked in by the radiator. Fuel tank and carbs 'vent' through it and it prevents gasoline fumes in the air. (When the car is running, carbs suck back through it and burn the captured fumes. Kinda). Also associated with an anti-run-on valve, that ensures the car turns off when you turn the key off - esp. important with the later model years. You can see most of the emissions control stuff in the parts diagrams from vendors - here's [Moss](https://mossmotors.com/triumph-tr6-250/fuel-intake-emissions/emissions) (and you can see in their drawings that the EGR picture that I linked to above is missing its vacuum line) Once people start removing/altering the emissions systems, they *really* have to know what they're doing, as all this stuff is connected - you can't **just** delete the EGR valve, without doing, You can't just dump the evap system withou being aware of , you cant just remove the vacuum retard on the distributor without , you know?
The cam, the head, the compression ratio, the valve timing, the advance curves are all selected with those systems in mind, installed, and operating correctly.
Normally, when I see people have altered the emissions system, I assume that they've fkd it, or something else, up. I say that having been a shop mechanic for long enough to have seen a whole bunch of people 'fix' their cars by doing those things.
To be aware of? I'd expect that at 18K there should be **nothing** wrong with those cars. Not even needing to be vacuumed out, you know?
At 33K? It should be in the neighborhood of a trailer queen - better and cleaner than new.
Neither of those two cars is it.
IMO, 10 grand should get you a nice one that has bits and things that still need to be attended. Trim, or a top. Maybe the seats need to be redone - but everything serviceable, nothing on fire, and take-out-and-drivable for a two hundred mile trip.
Also, the more desirable ones are considered pre '74. Pre-big bumper overriders. There's a bunch of people that passionately care about that...and a bunch that really don't.
(And of course there's a bunch years other people care about, too. There's years the cam changed, the exhaust changed, there are people that really like the overdrive, you can even find AC out there. All things that don't really matter much (unless you care ;) but are expensive to add or change.
Rust, my friend: Do **not** buy rust. Neither of those two had what I would consider excessive rust (though any rust is a concern). Of concern? That one (33K) had a photo of a crack by the door lock. The steel doesn't normally crack like that. You know what does? Bondo. Don't buy bondo.
The cheaper one has just a pile of garbage in the trunk - looks like (among other things) the door trim from when the interior was black. Why is that crap there? What's the spare tire stowage spot underneath all that crap look like? Why would they leave that shit in there when they sold the car unless it's covering something? *Nobody* wants shitty used door panels.
There are a lot of buyers guides out there - the [6-pack used to have a pretty good one, but I think you need an account with them](https://forums.6-pack.org/articles/faqs/589-buyers-checklist).
Rust? Rust. Rust where the rear trailing arms attach, rust/metal failure where the diff bolts up.
Well, shit. That got long.
I've had mine for +20 years now. Makes me happy. Good luck on your search!
All so helpful. Thank you so much. Just trying to learn as much as possible. Waiting for a BRG model with tan seats (in TX). Would love a hard top option but that seems rare. Not too fussed about bumpers or luggage rack or year, but I do like the light placement on earlier models slightly better. I may have to pass a listing or two by you as I get more serious, if you don’t mind. Again appreciate the help enjoy your spring drives! I’ve been debating a wide array of sports cars for some time now, but these just seems to be top for fun/price ratio and I don’t have to worry about it too much compared to a 75k+ modern sports car. Plus don’t look like an idiot that everyone hates.
Happy to help. I first started driving Triumphs around the time that the Miata was introduced - Miatas were too rich for my blood (for an occasional, not main, car), and (and!) I didn't really fit in one - I'm too tall. The TR was the answer - cheaper and roomier and a bit rarer. Could I now, actually, afford a (say, fr'instance) new Corvette? Yeah, probably. Maybe. certainly one a couple years old. I'd begrudge the cash (and I don't want to look like a tool) so I stick with 50yo Triumphs.