I've watched 6 vids so far, I hope you keep doing just as you are. Thank you from another Triumph Lover including my 1971 Triumph Bonneville Which has been a family name for all my life as you.
Many thanks for the kind words and encouragement! I've been slower than expected developing content this summer, but I hope to have something new posted soon.
I had a ‘74 mk 3 in ‘82. A bit rough on a motorway but fabulous accelerating up and down back streets of London with that addictive 6-cylinder howl in 1st and 2nd gears
Bought a new 1967 GT-6 in South Florida, had constant problems with the transmission until a Factory Representative came down to fix it for good. "The original thrust bearings in the factory trans (carried over from the Spitfire.) just couldn't seem to handle the torque of the six cylinder engine." he told me. The rep. was class act; did all the bench work and machining in a white shirt, with his sleeves rolled up, and tie! Didn't get a spec of dirt or oil on himself. While the local wrench was re-installing the gearbox into my car, the Factory Rep. donned his suitcoat and took me out for a ride so he could demonstrate the "proper" technique of double-clutching whist shifting. Even though the GT-6's transmission had synchromesh on all its gears (except 1st, of course) he convinced me that double-clutching, even on the up-shifts, made for smoother gear shifting, and with practice, was almost as quick as not doing it. My most memorable car service experience in over sixty years!
Thanks for sharing this story! I really enjoy the details about the Triumph rep working on a transmission in a white dress shirt and tie. It is very interesting that he promoted double-clutching on an all-sychro gearbox...
Thanks for this! Two time 1970 GT6 + Owner. GT6's Talk back to their drivers and they are not soft spoken. Long term owners understand every word coming through those pipes. IMHO, There has never been a more fun car to drive.
Thanks for commenting/sharing! I've not driven my GT6 and it will be a while before I do, but I look forward to eventually being able to compare driving it with driving my Spitfire (I have 30+ years of experience with that car). Many say they are two very different creatures built on the same platform, and I expect that's true.
In my opinion there is NO comparison between driving a Spitfire, a TR and a GT. I've had several spits and a TR. Great cars, But the GT will not dissapoint you. I say often; If money was not a factor and I could have any car in the world, what would I choose? A Triumph GT 6+. The absolute most fun on 4 wheels possible.
I almost forgot. Tires. I run with BF Goodrich P205/60R13 Radials. The car takes on a different look (low & mean) and curve handling is amazingly better. Just a suggestion.
How are you avoiding tire rubbing the firewall? I’m just starting to choose tires and wheels, and it seems like 60 ratio tires would impact speedo, no?
I have not had any tire rubbing and It is all stock 13inch steel wheels. Speedo effect minimal I don’t remember how much. It was 50 + years ago I had a Fla. Sheriff pace me, he said it would not be enough difference to get pulled over. That part I do remember.
I bought a US market 1970 GT-6+ around 1979 and I know it had the horizontal defroster rear glass and was almost certainly original to the car. VIN # was KC79054L. Production date possibly Mar of '70. Great car, absolutely loved it, and my younger brother still owns bits of it.
Nice! I am "the owner with the May build date"! with the horizontal glass. I enjoyed the video. One thing that might help make sense is I am in Canada, so maybe the US and CAD market was different somehow? We seem to have gotten a bit of US and UK labeling etc... maybe it's the snow lol My car is a 70 but it didn't get sold and titled in Canada until 1971 and was off the road by 75 as they blew up the transmission. I am confidant that it's the original glass, I've known about the car since the 90's.
I appreciate the kind words, and thanks for sharing! If possible, I'd be interested in the date of manufacture for that glass if you can find and read the marks.
Hi my UK market // RHD GT6 mk2 has horizontal heating elements ... can't rule out if they have been refitted ... build date aug 1, 1970 Thank you Flip Martens
Good catch! I didn't notice that detail. I was looking for a photo of a Mk2/+ with horizontal elements, and I prefer to use my own photos when possible. That is a shot I took of a fellow club member's car. It's a 1969, and I don't think there is any way that boot handle is original. I've spoken with the owner a few times, and he once told me that he has a parts car and enough parts to probably make a complete car, so it's possible that he has done a little mixing and matching.
I also noted that the horizontal elements had the late knob as well. I wonder what the assembly process was and if they inadvertantly fitted complete Mk3 tailgates on some Mk 2s. Quality control was not the greatest.
I missed this comment earlier. Seems possible. There are plenty of stories that indicate "quality control was not the greatest," and we have good reason to believe there was some mixing up of old and new parts when the production of two different versions of a car overlapped.
I have added to the Video Description (comment for/at 11:40) information I found on the month-specific coding that Triplex began to use in 1969, according to the source, but earlier, based on evidence and a comment on the source. I suspected something was off when I noticed two dots above the "T" on my glass but hadn't yet seen anything to explain that. However, I was looking at the code on the rear glass of a fellow club member's 1973 GT6 Mk3 yesterday and had no idea how to interpret it, which convinced me that I needed to do some more digging. I'm now confident that my glass uses the then-new month-specific system and was manufactured in May 1968. Not a huge difference, but an important one. Video correction here: ruclips.net/video/7b5lU9aWzSw/видео.html I also inserted a badge into the posted video calling attention to this correction.
I've watched 6 vids so far, I hope you keep doing just as you are. Thank you from another Triumph Lover including my 1971 Triumph Bonneville Which has been a family name for all my life as you.
Many thanks for the kind words and encouragement! I've been slower than expected developing content this summer, but I hope to have something new posted soon.
I had a ‘74 mk 3 in ‘82. A bit rough on a motorway but fabulous accelerating up and down back streets of London with that addictive 6-cylinder howl in 1st and 2nd gears
Bought a new 1967 GT-6 in South Florida, had constant problems with the transmission until a Factory Representative came down to fix it for good. "The original thrust bearings in the factory trans (carried over from the Spitfire.) just couldn't seem to handle the torque of the six cylinder engine." he told me. The rep. was class act; did all the bench work and machining in a white shirt, with his sleeves rolled up, and tie! Didn't get a spec of dirt or oil on himself. While the local wrench was re-installing the gearbox into my car, the Factory Rep. donned his suitcoat and took me out for a ride so he could demonstrate the "proper" technique of double-clutching whist shifting. Even though the GT-6's transmission had synchromesh on all its gears (except 1st, of course) he convinced me that double-clutching, even on the up-shifts, made for smoother gear shifting, and with practice, was almost as quick as not doing it. My most memorable car service experience in over sixty years!
Thanks for sharing this story! I really enjoy the details about the Triumph rep working on a transmission in a white dress shirt and tie. It is very interesting that he promoted double-clutching on an all-sychro gearbox...
Thanks for this!
Two time 1970 GT6 + Owner.
GT6's Talk back to their drivers and they are not soft spoken. Long term owners understand every word coming through those pipes.
IMHO, There has never been a more fun car to drive.
Thanks for commenting/sharing! I've not driven my GT6 and it will be a while before I do, but I look forward to eventually being able to compare driving it with driving my Spitfire (I have 30+ years of experience with that car). Many say they are two very different creatures built on the same platform, and I expect that's true.
In my opinion there is NO comparison between driving a Spitfire, a TR and a GT.
I've had several spits and a TR. Great cars, But the GT will not dissapoint you. I say often; If money was not a factor and I could have any car in the world, what would I choose? A Triumph GT 6+.
The absolute most fun on 4 wheels possible.
I almost forgot. Tires.
I run with BF Goodrich P205/60R13 Radials.
The car takes on a different look (low & mean) and curve handling is amazingly better.
Just a suggestion.
How are you avoiding tire rubbing the firewall?
I’m just starting to choose tires and wheels, and it seems like 60 ratio tires would impact speedo, no?
I have not had any tire rubbing and It is all stock 13inch steel wheels. Speedo effect minimal I don’t remember how much. It was 50 + years ago I had a Fla. Sheriff pace me, he said it would not be enough difference to get pulled over. That part I do remember.
I bought a US market 1970 GT-6+ around 1979 and I know it had the horizontal defroster rear glass and was almost certainly original to the car. VIN # was KC79054L. Production date possibly Mar of '70. Great car, absolutely loved it, and my younger brother still owns bits of it.
Thanks for the information!
Nice! I am "the owner with the May build date"! with the horizontal glass.
I enjoyed the video. One thing that might help make sense is I am in Canada, so maybe the US and CAD market was different somehow? We seem to have gotten a bit of US and UK labeling etc... maybe it's the snow lol
My car is a 70 but it didn't get sold and titled in Canada until 1971 and was off the road by 75 as they blew up the transmission. I am confidant that it's the original glass, I've known about the car since the 90's.
I appreciate the kind words, and thanks for sharing! If possible, I'd be interested in the date of manufacture for that glass if you can find and read the marks.
Thanks get info the more the better for me.
Thanks for watching, and I appreciate the encouragement!
Hi my UK market // RHD GT6 mk2 has horizontal heating elements ... can't rule out if they have been refitted ... build date aug 1, 1970
Thank you Flip Martens
Thanks for the information! The date code on the glass would provide a useful clue; please let me know if you can make it out.
This might be a total red herring, but the Mk2 at 24:10 has a hatch with a Mk3 knob on it...
Good catch! I didn't notice that detail. I was looking for a photo of a Mk2/+ with horizontal elements, and I prefer to use my own photos when possible. That is a shot I took of a fellow club member's car. It's a 1969, and I don't think there is any way that boot handle is original. I've spoken with the owner a few times, and he once told me that he has a parts car and enough parts to probably make a complete car, so it's possible that he has done a little mixing and matching.
I also noted that the horizontal elements had the late knob as well. I wonder what the assembly process was and if they inadvertantly fitted complete Mk3 tailgates on some Mk 2s. Quality control was not the greatest.
I missed this comment earlier. Seems possible. There are plenty of stories that indicate "quality control was not the greatest," and we have good reason to believe there was some mixing up of old and new parts when the production of two different versions of a car overlapped.
I have added to the Video Description (comment for/at 11:40) information I found on the month-specific coding that Triplex began to use in 1969, according to the source, but earlier, based on evidence and a comment on the source. I suspected something was off when I noticed two dots above the "T" on my glass but hadn't yet seen anything to explain that. However, I was looking at the code on the rear glass of a fellow club member's 1973 GT6 Mk3 yesterday and had no idea how to interpret it, which convinced me that I needed to do some more digging. I'm now confident that my glass uses the then-new month-specific system and was manufactured in May 1968. Not a huge difference, but an important one.
Video correction here: ruclips.net/video/7b5lU9aWzSw/видео.html
I also inserted a badge into the posted video calling attention to this correction.