Test Drove TR6 yesterday - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MS Fowler · #1 03-11-2007, 09:46 AM

I know this is a Mercedes Forum, but I consider you all friends.
A good friend of mine has a hankering for a "tossable " car--a 2 seater that is light and handles well. ( The Mercedes SL, while a 2 seater is certainly not "tossable _ in the same way.)
I put my friend into contact with a work associate who was selling his '73 TR6. We drove it yesterday.
The engine started at the first turn of the key. The paint and interior was all recently done, and very well. It looked good. It sounded good.
As we backed out of the driveway, my friend driving, remarks, " not much brake". In fact, I'm not sure a credit card would fit between the pedal and the floor board. We drove cautionsly the 1 mile to my house where we filled the brake reservoir, and bled the front discs to get some pedal. Then we proceeded to his house to do a thorough examination. My friend remarks that a deal-killer would be bad differential mounts which would allow the diff to move, and produce a "clunk". As he winds up throuigh the gears, we hear a "clunk" at each gear change. Then he remarks about the smell of hot oil being part of the ambience of driving a TR6. We also joke aboke "electrical gremlins" typical of the British--we already notice that the fuel and temp gauges are not working. He trys the various switches--no horn, no turn signals, no radio, no headlites, no w/s/ wipers. Finally he pulls the heater fan switch--no fan, but then my nose detects another aroma; Not that of hot oil, but something else, yet something familiar.... like burning insulation! Then white smoke starts billowing from under the dash, out the vent, and glove box door. He kills the switch and we drift over to the side of the road, and bail out, and fan away the smoke. New rule--don't play with the switches. The fire was out, and it was apparently the heater fan. We found a number of burned wires in that area. Fire out, all switches except ignition in their "off" position, we finish the last mile to his house.
We jacked it up and removed the rear wheels, adjested, and bled the rear brakes. I noticed that the RH axle shaft was loose at the companion flange. The bolts were not even finger tight. So we tightened them up, and reinstalled the wheels. The "clunk" has vanished.
He takes his wife and then each of his kids for a short drive--everyone loves the car.
When he returns, I stick a rod into the fuel tank to verify the fuel amount-- about 1/2 inch! Next stop, the gas station. As he winds up thru 3rd gear, he asks if I felt that. "That slight loss of power in 3rd." We ran out of gas. Just then my phone rings, its the owner asking when we will be return the car--it HAS been 3 hours. I tell him we ran out if gas, he brings us some.
My friend buys the car.
The exhaust note is simply wonderful, the price is right, and I will be rewiring a TR6.
Any suggestions for the best way to do that?

t walgamuth · #2 03-11-2007, 10:06 AM

jack up driver. remove tr.

insert mercedes.

best rewiring possible.

tom w

waybomb · #3 03-11-2007, 10:22 AM

The Lucas smoke theory of electricity!

If you let the smoke out of the hose, electricity no longer flows!

thorsen · #4 03-11-2007, 10:25 AM

Great story. That reminds me of the exploding headlight switch in my MGB. I had drove 2 hours from my parents house back to school, and when I flipped off the headlights I realized the switch had overheated. The rocker part of the switch shot out, and the VERY HOT metal contacts landed on my legs and started burning like thermite.

Or there was the time the engine stopped running on US 49 somewhere north of Magee, MS on the darkest stretch of road. Incidentally, there were also no shoulders. The heater valve (they always weep) shorted out the distributor.

Then there was the time I drove from Hattiesburg to Starkville to see my first nephew. This was in August and of course the MG has no AC, and if it did I am sure it wouldn't work anyway. I got the great idea to take my shirt off to help me cool off. The resulting red sunburn on my chest, save for the white stripe where the seatbelt was, was reminiscent of the "diver down" flag.

There is never a shortage of stories when you own a British car.

kerry · #5 03-11-2007, 10:29 AM

Why do the British drink warm beer? Lucas makes refrigerators.

What is a 'right price' on a TR6 nowadays?

andersbenz · #6 03-11-2007, 10:38 AM

My 1968 TR250's exhaust note was intoxicating.

The electric's were a nightmare.

Honus · #7 03-11-2007, 10:43 AM

I wish he had gotten an MGB instead, but I'm sure he will have a blast with his Triumph.

Look into upgrading the alternator. That's a popular upgrade for MGBs, and I'll bet it applies to Triumphs as well. The alternator ws a real weak spot for the MGB. There are a few more modern alternators that bolt right into the MGB with minimal alterations. I've heard of people using Saturn and Bosch alternators in their MGs.

I don't have any Triumph links handy, but this site has links to the alternator upgrade and probably some links to Triumph pages: http://www.mgexperience.net/

In fact, that MG site had this link to a sister site devoted to Triumphs: http://www.triumphexperience.com/phorum/

Here's another good site if you are going to be working on Lucas wiring (which is not nearly as bad as people say): http://www.britishwiring.com/

t walgamuth · #8 03-11-2007, 10:44 AM

my 61 bugeye never ran long enough for the wiring to be an issue!

it handled like a quarter midget though.

actually after that i never had much desire to own british ever again. and after my 60 simca i never wanted french again either.

though the citreon ds caught my eye and turned my head briefly.

tom w

Wes Bender · #9 03-11-2007, 11:15 AM

By '73 the systems had gotten a little more complex than I care for, but rewiring that sucker shouldn't be too difficult. Your friend needs to make up several lists; one for safety items that need attention before it should be driven, one for other repairs that are critical but not necessarily safety issues, and one for the odds and ends that need fixing but can wait. Chances are that most rubber parts will need replacing (along with the electrical).

Two sources of parts are Moss Motors http://www.mossmotors.com and Victoria British http://www.victoriabritish.com. Have him send for their catalogues for Triumphs.

He also needs to determine just how far he needs to restore the car and how much his budget can stand. This isn't an exercise for the faint of heart.

Here's my '55 Austin-Healey:

Wes Bender · #10 03-11-2007, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dculkin

I wish he had gotten an MGB instead, but I'm sure he will have a blast with his Triumph.

Look into upgrading the alternator. That's a popular upgrade for MGBs, and I'll bet it applies to Triumphs as well. The alternator ws a real weak spot for the MGB. There are a few more modern alternators that bolt right into the MGB with minimal alterations. I've heard of people using Saturn and Bosch alternators in their MGs.

I don't have any Triumph links handy, but this site has links to the alternator upgrade and probably some links to Triumph pages: http://www.mgexperience.net/

In fact, that MG site had this link to a sister site devoted to Triumphs: http://www.triumphexperience.com/phorum/

Here's another good site if you are going to be working on Lucas wiring (which is not nearly as bad as people say): http://www.britishwiring.com/

Good links.

Regarding the alternator, if there is room, look into using a Delco alternator. They are available at almost any parts house if a replacement should be needed.

Wes

Jim B. · #11 03-11-2007, 11:44 AM

I went for a test drive of a new Jaguar XJ6 back in 1973 in Sacramento, with the Jag salesman riding in the car, and we saw a broken down new XJ6 at the side of the road with its hood up, while I was driving the new XJ6, you should have seen the salesman's face when he saw that.

(I didn't buy the XJ6)

suginami · #12 03-11-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes Bender

By '73 the systems had gotten a little more complex than I care for, but rewiring that sucker shouldn't be too difficult. Your friend needs to make up several lists; one for safety items that need attention before it should be driven, one for other repairs that are critical but not necessarily safety issues, and one for the odds and ends that need fixing but can wait. Chances are that most rubber parts will need replacing (along with the electrical).

Two sources of parts are Moss Motors http://www.mossmotors.com and Victoria British http://www.victoriabritish.com. Have him send for their catalogues for Triumphs.

He also needs to determine just how far he needs to restore the car and how much his budget can stand. This isn't an exercise for the faint of heart.

Here's my '55 Austin-Healey:

Ooooooh nice. I've always like the body style of the Austin Healey. Does your car have the 6 or 4 cylinder?

MS Fowler · #13 03-11-2007, 02:37 PM

Thanks for all the comments. It was an interesting test drive.

Yeah, I know all the Lucas jokes--there must be some truth in them. We did let out the magic smoke. However, all the electricals on this car, at least what I saw, was labeled "Smith"( All the dash gauges, anyway). It is interesting to compare a mercedes of similar vintage has what 25 or so seperately fused circuts--the TR6 has 4 !!!!
The alternator looks nearly new, with some kind of a plastic shield around it.
Much of the rubber was replaced when it was painted. He also got new outer belt line window trim, a car cover, and the "official works" manuals.
It has nearly new Michelin "redlines" 5 of them.

kerry · #14 03-11-2007, 03:02 PM

Neighbor down the street bought one a couple of years ago to complement his existing model for under $1k. It was running terribly. Turns out the spark plug wires were switched.

t walgamuth · #15 03-11-2007, 03:04 PM

yeah, smith made the guages. it wasnt the guages that caught on fire it was the lucas wiring and switches!

those healys, jags, mgs and triumphs though were very very characterful and good looking though. fun to drive too.

the big healy is one of the iconic sports cars of all time.

tom w