A Month With My TR6 - By New Owner, Chris Davis.
So I finally took the plunge and after about a year of deliberations I bought myself a TR6. After visiting lots of events like Lichfield's Cars in the Park and talking about how nice it would be to have something we could drive and show off, I started looking in earnest. I eventually found one I liked enough to part with some cash. It's a 1971 American version, imported into the UK from California in 2013 by William Galliers Sports Cars of Shrewsbury, before being bought by Mario Hickley who is currently leader of the Somerset local TR Register group.
Mario then spent the next 12 months restoring the car to its current state. No work was deemed necessary to the body or chassis, but pretty much all new mechanicals were fitted. It now boasts jasmine bodywork, gunmetal Minilite wheels, a light tan hood with dark tan hood cover and black MX5 seats. The engine is taken from a Triumph 2.5 saloon and at that time had about 9,000 miles on it following a rebuild. By the time I took ownership on 4th March, the engine had done around 14,000 miles in total.
I spent an interesting week trying to create enough space in my garage, joined the TR Register, bought an outside cover just in case, got my insurance and, courtesy of a lift from my Father in Law, arrived in Chard in Somerset at around 1.00 pm to collect the car.
My first journey in the car was to drive myself and my wife, Jackie, from Chard back to Lichfield, a journey (after a few wrong turnings…) of around 190 miles, all in a car I was very unfamiliar with! Any fears I may have had that the car might be awkward to drive and handle were soon dispelled. I did, however, very quickly have to learn how to put the hood up, courtesy of the ever-reliable English weather!
A fuel stop (both for the car and its passengers) brought the first admirer of the journey, a motorcyclist who obviously knew a fair bit about TR6s from his questions and comments. The rain had stopped at this point, but a quick look at the surrounding clouds suggested it might be a good idea to keep the hood up. This turned out to be a wise decision as the heavens proceeded to open, pouring rain and hail on us, frequently torrential.
The journey back took us through Frome, Bath, Chippenham and Moreton in Marsh, before taking a comfort break at Wellesbourne Airfield (not far from Stratford-on-Avon), thankfully just before closing. This brought the second admirer of the journey, a Triumph Stag owner from nearby Kineton. It was dark by the time we got home, driving through Shenstone made slightly more interesting thanks to a failed light in the speedo making it impossible to read the current speed!
Joy of joys, the car was a perfect fit for the garage, and I managed to reverse it in without hitting anything!
Since then the car has been in regular use – any excuse to get it out of the garage and show it off. I've covered over 300 miles since getting back to Lichfield, including several journeys to the Mucky Duck at Fradley where I've chatted with two other TR6 owners and a chap with a very nice Sunbeam Alpine. I've taken my brother out for Lunch in Ticknall – a lovely sunny day for a 70 mile round trip with the top down, and the car has taken me to two TR Register meetings at the Bulls Head. The weather has been kind and around three quarters of the mileage has been covered with the top down. It attracts admirers wherever it goes and I have been asked if it is concourse condition – unfortunately not at present! The car has behaved exceptionally well, starting first time, maintaining very good oil pressure and only leaving a few small drops on the garage floor. It's already been cleaned more this year than the family car!
I'm now looking forward to trips out with other TR Register members and have already ordered my weekend tickets for the Donington Historic Festival at the end of April. I'm hoping to attend the Wharf Tavern meeting in June and join the Derbyshire Dales group for a visit to the AVRO Heritage Museum in May. A few weekends away with the wife in scenic surroundings also beckon, and I'm looking forward to a great summer. Here's hoping for sunny days…
Chris Davis
My car (?) under cover in California, courtesy of Google street view, August 2008 (right address, size and shape!)
EKH 622J and admirer at the Mucky Duck in Fradley on 9th April
My wife, Jackie, with EKH 622J at Barton Marina on 11th April