TR6 Body Shells

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

The first half dozen remade TR6 Shells at Moss Europe

Who bought one?

What are your experiences?

Is very first of the remades is still at the Heritage Motor Centre in the form of a blue TR6. We assembled it at the Classic Car Show, NEC.

Edited March 19, 2010 by BlueTR3A-5EKT

[Tom Boyd]

built 3 cars using heritage shells, the 1st ones were terrible and needed the floors cutting out and rewelding in the correct place to get it to fit the chassis!!

 

the last one was a very good fit and finish

 

sadly they no longer produce them....

[Andrew Smith]

The first half dozen remade TR6 Shells at Moss Europe

Who bought one? What are your experiences? Is very first of the remades is still at the Heritage Motor Centre in the form of a blue TR6. We assembled it at the Classic Car Show, NEC.

For some reason, I've still got a pristine Heritage TR6 Body Shell fold-out poster type sales brochure and Price List from 1992?? - the then cost of the panels would make your eyes water now!

 

 

 

I also remember watching the first one being built at the NEC (in 1993 I think?) by Cox & Buckles; my good mate Alan Warner (now the owner of Cox & Buckle (Workshop)) was on the team - if I remember correctly the C&B guys fitted up a French Blue Heritage body shell from boxes of new component parts and also got it running in under 48 hrs? I saw the car at Gaydon on display in the foyer during last years' Register AGM - and it still looks good!

 

Cheers

Andrew

Edited March 20, 2010 by Andrew Smith

[BrianC]

Is very first of the remades is still at the Heritage Motor Centre in the form of a blue TR6. We assembled it at the Classic Car Show, NEC.

 

This one? http://gallery.herit...px?GalleryId=22

 

[search for TR6]

 

 

1974 Triumph TR6

Gallery name

Car Collection

 

Image file name

car_200861919434992048.jpg

 

Image description

1974 Triumph TR6

 

Keywords

1974 Triumph TR6, car collection

 

 

Edited March 20, 2010 by BrianC

[foster461]

This one? http://gallery.herit...px?GalleryId=22

 

[search for TR6]

 

 

1974 Triumph TR6

Gallery name

Car Collection

 

Image file name

car_200861919434992048.jpg

 

Image description

1974 Triumph TR6

 

Keywords

1974 Triumph TR6, car collection

 

 

 

 

I took this a couple of years ago:

 

 

 

 

[trfella]

I took this a couple of years ago:

 

 

 

 

They have moved it since then? It is now nearer the centre of the building.

 

Looked like a nice car, and I had no idea that the body shell was a Heritage.

[Chris59]

A friend of mine has rebuilt, a long time ago, his dad's (first owner) TR6 with a new bodyshell : he made himself the right hand door window in plexiglass, as the door was to small (as was the aperture for the door in the body ) for an original glass window !!

Chris.

Edited March 27, 2010 by Chris59

[trfella]

A friend of mine has rebuilt, a long time ago, his dad's (first owner) TR6 with a new bodyshell : he made himself the right hand door window in plexiglass, as the door was to small (as was the aperture for the door in the body ) for an original glass window !!

Chris.

 

 

 

[foster461]

They have moved it since then? It is now nearer the centre of the building.

 

Looked like a nice car, and I had no idea that the body shell was a Heritage.

 

 

When I took that picture it was on the second floor, pretty much at the top of the stairs. I dont recall being that impressed with it but maybe the location had something to do with that. The other Triumphs were all in a group downstairs.

 

Stan

 

[saffrontr]

I was there a couple of weeks ago and it is no longer on display on either the ground floor or mezzanine. As noted its a shame that they are no longer available however when there is no demand what would be the point in making any? When I spoke to British Motor Heritage a couple of years ago they said that they had no plans to re-introduce the TR6 shells as further investment was needed in some of the tooling and unless an order came through for a substantial number no more shells would be made.

 

Derek

[trfella]

But they still produce pretty much all of the panels seperately? I don't get it.

[stuart]

But they still produce pretty much all of the panels seperately? I don't get it.

 

Not quite true. They still produce some panels now and then Apparently they have "Lost" the tooling for some others. Not enough demand is the official reason for not making the shells anymore.

Stuart

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

But they still produce pretty much all of the panels seperately? I don't get it.

 

 

Here's fun....

 

British Motor Heritage should start remaking TR6 shells------Discuss

 

Take a Moss catalogue and add up the retail price of all the panelwork listed that would make a TR6 (hardware and fixings alone can be over £100.00!)

Add the price of a Chassis or slave build frame.

Add 60 hrs labour charge at your local body shop rate to build. (The in house fully costed shop rate was £65.00 per hour then)

Add £750.00 for dip painting the shell in electrophoretic primer, and seam sealing.

Add transportation cost to and from painters. (Witney to Northampton)

Add storage and delivery of finished item (Batch build)

Add manufacturing and building tooling repair and refurbishment costs (and the cost of storage between use)

Add construction facility build up and breakdown of build jigs etc. (10 hrs)

Add profit

Add VAT

 

What have you got?

 

 

 

I had the project in the late 1990's early 2000's to see if we could do another batch of TR6 shells. The stumbling blocks were-

Consistent quality of re-manufactured panels

ie inner front wings (908356 + 908357)- No OE tooling - hand made ones looked grim and fitted badly.

All 4 wheel arches and plenum - limited NOS Triumph pressings - no OE tooling.

Bulkhead scuttle top, heel board and dog shelf.- low quality hand made items, No OE tooling.

Outer sills (850281 + 2)- fairly consistent rubber press items from Moss, but expensive. No OE tooling.

 

Build jigs and a workforce with TR bodyshell build knowledge really did not exist. Our enthusiasm was good but it could not make a consistently high quality item at a price that the market considered acceptable. At that time the main BMH shell business was MGB and Midget based. My co project manager had the task of moving and installing one entire classic Mini shell build line from Longbridge West Works to Witney. There, all the builders, all their knowledge, tooling and quality check facilities existed as the car was still being produced. - Even with that lot at his elbow there were some nightmares due to manufacturing techniques not being transferable. Still, the classic Mini owner has a lot to thank him for and the enthusiasts at Longbridge who wanted the shell build to survive (It nearly all got shipped to China - Think Roewe)

 

In honesty I am still unsure where the economic viability of the MGB and Midget shells is. The truth lies somewhere in the old aircraft adage - without our bit you'd have no where to hang yours. Meaning, if you haven't got a shell to put the other bits on, you might as well kiss goodbye to your classic car and the entire industry that surrounds it.

 

 

 

Peter W

Edited May 12, 2010 by BlueTR3A-5EKT