Nick P Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 During my ongoing search for a TR6 I've viewed an example with a Heritage bodyshell and I gather there are mixed feelings regarding these. This one was restored in the mid 90's and out of those I have seen so far it appears to be in very good condition and has the best panel alignment and gaps. My limited understanding is that there were problems with the forward bulkhead and the later ones were best, also I believe they were dip etch primed and the panels were attached using modern jointing compounds. I would like to understand the issues surrounding these heritage shells and any advice would be appreciated, (i.e. should I avoid such cars ?). Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheeler Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hi Nick I bought one of the last Heritage TR6 body shells from Rimmer Bros. in 2003. It was a US spec shell converted to RHD which I had professionally painted by a specialist classic car restoration company who were impressed by the quality of the panels and fit although they did have to do some fettling to achieve a good result. During manufacture the shell had been electrophoretically primed and sealed and was stonechipped on the underside. After 7 years of use in all weathers it still looks like new. I don't know if I was lucky or fortunate to use a very good body shop but I am very happy with the shell which has received many compliments over the years. I don't know where you are located but you are welcome to come and inspect the bodyshell for yourself. Picture below just after I completed the restoration in 2004 Cheers Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hi Nick, the old Heritage shells left a good deal to be desired, but there was nothing wrong with them that a good body man couldn't fix. Mind you, that could said about most cars that rolled off a Triumph production line . . . . . Quality of fit seems to have varied considerably between individual shells, but it was never a case of just paint and bolt on . . . . more like 30-60 hours of a good body man's time to achieve a pukka result before painting, which ups the cost of the basic shell by a very considerable margin. The proof of the pudding is in the viewing, if it looks right then it doubtless is. Rust is your real concern, check carefully that the shell was adequately rustproofed. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jas Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hi Nick, I would agree with all the points above, my car was restored on a new shell in 98 and still looks good and no problems with the body (touch wood!). Regards Jas Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Just out of interest, Revington advertise TR6 shells........30K each! http://www.revingtontr.com/shop/Collection_Display.asp?mscssid=DSNTGN1A5CXF8L0EBBFNP48580JSBSJ9&CID=1228 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nick P Posted January 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Many thanks for the responces. Both your cars look supurb and are clearly excellent examples. It appears some fettling was needed with these shells and the example I've seen is very good indeed. Presumably the electrophoretically primed and stonechipped protection on the underside helps significantly to protect these shells from corrosion ? Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Shezbo Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Just out of interest, Revington advertise TR6 shells........30K each! http://www.revington...JSBSJ9&CID=1228 £30K ..."a tad on the expensive side" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Nick Look very hard,as Alec said there has to be a lot of work done on one to get it right.Worst one I have seen the fuel filler hole in the rear deck was 40mm off center Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) Many thanks for the responces. Both your cars look supurb and are clearly excellent examples. It appears some fettling was needed with these shells and the example I've seen is very good indeed. Presumably the electrophoretically primed and stonechipped protection on the underside helps significantly to protect these shells from corrosion ? Nick I was involved in the build of the first shell that became the blue TR6 at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon. The creation of a TR6 shell meant otherwise scrap cars could be kept on the road. There was a financial constraint as a shell built to concourse finish would have cost 5 times at least the price they were marketed at - who would pay 20k for the shell of a car ultimately worth 15k ? The worst panel items were those no OE tooling existed for, notably rear dog shelf, rear inner arches, front inner wings (908356/7) and outer sills (850281/2.) The shells used a lot of non replaceable OE pressings that were rescued from the likes of Unipart. The outer sills were C&B items from the rubber pressings done at Adwest, they were pretty good compared to the other outer sills offered at the time! As any body repairer/rebuilder will tell you if you do not have the right sized/shape panel you need to do some very skillful fettling. I would love a pound for every person that told me they knew where the original 850281 and 850282 sill press tools were. I spent hours searching for them. The best thing these shells had going for them, as they were built with all new metal, was the corrosion protection provided quickly after build. They were corrosion protected to the latest motor industry standard of the time and should still be head and shoulders above any repaired/rebuilt shell in terms of rust proofing. The electrophoretic immersion dip followed by spray primer, seam sealing and stone chipping is in line with modern euro box body protection. This work was ultimately done at Mayflower in Coventry (now Stadco) Not all TR6 shells were seam sealed completely as there was a system where customers could request the somewhat ugly seam seal method was not done to their shell. This I recall, happened a lot. Link to shell use in the TR Reg Forum http://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=22997&st=0&p=165715&hl=bodyshell&fromsearch=1entry165715 Cheers Peter W Edited January 24, 2012 by BlueTR3A-5EKT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I would guess that sometime in the future when good s/h shells from the US or elswhere have dried up and the ONLY option for keeping a car on the road is a new shell, the cost of them will be deemed "acceptable" I've had two heritage bodied cars (one part complete) and the lure of a "brand new/rust free" 40 year old car is hard to resist! Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nick P Posted January 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Peter, thanks for these details, clearly great care is required when viewing such cars and I will go back for a second look paying particular attention to the mentioned items. Having recently been close to having my fingers burnt with a rusty TR6, for me an attraction is the corrosion protection. Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Hi Simon, I'd hazard a guess that the likelihood of any future TR6 shell remanufacture, ever, is absolutely nil. Make the most of what we have left. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HPMUIRT Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I would avoid a heritage shell car at all costs.....the one I bought in the 90's started to rust and bubble about 12 months after being painted mainly between the seams / wings where there was little or none of the black electrophroical primer paint. If you don't get the car professionally inspected you may be asking for trouble with a capital T....... where is the car located? perhaps you could get a professional or TR register member to inspect it.....If you dont know where to look for the problem areas you will get caught out!! You have been warned.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nick P Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 HPMUIRT, you have just managed to put me clean off this car. The search continues. Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Hi Nick, read Peter's comments more carefully. Lack of adequate seam sealing and rustproofing was doubtless the problem in the case to which HPMUIRT refers. There are some superbly executed Heritage shell rebuilds about, and some that have not survived as well. That is largely down to the level of detail preparation in the first place, which applied to Heritage shells just as much as to any other rebuild. If you are put off simply by one person's experience of one car, you'll never buy anything. Bear in mind that the likes of Stuart, Peter, Neil and myself have, over a lot of years, inspected probably dozens of Heritage shells and possibly hundreds of TR rebuilds. I wouldn't for one moment dismiss a Heritage shell rebuild. I'd go over it with the proverbial fine toothcomb, just like any other TR rebuild, and I'd be entirely confident of missing the odd hidden problems - because one always does. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheeler Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 HPMUIRT, you have just managed to put me clean off this car. The search continues. Nick Hi Nick HPMUIRT's bodyshell from the 90s showed rust etc after 12 months, Surely if this car's bodyshell is still in very good condition after 15 or 16 years it's worth a closer look. Good luck with your search. Cheerss Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nick P Posted January 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Bill and Alec, following your valued advice, clearly this car deserves a second very carefull look. Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HPMUIRT Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Mine started to rust along the seams of the rear wings first, the only way to inspect this area properly is to take the boot trim kit out and shine a powerful torch up the inside of the inner rear wings either side of the petrol tank. It then started to bubble around both sides of the front valance where it joins the front wings at the lowest point. Then the B posts where it meets the rear wing (there is a hidden fold) .......My advice would be to pay for a proper specialist inspection (a TR person) - If you try and do it yourself and you dont know enough about TR's then you're asking for trouble.....there are lots of hidden areas on a TR that you need to look at carefully - Try looking right up the back of the dashboard where the plenum chamber drains - sometimes they are peppered with holes and you'll only find this out when it rains and your socks get very wet....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Very sound advice, well done ! Nick, take note !! Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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