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Advice on TR6 prices


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Hi everyone

Just joined the forum, please be gentle with me :D

I'm thinking of getting into TR6 ownership and would welcome some advice on prices. I've had a look at Practical Classic's guide and they are saying £5500/10000/20000 for condition 3/2/1 respectively. This seems to be largely borne out by the range of prices I'm seeing when searching. Reason for the question is I went to view a car yesterday, I had plenty of pictures sent in advance and was aware it needed lots but may have been a viable rolling restoration. The price asked put it at condition 2 but once there it was clear it needed lots spending. Unperturbed by the work I assumed the seller (dealer) was hoping for a mug but would entertain realistic offers and offered roughly halfway between 2&3 which was probably reckless given it needed sills, all 4 wings needed repair, the interior was fit for the bin, oh and it wasn't running. He wouldn't budge below condition 2 price above claiming UK TR6s are hard to come by and he would easily get the figure he was looking for.

So, do I need to reassess values or was he wrong?

Where are best places to look, Classifieds here, eBay, Car And Classic, Piston heads, any others I should be watching?

Thanks

Sean

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13 minutes ago, Macleesh said:

Hi everyone

Just joined the forum, please be gentle with me :D

I'm thinking of getting into TR6 ownership and would welcome some advice on prices. I've had a look at Practical Classic's guide and they are saying £5500/10000/20000 for condition 3/2/1 respectively. This seems to be largely borne out by the range of prices I'm seeing when searching. Reason for the question is I went to view a car yesterday, I had plenty of pictures sent in advance and was aware it needed lots but may have been a viable rolling restoration. The price asked put it at condition 2 but once there it was clear it needed lots spending. Unperturbed by the work I assumed the seller (dealer) was hoping for a mug but would entertain realistic offers and offered roughly halfway between 2&3 which was probably reckless given it needed sills, all 4 wings needed repair, the interior was fit for the bin, oh and it wasn't running. He wouldn't budge below condition 2 price above claiming UK TR6s are hard to come by and he would easily get the figure he was looking for.

So, do I need to reassess values or was he wrong?

Where are best places to look, Classifieds here, eBay, Car And Classic, Piston heads, any others I should be watching?

Thanks

Sean

Hi Sean

Quite often the same car appears on all of the above. You might get a UK TR6 around £5500, but it would need a lot of work.

What year was the car?  A March ‘69 UK model with original equipment , overdrive and matching chassis/engine numbers but needing restoration for example might well fetch up to £10k especially if its the spec the buyer is after. If all of the above, he might not have been that far off the mark.

A US spec TR250 on the other hand will probably command less, and a California car for instance could have little rust but not PI but will need RHD conversion. 

I would estimate between £15-25k+ to get a UK car in A1 condition but perhaps not concours, but you could go the US spec TR250 route for less and have it converted.

Kevin

 

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Hi Sean,

Suggest you keep looking, these 2 cars are for sale now (just as examples of whats out there) :

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1256840

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1208665

You probably need to first ask yourself how much work you want to do? The cheaper purchase can become more expensive in the longer run, especially if you don't do much of the work yourself.

This last car is a definite candidate for someone with a 'Condition 2' budget:

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1229180

Keep asking question on here and there will be a local group to you who will usually be glad to help, see Groups on this main website, (they may not be meeting often at the moment tho).

regards

Bob

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Hi Sean, it’s a good question what will someone pay for a TR6? 

Imho it really depends what you are after. Spec colour resell value etc etc. An early CP model is becoming increasingly desirable as the stock of available TR5’s dwindle. Many people see them now as an investment and this is a matter of opinion but it’s about supply and demand. If you try and buy cheap, unless you have the skill the time,  facilities and deep pockets. It’s not for you. Even something around 10k probably needs a lot doing to get it to a good standard. Cars that have been “restored” are ones to to check very closely as nice shinny paint and some underseal can cover up a world of pain, but that said there are some fantastic cars out there and some brilliant restorers who live and die buy the work they produce. but you need to know what you are looking at. When I started out in 2003 looking for cars I didn’t buy the first one i looked at but I did go cheap, I consequently ended up doing a full restoration no expense spared! I gave the car to my wife as a present and how many skip loads of points did I earn!?  Subsequently it has became a passion and I have learned over the years what to expect from TR6’s I am now on my 10th restoration but I am much much wiser than when I started but much lighter in the pockets. The car you buy may never be exactly what you want but if it ticks most of the boxes then there is always room to improve later. 

So I would suggest that you do some serious homework ( of course you may have done so already) and then have a serious look around, as bob suggests contact your local group and see if someone can help. There are loads of great people on here that will offer advice sometimes it is overwhelming but you need to sift through and then decide what YOU want to buy. 

For me it’s not really about the money it’s about bringing a car that is deemed “dead” back to life to give other person some pleasure in life. But remembering it’s not a charity at the same time. Lol. 

I hope your quest goes well if you need help you only have to PM. Clem

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19 hours ago, Macleesh said:

Where are best places to look, Classifieds here, eBay, Car And Classic, Piston heads, any others I should be watching?

Sean, the best place to look and get some sensible free advice is your TR Register local group. We have had a number of people join the club over the last few years whilst still looking for their perfect car. They have received lots of advice and had help to inspect cars. They all bought cars and were very grateful for the help in not buying a load of junk from a non-TR dealer/ebay/auction at inflated prices. Also check out the TR specialists who have their reputation to protect, many have cars for sale or sell cars on commission. 

https://www.tr-registershop.co.uk/membership-11-c.asp

http://www.tr-register.co.uk/groups

Mick

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All be it three years ago I was looking for  TR6 for restiration and all I found was what owners were saying were good condition but when looked at they had rust and a few holes and wanted £8+k. I started looking abroad and Dutch cars (probably USA stock) were still quite expensive via dealers. Thenn I looked at California cars but actually found they needed quite a lot of restoration too so not the 'dry State' label I had expected. Then I simply surfed the many car sales web sites and kept going until I found a car in Texas. I bought it and imported it for a total pf £5,250. The importation was so easy it was untrue - even got access to the ship's progress across the Atlantic.

The car was 'part restored' only to find out it was repaired in the 80s via galvanised sheets pop-rivited on with filler and wire mesh (and it had only doen 300 miles since 1981 too - no idea why and had only been in Texas a few months as it was a West Virginia car really). Still when all that came off it was not that bad and litterally I have just had the bodywork professionally welded with a few replacement panels for £6k as I cannot weld sheet steel but doing just about all else myself.

I bought on a few photos but they were useless and my feeling at the time was that I was restoring it anyway and as it was running (but no MoT equiv due to emissions) It could not be too bad. I wa sotrt of right on that.

As a USA phone call is cheap (or included in your phone package just call up the seller and haggle especially if he has been taking a time to sell. Personally I would avoid dealers as they will add their mark up.

Final point, I am finding the restoration costs are higher than I budgeted for so make a budget first.

PM me if yu want some more info. Good luck in the enjoyable hunt.

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TR6’s are no different to shopping for any other vehicle, or other used product.

Stamp on the rose coloured glasses, bargains are out there as well as bear traps, most UK registered vehicles are known to a TR group somewhere. So as per Mick above join the TR Register and make contact.

Get an idea what you want, colour, specification, why any particular year and model and go off to a reputable TR specialist, not just a garage selling a TR, and establish a ball-park price for the vehicle you want.

Then get some prices for parts / labour to TR6’s, perhaps £4,000 for a quality  rebuilt engine, £1,000 for a hood, £500 for a new SS exhaust, xxx for a new wiring loom, xxx for new seats etc xxx for new bumpers. Xxxx for a new chassis

Are you able to do the skilled work yourself? Do you have premises with long-term availability?

The off to view a car for sale, assume the price is £0 and examine the car probably with a TRR member who should know the problem areas, adding up the price for the work needed as you go along, eventually you will come to a price that is what that car will cost you to get that vehicle modified to the state you want.  Now is the time to add in the asking price and negotiate the total price to a level that you could buy tomorrow from a TR specialist with reassurance and warranty. Possibly have someone on standby to catch you. You will soon determine either to change you expectations for find another vehicle that has much of the work already done so you can buy a good vehicle.

Some members are very, very skilled and by doing the work themselves, often over many years can end up with an immaculate vehicle at little material cost but with many, many unpriced man-hours invested in the vehicle and possibly years before it turns a wheel on the tarmac, a labour of love and pure enjoyment.

Only you can know the spec you want, the quality you want and what your realistic budget is,

Please remember selling price is not the same thing as final cost to you.

Alan

 

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Thanks everyone, really good advice. I wasn't particularly looking for a project but am willing to consider something I can add value to as long as it makes financial sense but know that it's usually cheaper to buy already done. Equally there's a risk of buying something that looks superficially OK but may not be dramatically better than something sold as a project but sounds like this is a friendly group who can help me spot a Lemon!

 

It was a 1971 car I saw but I'm flexible, not obsessed about a CP over a CR, condition is main concern, but PI must be still fitted. I can weld/paint and spanner, but happy if I don't have to. I will keep looking and seek guidance as opportunities present themselves.

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Hi Macleesh,

A friend of mine has a very presentable 1972 model in pimento. Had lots of work and good upgrades including 170 bhp engine rebuild. It’s not concours but in good condition. Redundancy is forcing a very reluctant sale. Not sure whereabouts you are but this car is in Worcestershire.

If you are interested it would be an excellent car to buy. It will be sub £20K as he needs the funds. Not advertised yet, so worth enquiring about if you are looking for a very good honest car.

 I should be able to get him to send photos to you.

PM me if interested.

Colin

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Sounds a nice car... but if it's not and re: "not obsessed about a CP over a CR, condition is main concern, but PI must be still fitted"

Might be more of an issue for those of us in the Antipodes than UK but if you're planning on keeping a PI for many many years, consider that the bearded & learned gurus who understand and can fix the PI system are thinning out.  (I think we've recently lost Malcom to a hopefully enjoyable retirement?).  A US car converted to RHD & EFI (there are nice faux Weber carb systems that have inbuilt injectors) might be a system that gives you modern injection reliability/power and a proper classic feel.  If you are budgeting for an engine overhaul, a US spec block/head skimmed and sorted to EFI may be a good investment?  Not sure of the costs in UK but expect doing properly might be around 5-10K GBP?

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47 minutes ago, matttnz said:

Sounds a nice car... but if it's not and re: "not obsessed about a CP over a CR, condition is main concern, but PI must be still fitted"

Might be more of an issue for those of us in the Antipodes than UK but if you're planning on keeping a PI for many many years, consider that the bearded & learned gurus who understand and can fix the PI system are thinning out.  (I think we've recently lost Malcom to a hopefully enjoyable retirement?).  A US car converted to RHD & EFI (there are nice faux Weber carb systems that have inbuilt injectors) might be a system that gives you modern injection reliability/power and a proper classic feel.  If you are budgeting for an engine overhaul, a US spec block/head skimmed and sorted to EFI may be a good investment?  Not sure of the costs in UK but expect doing properly might be around 5-10K GBP?

We may have lost Malcolm but his replacement Carl is very good with all things PI so that’s one in for one out 

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There are pretenders to the throne out there, you just need to know where to look.

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I feel your pain Sean the price guide quoted by Hagerty seems to bear little resemblance to what people are asking for TR's. When I looked the condition 2 price quoted should buy a good solid, presentable, mot'ed, UK example ready to rock and roll without excuses . That got me hooked but I ended up, after looking for a year, including at TR Specialists spending nearer condition 1 and have spent most weekends and most of my beer money under it since. If you don't know TR6's the book ' Essential Buyers Guide by Rodger Williams I think gives good advice. Good luck hope you get what your hoping for

 

Regards Richard

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It all depends on where you want to end up.   For me, I'd re-read Kastner's competition prep manual thru the years and just wanted to play on an engine.  Owning a car that's down while I go went thru the mechanicals is part what I knew was coming and looked forward to.    Someone else probably passed on the car because of the "tired mechanicals", that even still had enough left to teach the 16 yr old how to daily drive a clutch for a year before the mechanicals needed refreshing.  And he didn't care about the paint either.  The thing about TR's is that they are tough cars and even abused ones  on their last legs can offer something.   If show is part of your future, especially judged, either buy one done or pay up for a clean (no rust, no accident)  "project".    TR clubs are also a good source as long term careful owners often like to see their well cared for car end up in the hands of someone with a similar intents.

Prices here in the US have jumped on project cars, with the ask probably doubling in the last three years on the low end with the good (no rust/accident) ones going reasonably quick at ask, especially if they're a factory O/D & HT car.   Early examples don't seem to get a premium ...maybe its because they had the narrow port head with the restrictive intake so no real performance difference over the years for the carbed models like between the early and later PI.

Slan....Dan

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On 8/25/2020 at 10:09 AM, Paul Hill said:

We may have lost Malcolm but his replacement Carl is very good with all things PI so that’s one in for one out 

I hope he is still not selling those 1000 psi S/S braided PTFE hoses that require you also to buy one of his diaphragm PRV's to get rid of the harmonic hammering as it was a good earner for Malcom?

Bruce.

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For realised prices of what a car it worth see past results from Brightwells auctions held at Leominster.

Regards

Bill 

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Morning all, thanks for all of your feedback. Went to see a relatively local car last night. 1970 car, not immaculate but very tidy. Lots of new parts including full retrim with MX5 seats. Still needs a few small jobs finishing. Comes with a hardtop. Got it for 18k which I think was fair. And it's White which is my favourite colour for them too. Will share pics when I get it home.

Thanks

Sean

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6 hours ago, Macleesh said:

Morning all, thanks for all of your feedback. Went to see a relatively local car last night. 1970 car, not immaculate but very tidy. Lots of new parts including full retrim with MX5 seats. Still needs a few small jobs finishing. Comes with a hardtop. Got it for 18k which I think was fair. And it's White which is my favourite colour for them too. Will share pics when I get it home.

Thanks

Sean

Welcome, enjoy your new ride

KC

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Enjoy your TR6 there is no better feeling

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well today was the day and I picked the car up this morning. Bodily condition is as I remembered it. Driving it during the day has revealed a few issues that need addressing but that's to be expected in a 50 year old car that's had little use recently. Will start a new thread to share them.

5FD1E31E-3145-45A4-9EA9-FCB66B37C56C.JPG

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