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How quick should it feel?


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Approaching 2 years with my 1970 CP TR6 now, most of the bugs have been shaken out, starts,stops etc. The one thing I worry about is if just doesn't feel as quick as I expected it to be, now that could be me having unrealistic expectations, but I would describe it as perky rather than fast. Appreciate its subjective but should a well sorted 6 feel fast by todays standards? 

Thanks

Sean

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About the same as a bog standard 2020 VW golf. 0-60 times are comparable. 

Tim

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By todays standards a well sorted TR6 is just above mediocre. It’s all about the fun and the exhaust sound. Enjoy.

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Oh dear...my 2007 Ford S max 2.00 TDCI Diesel 7 seater which weighs in at 1700 kgs unladen does 0-60 in 9.8 secs. I fear your expectations of a 50 year old sports car which was quite quick in it's day are inflated. Todays motors with all the various advantages in electrical and pump fuel delivery lose much of the delays and the slower delivery of acceleration. As Paul says the pleasure in owning a good looking car which you can have the top down on is where all the TR range scores, I don't think I've ever had kids jump up and down and wave when I've driven past in the Ford, but often in TRs.

Mick Richards

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If you look here at the cars around 16sec 1/4 mile you should see some fair comparisons. It's not super fast even if it's tuned up a bit but that's not what it's about. That said I suppose comparing it to other cars may tell you if it's performing as it should within a reasonable margin.

https://www.carwow.co.uk/blog/carwow-quarter-mile-400-metre-1320-ft-time-drag-race-leaderboard#gref

 

 

 

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Totally get that technology has moved on, my daily is a Golf GTD, I think the other thing that's improved is great accessibility of the available performance. However, what hasn't changed in 50 years us the duration of a second. Most contemporary sources suggest a 0-60 time for a TR6 in the mid 8s, which whilst not remarkable by today's standards remain respectable at least? It doesn't feel like it's turning in that kind of number. Out of mechanical sympathy I have no plans to do any timed runs anytime soon.

 

Thanks 

Sean

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"Most contemporary sources suggest a 0-60 time for a TR6 in the mid 8s, which whilst not remarkable by today's standards remain respectable at least? It doesn't feel like it's turning in that kind of number. Out of mechanical sympathy I have no plans to do any timed runs anytime soon."

I don't know how you expect to judge it's performance then Sean, the car cannot give you the numbers if you don't drive the car to a level to get them.

Any judgement can only be subjective IF you don't drive the car to the mechanical limit that 0-60mph times are driven to. The modern car is easier to drive to a higher level within it's performance envelope because of the sophistication of electric ignition, high numbers in the fuel rail combined with modern injection systems all erode the times achieved by a 1970s car.

They need revs near to 5000 for taking off allowing the estimated 15% tyre slip to balance the grip between maximum acceleration and burning off the right rear tyre (no limited slip diff) and gear changes that only hint that the synchromesh would be touched along with the clutch being stabbed into and out of operation without too much conscience if it actually made any difference to gear selection...as long as it was fast ! As you say mechanical sympathy (and knowledge of the limits of your bank account) tend to ...get in the way ! 

If you get the chance to watch films of factory test drivers "back in the day" obtaining 0-60 times you would get the idea of how those numbers were obtained.

Mick Richards

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I can testify to those 16 odd second 1/4 mile times as back in the 90's I would regularly 'run what you brung' my (standard) TR5 at Santa Pod, and Avon Park. I think the fastest magazine road test time I saw for a TR5-6 was 16.5 seconds. I got consistently into the low 16's, with a best of 16.1.

I tried everything to get into the 15's, but in the end only a LSD would have got me there, and I didn't have the cash for one then.

As for mechanical sympathy, and rapid wear issues, I used to change the crank shells once a year, but apart from regular diff, and gearbox oil changes I don't recall much ever going wrong with it.

 

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This is a similar list to Mike’s and from the same site, which shows the Triumph TR5 just outperforming the Jaguar E-Type 4.2 litre by 0.1 of a second at 8.8 secs. 
 

Sub 10 seconds was something to behold in the late 60’s early 70’s. When I was with Caffyns a fellow mechanic bought a Ford Escort Mexico and we were impressed when in town traffic, how easily he could spin the wheels up. However, in my TR4a, a lot of initial power from standstill seems to be taken up in the rear suspension. 
 

Trouble is our mind is continually referencing today with the past with these cars when we drive them, which warps our perspective into thinking something’s wrong.

It would be interesting for our magazine to do a 0-60 re-run on all our cars, given they are standard and in optimum tune, to see what they can actually do, and how realistic these figures were (and given that 50 odd years has gone under the bridge).

Perhaps it’s already been done but I’d like to see the results.

https://www.autosnout.com/Cars-0-60mph-List-1960s.php

Kevin

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In 1976 I did a 'Run what ya brung' Drag Race at Blackbushe with a totally standard 1969 CP Pi TR6 and got a best 1/4 mile Elapsed Time of 15.37 seconds, with a terminal speed of 84mph. Against the Stop watch I have recorded a best 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds, and a best ever top speed at max 5,750 rpm (non overdrive car) of 121 mph.

Having said all that, don't do it too often...as it wreaks the Thrust Washers, tears teeth off yer Crown Wheel, and balds the spinning tyre! Expensive! 

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Why not compare "in gear" acceleration with that of the Motor test of June 7th 1969? That way you avoid any antics with the clutch or gearbox.....

Times below use o/d so may not be so easy to pick a 20 or 30 mph increment, but you get the idea!

0-30 3.2 sec

0-40 4.7 

0-50 6.5

0-60 8.5 

0-70 10.9

0-80 14.5

0-90 18.6

0-100 24.7

Regards

Bill 

Edited by Bill944T
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Ah, should have read further, table on times for 3rd gear increments......

20-40 5.7 sec

30-50 5.5

40-60 5.3

50-70 5.8

60-80 6.8 

Regards

Bill 

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