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Triumph TR6 - How hard do you drive your 6?

Hi guys... would like your opinion / experience if you have a minute.

I think I'm guilty of babying my 76 me thinks in that I rarely pass 3000 rpm before shifting. My rebuilt engine, tranny, & OD have about 5,000 miles on them. The car is a total body off resto and performs beautifully but I sense there's a lot more performance to enjoy with a little confidence on my part.

Do any of you take your cars up into the 4000 rpm range or higher?

BTW, I use Castrol GTX 20-50 (either 5 litres of same or 4 litres of same plus 1 litre of Lucas Oil Additive.) I also add a couple of ounces of AC Delco EOS as recommended by Rick C.
Ken Shaddock

Is that what your suppose to do with them.
I thought it was garage art!
DON KELLY

Ken,

I drove it as a daily driver with revs up to 4500rpm and rarely up to 5500. I am not hard on it and she behaves without any problems for more than 35 years...

Cheers,

Jean
J. G. Catford

Jean... now that's what I call confidence. You are having way more fun than me. Maybe I'll grow a pair. Thanks J.G!

Doug... haha... I do love the look of my car under the bright lights of my garage.
Ken Shaddock

The torque curve on mine seems to start falling off after 4500 so there is really no thrill in taking it much higher before a shift. But it does seem to love running up to 4000 - 4500 so who am I to deny the car that simple pleasure?

Tony
A. J. Koschinsky

Good to hear Tony... we have 4 days of sunshine upcoming. I should let this car of mine feel its oats so to speak.

Drove across your beautiful province in September 2008 when bringing the car back from BC. Spent an interesting night in Grenfell on the Trans Canada. The farmers (30+ of them) in the local greasy spoon knew we were strangers and sure gave us the look at supper and again at breakfast. My "funny looking car" was intimidated by the 25 or so mud & bug covered pick-up trucks parked outside. We treated our waitress with respect so I think she ok'd us to the good old boys - it all turned out good and we headed for Kenora. Cheers.
Ken Shaddock

Ken, you are being perhaps too kind describing what you see in Saskatchewan from the trans Canada as beautiful. Yet not 20 miles north of Grenfel there is a parallel highway that runs through the Qu'Appelle valley that is just stunning. Next time, hopefully you will have more time and we can show you some real hospitality.

Across (most of) Canada in a TR6. I'm still envious.

Tony
A. J. Koschinsky

Agree re limiting my exposure on that ride Tony. I have spent some time (early 70's) in Regina and south through Estevan and Weyburn then over into Manitoba working my way to Winnipeg but never where you suggest or further north so I appreciate what you say. I scratched the surface. There's something about Prairie to those of us who cannot see distant horizons here in forested and hilly Ontario. With thunderstorm cells all around us we stopped on the side of the road to just take in the expanse. It was an awesome sight.

As far as getting back there... well I would like to do the north of Superior run again. That too is awe inspiring so just maybe. The car and me... we're not dead yet. Heck, I have not grown up yet despite being a grandpa 4 times over.
Ken Shaddock

Uh, geez Ken - I haven't driven mine at all since last September but hope to red-line the bugger this Fall with any luck. This year sees the TR6 unlicensed and still without engine or trans but having bought the Z4, driven it all Summer and neglected the TR I was determined that this never-ending engine/gearbox replacement would get done by the Fall. Well, once the engine/trans was out, might as well clean and detail the engine bay, paint the frame, inspect the steering rack & mounts, replace the rack, paint the brake booster, put the braided brake lines and new pads on the front, rebuild & paint the wiper motor, inspect, repair and rewrap the harness.....
Is it any wonder it's still in the garage? This is the very end of an 8-year driving restoration and it may get done before the snow files. But, there's always next year with retirement beckoning. Good luck to all with your TR projects and a very Happy Labor Day to you all.
Cheers,
Bob
Bob Evans

Hey Bob... great to hear about all the work you're doing. I just whizzed away 2 days doing minor stuff on my 6 by comparison but it was a helluva lot of fun too. Realigned the engine hood, both doors, pin striped the car, polished all chrome with Autosol and if I didn't have some overseas travel planned and furniture to build for my daughter I'd be doing a re&re on the front bumper and 10 other sixy improvements this fall. I'm retired and don't have enough time!

You gotta love this obsession.

Ken Shaddock

Typically I run mine at 3000-3200 rpm on the expressway (with OD that is about 70 mph). When traffic allows it I may run upwards of 80 mph approaching 4000 rpm. I have run it faster for short periods of time.

In lower gears I try to run at 3000-3500 rpm where I find the most power. At higher rpms it just seems noiser so I don't do it.

When I accelerate I usually go up to 4000-5000 in first and 4000 in second.
Michael Petryschuk

Hello guys, rev. limit depends on the cam you have in the engine. Earlier cars with the 280 degree duration camshaft will rev happily at higher R.P.M than later cars with a much lower duration cam. Have in mind that our engines were not built with a strong bottom end,so personally I try to keep my rev limit at 5000 and no higher,just to preserve this flimsy bottom end. There are kits out there that can take care of this but it will cost you. The con.rods are also a weak point. Run it any higher than 5500 and you are likely to throw a rod. There are TR-6s out there that can rev to 7500 and higher with no problem, but ask how much it has cost the owners to get them to this stage.
Kypros Christodoulides

I used my TR-6 in SCCA DSP (been reclassified to FSP since those days) autocross for several years and flogged it heavily during that time. It seemed to take to it fine but the maintenance needs did jump a bit. New motor/transmission mounts and replacement of all six U-joints was a standard between seasons occurrence. Other than some accelerated brake wear though that was pretty much it.

Just to clarify what Kypros said regarding the "early" cams, it depends on whether you are talking about the early cams as fitted to the PI cars vs the cams fitted to the early carb cars. The mildest of the cams used for TR-6 production were those fitted to the early carb cars while the hottest were those fitted to the early PI cars. The later PI and carb cars used the same cam.

Sometime back I had done some engine modeling as part of selecting a cam for use taking performance oriented street use and the limitations of the engine design into account. It was posted previously with my take on how the different cams performed in the models, it's archived on the site if you go digging.

The quick and dirty was that I liked the late PI/carb cam, the Reed XS266. They had a good combination of power coming in low enough in the rpm range to be street usable while not being so peaky that maximum power was developed at such high rpms and subsequent piston speeds to present a problem with these relatively long stroke engines. Note that BPNW has the BP270 cam now that you can get new, it is very similar to the Reed XS266 and I might have selected it for use had it been avilable at the time.
SteveP1

Good to know for down the road Steve when I make a mess enjoying higher performance levels from this beautiful car. All you guys have me revved so to speak and finding new levels of driving fun.
Ken Shaddock

Ken

When I first did the restore way back in 2001, I drove the car like it was going to break if I took her over 3000 RPM.

Now I drive much differently. I grew out of my anal period and now all I wanna do is have fun. I regularly take her up to 4000 as I go up through the gears. Before I put new rubber on her last spring I would lay down a little rubber. It is a little more difficult now and well......the laws have changed regarding this act. New rubber definitely made a big difference compared to the old red lines.

I REALLY am enjoying driving my TR6 more now.

OK so as a good side note here to help end a great driving summer, I had 2 great things happen this past weekend.
I went down to British Car Day with friends all in our LBCs. Did not really get excited (insert word anal here) about prepping for the show and to my surprise I got second in class. Shows the old girl still has it in her.
The second great thing was that Don Elliot was there and we had a good talk.. You long timers here will remember Don as a really helpful contributor to this BBS. Don does not put as many miles on his 3 as he use to. Don is in excellent health. It was really good to see him again.


Bottom line Ken. Enjoy your 6. You deserve it.
Rick
Rick Crawford

Hi Rick

Long time no post. Good to hear the car is still getting the accolades. Also good to hear Don is doing well. Say hi to him for me.
Michael Petryschuk

Joined the comments late. Most of my driving is at 45 to 50 mph; cruising. I do like to hit the red line now and again to see how it's dialed in with the GP2 cam. Don't do it often, though, as there is a good "crunch" from first to second when shifting fast. So I normally lay off a bit... That said, I've never had so much fun driving after the engine refresh, new tires, and fixing the rear toe-in.
Brent B

Rick- You take any pics of cars
You got a pic of Don.
Think that would be a kick
DON KELLY

Hello all, I have a friend who has a 71 European spec. TR-6. Injection and all and he regularly takes it to 5500 every time he drives it. His engine has been refurbished a couple of years ago, by an amateur. From what I saw, they put in a new set of cast pistons and new bearings. They didn't even grind the crank, although it needed it badly and they also mixed the rocker gear up.(oil pressure suffered as a result, but I shimmed his relief valve to increase it).My point being these engines can take some abuse without immediate detrimental results.So drive them as you please and when the time comes, rebuilt them. Remember we don't live for ever, so enjoy them 6's.
Kypros Christodoulides

Don
I got neither. I was standing up in a higher ground area and thought this would be a great place for a "stiched" picture.. The camera was back at the car. DOH!! I was so glad to see and talk to Don that I totally did not think about a pic.

There is always next year.



Rick Crawford

Leaving Boise either direction on the Interstate the speed limit is 75 mph. So, if we are heading somewhere fast, Interstate it is, and it usually means an opportunity to stretch it out a bit. My car can keep up with the flow, or better. The secondary roads are usually more fun, and make my wife complain...a lot, but what's it for? Pulling out to pass slower traffic and a quick shift into 4th as you go by at 85 (O/D helps that) puts a smile on your face!
Last winter was spent rebuilding the original engine, and the old one was getting pretty tired. seemed to run outta poop at 4500 rpm. After about 1000 mile break-in regimen, broke away from traffic one night and realized how much easier the engine was revving, as I went past 5000 shifting from second to third and it was still pulling strong!
I don't plan on testing the limits much past that, but the engine seems to be up to it.
Life is good......get out and drive that TR6 like you stole it! (but remember who has to fix it!)
Rod

Rod Nichols

I have a small % in that motor
DON KELLY

Just saying that pretty motor has a couple of things from my garage and I was happy to provide
DON KELLY

This thread was discussed between 28/08/2012 and 30/09/2012

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