1973 Triumph GT6

“ Recent works carried out include a complete brake overhaul, new wheel cylinders, brake shoes, servo, master cylinder and hoses. ”
Michelotti was able to sprinkle some star dust over the Triumph range in the 1960’s and 1970’s, and the GT6 is a great case in point.

Background
Shortly after Leyland had acquired Standard Triumph in 1960, new Chief Executive Stanley Markland was walking the factory floor at the firm’s Canley plant. He spotted something lurking under a tarpaulin in a dark corner of the factory. On pulling back the dusty cover, Markland revealed Giovanni Michelotti’s prototype of “project Bomb,” the future Spitfire. Once the protype had returned from Italy the previous year, it was immediately mothballed due to lack of development funds.

Markland could see the potential in the little roadster. He saw it as a potential way to take the fight to the Austin Healey Sprite that had launched in 1958 and was busy doing a roaring trade worldwide. With much needed funds now available thanks to the Leyland take over, Markland authorised the cars’ green lighting. The earlier Triumph Herald had always been designed with the idea of a later, affordable sports car spawning from its platform, so development was relatively straight forward. The new Spitfire appeared in 1962 to much acclaim.

Standard Triumph commissioned Giovani Michelotti to style a GT version the convertible Spitfire in 1963. He obliged with a sleek fastback design, but the extra weight of the GT body proved too much for the Spitfire’s modest 1,147cc engine. As a result, the Spitfire GT concept was also shelved, possibly occupying the space vacated by the original Spitfire concept. The more aerodynamic coupe shape, however, was successfully adapted for racing with fibreglass iterations fitted to racing Spitfire underpinnings. Such was the success of the GT bodied race cars that a road car concept was revived in 1966. In order to address the underwhelming performance, however, the 2L straight six unit from the Triumph Vitesse was plumbed in. The reception at the 1966 launch was almost euphoric. The GT6 was soon christened “the poor man’s E-Type” and only one issue slightly marred the car’s reputation. The powerful straight six combined with the old Herald swing axle rear suspension made catastrophic lift off oversteer a tangible, ever-present threat.

Overview
Luckily, this somewhat leary personality trait was finally exorcised with the arrival of the MKIII GT6. At this point it inherited the greatly improved reversed lower wishbones set-up with Rotoflex driveshaft couplings. This set up helped to finally quell the unpredictability of this diminutive sport car’s rear end. This bright looking example is thus equipped having been first registered in February 1973.

Current owner, Wayne, took possession of this pocket rocket in 2020 in the knowledge of the car having been significantly fettled prior to his purchase. Accompanying documentation attests to a £10,000 restoration in 2014 entailing bodily renovation, full engine rebuild, some interior improvements, running gear restoration and a full respray in bright Pimento Red.

Since that significant investment was made, this GT6 has been used very sparingly. Mileage records provided audit trail that somewhere in the region of only 5,000 miles have been covered since. As such this GT6 represents a great prospect for discerning British sports car lovers.

Estimate: £3,000 - £7,000

View Current Bid Price HERE