Recently, I had a conversation with a fellow British car enthusiast which I
thought I'd share with "the List". My friend knew that I had owned and
rebuilt two big Austin Healeys many years ago, and wondered, "Gee, don't
you wish that you still had one of your Healeys instead of your TR6? I mean
considering that Healeys have become so valuable and all." My answer was,
"No, not all. I believe that the TR6 is a better car for me because I
really likes to drive my car. The Healey is a very pretty car - Gerry Coker
drew a beautiful design - but I enjoy driving my TR6 much more than I did
either of my Healeys (I had both a 3000 Mk2 and a 3000 Mk3)."
When TR6s were new, BL salesmen were calling the TR6 the replacement for the
big Healey, but, really, the cars are very different. Some comparisons and
contrasts:
Engine:
Both cars have cast iron in-line sixes, but the Healey engine is much bigger
and longer and several hundred pounds heavier. The Healey engine is cast in
the manner of American engines of the 1920's and 1930's with lots of extra
bulk that later designs eliminated (including the Triumph sixes). Despite
its bulk, however, the Healey puts out a decent amount of power for its
displacement. It also is less "undersquare" than the Triumph, has no
emission controls, and (at least in the Mk3) has a much warmer cam than the
stock TR. The Mk3 has its horsepower peak at 5,250 and has the big 2 inch
SUs, so you can really feel it come on over 3,000 rpm. The US version TR6
has to have a few upgrades and improvements to produce the same "kick in the
pants". Unfortunately, the Healey gets poor airflow through the radiator at
slow speeds due to the lack of proper ducting and an ineffective fan, so
once the heavy cast iron block gets hot, its hard to cool it back down.
Also, the Healey doesn't have an actual rear crankshaft oil seal. Instead,
the rear bearing cap fits close to the crank and an oil slinger and a
reverse thread cut into the crank are supposed to keep the oil in the
engine. The Triumph engine is much more civilized in these regards; it is
much better in hot weather and it doesn't "mark its spot" near as much!
Transmission and Drive train:
The Healey clutch is bigger and tougher than the TR, and doesn't have a
tendency to have disengagement problems like the TR. However, it has an
old-fashioned carbon release bearing (like early MGBs) which can cause
problems if one holds the clutch in for extended periods. I definitely like
the all-synchro Triumph transmission better. The Healey gearbox is
unsynchronized in first, and has old-fashioned brass cone synchros in the
other gears compared to the balk-ring type of synchros in the TR
transmission. Even in a freshly rebuilt Healey gearbox, the synchros can't
keep up with spirited driving unlike my 120,000 mile TR6 gearbox! (It may
be a little noisy, but the synchros still let me shift it plenty fast!) The
Healey overdrive is similar to the A type OD used in early TRs.
The Healey has a big, heavy live axle in the rear contrasted to the TR6
independent rear suspension. Both cars have good differential reliability,
although the old fashioned Healey design eliminates any half-shaft u-joint
and slip-joint problems.
Suspension, handling and steering:
This is where I believe the TR6 has it all over the Healey. The Healey uses
lever shocks at all four corners and has a king-pin type of independent
suspension at the front with a live axle and leaf springs at the rear.
Spring rates are very stiff to help eliminate body roll, but with the heavy
engine and fairly slow steering, it just can't keep up with the TR6 on
twisty roads, even with the TR6's softer spring rates. In my youth, I would
race my 3000 Mk3 against a buddy's brand new TR6 - I could out accelerate
him in the straights, but he would lose me in the corners! The Healey does
particularly poorly trying to accelerate out of bumpy corners where it gets
a lot of rear end hop. The TR rack and pinion steering is light years ahead
of the old Healey cam and peg steering. Also, I used to occasionally worry
about having that long, rigid Healey steering column pointed straight at my
chest. I feel a lot safer with the TR's "safety" steering column.
Driving Comfort and body:
The Healey suffers from a hot cockpit with little effective ventilation, as
well as "scuttle shake" that occurs on bumpy roads or even from
out-of-balance tires. The all-steel Triumph body feels more rigid, and of
course the fresh air ventilation is much better. There is almost no ground
clearance on a Healey - you scrape mufflers on every speed bump! Also, the
aluminum/steel Healey body is quite fragile and prone to cracking, and
because the chassis-frame is welded to the floor pans and the inner body
panels, it is much more difficult to restore or cut rust out of than a TR6
body with its separate frame. And, the rear mounted Healey battery
frequently causes a real corroded mess in the luggage boot and on the gas
tank which it is right next to!
All told, as pretty as Healeys are, I'll just as soon keep my TR6! Come to
think of it, I could have two TR6s for the price of a decent Healey. I
wonder if I can convince my wife that we need another one?
Rex Townsend
Bainbridge Island, WA
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