What with all the talk about engine swaps and the original post regarding
Spitfires and GT6's, here's a bit of history regarding the original GT6
project: (Taken unashamedly from the _Guide_to_Purchase_&_D.I.Y._-
Restoration_of_the_Triumph_Spitfire,_GT6,_Herald,_&_Vitesse_, by Lindsay
Porter and Peter Williams) (Whew)
OK, this is long, so don't waste too much of your boss's time reading it...
(Yeah, I'm doing this from home)
"The GT6 was not a planned addition to the range...Standard-Triumph really
did not have the production space to seriously consider expanding; so
despite the hints and speculation from outsiders they firmly ignored the
possibility of a "Spitfire-6". They did, however, consider ways of keeping
the Spitfire in the forefront of its particular market and Michellotti was
asked to design a fastback body for it. His resultant design added far too
much weight to the car so the idea was shelved. The fastback body was in
fact fitted onto a Spitfire chassis in Turin, christened the Spitfire GT,
and driven home where it joined the small band of experimental one-offs
used by a few members of the company. The pleasure the car gave to those
that drove it worked an insidious magic and the Spitfire GT project became
official policy in 1964. The decision to turn it into a six-cylinder car
was the result of progress with the up-grading of the Vitesse to a 1998cc.
It was a bit of a squeeze getting the 1998cc six-cylinder engine into the
Spitfire's engine bay, but by dint of creating a rather compiicated
cooling system they managed it. The GT6's debut was in 1966, a few months
earlier than the Vitesse 2 litre; which, like the true parent it was,
paused in the wings to enjoy the accolade!
"The car was beautifuly finished from inside to out. It was fully carpeted
with a walnut veneer facia board and swivelling quarter lights at the front
- the fixed quarter-lights used during development had tended to be sucked
out at speed - and hinged quarter-lights at the rear. The elegant Italian
design with its hatchback and two seats only, was a classy small Grand
Touring car, even the rocker box was chrome plated.
"The car was well received and though it never achieved the production
figures of the Spitfire it sold steadily. The inevitable bug bear of the
independent rear suspension raised its head again, though mainly in the
technical press. The general public did not seem to concerned and in the
States, where the car was very well received, there were no complaints. The
rear suspension had in fact been modified for the GT6 and the company was
seriously trying to find engineering time to concentrate on the problem.
This they eventually managed, and when, in 1968, the GT6 Mk2 took over, it
was fitted with an advanced lower-wishbone rear suspension layout;
double-jointed shafts located by a spring at the top. The effect on the
handling of the GT6 was revolutionary - no more cause for complaint! The
MK2 also acquired a new cylinder head, borrowed from the TR5, (giving
potential for the engine to become a 2498cc, an advantage never utilised),
but resulting in an increase of bhp from 95 to 104. Despite the formation
of British Leyland, no attempt was made to rationalise the range of sports
cars for sale under the new umbrella - the Spitfire, the MGB, the TR6,
Stag, MG Midget, the GT6 and Austin-Healey Sprite - all continued to share
the market. The real cloud on the horizon was in fact, the increase of
legislation, in the United States, on safety and exhaust emission. Taking
these facts into account, the intended full re-styling of the GT6 was
modified (as with the Spitfire). Internal facelifting of the seats,
steering wheel and badging took place prior to the official launch of the
GT6 Mk3 in 1970. In line with the Spitfire MkIV, the tail was
'chopped-off' and the bonnet flattened out. The rear roof line of the GT6
was altered and petrol cap and door handles ceased to protrude creating a
more svelte look. Optimism was high in the sales department but in reality
the bell was tolling. The safety legislation meant a considerable increase
in weight - the exhaust emission regulations badly affected the power of
the six-cylinder engine and sales dropped...and dropped. No official death
certificate was released but on the thirtieth of November 1973 the last two
GT6s produced quietly left the factory."
Model Built len. wid. weight Performance. Total
number
GT6 7/66 to 9/68 12'1" 4'9" 1904 lb 0-50 7.8 sec 15,818
0-60 11.1 sec
Top Sp. 108 mph
GT6+ 7/68 to 12/70 12'3" 4'9" ? 0-50 7.2 sec 12,066
(or Mk2) 0-60 10.0 sec
Top Sp. 111 mph
GT6 Mk3 10/70 to 11/73 12'5" 4'10.5" 2030 lb 0-50 7.7 sec 13,042
0-60 10.1 sec
Top Sp. 112 mph
(Lots more data available for anyone interested...)
Lee M. Daniels - Laboratory for Molecular Structure and Bonding - Texas A&M
DANIELS@TAMLMSB.BITNET | daniels@lmsbvx.tamu.edu | (409) 845-3726
|