Bill,
I think that BMH probably picked the model most likely to have someone pony
up the $4k+ for a new shell. Spitfires were more plentiful originally but
since they don't carry the "TR" designation it's rare for a good condition
car to sell for $4k, much less have someone want to drop that much MORE into
their project.
Possibly the TR4 would have been a better start. With a TR6 donor car you
too could have a TR250!
As to the MGs being better supported... something like 500,000+ MGBs were
built over the years, with minimal body and drive train changes. That means
that more people had access to the car originally, more are still left
running, and many of the parts are still available through specialists like
Moss, Vicky Brit, Roadster Factory, etc. You have to figure that the folks
restoring any of the '60 and '70s cars today (or buying the restoration
results) are people who either had the same model car when new or saw the
car but could never afford them (or were too young, etc). Growing up on the
east coast I saw 10 MGs for every Triumph. If I weren't into Triumphs and
had the $$$ maybe I'd be in line for (shudder) an MGB now too. (actually
own a 'B-GT and '77 'B parts car that is good enough to be a heritage shell)
Jim
> -----Original Message-----
> From: William Davies [SMTP:w.davies@virgin.net]
> Sent: Monday, August 03, 1998 8:57 PM
> To: Odd Hedberg; Triumph List
> Subject: Re: BMH Body shells
>
>
> Hi Odd,
> With all due respect, I was led to believe that BMH made an initial
> batch of 100 TR6 bodyshells after considerable investment in new tooling,
> as up to 60% of the original tooling was lost/destroyed. It took several
> years to sell the initial 100, in fact I was surprised to read that 250
> had now been sold!
> The sad fact is that whereas most of the MG tooling was retained by
> the Rover Group (or whatever it was called at the time), much of the
> Triumph tooling was sold off or destroyed. Did you know that the
> aftermarket outriggers and doorskins for the Herald and Vitesse, which
> are made by LMC, are actually pressed using original Triumph press tools?
> And the GT6 bonnet top tools were apparently privately owned for many
> years by an individual who had a "difference of opinion" with BMH, which
> is why it took so long to see new bonnets for the GT6 Mk3. I also
> understand that much of the Spitfire tooling is lost, and the TR7/8
> tooling went to Japan (no, I don't understand why either!).
> I feel that BMH took a great risk on the TR6 bodyshell, where unlike
> the MGB, supply turned out to be greater than the demand. Are you aware
> how long the prospective purchaser had to wait to get a new MG bodyshell
> when they were first released? If BMH had seen a better return on their
> investment in the TR6 shell, I suspect we would have seen more Triumph
> shells remanufactured. Perhaps a Spitfire shell would have been a better
> choice as their first Triumph shell?
> Not a flame, just a little information not greatly publicised in
> Triumph circles,
> Best regards,
> Bill.
>
> Odd Hedberg wrote:
>
> > Friends on the Triumph lists,
> > I guess this proves what we've been suspecting/saying about
> > the British Motor "MG Heritage" all along, doesn't it?
> > More than ten times as many B's as 6's!!!
> > And more than five times as many Midgets as 6's...
> >
> > Where are the Spitfire/GT6 bodies, where are the Herald/Vitesse
> > bodies, where are the TR7/8 bodies?
> > - And where are the Big Healey bodies?
> > No wonder it's called MG Heritage...
> >
> > Anyone care to comment? If this starts a flame war, please
> > direct the flames towards MG Heritage, not me - or any other
> > true Triumph follower...
> > /Odd
> >
> > Dave Simpson wrote to the Triumph and Spitfire lists:
> > > To List
> > > FWIW, I just read in Mini Mania's catalog that BMH has produced:
> > > 2750 MGB bodies
> > > 1350 MG Midget Bodies
> > > 250 TR6 bodies
> > >
> > > and will start producing Mini Mk1 body shells,
> > > just some interesting info to pass around.
> > > Dave Simpson
> > > NE OHIO
> >
> > --
> > Odd Hedberg
> > Pomonagatan 4
> > S-74236 Östhammar International liaison secretary,
> > Sweden Triumph Club of Sweden
> > '70 Spitfire Mk3 FD82497LO Signal Red
> > '80 TR8 EFi DHC TPZDV8AT211468 Midas Gold
> > E-mail: odd@triumphclub.se / odd.hedberg@bigfoot.com
> > Club URL: http://www.triumphclub.se/index.htm
> > Home Phone/Fax: Int+ 46-1731 7131 / 46-1731 8131
> > Geographical Position: N 60deg 15min E 18deg 23min
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> --
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> This Message sent by:
> ^================^
> / \ William Davies
> / \ Total Triumph Enthusiast
> __ __________________ __
> / \ ______ ______ / \ 1959 Herald 948 Coupe 1st Batch!!!
> \__/ \ || / \__/ 1959 Herald 948 Coupe
> | A \____||____/ A | 1960 Herald 948 Saloon Export
> | = H H = | 1964 Herald 1200 Saloon
> =====U==============U===== 1966 Herald 1200 Convertible
> \________________________/ 1959 Standard Atlas Pickup
> | | | | 1973 Spitfire MkIV
> |_| |_|
>
|