[TR] Intro & conversation starter

[Jim Wallace]

Russell,
Being another VW bus owner, I prefer the '72 for the newer engine, but still
with the older style bumpers. Not that I'm debating the different VW buses
here on a Triumph list but just to say that in the same way, people will
have their year preferences in a TR6 for different reasons.
So....do you want something very stock in a TR6, as you did with buses, or
would you compromise and go for an upgraded electrical system, for example?
These cars didn't have Bosch you know!
You'll see some different concerns here - no one is paranoid about replacing
their rubber fuel lines every six months, but then, nobody cares about
redline tires on their bus!
I think if you clarified your intended driving preferences (long distance
touring?? autocrossing?? trailering to a concours??) people would then give
you a good set of answers pertinent to those goals.
Good luck,
Jim
60 TR3a w/Delco and Bosch electrics
72 Adventurewagen/Westy hybrid
72 Super Beetle vert
83 Yamaha Maxim 650
80 Vespa P200
===========
Greetings all,
I've recently decided to enter the world of Triumph ownership.  What I
really want is a TR6, and have ever since they were new, but it seems the
cost of entry on a Spitfire is lower, making that a bit tempting as well.
My wife thinks the Spitfire is prettier, but it's not for her and she'd look
great in the passenger seat of either one. I'd be interested in the
impressions of anybody who's familiar with both.

I've been into VW busses for almost 30 years and have a good deal of
experience working on 'em have developed some strong opinions about them
too.  For instance, I think the '71 is the most desirable year of bus,
because it has the old style, easier to work on motor, and also has disk
brakes.  The only bad part of the '71 being that it used the dual-port
motor, which is more powerful but peakier, requiring downshifting more often
than with the older single port motor (in my experience).  The bus I'm
leaving behind is a '69 with a single-port motor, maybe even the original
engine case, and is just about as stock as I could make it during my last
rebuild.  I don't think putting performance mods on a bus motor is a good
idea unless you're going to really do your homework and do things right,
which ends up being ludicrously expensive, and just ends up highlighting its
other limitations.

So that puts me squarely in the realm of codger-dom when it comes to
vehicles, and I'll bet there's quite a few Triumph owners just like me.
Soooo, who's got a favorite year TR6 and why?  I've seen some with
aftermarket superchargers, and the thought of that is a bit on the
intoxicating side.  And they look all shiny and pretty all nestled up
against the motor.
--
Russell Barr
'04 Moto Guzzi EV Touring
'69 VW Bus
Oh yeah, a wife and 4 kids too