Description
Details:
Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a very unique, factory right hand drive 1972 Triumph TR6. The car is unique in that it has remained in single family ownership from new!
A Triumph TR6 is not a particularly rare car but seldom will you come across an example like this. In addition to coming from single family ownership from new, this car has an extensive and complete history file which includes the original purchase invoice, delivery documents, its British Leyland Passport to Service and the folder issued by the personal export sales department with the check list of what paperwork was provided with the car and invoices from 1972 through until 2024 . . . incredible!
The story of this car starts on the 29th of June 1972 when the Triumph Motor Company Limited confirmed to its first and only owner the telephone call they had that morning with regards to them supplying him with a TR6 sports car through their distributor in London, Henlys Limited.
A follow up letter dated 26th of July 1972 shows that the owner also wanted to include insurance and accepted the car would be delivered with wire wheels and two wing mirrors. It also shows a change in delivery as the owner decided to collect the car from the factory in Coventry in person.
The purchase invoice, dated 21st August 1972, confirms the order as: Supplying one Triumph TR6 Hard/ Soft top sports car finished in white/ tan vinyl upholstery and complete with equipment as per catalogue specification current at this date. It lists the following extras: overdrive, tonneau cover, high back seats, wire wheels, 6 months UK only insurance, underseal, 2 wing mirrors, documentation fee, number plates and petrol. The total sum: £1, 429. 41.
The vehicle acceptance receipt shows the owner took delivery of his new pride and joy on the 1st September 1972 and the car was registered in the UK as AWK958L. The original UK plates are still with the car.
Unfortunately, shortly after taking delivery of his car he had a minor incident which was quickly repaired for the total cost of £29. 75!
The Passport to Service shows the car was rigorously maintained and regularly serviced as required.
When the owner moved to Brisbane, Australia in the early 1980’s he brought the car with him. The first service invoice in Brisbane is dated the 18th of November 1982.
The numerous invoices on file show the owner used and enjoyed his TR6 and whenever something needed to be done it was done. The car was serviced on a regular basis by various British classic car specialists in the Brisbane area.
Fast forward to 2009 and by that time the car was starting to show its age. The paint was looking a little tired and the owner decided to engage the services of highly regarded restoration shop Sleeping Beauties in Brisbane to freshen up his car. His beloved TR6 was stripped back to bare metal and some repair work was required before the car was repainted in its original colour. At the time the odometer read approximately 90, 000 miles. There are photos on file showing the work carried out. The engine remained in situ and it was only the exterior of the car that was repainted.
From 2007 onwards the majority of the maintenance and servicing has been completed by local Triumph specialist Greg Tunstall Mechanical. The most recent service was completed on the 22nd of November 2024. In addition to a standard service the car received new sway bar bushes, new tie rods & boots and a new windscreen washer pump.
Today this Triumph TR6 presents really well. The colour scheme of a white exterior with the black rear panel and the tan interior is nicely complemented by the painted wire wheels, a combination that really suits the car.
Whilst the car now caries what is best described as an older repaint, it still presents nicely. The paint is generally in good condition with the exception of the top of the rear guards on both sides, where the paint has started to peel along the seam. When the car was repainted the windscreen was not removed. The windscreen rubber is therefore most likely original and it is hard, cracked and showing its age. That said, it is functional and still doing its job.
Walking around this Triumph TR6 you can’t help but admire how well this car has withstood the test of time. All the panel gaps are still very good, all the glass and lenses present well and all the bright work on the car is still in good condition.
The wire wheels were also repainted back in 2009 and still present well. They are shod with Vredestein Sprint classic tyres, size 185 HR15. The tyres are date stamped 4408 (week 44, 2008) and whilst they still look to be in good condition, they should be replaced based on age if the next owner considers doing some serious driving with the car.
Under the bonnet everything is dry and clean. The engine bay was not part of the respray in 2009 and therefore is 100% original. The paint on the wheel arches has cracked as you will see from our photos. We have inspected the car on our hoist and were pleasantly surprised how good the car was. There is some very light surface corrosion visible here and there, but other than that everything is in a very good condition.
Open the door and you are welcomed by a very inviting interior. It is very original and still in excellent condition. The high back seats present well with no rips or tears in the vinyl. They are comfortable and still provide plenty of support. The carpets are all in good condition and the same can be said for the dashboard. All the instruments and controls present well.
The car retains its original factory hard top, soft top and tonneau cover. All present well and their condition is totally consistent with the rest of the car.
The overall presentation of the car is best described as being like your favourite leather jacket. Whilst the car presents with light wear and tear here and there, just like a well worn leather jacket, you want to use and enjoy the car just as you want to keep wearing your jacket! Everything about this car just reinforces the fact that it has had one caring and very dedicated owner.
Ever since the car arrived in our showroom we have been keen to take it out for a test drive. Just like most cars from that period it does require a choke to start from cold. You turn the ignition on, pull the choke out, wait a few seconds for the fuel pump to do its work and then you turn the key further. This car starts at first crank, even from cold, and then very quickly settles into a smooth idle. You can almost immediately push the choke back and feather the accelerator to warm up the engine. This TR6 has a raspy exhaust note that puts a smile on your face.
Out on the open road this car just goes about its business. Overall, it drives really well. The engine has plenty of power, the gear changes are smooth both up and down the box and importantly the car feels solid on the road. The overdrive works well, it engages and disengages instantaneously. On our test drive all the instruments appeared to be in good working order.
Over the years we have sold a number of Triumph TR6’s, including some really lovely examples. There are always a few of them on the market, however, we have never come across one like this anywhere in the world!
If only it could talk . . . imagine the stories about all the family adventures it could tell!
The Triumph TR6 is the quintessential British sports car and this is truly a unique opportunity for an astute purchaser to acquire a well sorted, fully documented example that is offered from single family ownership from new.
Accompanying the car is the most extensive history file which contains the original purchase invoice, delivery documents, its British Leyland Passport to Service, invoices from 1972 through until 2024 and more. There is also is a hard top, a soft top, a soft top cover, tonneau cover, the original UK number plates, toolkit, jack and a spare wheel.
Just wow!!!
Highlights:
- Single family ownership from new.
- Incredible history file, starting with the delivery invoice from 1972.
- Beautifully presented car with just the right amount of patina.
- An absolute delight to drive.
- Ready to use and enjoy.
Price AUD $43, 950.
Background:
In 1885 Siegfried Bettmann, a German living in London, founded S. Bettmann & Co and started importing bicycles from Europe. Initially, he was selling them under his own trade name, however, in 1886 the name changed to Triumph. In 1897 the company was renamed as the Triumph Cycle Co Ltd and in 1902 the company started producing motor cycles at their factory in Coventry. Business was booming, thanks to big orders from the British Army which needed motor cycles during the First World War and by 1918 Triumph had become Britain’s largest manufacturer of motor cycles.
In 1921 Bettmann acquired the assets of the defunct Dawson Car Company and started producing cars. The first car to wear the Triumph name was the Triumph 10/ 20. This car and its immediate successors were only produced in small numbers, however, that all changed with the introduction of the Triumph Super 7 in 1927. This car was a success and it was sold in large numbers through until 1934.
In 1930 the name of the company was officially changed to the Triumph Motor Company. Times were tough and Triumph was struggling to compete with larger car companies. The company started having financial problems and in 1936 the bicycle and motorcycle business were sold to Jack Sangster of Arial. In 1939 the Triumph Motor Company went into receivership and the factory, equipment and goodwill were offered for sale. They were sold, but the Second World War stopped production and the Triumph factory was completely destroyed by bombing in 1940.
After the Second World War, what was left of the Triumph Motor Company and the trade name were purchased by the Standard Motor Company. In 1946 the first new Triumph, the 1800 Roadster, was released to directly compete with Jaguar. In 1950 the company decided to use the Triumph name for all sports models and the Standard name for saloon cars. History now says that this was a strategically brilliant move as it signalled the birth of the Triumph TR series cars.
The TR series Triumphs stand as iconic British sports cars that are well known and loved by enthusiasts all over the world. It started back in 1952 when the Triumph 20TS, a prototype sports car which later became known as the TR1, was shown at the London Motor Show. Reactions were mixed, however, Triumph thought they were on to a good thing and the prototype evolved into the TR2 that was subsequently shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1953. Triumph built over 8, 500 of these 1991cc 4 cylinder sports cars from 1953 – 1955 and as they say the rest was history. The model evolved into the TR3 (produced from 1955 – 1962), the TR4 (built from 1961 – 1965), the TR4A (built from 1965 – 1967), the TR5 (built from 1967 – 1968) and ultimately the TR6 (1969 – 1976). Subsequent TR models were interesting cars, but it is fair to say the evolution of the TR2 finished at the TR6.
Triumph built 91, 850 TR6s during its 7 year production run, the majority of which were left hand drive and sold into the United States.
