Triumph TR250 vs. Triumph TR6

I've driven three TR6s, one of them was a two owner car with me as the second owner. I had it completely restored and ended up selling it in less than a month. Several reasons.

If I could afford it right now (I'm deep into two MGA resurrections and an Austin A35 resuscitation) I'd own a TR4A. I just love the "face" of that car !

There was a green TR250 with the silver fender strip at my High School back in 1975. I have loved them since then.

Spitsix wrote: There was a green TR250 with the silver fender strip at my High School back in 1975. I have loved them since then.

I bet it was owned by a student not a teacher. When I was in high school all the cool cars were in the student parking lot.

My science teacher drove an M-chassis TVR.

It wasn't that he was really cool, he was beyond such considerations. A class of his own, you know the type?

In reply to TeamEvil: Your teachers must have been paid a ton more than ours!

I knew students who drove new Porsches, Corvettes, & Healys, etc. to school long before they graduated. In fact I "dated" a girl whose father bought her a new '63 Corvette so she wouldn't be ashamed when her "best friend," who was a year older and had a license showed up for class in her new TR-4. My "date" wasn't old enough to get a license. I dated her only because whoever dated her got to drive her to school every day in her new Corvette.

Most of our teachers were lucky to drive a three to five year old beater to school. Many of my fellow students arrived in what their C.E.O., V.P., etc. fathers could buy for them. Even when they weren't even old enough yet to have their license.

Having been born and raised on a hard scrabble farm, I was thrilled to go to any highly rated school. If I could also drive a rich bitch's car provided by her dad, so much the better!

In reply to Rupert:

I'd say that isn't the norm... at least it wasn't at my high school. A couple of kids during my senior year had very nice cars. One because his father owned a successful construction company (he drove a Pantera) and another was bought a new Mitsubishi Starion because she was a brain and got a full ride to an Ivy League school - so her parents took some of the money they had been saving for college and bought her a new car. (I graduated in 1988). The rest of us mostly drove beaters and hand-me downs.

I've never been tempted to own a LBC, but to my taste, the TR-4, 4A and 250 are far and away the best looking Triumphs. My older brother, OTOH, had (in order) a MG-TF, MG-TD, TR-3A (we went coast-to-coast in that one), a AH 3000 w/ side curtains and another 3000 with roll-up windows. Then he had a '69 AMX 390, which was a really nice machine. It was all downhill after that one.

I remember from high school that my English teacher had a faded Peugeot 304, the chemistry teacher had a new Capri 1600, the music teacher a trashed '59 Impala and the physics teacher a VW Beetle.

I graduated in 87...and in 86 bought my history teachers Fiat 124 Special...sedan. It was a nice olive with tan seats!

It did have 4 wheel disks and the same basic suspension as a spider. Big fun, when it ran!

Leo

In reply to Ian F: My favorite of the student rides in my high school student parking lot in 1964, belonged to a friend on mine. She had a '59 Desoto Adventurer 2-dr. hardtop with the wedge motor and twin 4Brls.! It had a rectangular steering wheel, push button transmission, swing out bucket seat when the door opened, it had it all.

Unfortunately. She was too smart to let me drive it!

Graduated in '75. Female English teacher had a new '73 Corvette 454/4speed. Serious lust on two levels. This was the gas crisis when you could own a serious muscle car for nothing. I had a '68 GTO, friends owned a Cutlass S 455/4speed, '67 Chevelle SS 427/4speed, flip front end, '69 Corvette 427 tri-power 435hp/4speed, Mustang Boss 429/4speed.

If only we had stashed them in a garage instead of selling them for nothing...

If you live in the Boston area, you can understand when I say I had a Boch in my high school class. Apparently the son had the pick of whatever floated into their dealership's used car lot, so lots of interesting machinery showed up. One I remember was an early Thunderbird with the"porthole" hard top...

And one of the teachers had a Stingray convertible. Rumor was he was retired military (injury) plus family money... In college friends had some interesting stuff. A Sunbeam Alpine, a new Pontiac GTO Judge convert, a 2002, and so on...

Interesting story on the Judge. I saw that very car, fully restored, at a car show last year. It had to be that one, since it was the only judge convertible produced that year with that color.

Stu

"I had a Boch in my high school class."

COME ON DOWN ! ! ! ! !

This discussion is a matter of to each his own. I had a '65 TR4A ( live axle ) during senior year of high school and first year of college. It was a great car. Removable soft top. I had some really great times in that car but sold it to get something with a back seat. I got a '68 396/375 Camaro. Then the gas crisis hit and I really couldn't afford the 8MPG so I got a '71 TR6 that I kept through the rest of college. After college I got another TR4A - a '67 this time that was warmed over and it was blast to drive. It also had the live axle. I could really feel a kick in the pants at about 2600 RPMS. It was rear ended on the Schuylkill Expressway one night and was totaled. Then I got a rough TR250 with frame rust. I drove it for a couple years and then I replaced that one with a low mileage, two owner 250 in '80 - which is the 250 I still have now. Having said all that, IMO the TR6 was a bit more civilized than the 4A's - smoother and nicer ride. The 250, again IMO, was a bit 'rougher' than the 6 but had more of a classic feel to it and again, IMO, looks better.

I'll keep the 250, lust after a TR5, have a soft spot for the 4 / 4A's, and will like the USA spec 6's from afar.

Triumph, having owned, 4 spits, GT6, TR4/6/250 and all the parts that come with them:

I'm happy to say, after the first 1/2 of my fun driving life, owning 356A Supers for some 20 years I switched to a TR4a, and Triumphs in general. At the same time I also bought a ‘69 tr6. Both were in very good condition. After ten years I sold the TR4a for what I paid for it and bought a very, very good condition TR250. The TR4 had a lot of miles and needed a good refresh. I used it every day except on salted roads. I took it on many week long vacations all over New England and eastern NY.

I never been stuck on the side of the road, ever. A generator wire fell off the generator once. I put it back on when I saw the needle reading 12VDC. One Saturday at 6:am I backed it out of the garage on my way to, Chatham Cape Cod and the clutch failed. Five hours later I backed out again and had a late lunch of Scallops and fries. I did keep a slew of radiator, hydraulic cylinders, exhaust pipe, regulators, disks, bearings, but seldom needed anything. It was still very dependable even when I sold it.

ThatTR6 I bought at the same time - I drove it all of 4 times for maybe 100 miles, that's it. I always took the TR4 over the TR6. For me the TR4 did not have to prove it’s self as a fast sports car for me it’s more an avatar for the golden age of classic sport motoring. My ’69 TR6 is not a fast car, it’s quick but it’s that exhaust sound that makes it appeal to me. The Triumph 6cyl engine - if I cannot be serenaded via, a Jag or DB 6cyl ($) then the sound of a strong Triumph 6cyl is a soothing alternative.

When I bought the TR250 a few years ago. I expected the same dependability and wonderful exhaust note that I’ve grown accustomed to. Simply stated, the TR250 has been a wonderful contributor to my memory of calm back road sport driving. I’ve grown to think of it as an affordable, dare I say, DB5. The TR5 spec would be nice, but it would come at a cost in M.P.G. and I suspect wear, so I’m comfortable with it’s lesser performance. So, by all means I find a TR6, soundly satisfying a TR4 visually satisfying and the, TR250 most satisfying.

just my MHO

Frank

"So, by all means I find a TR6, soundly satisfying a TR4 visually satisfying and the, TR250 most satisfying."

X2

Absolutely ! ! ! ! !

My first new car was a BRG TR-250 bought in '68 with money earned as a summer farm worker in Wisconsin in '68 and '69. I flew to Houston and drove it back from the port. I had a strong emotional attachment to the TR-4 and was distressed that my car would have IRS and a very mild 6. I should have bought a used 4.

Still, it was a great car for me, very reliable but for one front wheel bearing. I sold it in '74 at 86,000 miles to finance a Lotus Europa. I always loved just looking at it. Never warmed up to the TR-6 but I agree with comments made about its styling. A good-looking car, just not what got me excited.

In reply to Rupert:

Saw a SCCA trailer @ Mid Ohio, guy raced a TR7, on the trailer it said "the shape of things that break"

I thought the TR4A and TR250 both had independent rear suspension. Now I'm confused. What precisely was the evolution of the rear suspension? I used to prefer the TR6 styling, but today, I have to say that the earlier styling is pretty darned cool. The only TR I have driven was a 3, which belonged to one of my buddy's fathers. I thought it was great at the time. Big old steering wheel and cut down doors.

A guy I used to work with had one of those targa top TR4s. It was all lowered and hot rodded. It was an autocross car. It was pretty cool, but he tore the oil pan at an intersection leaving work one day. I laughed, but years later had the same problem with my Seven.

Anyway, just what is the progression on TR rear suspension?

In reply to 850Combat:

The original TR4 had a live axle. Mine was a 1964 and was still a live axle. Not sure what year the TR4 IRS came out but that was carried on to the TR250/5 and TR6. Ironically the TR7 went back to a solid axle.

I've got a 4 speed TR7 center section and cut down TR7 axles installed in the Triumph Standard 10 housing on my Seven. These axles are much stronger. The housing had to be drilled and retapped for larger diameter studs for the nose piece, and the drive shaft modified accordingly. It also allowed an LSD to be installed.

TR8owner wrote:

In reply to 850Combat:

The original TR4 had a live axle. Mine was a 1964 and was still a live axle. Not sure what year the TR4 IRS came out but that was carried on to the TR250/5 and TR6. Ironically the TR7 went back to a solid axle.

Triumph was conservative as far as making changes and losing customers was concerned. They continued the TR-3 as a TR-3B after TR-4 production started in case some customers preferred the earlier styling. They also made about 1/4 of the TR-4As with live axles for the same reason. In that case it was a good thing as the IRS had poorly chosen spring rates and the handling suffered (it was much better once you stuck higher rate rear springs in as they did on the race cars).

I had a 4A with IRS in college. They were not without their issues. After driving a live axle car, I would have preferred that to be honest. For an IRS, there wasn't a lot of travel.

In '70 started with a '67GT6.Loved it - custom tail-lights, Stebro exhaust, and weak rear. Not longer after stolen in Chicago - in broad daylight! In '75, in Dallas, got my hands on a TR250, had drooled over these at British Leyland dealer on 64th&Western(Chicago). Still own though currently engine fried. On Ebay found NOS...Stebro exhaust. If you've heard one, you know of what I speak. Now all's I need is an engine! I love the TR6, to supply all the mechanical parts I may need. The 250's the best -shhhh, tell no one.

I've owned a 64 MGB, 69 GT6+ and now a 72 TR6. The GT is a go-cart mini racer, the MG is a two seat daily driver. The TR6 is a sports car cruiser, with good looks (and of course the wood dash!). Owning a 40 year old british car for me is about the look and feel. If I wanted a reliable daily driver I would get a Honda. If I could spare the $ I would pour lots of money into an E type Jag. But for the money the TR6 looks great, and is a lot of fun to drive. Working on it is part of the fun.

Owned several Triumphs over the years as well as a '71 Datsun 240Z. I've also had the opportunity to have driven MGs, Austin Healeys, Jaguars, and Morgan's. All in all, I've found the Triumph GT6 to be the most underrated and under appreciated of all British cars produced. Aside from its beautiful-from-every-angle Giovanni Michelotti styling, it, too, produced 104hp as did the TR250. However, the GT6 was less than 1,800 lbs. and it's 2 liter six propelled it effortlessly. For some reason, the GT6 has been overlooked. I found it to be, by far, one of the best British cars ever.