Love the old TR’s! Had a ‘68 TR250 about 1973. Drove it all over Southern CA, back when the state was still a free paradise. Loved putting the top down and cruising out to Malibu thru the canyons, by Pepperdine U. Miss that car very much. 😔
Well as a Brit' who is restoring the 11th earliest TR6 in exsistance (in Royal Blue ) l should be tut tutting but it's actually a superb example and although mine has the 150 bhp petrol injection , how can anyone object to that gorgeous V8 ! Lets be honest , it' s a great alternative to a Sunbeam Tiger ! Additionally, this TR6 has been very carefully and well executed in your modifications. Well done and hope it gives you many miles of exhilarating motoring.
Might thought exactly, like a Sunbeam Tiger (but better looking IMHO). Nice execution. It almost looked factory as opposed to being cobbled together. I'd drive it!
I've seen Miata's and old Z's with small block v-8s but never a Triumph. These cars are very light and the engine shakes it. Very fast and loud. You'll weigh five pounds less after an hour drive. This guy did a great job on the build.
My friend had a red Sunbeam Tiger (260 Ford V8). Spent forever restoring/improving it and never finished it, when his Aorta blew out. If I had the money and place to store/work on it, I would have bought it from his wife. I hope it found a loving home. Brit 2-seater convertibles with power..... Talk about all kinds of fun! He bought it in 77 or so. When they were still a steal compared to now. I remember the thrill of being pinned to the seat when he stomped on it! Farewell DB. I wish you got to shine driving it all finished!
Ford 260 was a beautiful engine. I had a ‘63 Falcon with that engine. I wish I had a 4 speed trans on it, as that would have made all the difference. The 3 speed was ok, for 1963, but highways improved, and speeds increased. Then again, those old drum brakes could only handle so much speed.
For those who are curious, the two most popular V8's to swap into a small car are the Aluminum Rover 4.0L, and the Ford 302. The 302 has a shorter deck height than the 351W, so even though they share some parts, the 302 is narrower and shorter. The 302 can be stroked to 330 and 347, but for the TR6, I think the stock 302 is plenty. More torque would simply spin the tires more instead of accelerating.
@@1badhaircut Nice, mate. I'm told the Rover 4.0L was copied under license from the 215, but it's hard to find a 215 here. Tons of 302's and 4.0L's still available even today.
About 15 years ago I put a Ford 302 into a 1984 Mazda RX-7, drove it for 9 years and sold it, mainly because I kept doing car projects and ran out of garage space. It was a fun car, very reliable and handled the power with no problem. I have another 84 RX-7 which I drove for years with a mildly hopped up rotary, then converted to a 2.0 Skyline engine and trans, rated at 215 HP. It is not quite as fast as the 302, but MUCH nicer to drive, gas mileage in the high 20s mpg in all around driving, 30+ on the highway. I have owned a lot of British, German and Italian sports cars, but this Skyline powered RX-7 is my favorite.
@@benharrison2391 Last year I saw a bunch of youtubes that had an LS swap, so I did a deep dive on them, and I came away impressed. They are the same physical size as a Chevy 350, and there are millions of them because they were put in Chevy trucks and SUV's. Ben, would a modern V6 fit easily in the RX's? Or is an inline-6 the way to go as far as being able to find one? Some of the 2000's Lexus had a 3.0L inline...are there other RWD I-6's that would be an easy fit?
@@ronaldroberts7221 The first generation RX-7 has a very roomy engine compartment, strong frame rails and fairly sturdy rear end, assuming you aren't going for really high torque and power. An excellent swap is the Toyota Supra type 2JZ 3.0 or the 1JZ 2.5 (Japan only), or the Nissan Skyline RB20 2.0 or RB25 2.5 engines. These were fairly easy to find 15-20 years ago, but many of them are now 25 year old, so the complete car can be imported to the U.S. and the engines are harder to get from Japan. The ultimate choice for me would be the 1998-2003 Skyline RB25DET NEO, about 270 hp, developed specifically for low emissions and high fuel economy to get a more favorable tax in Japan. This is the last of the straight sixes, both Toyota and Nissan went to V6s, much more complicated, apparently high maintenance and not so popular with the tuner crowd. If you haven't done swaps, something smaller and lighter would be easier - A Toyota Alteeza BEAMS motor is normally aspirated, 4 cylinder, variable intake and exhaust valve timing, has very good power and fuel economy, available with a 6 speed, and still available for a fair price. Suggest you read up on these and find someone who imports these motors from Japan. Should be some on Ebay.
You are lucky never to had one. ALL triumphs are junk. I have driven tr250, tr3, tr4, tr6, tr7, spitfires, and gt6... ALL junk... Too heavy, poorly built, in terribly designed.
What an excellent example! Not sure I have ever thought about or seen a V8 swapped car before. Love that blue. I think looks the best on the TR6. Who are the people giving this video a thumbs down? Must all be MG fans...lol. Just kidding!
Now that was a sports car and if you just had to have more power the 289 had endless possibilities. If nothing else a 289 HiPo would slide in. A guy at my university had one in a beautiful aqua color and I have wanted one ever since. But settled for a Triumph TR4A and had lots of fun and believe it or not never an electrical problem. Saw a bumper sticker on the back of an MG B: " whf do the English drink warm beer? Because Lucas makes their refrigerators"
While I love the TR6 and the sound of it's inline six, I can appreciate the quality of the work that went into this car. Anyone getting bent about the fact that it has a V8 "under the hood" needs to realize that this isn't the first British car that had an American V8 as the AC Ace/Cobra, the Triumph TR8, the MGB GTV8, the Rover 3500 and Rover SD1 3500 as well as the Sunbeam Tiger are all prime examples of this English cars and Yankee V8's.
Cars like the Triumph TR8, MGB V8, Rover 3500 and SD1 all used the Rover V8, made in England by Rover Cars. It was once a Buick, but the design was sold to Rover circa 1964
@@85waspnest The Daimler 250 had a Daimler V8 engine of 2.5 litres. There was also a 4.5 litre version of the engine. TVR used the Rover V8. Triumph Stag had an ohc 3 litre V8 based on the 1850cc Triumph Dolomite engine. The Gordon Keeble had Corvette engines and box, the Bristol and Jensen Interceptor got Chrysler power
This is a superb and thoughtful powerplant. Congrats on such a nice job. I would love to own and drive that car! Beautifully balanced all round performance and handling I'm sure.
Having driven virtually every type of triumph I have yet to find one that handles any better than a shopping cart. When they are running that is. If you own any triumph, expect to do a lot of walking.
Original owner 1974 tr6 also...44k miles......when i drive it it makes me feel like im 18 again.....would love the power of a V8.....your sweet ride must really scoot when you punch it!.......Your car is pure Cherry!....enjoy!
Very nice job. I used to have a Tr-4/ford with a 289. Awesome car with alum heads, manifold,water pump - it weighs less than a triumph 6 cyclinder. Looked like it was meant for engine compartment. May do another project. Tr4 or tr6. Yours looks beautiful
@@robertslaughter7044 any real reason you don't like tr6s enough to comment this so much? It's not like you can swap the drive train and suspension lmao
I spent about 6 years working for a British sports car specialist and a good part of the work was on the TR6. Problems aside, I always liked them. The chassis is a well known weak point even with the six including the weak diff mount. I would be interested to know what was done with this conversion in these areas. Nice video but much more interesting and useful if it had commentary and included information on the conversion process.
yes I agree I've seen so many nice cars but when you actually see them on the lift you can tell that it's not the best I jokingly say and not to bad mouth any professional the body is fantastick but the mechanical should have been done by a mechanic altho this was a very nice
Beautiful beautiful car... Why on earth would anybody not keep it 100% stock??? The original Triumph engine sound is part of the charm. I admit I am a purist.
Beautiful. Beautiful beautiful. Classy and the only thing I would change is where it sleeps…I’d prefer my garage! Thank you for sharing a job well done.
I owned a 68 1/2 TR 250. British Racing Green. Those cars were a TR4A body style with Triumps first 6 cylinder. It had a bigger transmission to handle the 6 cylinder. Fun little car. The next year I believe they came out with the TR 6
Delightfully succinct and very well edited video covering such an endeavor. Had my attention peaked when I noticed the a.n. plumbing fwd on the driver's side bank. Not really relevant but hopefully you have a vintage 289 as the base for your mill's build replete with a crank-scraper and a dry sump system! NICE job on the transplant, too, sir!!
First time I"ve seen this swap and its very interesting and seems superbly executed. Great vision on the part pf the builder. Probably not that big a weight difference between the small block Ford and the iron 6. Probably decent handling. VERY nice.
If that SBF has alloy heads it is actually lighter than the Triumph 6. Those British engines were engineered before the development of thin-wall cast iron technology.
I worked for a UK Triumph dealer in 1971/2. Although I loved the TR6 my enthusiasm was dampened when every new car came off the delivery transporter popping and banging. Some wouldn''t start at all and had to be physically pushed off. I remember one broke down on a demo drive which was most embarassing, the guy bought an MGB instead. The new fangled Lucas petrol injection system was a pain, they'd have been better with twin US spec. Stromburgs, or better still, triple SU's. Now, if Triumph had fitted a V8 I'd have been chomping at the bit to buy one.
I had a U.S. spec. '69 TR6 back in the mid 70's. Mine spent an inordinate amount of time in the shop for one thing or another. When it worked, I loved driving it. In fact to re-gain some of that charm, I recently bought a 2020 Mazda Miata soft top. They now have 181 HP in a car that weighs only 2350 lbs. It's a blast to drive! Folks have put V8's in them but I'd think it would upset the near perfect balance.
I bought a Honda S2000 new in 2002 for the same reason. All the fun of those British sports cars but with better performance and reliability. My S2000 is still sitting in my garage 19 years later.
@@kenster865 I bought a 2006 Mazda MX5 (Miata) with 47,000 miles in 2015. It has never failed to start and hasn't given a moment of trouble over the last 6 years. The only parts needed - Oils, Filters, plugs, brake pads, tyres, battery and a rear exhaust. Without doubt the most fun and reliable car I've owned in over 50 years of driving.
That small block Ford is a brilliant engine. Why more British manufacturers didn't use it is a mystery. That straight 6 in the Triumph originally isn't half the engine the Ford is. The Rover (Buick 215ci) V8 found it's way into so many British cars, but with some ali heads, again, the Ford is so much the better engine.
Beautiful car! I love the fit of the V8, with the use of a remote oil filter. I realize it is supposed to be there, but the grey reinforcing strip around the top simply makes it look unfinished. That being said, you should be proud of the job you have done. You have elevated your TR6 to the next level.
Tiger was my instant thought as well. And I have always loved the Tiger. But to see the thought carried out technically? I love it! Whip cream on top....No Lucas 😂
Nice car and it looks like it runs good. Cograts on a well done swap. But this reminds me of a guy who was the local Engine Swap King (in his mind) My brother had a friend who would take on all sorts of ridiculous car conversions. His personal car was a 71 1/2 camaro that he swapped the small block for a 427. Anyone who knows how Chevy made their rare 427 Camaro's knows that this is not an easily accomplished swap and that the mods under the hood were extensive, requiring pretty much everything to be modified to make room for the big block. My brother's friend instead just cut out all the sheet metal that impeded shoe-horning the new engine under the hood and mounted the engine and suspension onto a subframe he welded up from (honestly) railroad rails. Yes, it was stiff enough but the car was atrociously nose heavy. After he built that monstrosity he turned his attentions to rebuilding a Lotus Europa which I never saw finished. A few years later the same guy sold a friend of mine a Triumph Spitfire retrofited with a Ford Capri V6. It had headers built of iron plumbing pipe: leaky and noisy. My friend made the mistake of taking his bride on their honeymoon in that car. The Spitfire spent most of the trip on a tow hook. The marriage failed too. Years later I had a neighbor at my apartment complex who owned a beautiful metallic pearl white TR6 with wide BBS rims with low profile tires. This car looked fantastic! I never saw the car start up or move until the day I saw him pushing the car to a new parking spot. I asked him about it. He said the apartment manager needed to see the car move occasionally or he'd be accused of having a 'non-operable vehicle" in the parking lot. He and some friends would move it while the manager wasn't around. The engine ran but the differential crown gear was destroyed. After talking to him for a while I figured out he'd bought the car from my brother's friend. This TR6 had a mid-'80s Z28 motor and transmission stuffed in it. No effort to fortify the rest of the drive train was made and the crown gear was the fuse that kept blowing as torque from the small block was enough to strip the teeth off it in 1st and 2nd gears. When you popped the hood you saw this beautiful expanse of aluminum trim panels surrounding the engine and shrouding the radiator. They had to be removed to service anything but they were all held in place by a multitude of pop rivets, yes, pop rivets, not 1/4 turns or screws, pop-rivets. You couldn't even top off the radiator without drilling out a bunch of pop-rivets!
Dude having had one years ago in the UK , yours is the best thing I've ever seen done to one because the old straight six injection was a pile of shit they should have made them with this engine like the conversion on the old Sunbeam Tiger Awesome build mate 😁😁🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Well it looks great, but I wonder what the F/R weight distribution is? I couldn't help noticing that the motor was not stuffed into the firewall as with a Tiger.
Actually the TR6 was pretty well-balanced in stock form. I think it's possible that it could end end up rear-heavy this way. Now I'm going to have to root around and find out.
Back in the mid 80's my friend in the Marine Corp had one, sure wish it had a Ford setup as I came from a Ford family. Being one of the few car guys in the barracks, he came to me for help. Getting the timing lash set correctly and the carb's in tune was a total nightmare, never having worked on a European car before. I don't think I've worked on another since.
God is that CLEAN, or what. I've done some American 6 to 8 conversions, but this has me wowed. And manual transmission too. Rear differential swap too? What engine? 260? 289? It certainly has no problem getting up to speed without even trying. And we won't even talk about how straight the body is. It sounds marvelous.
I’ve been thinking about getting one but I’m 6 foot tall and I’m worried that my knees will be in the dash as it appears yours might be what is your experience with that do you have enough legroom?
Absolutely superbly executed. I wonder how the handling is. Looks like the 302 is back a bit, but it's so much heavier than the little Brit 6, I hope it didn't throw off the balance.
If British Leyland had only done this to the TR6 like they did with the Sunbeam Tiger and AC Cobra they would still be in business. I have owned a TR3A, TR3B, and an Austin-Healy 100 which had a 6-cylinder engine like the TR6. While it was pleasant to drive, there is nothing like power in a small car to make it more fun. The same thing with the early Datsun 240Z which also had a straight 6 in it. There was actually a company that did V8 conversions for them and it made it a true sports car. To make it a truly reliable car, the entire Lucas electrical system would have to be replaced and the British suspension, both were terrible.
Not only a V8 conversion, but an old school V8 at that. I want one of those.
Love the old TR’s! Had a ‘68 TR250 about 1973. Drove it all over Southern CA, back when the state was still a free paradise. Loved putting the top down and cruising out to Malibu thru the canyons, by Pepperdine U. Miss that car very much. 😔
Well as a Brit' who is restoring the 11th earliest TR6 in exsistance (in Royal Blue ) l should be tut tutting but it's actually a superb example and although mine has the 150 bhp petrol injection , how can anyone object to that gorgeous V8 ! Lets be honest , it' s a great alternative to a Sunbeam Tiger ! Additionally, this TR6 has been very carefully and well executed in your modifications. Well done and hope it gives you many miles of exhilarating motoring.
Yes...this TR6-8 Was done right!!!!
It looks great but the ride is really poor on this, a TR6 on standard rubber rides a lot better than this.
Might thought exactly, like a Sunbeam Tiger (but better looking IMHO). Nice execution. It almost looked factory as opposed to being cobbled together. I'd drive it!
Why? If you have a triumph that is drivable, drive it to a junk yard, and save your self a lot of trouble and embarrassment.
@@robertslaughter7044 Why are you here?
TR6 was always one of the great looking cars. The proportions are so right. Love how they make the wheels and tires look so much larger than they are.
What are those wheels on the TR6?
@@robells6759replica Minilites
I've seen Miata's and old Z's with small block v-8s but never a Triumph. These cars are very light and the engine shakes it. Very fast and loud. You'll weigh five pounds less after an hour drive. This guy did a great job on the build.
Superb installation. Lovely car, the alloy wheels really set it off.
My friend had a red Sunbeam Tiger (260 Ford V8). Spent forever restoring/improving it and never finished it, when his Aorta blew out. If I had the money and place to store/work on it, I would have bought it from his wife. I hope it found a loving home. Brit 2-seater convertibles with power..... Talk about all kinds of fun! He bought it in 77 or so. When they were still a steal compared to now. I remember the thrill of being pinned to the seat when he stomped on it! Farewell DB. I wish you got to shine driving it all finished!
Ford 260 was a beautiful engine. I had a ‘63 Falcon with that engine. I wish I had a 4 speed trans on it, as that would have made all the difference. The 3 speed was ok, for 1963, but highways improved, and speeds increased. Then again, those old drum brakes could only handle so much speed.
For those who are curious, the two most popular V8's to swap into a small car are the Aluminum Rover 4.0L, and the Ford 302. The 302 has a shorter deck height than the 351W, so even though they share some parts, the 302 is narrower and shorter. The 302 can be stroked to 330 and 347, but for the TR6, I think the stock 302 is plenty. More torque would simply spin the tires more instead of accelerating.
I put the Buick 215 into a few Brit cars and they were each great and greatly improved. Had a TR8 - a sweetheart.
@@1badhaircut Nice, mate. I'm told the Rover 4.0L was copied under license from the 215, but it's hard to find a 215 here. Tons of 302's and 4.0L's still available even today.
About 15 years ago I put a Ford 302 into a 1984 Mazda RX-7, drove it for 9 years and sold it, mainly because I kept doing car projects and ran out of garage space. It was a fun car, very reliable and handled the power with no problem. I have another 84 RX-7 which I drove for years with a mildly hopped up rotary, then converted to a 2.0 Skyline engine and trans, rated at 215 HP. It is not quite as fast as the 302, but MUCH nicer to drive, gas mileage in the high 20s mpg in all around driving, 30+ on the highway. I have owned a lot of British, German and Italian sports cars, but this Skyline powered RX-7 is my favorite.
@@benharrison2391 Last year I saw a bunch of youtubes that had an LS swap, so I did a deep dive on them, and I came away impressed. They are the same physical size as a Chevy 350, and there are millions of them because they were put in Chevy trucks and SUV's. Ben, would a modern V6 fit easily in the RX's? Or is an inline-6 the way to go as far as being able to find one? Some of the 2000's Lexus had a 3.0L inline...are there other RWD I-6's that would be an easy fit?
@@ronaldroberts7221 The first generation RX-7 has a very roomy engine compartment, strong frame rails and fairly sturdy rear end, assuming you aren't going for really high torque and power. An excellent swap is the Toyota Supra type 2JZ 3.0 or the 1JZ 2.5 (Japan only), or the Nissan Skyline RB20 2.0 or RB25 2.5 engines. These were fairly easy to find 15-20 years ago, but many of them are now 25 year old, so the complete car can be imported to the U.S. and the engines are harder to get from Japan. The ultimate choice for me would be the 1998-2003 Skyline RB25DET NEO, about 270 hp, developed specifically for low emissions and high fuel economy to get a more favorable tax in Japan. This is the last of the straight sixes, both Toyota and Nissan went to V6s, much more complicated, apparently high maintenance and not so popular with the tuner crowd.
If you haven't done swaps, something smaller and lighter would be easier - A Toyota Alteeza BEAMS motor is normally aspirated, 4 cylinder, variable intake and exhaust valve timing, has very good power and fuel economy, available with a 6 speed, and still available for a fair price. Suggest you read up on these and find someone who imports these motors from Japan. Should be some on Ebay.
Beautiful car. Very well executed and great attention to detail.
Beautiful TR. Always wanted one when I was in high school.
You are lucky never to had one. ALL triumphs are junk.
I have driven tr250, tr3, tr4, tr6, tr7, spitfires, and gt6... ALL junk... Too heavy, poorly built, in terribly designed.
@@robertslaughter7044 Why are you here?
What an excellent example! Not sure I have ever thought about or seen a V8 swapped car before. Love that blue. I think looks the best on the TR6. Who are the people giving this video a thumbs down? Must all be MG fans...lol. Just kidding!
Let's not forget the Sunbeam Tiger 289.
Now that was a sports car and if you just had to have more power the 289 had endless possibilities. If nothing else a 289 HiPo would slide in. A guy at my university had one in a beautiful aqua color and I have wanted one ever since. But settled for a Triumph TR4A and had lots of fun and believe it or not never an electrical problem. Saw a bumper sticker on the back of an MG B: " whf do the English drink warm beer? Because Lucas makes their refrigerators"
Never forget the first Tiger I saw. Couldn't get one but loved the TR250 I found with original carbs replaced with Webbers and a barely legal exhaust.
I can’t help thinking of Shelby Cobras
A friend owned one. He said it was the scariest thing he ever drove. The chassis just wasn't designed or built to handle the V8 power.
Nice conversion !
That’s the way that car should have come out of the factory.
A friend had one back in the day.
Butterscotch, absolutely beautiful.
They never should have come from the factory in the first place.
Super clean swap and I like that you kept the cars original appearance very nice 👍
I worked on these when they were new in the late 70s, and they never looked this good. Well done.
While I love the TR6 and the sound of it's inline six, I can appreciate the quality of the work that went into this car. Anyone getting bent about the fact that it has a V8 "under the hood" needs to realize that this isn't the first British car that had an American V8 as the AC Ace/Cobra, the Triumph TR8, the MGB GTV8, the Rover 3500 and Rover SD1 3500 as well as the Sunbeam Tiger are all prime examples of this English cars and Yankee V8's.
The TVR GRIFFIN had a hp 289 Ford and I think the triumph STAG Had a small v-8 .the Jensen -healey had a 383 mopar .ah those were the days .
Not to forget the Daimler SP250 Dart, TVR Griffith & Tuscan, Triumph Stag, Gordon Keeble, Bristol and Jenson Interceptor.
Cars like the Triumph TR8, MGB V8, Rover 3500 and SD1 all used the Rover V8, made in England by Rover Cars. It was once a Buick, but the design was sold to Rover circa 1964
@@85waspnest The Daimler 250 had a Daimler V8 engine of 2.5 litres. There was also a 4.5 litre version of the engine. TVR used the Rover V8. Triumph Stag had an ohc 3 litre V8 based on the 1850cc Triumph Dolomite engine.
The Gordon Keeble had Corvette engines and box, the Bristol and Jensen Interceptor got Chrysler power
Not forgetting Jensen
Great work - years ahead of most examples here in the UK.
Very nice, that brief romp on the throttle made me smile.
This is a superb and thoughtful powerplant. Congrats on such a nice job. I would love to own and drive that car! Beautifully balanced all round performance and handling I'm sure.
Having driven virtually every type of triumph I have yet to find one that handles any better than a shopping cart.
When they are running that is.
If you own any triumph, expect to do a lot of walking.
@@robertslaughter7044 Why are you here?
@@wethepeoplearefedup ... To warn others to avoid Triumphs at all costs.
Very Sweet. Looks to be a well considered and executed conversion
Original owner 1974 tr6 also...44k miles......when i drive it it makes me feel like im 18 again.....would love the power of a V8.....your sweet ride must really scoot when you punch it!.......Your car is pure Cherry!....enjoy!
Very nice job. I used to have a Tr-4/ford with a 289. Awesome car with alum heads, manifold,water pump - it weighs less than a triumph 6 cyclinder. Looked like it was meant for engine compartment. May do another project. Tr4 or tr6. Yours looks beautiful
One thing that the original TR6 had going for it over a conversion like this was the unmistakable "note" of the motor and exhaust.
It would have been nice to give more details about what all was done etc.
Exactly what I was thinking Eddy!!! A missed opportunity.
@@tommysfather ... The only missed opportunity that comes to mind, when I'm thinking of triumphs, is the opportunity to avoid this rolling junk
@@robertslaughter7044 Why are you here?
@@robertslaughter7044 any real reason you don't like tr6s enough to comment this so much? It's not like you can swap the drive train and suspension lmao
@@wethepeoplearefedup ... It showed up in my feed. Like trash on the lawn, or in this case, trash in the driveway.
Love it! I had one for a while. Mine had the straight six.
I spent about 6 years working for a British sports car specialist and a good part of the work was on the TR6. Problems aside, I always liked them. The chassis is a well known weak point even with the six including the weak diff mount. I would be interested to know what was done with this conversion in these areas. Nice video but much more interesting and useful if it had commentary and included information on the conversion process.
yes I agree I've seen so many nice cars but when you actually see them on the lift you can tell that it's not the best I jokingly say and not to bad mouth any professional the body is fantastick but the mechanical should have been done by a mechanic altho this was a very nice
Clearly the most reliable and best running TR6 ever built.
Hi. One of my top favorite cars. Beautiful Work.
I love TR6s I have owned a 1971 and a 1976 they are a timeless design I think they will always look great.
That thing is cleaner than the Board of Health. Without a distributor in the back like some SBC boat anchor, it fits in there real nice.
Now that is a proper British sports car.
I had a 1971 TR6 lots of fun ...took alot of tinkering ! I moved on .😃
The Little Windsor fits well in there!!
My youth full unaffordable dream car ,which never came true.Beautiful car.
Beautiful beautiful car... Why on earth would anybody not keep it 100% stock??? The original Triumph engine sound is part of the charm. I admit I am a purist.
I must agree, I'd even go so far as to fit the Lucas PI.
Beautiful build 👍🏻
Beautiful. Beautiful beautiful. Classy and the only thing I would change is where it sleeps…I’d prefer my garage! Thank you for sharing a job well done.
I owned a 68 1/2 TR 250. British Racing Green. Those cars were a TR4A body style with Triumps first 6 cylinder. It had a bigger transmission to handle the 6 cylinder. Fun little car. The next year I believe they came out with the TR 6
Very nicely done.
The engine all old sports cars need beautiful job
What a clean installation! I wouldn’t think it would fit so well though changing that back plug under the steering column must be challenging?
Delightfully succinct and very well edited video covering such an endeavor. Had my attention peaked when I noticed the a.n. plumbing fwd on the driver's side bank. Not really relevant but hopefully you have a vintage 289 as the base for your mill's build replete with a crank-scraper and a dry sump system! NICE job on the transplant, too, sir!!
First time I"ve seen this swap and its very interesting and seems superbly executed. Great vision on the part pf the builder. Probably not that big a weight difference between the small block Ford and the iron 6. Probably decent handling. VERY nice.
If that SBF has alloy heads it is actually lighter than the Triumph 6. Those British engines were engineered before the development of thin-wall cast iron technology.
MESCKO ...............weight for 289s 302s ..........465 with iron heads .........351 w 525 ...... add alum. heads 23lbs per head @@mescko @mescko
I would have loved to have one of these!
You are lucky you never did. Triumphs are the worse British cars ever produced.
@@robertslaughter7044 attitude and ass holes
I worked for a UK Triumph dealer in 1971/2. Although I loved the TR6 my enthusiasm was dampened when every new car came off the delivery transporter popping and banging. Some wouldn''t start at all and had to be physically pushed off. I remember one broke down on a demo drive which was most embarassing, the guy bought an MGB instead. The new fangled Lucas petrol injection system was a pain, they'd have been better with twin US spec. Stromburgs, or better still, triple SU's. Now, if Triumph had fitted a V8 I'd have been chomping at the bit to buy one.
I had a U.S. spec. '69 TR6 back in the mid 70's. Mine spent an inordinate amount of time in the shop for one thing or another. When it worked, I loved driving it. In fact to re-gain some of that charm, I recently bought a 2020 Mazda Miata soft top. They now have 181 HP in a car that weighs only 2350 lbs. It's a blast to drive! Folks have put V8's in them but I'd think it would upset the near perfect balance.
I bought a Honda S2000 new in 2002 for the same reason. All the fun of those British sports cars but with better performance and reliability. My S2000 is still sitting in my garage 19 years later.
@@kenster865 I bought a 2006 Mazda MX5 (Miata) with 47,000 miles in 2015. It has never failed to start and hasn't given a moment of trouble over the last 6 years. The only parts needed - Oils, Filters, plugs, brake pads, tyres, battery and a rear exhaust. Without doubt the most fun and reliable car I've owned in over 50 years of driving.
That small block Ford is a brilliant engine. Why more British manufacturers didn't use it is a mystery. That straight 6 in the Triumph originally isn't half the engine the Ford is. The Rover (Buick 215ci) V8 found it's way into so many British cars, but with some ali heads, again, the Ford is so much the better engine.
And it fits better, the Rover/Buick is wider.
Nicely done. i Own a 1959 MGA with a 327 chevy in it... these cars are transformed when a V8 is placed between the fenders.
In the '60s my best friend's sister had an MGTF with a Ford flathead V8 in it. It was fast in a straight line, don't know about curves.
Beautiful TR6, I swear you were in my hometown on Keefer Road👍👍👍
I was, not there anymore.
@@joelschlotz2504 I wish I could have seen it in person, beautiful car👍
Well done. Very nice, but I would love to see a turbo K Swap in one of these. Easy 500 HP.
Let's go!
Looks like it fits in there quite nicely
Awesome, fantastic job, fantastic car.
Beautiful car! I love the fit of the V8, with the use of a remote oil filter. I realize it is supposed to be there, but the grey reinforcing strip around the top simply makes it look unfinished. That being said, you should be proud of the job you have done. You have elevated your TR6 to the next level.
I can't see a grey reinforcing strip around the oil filter, are you getting confused with the strip around the w/screen wiper motor ?
@@2mallyb I said the grey strip around the convertible top.
@@christophernorgaar6373 Oh sorry! It seemed like you was talking about the remote oil filter. Re-read your post and you'll see what I mean.
@@2mallyb no problem.
it has to be a pretty cool car for me to be that picky.
I believe what your seeing is a reflective safety strip that British Leyland started to use on 1973 Tr6 s
Beautiful machine. Well crafted….
Tiger was my instant thought as well. And I have always loved the Tiger. But to see the thought carried out technically? I love it! Whip cream on top....No Lucas 😂
Beautiful! Perfect wheels for that car.
Thats a clean conversion.
Nice car and it looks like it runs good. Cograts on a well done swap.
But this reminds me of a guy who was the local Engine Swap King (in his mind)
My brother had a friend who would take on all sorts of ridiculous car conversions. His personal car was a 71 1/2 camaro that he swapped the small block for a 427. Anyone who knows how Chevy made their rare 427 Camaro's knows that this is not an easily accomplished swap and that the mods under the hood were extensive, requiring pretty much everything to be modified to make room for the big block. My brother's friend instead just cut out all the sheet metal that impeded shoe-horning the new engine under the hood and mounted the engine and suspension onto a subframe he welded up from (honestly) railroad rails. Yes, it was stiff enough but the car was atrociously nose heavy. After he built that monstrosity he turned his attentions to rebuilding a Lotus Europa which I never saw finished.
A few years later the same guy sold a friend of mine a Triumph Spitfire retrofited with a Ford Capri V6. It had headers built of iron plumbing pipe: leaky and noisy. My friend made the mistake of taking his bride on their honeymoon in that car. The Spitfire spent most of the trip on a tow hook. The marriage failed too.
Years later I had a neighbor at my apartment complex who owned a beautiful metallic pearl white TR6 with wide BBS rims with low profile tires. This car looked fantastic! I never saw the car start up or move until the day I saw him pushing the car to a new parking spot. I asked him about it. He said the apartment manager needed to see the car move occasionally or he'd be accused of having a 'non-operable vehicle" in the parking lot. He and some friends would move it while the manager wasn't around. The engine ran but the differential crown gear was destroyed. After talking to him for a while I figured out he'd bought the car from my brother's friend. This TR6 had a mid-'80s Z28 motor and transmission stuffed in it. No effort to fortify the rest of the drive train was made and the crown gear was the fuse that kept blowing as torque from the small block was enough to strip the teeth off it in 1st and 2nd gears. When you popped the hood you saw this beautiful expanse of aluminum trim panels surrounding the engine and shrouding the radiator. They had to be removed to service anything but they were all held in place by a multitude of pop rivets, yes, pop rivets, not 1/4 turns or screws, pop-rivets. You couldn't even top off the radiator without drilling out a bunch of pop-rivets!
Dude having had one years ago in the UK , yours is the best thing I've ever seen done to one because the old straight six injection was a pile of shit they should have made them with this engine like the conversion on the old Sunbeam Tiger Awesome build mate 😁😁🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
In my opinion, the TR6 is one of the most handsome cars ever made.
I was thinking, just to get the full affect you should probably have the top down
If you take the top down on a Triumph you may never get it back up, without tearing it.
Pretty much a go-kart with a V8!!! YUM!!!
I own a Tr-250....sweet ride indeed
She's a beauty. Would love to drive it.
Professional job. The only thing I would change would be to put the battery in a box like on a boat.
Incredible Well done
My only concern is how the additional weight would stress the frame and suspension. Looks like a clean swap.
I'd be curious to know if what the balance of the car is now, and if the handling got messed up?
A popular V8 swap platform from LS to Ford power, done properly built well balanced driver. This one is nice.
Almost bought a TR7 in my teens in the late 70’S but a rust bucket. That was a close call would have been a money pit.
Well it looks great, but I wonder what the F/R weight distribution is? I couldn't help noticing that the motor was not stuffed into the firewall as with a Tiger.
Actually the TR6 was pretty well-balanced in stock form. I think it's possible that it could end end up rear-heavy this way. Now I'm going to have to root around and find out.
Great music video!
How do you keep from blowing up your rear diff and U joints??
@joelschlotz .....any idea where this car is now?
Appears with 4 stud wheels to have the original diff, do you have to be careful with that extra power?
A British sports are that will leak less oil. FAB!
I am surprised this is not a more common swap !
Dreamy little car!
Beautiful conversion, nice noise.
The reverse of a P51 (kinda). British car, American engine vs American aircraft British Merlin (Packard) engine. Wonderful !
I would imagine U changed, the rear axle out & transmission + drive shaft?
Back in the mid 80's my friend in the Marine Corp had one, sure wish it had a Ford setup as I came from a Ford family. Being one of the few car guys in the barracks, he came to me for help. Getting the timing lash set correctly and the carb's in tune was a total nightmare, never having worked on a European car before. I don't think I've worked on another since.
All work on any Triumph is a nightmare, due to a flawed design and poor manufacturing.
God is that CLEAN, or what. I've done some American 6 to 8 conversions, but this has me wowed. And manual transmission too. Rear differential swap too? What engine? 260? 289? It certainly has no problem getting up to speed without even trying. And we won't even talk about how straight the body is. It sounds marvelous.
So a diferent interpretation of a cobra. Beautiful
The sound of the straight 6 is what the TR6 is all about. Ford V8 is never going to improve on it.
Salivating.
Gorgeous! Whats the displacement on the V8 conversion?
I suspect it's a 302 cubic inch (5 Liter)
TR6 cobra fantastic job !!!!
That diff would twist right off its mounts with that torque. Guess the entire drive train was beefed up.
Or replaced... The problem is, if one starts replacing stuff on a Triumph, they never can stop.
Have to admit this is a new one on me.
I’ve been thinking about getting one but I’m 6 foot tall and I’m worried that my knees will be in the dash as it appears yours might be what is your experience with that do you have enough legroom?
Absolutely superbly executed. I wonder how the handling is. Looks like the 302 is back a bit, but it's so much heavier than the little Brit 6, I hope it didn't throw off the balance.
I wonder if a V12 would fit.
Nice Job!
If British Leyland had only done this to the TR6 like they did with the Sunbeam Tiger and AC Cobra they would still be in business. I have owned a TR3A, TR3B, and an Austin-Healy 100 which had a 6-cylinder engine like the TR6. While it was pleasant to drive, there is nothing like power in a small car to make it more fun. The same thing with the early Datsun 240Z which also had a straight 6 in it. There was actually a company that did V8 conversions for them and it made it a true sports car. To make it a truly reliable car, the entire Lucas electrical system would have to be replaced and the British suspension, both were terrible.
Are there any swap kits available
Very nice. My favorite engine. What did you use for rear suspension and differential?
can you share the wheel specs , I am looking at buying one done what price range do u think these are selling for , the car is a 10
Beautiful car. I would prefer a sportier circle track cam and more masculine exhaust. BTW how is that car passing smog in CA???
1975 and earlier are exempt
Nice job! How does the car handle in the corners?