My Best Upgrades

Triumph GT6

1967 TRIUMPH GT6 MkI

THE STORY SO FAR Total mileage 69,250 Why is it special? Few early GT6s are left; this one has been treated to lots of improvements for regular use

JANE ROWLEY ‘I bought my first Spitfire more than 30 years ago and I still own it, alongside two Spitfire 4s, a Herald and a GT6 MkI. I’m very heavily involved with the Triumph Sports Six Club, so I’m out in one or another of my classics most weekends.

‘Fellow Gloucestershire TSSC member, Paul Hutchings, built my GT6 12 years ago for a trip to the Le Mans Classic. He incorporated a series of modifications to make it more usable and I’ve made quite a few more changes since.

‘I use the car for classic car runs, shows and European touring. It’s perfectly suited to such trips with its hatchback practicality and muscular GT6 MkII six-cylinder engine, which is even nicer on twin SUs than it is on the usual pair of Strombergs.

‘Paul fitted fififitted hardened valve seats, a gas-flowed cylinder head and a fastroad camshaft when he rebuilt the engine. The whole thing was lightened and balanced and the ignition system

converted to electronic with a sports coil. The original mechanical fuel pump has also been swapped for an electric item.

‘Although these early GT6s are now unusual, there are still quite a few of the later models around, especially the MkIII. As a result it’s perfectly possible to buy quite a few GT6 upgrades off the shelf, while all sorts of bits from other Triumphs will also fit, which makes it easier and cheaper to make improvements.’ WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY Richard Dredge

’It’s possible to buy quite a few Triumph GT6 upgrades off the shelf’