British Car Week
International British Car Awareness Week
May 31 - June 8, 2008
©1997-2008 British Car Week • www.britishcarweek.org • sportycars@britishcarweek.org
This Month's Featured Cars ~ Triumph Le Mans Spitfire GT & GT6
The Triumph GT6 pictured above is the car that is responsible for rekindling my interest in British cars. During a casual conversation with a friend, I learned of a GT6 for sale in Missouri. I had no previous first hand experience with this particular model, but I do have a vivid memory of a Triumph GT6 while stuck in traffic with my Dad when leaving a Notre Dame football game many years ago.
During the entire ten or fifteen minutes my Dad spent inching his car forward, I spent the entire time admiring the car in front of us. The only reason I knew what kind of car it was, was because it had a GT6 emblem on the rear, and another emblem that read Triumph. Since then, the Spitfire and GT6 have been favorites of mine, and this experience was probably what began my enthusiasm for British cars.
While talking some more with my friend about the car, he told me the GT6 needed a little bit of work, but was otherwise in pretty good condition, and it would be a fun little car to drive. Of course, having heard some stories in the past, I listened very cautiously..... After a lot of thought, I ended up calling the owner of the car, and he talked me into driving to St. Louis to take a look at the car.
When I arrived in St. Louis, I found the car to be partially disassembled and needed a fresh paint job, but didn't have any major rust. It had a really neat set of magnesium Minilite wheels, and when the owner started the engine, it sounded like a little British Ferrari to my ears. Needless to say, I purchased the car, hauled it home on a U-Haul trailer, and this is one experience I have never regretted. I had a lot of fun putting the car back together, and endless fun once I got the opportunity to drive it.
Other than warm weather periods when the inside of the car would get a bit warm, the GT6 is an absolute hoot to drive. It's quick, handles like a go-kart, and when you lift the entire hinged bonnet forward, you have total access to the entire engine bay area. As an added comfort feature, the front tires serve as comfortable seating. Giovanni Michellotti really thought of everything....
By today's British car buying terms, the Triumph GT6 is a sleeper. If you want something different, affordable, and fun to drive, this car would not let you down. The fact that it has a racing pedigree is a real bonus.
This car was not only responsible for rekindling my enthusiasm for British cars, but was also responsible for causing a co-worker to become a Triumph enthusiast. This person had never owned a British car before, but since parking his car next to mine at work on a daily basis one summer, he became infected with the British car bug, and currently owns at least one of every Triumph sports car.
So grab your goggles and driving gloves, and top-off your dash pots. It's time to have some fun!
See you on the road......
During the entire ten or fifteen minutes my Dad spent inching his car forward, I spent the entire time admiring the car in front of us. The only reason I knew what kind of car it was, was because it had a GT6 emblem on the rear, and another emblem that read Triumph. Since then, the Spitfire and GT6 have been favorites of mine, and this experience was probably what began my enthusiasm for British cars.
While talking some more with my friend about the car, he told me the GT6 needed a little bit of work, but was otherwise in pretty good condition, and it would be a fun little car to drive. Of course, having heard some stories in the past, I listened very cautiously..... After a lot of thought, I ended up calling the owner of the car, and he talked me into driving to St. Louis to take a look at the car.
When I arrived in St. Louis, I found the car to be partially disassembled and needed a fresh paint job, but didn't have any major rust. It had a really neat set of magnesium Minilite wheels, and when the owner started the engine, it sounded like a little British Ferrari to my ears. Needless to say, I purchased the car, hauled it home on a U-Haul trailer, and this is one experience I have never regretted. I had a lot of fun putting the car back together, and endless fun once I got the opportunity to drive it.
Other than warm weather periods when the inside of the car would get a bit warm, the GT6 is an absolute hoot to drive. It's quick, handles like a go-kart, and when you lift the entire hinged bonnet forward, you have total access to the entire engine bay area. As an added comfort feature, the front tires serve as comfortable seating. Giovanni Michellotti really thought of everything....
By today's British car buying terms, the Triumph GT6 is a sleeper. If you want something different, affordable, and fun to drive, this car would not let you down. The fact that it has a racing pedigree is a real bonus.
This car was not only responsible for rekindling my enthusiasm for British cars, but was also responsible for causing a co-worker to become a Triumph enthusiast. This person had never owned a British car before, but since parking his car next to mine at work on a daily basis one summer, he became infected with the British car bug, and currently owns at least one of every Triumph sports car.
So grab your goggles and driving gloves, and top-off your dash pots. It's time to have some fun!
See you on the road......
Triumph Spitfire/GT6 Rekindles Interest
Do you have a favorite British car? Let us know about it....
Top photo's Spitfire GT - Bottom photo's 1972 GT6 MkIII
(Place your mouse over the above image for details)
Life's a bummer without a little British car
