1972 TR6 w/overdrive 
Commission #:  CC76171L
Color: Dark red with black interior (was originally white with red interior.)  
Manufacture date: October 1971
Owned since:  March 1997
Status:  Running well

History: Car was purchased in March of 1997 on "spring break". I had spotted the car listed in an "auto" auction in Columbus, Ohio the previous week (buried at the bottom of quite a few "Detroit" listings)  and went with $2,000 cash. (If it went over this amount, that's the way it would have to be). The car was at a used car dealer and had obviously sat for a number of years. The top was torn and faded, the dark red color was almost white from the sun. Ryan (my son) and I had been looking for quite some time and were quite excited about the possibilities of having a project to work on. 

(I had owned a used TR6 many years before when I was in college - heck - Kim & I were married in a TR6)

We were able to buy the car for $1,700 that day. The only electric things that worked were the headlights - no turn signals, flashers, dash lights, fuel gauge - you get the idea. The car would start, but who knew the age of the gas in the tank. We towed it home behind our '89 Pathfinder - not exceeding 20-25 MPH on the 40 mile trip home. As we entered our home town of Granville, OH, we stopped to get an ice cream cone at our local dairy bar (but the real reason was to show off to the friend that owned the establishment) Ron took one look at it and said: A neighbor of mine has "quite a few" of those. He jotted down the name on a scrap of paper and we continued on our way home. When we got home we pulled into my friend's driveway next to ours and prepared to "drive" it home.

As we were unloading it from the trailer, someone pulled into our driveway with a hearty "whatcha got there?" This was David Hanna. David lived about a mile away and had "many" British cars and a TR6 that he was doing a "frame off" in his garage. 

We got the car started and drove it down the driveway. We then got excited and took it for a quick spin down the road . Oops. Stopped just down the road but it was exciting - time for a quick push home!

We called the name on the piece of paper (from the ice cream shop) and we soon met our good friend (and current Webmaster) Nelson Riedel. Nelson had a peek at the rear carburetor, noticed that the needle valve was "missing" then said "I've got one of those" and in five minutes later we were running "much better". Nelson has become a close friend and a wonderful resource for Triumph knowledge. Many our site's articles are a result of Nelson's efforts. (and he lives less than 1/2 mile away!)

1997 updates included rebuilt brake and clutch master cylinders, new brakes in the rear, new fuel pump, gas tank boiled out and reinstalled, new top, lots of fun getting  butchered wiring back to some sense of normalcy (nothing like driving down the road at speed and the headlights go out).  

1998 updates included new rear bushings and heavy duty springs, bead blasted the wheels -- epoxy primer and fresh paint, new tires (I'm easy to buy for at Christmas now), refinished wood dash, new main and rod bearings, new oil pump, new rear wheel hub.  

We have been enjoying (and maintaining) the car since. We have put nearly 30,000 miles on this car since we purchased it. We love these things.

Special thanks to my son Ryan, who has become an extraordinary TR fanatic in the last 5 years. Also, special thanks to Nelson Riedel, who has helped with many hours of assistance as we have worked on our cars and has helped Ryan to become quite a mechanic

Please note Ryan's car (and projects) below.    

Here is where my addiction to TR6's first began - married in 1977 with our '71 TR6 - last seen in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1978 
(I was much thinner then)

One of the cars first "outings" - Ryan ready for a spring dance - car has no top yet and he's standing in front of the headlight because the trim ring is missing. (But it did shine up nice)

Here we are at a car show in Dublin Ohio in July of 1999

Ryan gives his Grandmother a ride in 2000 - shortly after he received his driver's license