LOT 14

1973 Triumph GT6 MK III Design by Giovanni Michelotti Chassis no. KF22951U Engine no. KF21985UE

Sold for US$12,880 inc. premium

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Lot 14

1973 Triumph GT6 MK III
Design by Giovanni Michelotti

Quail Motorcar Auction|14 August 2020, 11:00 PDT|Los Angeles

1973 Triumph GT6 MK III
Design by Giovanni Michelotti

Chassis no. KF22951U
Engine no. KF21985UE

1,998cc OHV Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
105bhp at 5,300rpm
Twin Zenith-Stromberg Carburetors
4-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
Front Disc - Rear Drum Brakes

*Beautifully presented inside and out
*Sporty and elegant Michelotti design
*Powerful, 2-Liter six-cylinder engine
*Accompanied by owners and workshop manuals

Previewing at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California by appointment. Please contact [email protected] for scheduling.

THE TRIUMPH GT6

Triumph extended its commission the legendary designer, Giovanni Michelotti, to design a GT Fastback variant of Triumph's Spitfire in the early 1960s originally called the GT4. Due to the Spitfire's small output 4-cylinder engine, the added weight of the GT bodyshell resulted in poor performance, shelving the GT4 project for Triumph. Triumph used the design of the GT4 in their racing programs for the 1964 and 1965 seasons resulting in a 13th overall and a 1st in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965. Due to its racing success, Triumph reconsidered the project of the GT Spitfire. The new GT6 for 1966 now featured a 2.0-liter, six-cylinder engine from the Triumph Vitesse producing 95bhp. Certain changes were required due to the increased power such as a new radiator mounted further forward in the car and the gearbox with synchromesh on all 4 forward gears. The interior of the GT6 was well equipped; a wooden dashboard housed a full complement of instruments, with carpets and heater included as standard.

1970 saw the final major facelift for the GT6 known as the Mk III. The bodyshell was now revised to match the changes made to the Spitfire Mk IV. These changes included a cut-off rear end, recessed door handles and a smoothed-out front end. Nearing the end of production for the 1973 model, the rear suspension was changed to the "swing-spring" layout as in the Spitfire Mk IV.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This lovely 1973 Triumph GT6 Mk III was completed at the Coventry-based Triumph plant during June of 1973. Equipped as a left-hand drive car, the car is believed to have been delivered new to the sports car hungry US market. It formed part of a large collection of collector cars in Georgia for a number of years and appears to have been pampered and well cared for. The Carmine Red paint, interior, and chrome is all beautiful condition, and the car performed very well on a recent test drive. Offered with owners and workshop manuals, this powerful and sporty, Michelotti-designed GT Fastback is ready to take on twisty backroads.

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