QuestionHi Jim...I'm looking at buying a TR6 and have several in mind. One is a 1974 model that is described as being in good shape all around (paint, new interior, good floors), with the acception that the motor was burning oil and is currently out of the car (asking $3000 Canadian). The other caveat is that there is rust on the frame at the engine mounts. My question is: would this indicate that the entire frame is shot and I shouldn't even look into it, or is it possible to have an otherwise good frame with rust on the mounts....and are mounts easily fixed?
Thanks,
-cm
AnswerCam,
How bad is the rust on the engine mounts? Surface? Or rust through?
Normally the TR6s has problems with rust where the rear suspension arms bolt into the frame. It's worth taking a floor jack (one of the cheap "2 ton" hydraulic type) and a jack stand and crawl under the rear of the car to check the frame in and around the differential and suspension mounting points.
I've never heard of one rusting in the engine compartment as the Triumph corrosion prevention system (leaking gaskets) normally keeps the engine bay/trans area well protected.
Check the edges of the floor pan, the rockers, trunk floor, etc for signs of rust/repair. Especially up in the rust belt the cars tend to start rotting out from below.
Do the doors open/close easily? Or are they jammed into the opening with barely any gap? Advanced frame rot allows the center of the car to sag and the doors can be the only thing keeping a badly rotted car from simply collapsing in the middle.
New frames used to be available and with the body off the frame repairs aren't a problem for competent welder. But it's not a project lightly undertaken.
Burning oil is typically a symptom of worn rings and/or work valve guides (depends upon if it was smoking just upon startup (guides) or when running down the road ( rings)). An engine build isn't difficult but it'll add another $1000 to $2000 Canadian to the "price".
Cheers,
Jim
