Build catalogue
Gerald Kannenberg's 1972 Triumph GT6 with Ford Cosworth V6 Engine
britishv8.orgas published in British V8 Magazine, Volume XVI Issue 1, May 2008
Photo: britishv8.orgA 1972 Triumph GT6 widened 26cm and fitted with a Ford Cosworth V6
Gerald Kannenberg cut his Triumph GT6 in half lengthwise and widened it by 26cm to build a custom space-frame chassis around a Ford Cosworth 2.9L V6. The car draws heavily on Porsche 928 and 924 running gear, took about two years to complete, and was finished in July 2005. It is notable for how thoroughly the donor parts were mixed across German and British marques on a British-shaped body.
Specs
As the owner states it.
- Engine
- Ford Skorpio Cosworth 2.9L 24-valve V6, 195hp
- Gearbox
- Ford Sierra Type-9 5-speed
- Differential
- BMW 7-series
- Suspension
- Porsche 928 S4, front and rear
- Brakes
- Porsche 928 S4, 310mm discs, 4-piston calipers
- Wheels
- Azev Type E, 7.5x16 front, 9x16 rear
- Tyres
- 225/45/16 front, 245/35/16 rear
- Electrical
- Mostly from a Porsche 924
- Fuel system
- Home made 75-liter stainless steel tank
- Seats
- Chevrolet Corvette C4
- Chassis
- Steel square box tubing space frame covered with aluminium plates; car widened 26cm
- Dimensions
- 1120mm high, 1960mm wide, 3950mm long
- Performance
- Top speed approximately 270 km/h, not tested
- Build time
- About 2 years, completed July 2005
Parts used
What the owner names in the write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Engine 1
- Ford Skorpio Cosworth 2.9L 24-valve V6Ford
Main engine for the build, rated at 195hp
Fuel & Ignition 1
- Custom stainless steel fuel tank
Home made 75-litre tank built for the car
Gearbox & Drivetrain 2
- Ford Sierra Type-9 5-speed gearboxFord
Transmission fitted behind the V6
In the shops
5 Speed Sierra Gearbox ↗MGbits4U· £3,062.40 GBP
5-Speed Gearbox Conversion Kit ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $6,530.99 USD
Bearing Carrier - Spitfire/GT6/TR7/TR8 5-Speed Gearbox ↗
bpnorthwest.com· $11.22 USD - BMW 7-series differentialBMW
Used as the rear differential
Suspension & Steering 1
- Porsche 928 S4 front and rear suspensionPorsche
Complete suspension fitted front and rear
In the shops
Adjustable Suspension Kit Front and Rear - Mini ↗bpnorthwest.com· $129.99 USD
Brakes 1
- Porsche 928 S4 4-piston calipers, 310mm discsPorsche
Braking system taken from the Porsche 928 S4
In the shops
Caliper Piston (Mini 7.5 Disc, Stainless Steel) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $22.96 USD
Caliper Piston (Type 16PB) ↗
TRGB· £10.95 GBP
Caliper Piston (16P Caliper) ↗TRGB· £10.95 GBP
Wheels & Tyres 3
- Azev Type E wheelsAzev
7.5x16 front and 9x16 rear wheels
- 225/45/16 front tyres
Fitted to the front Azev wheels
- 245/35/16 rear tyres
Fitted to the rear Azev wheels
Interior 1
- Chevrolet Corvette C4 seatsChevrolet
Fitted as the car's seats
Electrical 1
- Porsche 924 electrical system
Most of the car's electrics and electronics sourced from this donor
Other 1
- Steel square box tubing space frame
Custom chassis built to carry the widened body, covered with aluminium plates
Photos
All 16 pictures in the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from britishv8.org. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
How it was done
Widening the chassis
The GT6 was cut in half from front to back and widened by 26cm (about 10.25 inches). A new space frame of steel square box tubing was built, covered with aluminium plates. All components were mounted directly to the frame, so the car can be driven without its bodywork fitted.
Powertrain
A Ford Skorpio Cosworth 2.9L 24-valve V6, rated at 195hp, was installed. Drive goes through a Ford Sierra Type-9 five-speed gearbox to a BMW 7-series differential.
Suspension and brakes
Front and rear suspension came from a Porsche 928 S4, along with its brakes, which use 310mm discs and 4-piston calipers.
Wheels and fuel system
Azev Type E wheels were fitted, 7.5x16 with 225/45/16 tyres up front and 9x16 with 245/35/16 tyres at the rear. A home made 75-litre stainless steel fuel tank was built for the car.
Electrical and interior
Most of the electrical system and electronics were sourced from a Porsche 924. Seats came from a Chevrolet Corvette C4.
Completion
The build took about two years and was completed in July 2005. Top speed is estimated at around 270 km/h, though this has not been tested.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is the owner's: read it at britishv8.org ↗
Worth knowing
- Mounting all mechanical components directly to the space frame lets the car be driven without bodywork fitted, useful for testing.
- Widening a monocoque-based car by cutting it in half required building an entirely new tube frame chassis.
- Sourcing suspension, brakes, and electronics as complete sets from one donor car (Porsche 928/924) simplified integration.
- Building a custom fuel tank in stainless steel allowed it to be shaped to fit the modified chassis.