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Greg Irvine's 1970 TR6 V6 Conversion

Greg Irvine · 1970 Triumph TR-6

Triumph TR6

britishv8.orgas published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XXIII Issue 1, December 2017

Read the full write-up at britishv8.org ↗

Photo: britishv8.org

A 1970 Triumph TR-6 converted to a GM 3.4-litre V6

Greg Irvine had his TR-6 converted from its original inline six to a GM 3.4 litre V6 out of an early 2000s Impala, with the front-drive engine adapted to rear-drive and paired to a Camaro T5 five-speed. The car also received upgraded brakes from Toyota and Nissan, Mini Cooper wheels, and an extensively reworked interior with Miata seats and modern electronics. The build is notable for the breadth of parts sourced across different makes to modernize the classic Triumph.

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 2

  • GM P3400 SFI V6 engineGeneral Motors

    Replaced the original Triumph six, sourced from an early 2000s Impala and converted from FWD to RWD use

  • Motor mountsBritish Car Conversions

    Used to fit the V6 into the TR-6 chassis

Fuel & Ignition 2

Cooling 2

  • Aluminum radiatorFord (style)

    Mustang style radiator used for cooling the V6 conversion

    In the shops
    Aluminum Radiator ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $259.31 USD
    Aluminum Radiator ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $259.31 USD
    Aluminum Radiator ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $356.75 USD
  • 16 inch electric fan

    High cfm pulling fan paired with the radiator

Gearbox & Drivetrain 1

Suspension & Steering 2

Brakes 4

Wheels & Tyres 2

  • 17 inch alloy wheelsMini Cooper

    Fitted to the TR-6 in place of the originals

  • Primacy P215/50R17 tyresMichelin

    Tyres fitted to the Mini Cooper wheels

Body & Trim 3

Interior 4

Electrical 4

  • Electronic tachometer and speedometerDolphin

    Installed alongside the original Smiths gauges

    In the shops
    Electronic Tachometer Conversion TR2-TR6 ↗Racetorations· £450.00 GBP
  • AM/FM/CD/MP3 head unitPioneer

    Installed as the car's stereo

  • Alternator

    100 amp unit installed to support electrical upgrades

  • HID headlights

    55W HID units fitted to the front

Other 2

Photos

All 18 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.

Greg Irvine's 1970 Triumph TR-6 with a Chevy 3.4L V6 EnginePhoto: britishv8.org
GM P3400 SFI V6Photo: britishv8.org
Ford Mustang master cylinder with vacuum booster.Photo: britishv8.org
Cold air intake hose routing, and mass airflow sensor installation.Photo: britishv8.org
Ford Mustang style aluminum radiator and 16Photo: britishv8.org
Three dual-tower ignition coils installed atop a GM Ignition Control Module.Photo: britishv8.org
Mountney steering wheel. Dolphin electronic tachometer and speedometer.Photo: britishv8.org
Photo: britishv8.org
Only item saved from owner's first Triumph of 40 years ago: the shift knob.Photo: britishv8.org
Pioneer AM/FM/CD/MP3 head unit. Heated seat switches.Photo: britishv8.org
Custom door trim panels.Photo: britishv8.org
MGB interior door latches.Photo: britishv8.org
Upgraded front lip spoiler. 55W HID headlights.Photo: britishv8.org
Audi front side marker lamps.Photo: britishv8.org
This shade of white was selected from General Motors' offerings.Photo: britishv8.org
Dual mufflers followed by a 2.25 inch single exhaust.Photo: britishv8.org
Mini Cooper 17-inch alloy wheels. Michelin Primacy P215/50R17 tires.Photo: britishv8.org
Donate Now!Photo: britishv8.org

How it was done

Engine swap

The stock Triumph six was replaced with a General Motors 3.4 litre SFI V6 taken from an early 2000s Impala. Since that engine was originally front-wheel drive, it was converted for rear-wheel drive use. British Car Conversions motor mounts were used, and the intake manifold was rotated so the throttle body faced forward. A K&N air filter was fitted along with cold air intake hose routing and a mass airflow sensor.

Cooling and exhaust

A Ford Mustang style aluminum radiator was installed with a high cfm 16 inch electric pulling fan to manage cooling for the new engine. Custom ceramic coated headers were built for the swap, feeding dual mufflers and a 2.25 inch single exhaust system.

Drivetrain

Power goes through a Borg Warner T5 five-speed manual gearbox sourced from an IROC Camaro. The rear end was left stock.

Suspension and brakes

New sway bars on urethane bushings were fitted front and rear. Braking was upgraded with a Ford Mustang master cylinder and vacuum booster, a Wilwood proportioning valve, Toyota disc brakes up front, and Nissan disc brakes at the rear.

Wheels and body

The car rolls on Mini Cooper 17 inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Primacy tires. The body was repainted in a General Motors white, the front grille was powder coated, a front lip spoiler was added, and Audi side marker lamps were fitted.

Interior and electrical

The interior was reworked with a Mountney leather wrapped steering wheel, Dolphin electronic tachometer and speedometer, and original Smiths gauges for the rest. Mazda Miata seats were installed with headrest speakers and electric heaters, tweeters were mounted in the dash vents, and a Pioneer head unit was added. Custom door trim panels and MGB interior door latches were also fitted, along with electric power windows, a 100 amp alternator, and HID headlights.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is the owner's: read it at britishv8.org ↗

Worth knowing

  • Sourcing an FWD-based V6 means budgeting extra work to convert it for rear-wheel drive use.
  • Rotating the intake manifold can solve throttle body clearance issues in a tight engine bay.
  • Mixing brake components from different makes (Toyota front, Nissan rear) can be matched to work together.
  • Seats from unrelated cars, like the Miata, can be adapted to add features such as heating and speakers.
  • Small original touches, like keeping an old shift knob, can preserve a personal link to a previous car.

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Greg Irvine's 1970 TR6 V6 Conversion | Restomod Life