Build catalogue
Bruce Wood's 1969 Triumph TR6 with 406ci Chevy V8
britishv8.orgOriginally published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume 12 Issue 1
Photo: britishv8.orgA 1969 Triumph TR6 rebuilt around a 406ci Chevy V8
Bruce Wood's TR6 was heavily reworked with a 535 hp small block Chevy V8, a back-halved and tubbed chassis, and extensive smoothed bodywork. The result is a drag-strip capable street car running low 10-second quarter miles, documented briefly in British V8 Newsletter.
Specs
As the owner states it.
- Engine
- 406cid small block Chevy, built by Archie Summers, 535 hp and 513 ft.lb.
- Transmission
- Chevy Turbo 350, 3500 stall converter
- Rear axle
- Narrowed Dana 44 with 3.73:1 ratio
- Rear suspension
- Morrison 4-link coil-over suspension
- Electrical
- Only the headlights remain stock; rear lights removed and replaced with flush-mounted units
- Body
- Chopped windshield, shaved and smoothed body, back-halved and tubbed chassis, unrolled and flared fenders
- Fuel system
- 15 gallon fuel cell
- Performance
- 10.70 second quarter mile at 124 mph
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
- 406cid small block Chevy V8Archie Summers
Built for the car, producing 535 hp and 513 ft.lb. of torque
Fuel & Ignition 1
- 15 gallon fuel cell
Fitted as the car's fuel storage for performance driving
Gearbox & Drivetrain 2
- Chevy Turbo 350 transmissionChevy
Automatic transmission fitted with a 3500 stall converter to handle the V8 power
In the shops
Baby Turbo Mirror ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $172.99 USD - Narrowed Dana 44 rear axleDana
Fitted with 3.73:1 gears as the rear axle
Suspension & Steering 1
- Morrison 4-link coil-over suspensionMorrison
Installed at the rear to control the back-halved and tubbed chassis
Photos
All 8 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
The engine swap
The TR6 was built around a 406 cubic inch small block Chevy V8 constructed by Archie Summers, producing 535 horsepower and 513 lb-ft of torque. Power goes through a Chevy Turbo 350 automatic transmission fitted with a 3500 stall converter, sending drive to a narrowed Dana 44 rear axle running 3.73:1 gears.
Chassis and suspension work
To handle the V8 power and improve traction, the car was back-halved and tubbed, and fitted with a Morrison four-link coil-over rear suspension. A 15 gallon fuel cell was installed to support the car's performance use.
Body modifications
The windshield was chopped 2 inches and laid back 4 inches, and the top was removed. Windows and seams were filled, and the whole body was shaved and smoothed. A hand made hood scoop and front air dam were added, along with unrolled and dollied fenders for a flared look.
Electrical changes
Aside from the headlights, nothing in the electrical system remains stock. The rear lights were removed, the openings filled, and flush-mounted lights fitted in their place.
Results
The finished car has run a quarter mile in 10.70 seconds at 124 mph, showing the effectiveness of the engine, drivetrain, and chassis work combined.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is the owner's: read it at britishv8.org ↗
Worth knowing
- Back-halving and tubbing the chassis was needed to fit the wide rear tyres for traction
- A high-stall converter helped put the V8's power down effectively at the strip
- Filling and smoothing the body, including flush rear lights, gave a cleaner custom look
- A larger fuel cell was worth adding to support performance driving