The Ultimate Restoration Project has started

All of us here at British Auto Works are getting excited about our major new project.  We have decided that at this years “All British Field Meet” held on Labor Day Weekend at Portland International Raceway we are going to assemble a 1972 Triumph GT 6 from the frame up.  This is kind of a brainstorm from my son that we should try to show people what we can do here at British Auto Works.  And to help me get enthused, he suggested that we restore the car that is basically responsible for us having British Auto Works in the first place.

The Triumph GT 6 that we are doing is the original car I talk about in the “about me” section of the blog.  I drove it out of the Triumph plant in Coventry in March of 1972, and I have had it ever since.  As you can see, it has seen better days, but we drug it out of the barn and loaded it on the truck and took it to British Auto Works to start the process.

Once we got the car to the shop, we started taking it apart.  It was actually easier than I thought it might be, the guys took three and half hours, and the tub was sitting on the floor beside the frame.

There are a few dents to take care of, and some rusted areas, but for the most part she’s in very good shape, and we will get started on the restoration straight away.  We plan to re-do everything, rebuild the engine and overdrive transmission, repair the body and paint, powder coat the frame, install all new hydraulics for brakes and clutch, and replace all the suspension.  We are going to do this and then put it together at the ABFM, we hope.

Throughout the process, we will be taking pictures and we are doing a film of the process.  Stay tuned and see what happens.  By the way, I have promised the guys at the shop this isn’t going to be like “American Chopper” at least as far as the personality battles go.