Mid Life Crisis - official

[Dakar Z3]

I'm sort of the other extreme.... had a Triumph GT6 for many years (Mk1, the nicest looking!) and own a few Triumph Heralds, then sold the GT6 in 2021 as I felt I was too old at 59 for that sort of sportscar. Drove the Heralds for a year, saw a Z3 and loved the colour (Boston Green) so bought it on a whim. Now the poor Heralds sit in the garage on sunny days even despite being convertible, and I sold my other modern so my only transport is the Z3. I must admit the Heralds have no sensors, no fuses, no cat, and can be dismantled with two spanners (and repairs don't require a mortgage!). When I decide that people are laughing at an old white-haired guy in a Z3, I'll go back to the Heralds.

I think there's quite a few of us Z3 drivers once owned a GT6, including myself a MK!!!.

 

[Jam03]

I'm sort of the other extreme.... had a Triumph GT6 for many years (Mk1, the nicest looking!) and own a few Triumph Heralds, then sold the GT6 in 2021 as I felt I was too old at 59 for that sort of sportscar. Drove the Heralds for a year, saw a Z3 and loved the colour (Boston Green) so bought it on a whim. Now the poor Heralds sit in the garage on sunny days even despite being convertible, and I sold my other modern so my only transport is the Z3. I must admit the Heralds have no sensors, no fuses, no cat, and can be dismantled with two spanners (and repairs don't require a mortgage!). When I decide that people are laughing at an old white-haired guy in a Z3, I'll go back to the Heralds.

59 is not too old for anything!

 

[Pond]

59 is not too old for anything!

It is for a Club 18-30 holiday. 29 years too old!

 

[GZed]

I think there's quite a few of us Z3 drivers once owned a GT6, including myself a MK!!!.

Exactly this !! I had a mk 3 spitfire. Not enough power. So got a Mk 11 GT6. Brilliant-silky smooth straight six, drop dead gorgeous looks, but……it wasn’t a convertible.

What I really wanted/needed was a six cylinder convertible Spitfire that was reliable and didn’t leak. … . Enter the 2.8 Z3

No going back from there ( apart from the Z4 coupe for its drop dead gorgeous looks, …but… it isn’t a convertible……..

 

[Toby]

Phew - seems I'm in the clear

 

[Ianmc]

My first car (purchased at 16) was a Herald convertible. Second car was a Spitfire 4 (MK one). Also had Spitfire MK3 and GT6 MK 3 (rattled badly and started to rust around the window frame at 6 years old). The Z3 does fine for now! Happy memories though, perhaps best left in the past!!

 

[Z Victor 1]

Had a conifer green mk 1 GT6 in my youth and it was the only car I've ever 'lost' in terms of control. Happened twice, second time it and a gas lamp were written off! Yes, it was a gas lamp and the leaking gas closed the road, hard to believe we still had gas street lights in 1971! The mk 2 GT6 had modified rear suspension to stop the wheels dropping over a rise in the road which cured the poor handling.I followed the mk1 I had 'lost' with a pimento red mk3 and never had a problem with that one.So yes, a sporty car with a straight 6 has been a common theme for me, even had a mk 2 Toyota Supra 2.8 back in the day. Natural then when I had retired to buy a Z3 2.8, 2.2 sport and Z4 2.2.

 

[TriumphZ3]

Had a conifer green mk 1 GT6 in my youth and it was the only car I've ever 'lost' in terms of control.

I never did, despite the numerous anecdotes of GT6 drivers, although I'd converted mine to swing-spring suspension. On my way to a show one morning on a long country road I decided to try for the 'ton'... glanced at speedo, 80, checked road - clear, straight - glanced at speedo, 90, checked road, clear, straight, just edging up to the magic figure..... checked road.... BEND!! What I had thought was the road was a farmer's lane going straight, the road went round quite a bend. By the time I had slowed I went round the bend at least over 70 and the tyres didn't even squeal. I was so impressed!! You learn early on, never go round a bend on brakes - brake for the bend and accelerate through letting the car pull itself round.
Allowing for the usual inaccurate speedo of the day I'd reckon we hit the high 80s and that was fast enough. Twice I had rear wheels drop off - rear halfshaft sheared - always at slow speeds and no damage.
They're a very sought after car these days; I had mine 21 years and sold it for five times what I paid for it. I doubt I'll do that with the Z3.

 

[Ian&Sue]

I'm sort of the other extreme.... had a Triumph GT6 for many years (Mk1, the nicest looking!) and own a few Triumph Heralds, then sold the GT6 in 2021 as I felt I was too old at 59 for that sort of sportscar. Drove the Heralds for a year, saw a Z3 and loved the colour (Boston Green) so bought it on a whim. Now the poor Heralds sit in the garage on sunny days even despite being convertible, and I sold my other modern so my only transport is the Z3. I must admit the Heralds have no sensors, no fuses, no cat, and can be dismantled with two spanners (and repairs don't require a mortgage!). When I decide that people are laughing at an old white-haired guy in a Z3, I'll go back to the Heralds.

If you like Heralds surely the obvious replacement for the GT6 is a Vitesse?

 

[mwpe]

I bought my first Spitfire in 1966 and had several over the years, in 1992 I bought a rusty wreck of a GT6 and completely rebuil it, new floors, sills bonnet boot floor and more. I then fitted a 2.5 engine and ran it for many years until it was finally replaced by the Z3 as I felt I was getting a bit too old for permanently fixing cars. That was 15 years ago and now I have got bored with not fixing cars and got the 1971 Fiat 500 to play with.

 

[TriumphZ3]

If you like Heralds surely the obvious replacement for the GT6 is a Vitesse?

You mean like this one? Mine at a show last year. Not perfect but on the road!

 

[Ian&Sue]

You mean like this one? Mine at a show last year. Not perfect but on the road!
View attachment 290041

Yes, that's lovely, always had a soft spot for a Vitesse.

 

[Dakar Z3]

My GT6 MKIII VMT 124M,

Also featuring my Son, getting in on the act,

After the GT6 I said to myself I'd never restore another car, took me 3 years and a lot of pain.

I think I must like yellow......................

I found out later the car was sold through Bonhams Auction at Olympia, in 2005

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/12174/lot/653

 

[mwpe]

Here is my GT6, like the Z it was meant to be used, those wheels were an old set which I kept for autotests and solos. It normally had cosmics.

 

[Duncodin]

Seeing aa how this thread is turning into a triumph thread

 

[B21]

Here’s one prepared earlier…

 

[TriumphZ3]

Some great photos, shows I'm not alone in my appreciation of Triumph! I just have to alternate my cars (depending on the weather, the Z3 is the only one that doesn't leak rain!)