Larry Lambert's 1974 Triumph TR-6 with 2001 GM P3400 SFI Engine
Owner: Larry LambertBritishV8 UserID: lrlambert
City: Wenatchee, Washington
Model: 1974 Triumph TR-6
Engine: 2001 GM P3400 SFI
Conversion by: British Restorations
How Much is Enough?
Larry Lambert's interest in sporty cars started early, with domestic models. In 1998 he was introduced
to real sports cars and specifically to Triumphs. His attraction to the marque has increased steadily
along with his desire for more speed and performance. In May 2000, he became the second owner of this
1974 TR-6. The car had already been restored, but Larry felt it needed more power and performance.
While it was being readied for him, he directed that the stock TR-6 cylinder head be milled 0.080"
to increase compression ratio and that a more aggressive camshaft be installed. Electronic ignition,
S.U. carburetors (in leau of original Zenith-Stromberg 175CD carbs), and various brake upgrades were
subsequently added, but Larry was up against the law of dimenishing returns. Fast forward to the
autumn of 2010: Larry had become friends with British Restorations' principal, Bill Sinclair, and
together they'd decided it was finally time for an engine swap.
General Motors's P3400 V6 engine was selected. When trial fitted, the team determined the front of
the V6 engine could be located nearly seven inches rearward and an inch lower in the frame than
the original Triumph inline-six. The sixty-degree V6 is simply more compact. It's also about 170 pounds
lighter! Even in modest tune, the V6 produces significantly more horsepower and torque. Larry found the
answer to "How much is enough?" in performance, agility, braking, and creature comfort improvement.
While his upgraded TR-6 remains a "sleeper" in terms of appearance, its acceleration is anything but
sleepy. Pushing the go-fast pedal at highway speed in 4th gear causes "hold on tight" acceleration.
Cornering and handling are dramatically improved too.
How It Was Done
| Engine: | 2001 General Motors P3400 3.4L SFI V6 (from a Pontiac Aztec).
FWD to RWD conversion.
Stock aluminum cylinder heads.
Stock camshaft and valvetrain.
Stock intake manifold, flipped around to direct the throttle body forward.
Stock throttle body, mass airflow sensor, and fuel injectors.
Stock electronic ignition and coils.
Aurora 8.5mm Super Mag Plus spark plug wires.
|
| Cooling: | aluminum radiator (early model Ford Mustang pattern).
16" lectric fan (pulling), controlled by ECM.
|
| Exhaust: | custom built headers, ceramic coated.
12" by 2.25" glasspack muffler.
2010 Mustang GT 4.6L muffler.
Custom 2.25" stainless steel exhaust pipe.
Stainless steel "dual exhaust" tips.
|
| Transmission: | Borg Warner "World Class" T5 5-speed (from a Chevrolet Camaro).
0.63:1 5th gear.
Chevrolet bellhousing and clutch.
Custom built and balanced prop shaft.
|
| Rear End: | Nissan R200 viscous limited-slip differential.
4.11:1 ring and pinion.
Good Parts CV-jointed halfshafts and hubs.
|
| Front Suspension: | quick ratio TR-6 steering rack.
KYB shock absorbers.
Upgraded coil springs, sway bar, bushings, and wheel spindles. |
| Rear Suspension: | Good Parts rear suspension.
KYB shock absorbers.
Various frame reinforcements in the differential mount area. |
| Brakes: | (master) Ford Mustang master cylinder with vacuum booster. Wilwood proportioning valve. Electric line lock. (front) Toyota calipers with Honda drilled and vented rotors. (rear) Nissan/Infinity calipers with Nissan drilled rotors. |
| Wheels/Tires: | Rota RB 17"x7.5" aluminum wheels in Royal Silver finish with polished lips.
Michelin Primacy MXMY P215/50R17 tires. |
| Interior: | custom cherry dashboard made to order by Dave Renner of Sinner Performance.
Mountney leather wrapped steering wheel.
1971 Triumph TR-6 (high-back) seats, modified with custom lumbar supports and electric heaters.
Extended driver-side seat track.
Driver's side inner wheel well cut out to allow more seat travel.
Tinted windscreen.
Power door windows.
MG interior door pulls.
Custom door trim panels.
Spare tire removed & trunk area carpeted over.
|
| Exterior: | HID headlamps.
Powder-coated front grille.
Sikkens basecoat/clearcoat paint in Triumph "Carmine Red". |
| Electrical: | Dolphin electronic gauges.
Delco 130 amp alternator.
Motorcraft BXT-40R battery.
Rostra Precision Controls cruise control.
Kenwood KDC-9017 AM/FM/CD/Satelite stereo head unit.
MTX Thunder 4244 audio amplifier.
3-way speakers in front kick-panels.
2-way speakers in rear.
|
| Completed: | September 2012. Driven ~8000 miles since, as of April 2014. |
| Comments: | "35 mpg, but fast, quick, and nimble when you want it."
Larry is the car's second owner.
The conversion was completed at British Restorations of Kelowna, British Columbia
by Bill Sinclair with help from Larry Lambert and Dave Renner.
|
Engine Installation
2001 General Motors P3400 (3.4L V6) with sequential fuel injection, from a Pontiac Aztec.
Rostra Precision Controls cruise control computer and servo are supplied as one unit.
Ford Mustang master cylinder with vacuum booster.
Mass airflow sensor.
An electric fan pulls air through an (early model Ford Mustang size) aluminum radiator.
Throttle cable and heater hose routing.
Three dual-tower coil packs sit atop a GM (AC Delco) Ignition Control Module.
Stock intake manifold has been flipped around to direct the throttle body forward.
To adapt this front-wheel-drive engine for rear-wheel-drive use,
water pump and alternator rotation direction had to be reversed.
Wilwood brake proportioning valve.
This is an electric solenoid-type line lock valve, similar to what Hurst
calls "Roll Control". (It's temporarily disconnected.)
Flaming River steering universal joints and intermediate shaft.
General Motors P3400 engine's thermostat housing.
The rusty cannister in the center of this photo is an EGR valve. (It was discarded later.)
Delco 130 amp alternator.
The Swap
Out with the old: Triumph 2498cc (152ci) engine.
Triumph fully synchronized four speed transmission, with optional accessory overdrive.
In with the new: General Motors 3350cc (204ci) engine.
Chevrolet-spec Borg Warner T5 five speed transmission with overdrive (0.63:1) fifth gear.
Plenty of room, and a nice gear selector location.
Exhaust System
Custom built headers.
A ceramic coating protects and helps keep heat inside the exhaust headers.
Custom y-pipe.
Small glasspack muffler.
2010 Mustang GT 4.6L muffler.
Stainless steel "dual exhaust" tips.
Suspension and Brakes
KYB shock absorbers were installed, front and rear.
Toyota calipers with Honda drilled and vented rotors.
At the rear: Nissan/Infinity calipers with Nissan drilled rotors.
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Paint
Paint work in process.
Sikkens base-coat / clear-coat paint.
Paint and finish bodywork by Jason Agostino of Mervyn's Body Shop in Kelowna, BC.
Powder-coated front grille.
Triumph called this color Carmine Red.
Interior
The red button on the shifter knob is there to control a hydraulic brake lockout valve.
It isn't currently connected, but if it were it would enable smokey burnouts.
Dolphin electronic gauges.
Kenwood KDC-9017 AM/FM/CD/Satelite stereo head unit.
Rostra Precision Controls GM-style cruise control stalk switch.
1971 Triumph TR-6 (high-back) seats, modified with custom lumbar supports and electric heaters.
Custom door trim panels featuring MGB interior door pulls.
Spare tire removed & trunk area carpeted over. MTX Thunder 4244 audio amplifier.
Custom cherry dashboard made to order by Dave Renner of Sinner Performance.
Exterior
To celebrate their car's completion, Larry and his wife Patricia drove 3000 miles
round trip to Flagstaff, Arizona to participate in Triumphest 2012.
Larry and Patricia also traveled 2200 miles roundtrip for Triumphest 2013 in San Rafael,
California where their car was awarded 2nd Place in the Vintage Triumph Register's
"Modified Prepared" Class.
Dave Renner and his orange Triumph TR-7. Bill Sinclair and his white Triumph TR-6.
Rota RB 17"x7.5" aluminum wheels in Royal Silver finish with polished lips.
Michelin Primacy MXMY P215/50R17 tires.
"Cheese!"
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