Triumph GT6 History/Originality: Triumph GT6+/Mk2 Marketing and the Heated Rear Glass Transition (ca. 1970)

Small Triumph Sports Library & Archives, Episode 13 (August 2023)

A much-lengthier-than-originally-planned discussion of GT6+/Mk2 marketing, especially with regard to the Triplex heated rear window introduced in 1968 for the 1969 model year and then redesigned in or around 1970. The episode ultimately centers around questions about when and how Triumph rolled out the second version of the heated rear window.

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Initial notes/corrections, pedantic nonsense, and self-mockery:

This video took me A LOT longer to put together than I anticipated. For all of that, and despite history, I find it hard to believe that I managed to ramble for over thirty minutes on this video…

3:03 Taylor, p. 46; Nikas, p. 59.

4:00 See, for example, Robson, p. 72. Admittedly, “a lot of” is probably an exaggeration, as some of this characterization involves reading between the lines in the criticisms of the car’s handling. It is important to emphasize, though, that Michael Cook, who was working for Triumph in the U.S. when the GT6 was introduced, notes “Soft suspension settings (supposedly for the American market although there is no record that Triumph’s U.S. company asked for them)” and declares, “The UK and European road testers were right that the rear suspension would have to be changed, but wrong in their assumption that the U.S.A. wanted the soft settings“ (p. 68).

6:21 See “A Qualified Triumph,” Sports Car Graphic March 1969, reprinted in Clarke, pp. 82-85, and “Triumph GT6+ Better Handling, Quicker, More Comfortable,” Road & Track February 1969, reprinted in Clarke, pp.86-88

10:34 The article on Triplex glass is available here: http://www.mg-tabc.org/library/triple...

11:40 UPDATE (10 Sept 2023): I did discover a source that establishes that, as I began to suspect, Triplex went to month-specific coding in 1969, the year AFTER my glass was manufactured. However, it could be that the new system was introduced earlier on specific products, and, indeed, a comment on the source says that the change occurred for 1968. That coding uses a system of one and/or two dots above the Triplex lettering, and in that system my glass (with two dots over the "T") should be read as manufactured in May 1968. That date makes even more sense to me than the plausible first quarter of 1968. The additional source is here: http://www.bobine.nl/turner/01-genera...

Video correction here:    • Cleanup on Episode 13: Triumph GT6--R...  
I also inserted a badge into the posted video calling attention to this correction.

16:02 Prior to the spec sheet.

20:10 I have not come across any strong evidence about this change in terms of whether it was driven by Triplex, was requested by automotive manufacturers, or if it was more of a collaborative rethink.

28:47 Sometimes pronounced “eh-rot-a,” but I was shooting for a clear distinction between “errata” and “erotic.”

Works Cited

NOTE: Many of the images used are of original materials in my possession, but for some images I’m indebted to those out there who share photos and scans on the Internet.

Clarke, R.M., compiler. Triumph GT6 Gold Portfolio 1966–1974. Brooklands Books, n.d.

Cook, Michael. The Triumph Spitfire. TAB Books, 1981.

Nikas, John. Triumph Spitfire & GT6: Setting the Small Sports Car Standard. Amberly, 2019.

Pelton, Doug (researcher/compiler). “Triplex Glass—Originality for MG-T Cars” Available at: http://www.mg-tabc.org/library/triple...

Robson, Graham. Triumph Spitfire and GT6: A Collector’s Guide. Motor Racing Publications, 1991.

Taylor, James. Triumph Spitfire and GT6: The Complete Story. Crowood Press, 2000.

"Triplex Glass Manufacturing Date Codes." Bobine. Available at: http://www.bobine.nl/turner/01-genera...