So, the Vitesse based Spartan Kit car is alive! This means it's replacement can be sourced!

.....However. Dad's got his eye on a 72 GT6 that's had a paint job at some point. It was red, now it's dark blue. It's also had several patches of rust repaired recently and is almost ready for paint.

Should we worry that the blue paint job covered up more issues than has already come through? Or is it no more of a risk than a car on it's original paint? It just seems to me, in my mind, that the paint job could be making the shell look better than it really is and that a new coat of paint might end up being a waste of money if a patch believed to be healthy starts bubbling?

Also, what's the opinion on cars that have changed colour? I'm hoping that when we ask I'm told it's at least an original Triumph colour (it does look Triumph Royal Blue). If it's not will this be a problem with appreciating value? The plan is to buy something that needs paint as Dad's not taken with the Yellows, Reds and Purples. I personally hate the idea of a car that's changed colour unless it's to an original shade.. Nothing worse than a classic car painted in a modern colour.. never looks right. This GT6 is a dark, solid blue and so it looks "right" wearing it. Is that all that matters, that it looks "right"?

Thanks Guys.

Having owned classics in the past, I'd be wary. I always found that if you can see rust it's a bit like an iceberg, there's more to discover. Did you ever see the thread on the Nissan 240z on here? It was s 'rust free' shell from the U.S. I've looked at the thread, but the pics have been deleted unfortunately. However, it was most definitely not rust free and was merely a series of holes held together with a doily of metal.

Only way to kill rust is cut out bad metal and weld in new metal. Sheet of A4 paper and a strong magnet onto any suspect areas. Paper just stops magnet from marking paint. I've seen classics with chicken wire, and cataloy holding structural parts together.

The sills are the place to check 1st. A discreet prod with a screwdriver will reveal rust, check the inner and outer, then the chassis outriggers under the floorpan. You can buy a recon chassis from Triumph specialists,

Paint can disguise all manner of bodywork bodgery beneath. Is there a photographic record available of the previous work? What attention has been paid to the detail?, in that has the colour change been applied to the insides of the panels and the floor, is it on the V5 registration document.

A bit of research into the GT6 and their known corrosion weak points wouldn't go amiss, also in addition to the magnet tip above, sound metal gives off a different sound to rust and filler when lightly tapped with a small plastic hammer, such as one of these:

CAT

I once reversed into a GT6 in a car park at less than walking pace in a Mk1 Escort. I caught the GT6 on the front wing just behind the wheel with the Escorts bumper. When I got out to have a look, there was just a pile of aubergine and rust coloured flakes on the floor and a view through to the inner wing

It was (or had been) an otherwise tidy looking example.

Nice cars the GT6 though, I like them.

Well, It got it's MOT 2 months ago, so that's positive if nothing else.

Looked into panel availability and you can get most of them, allot original and a few reproduction. Any difficult to find parts seem roof related. Of course there's good 2nd hand panels knocking about once in a blue moon and a fair few are shared with the Spit.

The plan was to have it tidied up and the outside repainted anyway, so changing out a few panels that are beyond repair shouldn't be an issue. Not aiming for concourse, just tidy & fun. This example is supposed to be absolutely spot on mechanically and not "completely" past it on the body side of things... But even with my small amount of experience of rust on my 92 Escort, I know that it's gotta be cut out. I'll be sure to ask exactly how the seller has repaired the parts he's already "fixed". It'll be living in a good environment. Our garage is part of the house and the boiler is on the back side of the back wall so the briks transfer and store the heat nicely. It never really drops as cold or damp as even an external garage.. The Spartan came out looking like it did when it went in in 2007. but then.. That's made of Aluminum, Fiberglass and no more nails... but the Chassis, spoked wheels, chrome and engine bay haven't changed a dot.

The GT6 has already had some new body parts... I'm thinking it might be a better idea to hold off on the new paint, sort the interior & tidy up the bay and just wait till next summer to see if any of the repaired rust makes a come back. At least by then we'll have more of an idea of what we're dealing with. Sending it off for new paint straight away seems high risk in my mind.

I'm sure your dad will have it ship-shape soon, us dads and grandads know everything . Check out Rimmer bros. for parts.