In spite Chris K.'s of suggestion that I spend the money on restoring
my Bugeye, I'm considering a '76 TR-6. Vitals: 75K miles, current
inspection, good-to-excellent original interior and exterior, red,
factory hardtop and good vinyl tops (hood, tonneau and folded hood
cover). Unfortunately, no overdrive. The suspension, both front and
rear, has had recent work (I need to consult the receipts as the owner
wasn't sure exactly what work had been done). Engine starts and runs
reasonably well with a slight miss on acceleration. No obvious leaks
or smoke emissions. The body has been repainted once and the paint
has faded some (not quite the color of tomato soup, yet, but getting
there!). There are two or three small spots of surface rust, but no
apparent perforation in the usual spots.
Well, the owner is asking $6,500, so I'll ask the two usual questions:
what should I watch out for when I take another look and is $6,500 a
reasonable price. My sense is that $6,500 is a little high but a good
place to start negotiations; somewhere between $5,500 and $6,000 might
be more appropriate. Oh, Chris suggests looking carefully at the top
of the rear wheel arches and to listen for the clunk from broken
differential mounts. I'll try a compression test and watch for 30psi
of oil pressure at warm idle.
- Ralph
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