The 1600 pinto is very tall and very heavy with poor power output and high fuel consumption. We asked pat if he would fill us in on the spitfire s various modifications. Plus, unlike many cars from the sixties and seventies, parts availability is excellent. It was apparently deformed a bit after the rollover in 1966. All this was a good deal back in 1962 when the triumph spitfire was introduced, and it is still that todaywith improve ments. Built in the early seventies by a racer in the atlanta georgia area, this triumph spitfire has a long scca racing history. Alastair cox wellington new zealand 1975 mk2 automatic brg triumph stag 2001 bwm 530i. Mini marcos driver bob polak was awarded the optima battery award for sportsmanship. Most of the car has been derived from the triumph herald, including the separate chassis, fourcylinder pushrod o. Life with a 1964 triumph spitfire the story of maintaining. Im thinking that if the seat rails were modified to let the driver s seat go further back and a small portion of the lr wheelwell was cut out and then sealed flat to allow the seat to go back another 2 inches i may be able to play. The body was in very good condition with most panels having been replaced over its lifetime. The very best reason to buy a spitfire is because the thing is a ball to drive. In the world we live in now, classic british sports cars have become less and less affordable.
Some drivers will find the nearly skateboardhigh ride height a trifle terrifying in a world with suv bumpers aimed at your head. Use the filters to narrow down your selection based on price, year and mileage to help find your dream triumph gloria gt6. Triumph spitfire aston martin racing green x superlite alloy wheels triumph spitfire at the junkyard by martin aveyard. Triumph spitfire the spitfire was the quintessential british roadster. Hey all, so i have been in love with spitfires and the tr6 family since o first saw them, but i really have always longed for a triumph gt6, but there is an issue. If youre thinking about buying a triumph spitfire because its a. We are currently open for business during this covid19 crisis. The weight of a standard triumph engine is 275 pounds. This page contains some hints and tips for those who are considering buying a triumph spitfire.
This is a solid example that is mechanically sound. This spitfire is in excellent condition with beautiful paint, hard top, rag top, tonneau cover and more. The main consideration is not the size, but the weight. The triumph spitfire is already a great choice as an affordable classic because parts are so dang cheap, but when you find a clean runner for this kind of money, its a steal. Triumph spitfires for sale used on oodle classifieds. On top of that and possibly also because of the 1966 accident, a bracer bar in the bottom back broke off.
Heres a great video from the archives, a quick history of triumph sports cars. Moss motors is the worlds largest and oldest british parts supplier. Sep 15, 2017 in this episode from driving with gloves cor drives a 1978 triumph spitfire 1500. Triumph spitfire mkiv 1973 wooden dashboard this triumph spitfire mkiv cabriolet was built in 1973 and delivered. Kijiji alerts are an email notification service where kijiji users can have the newest ads sent to your email address. It is one of the few sports cars which has seat adjustment enough for a really tall driver. To have your car featured here and in the next spitfiregt6 magazine, visit the. Worldwide vintage autos is pleased to present this 1979 spitfire triumph history th. Escaping death several years ago, when my 1971 triumph spitfire was bilaterally crushed between a careless driver and unluckily placed road barricades, left me grateful to be alive, but the spitfire did not fare so well. The triumph spitfire sports independent suspension at all four corners with major mechanical components that are robust and simple to maintain and repair. Furthermore, the car is powered by the correct 1147cc 4 cylinder engine in combination with the 4speed manual gearbox. Dependent on how flexible your certifiers are, you could argue that the spitfire is alot like a gt6 which has about 100 bhp and gt6 brakes are a bolton swap. At classic driver, we offer a worldwide selection of triumph spitfires for sale. Find great deals on ebay for triumph spitfire and triumph tr6.
Find triumph spitfires for sale on oodle classifieds. All this was a good deal back in 1962 when the triumph spitfire was introduced, and it. Please note the following vehicle location is at our clients home and not in cadillac, michigan. While not a spitfire, my brother was 7 tall and had no problem driving his tr3. We are closed to walk in traffic but please call in advance for possible special arrangements. Triumph produced the fun and affordable spitfire for 18 years, during which time over 314,000 were built. They are beautiful and about the same price as good driver tr6, just be aware they have issues and you need to get it checked before buying. The best reason for buying a spitfire is that the thing is a ball to drive. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation. For reference, im 6, own an mgb, and have driven spitfires and spridgets. Douglas of the triumph network states that a variety of engines will fit, from the stock engine to a ford 427 big block.
Tr7, tr8, spitfire and stag and other tr models are available from british car spares. This page shows fun photos of spitfire and gt6 with pets and animals, weddings, etc. The triumph spitfire is one of britains bestloved sports cars, produced from. Im thinking that if the seat rails were modified to let the drivers seat go further back and a small portion of the lr wheelwell was cut out and then sealed flat to allow the seat to go back another 2 inches i. We specialize in mg, tc, td, tf, mga, mgb, mgc, midget, triumph, tr2, tr3, tr3a, tr3b, tr4, tr4a. Bigger engines weigh more, such as the 427, weighing 701 pounds. The spitfire model is a cabriolet car manufactured by triumph, with 2 doors and seats, sold new from year 1970. The platform for the car was largely based upon the chassis, engine, and. He just cited the custom exhaust header and the krantz transmission, and then wrote everything else is period stock. Strippedout cabin will cramp your legs but not your enthusiasm. Check your commission number against the charts in this link. Triumph spitfire 4 sports car graphic introduces the new spitfire. Miller treasured his gt6 to such an extent that he took extraordinary care of it from day one.
The triumph spitfire is a small british twoseat sports car, introduced at the london motor show in 1962 and manufactured between 1962 and 1980. In this episode from driving with gloves cor drives a 1978 triumph spitfire 1500. I took the finished spitfire out for a shoot at the local auto recycler thought it was a nice contrast. The bracketed figures in the text crossrefer with the key on pages 6 and 7 fuel gauge 1 at the side corresponding to non. The question about what year your car is is a complicated question for many reasons. Link your active subscription or subscribe for instant access. For a start there are going to be fewer cars available. The driver is the former owner of the car, seppo muhonen.
Automotive seats replacement, racing, sport, classic. They are beautiful and about the same price as good driver tr6, just be aware they have issues and you need to get it. It positions you for access to the controls and provides comfortable support suited to the vehicles purpose, whether its racing, cruising, offroading, or a long trip on the interstate. So the drivers seat of the triumph has always been a little bent.
Im thinking that if the seat rails were modified to let the drivers seat go further back and a small portion of the lr wheelwell was cut out and then sealed flat to allow the seat to go back another 2 inches i may be able to play. At 6 4 i do not fit into a tr6 and need a solution other than leg surgery. Triumph spitfire vehicle information this page is best viewed from your desktop pc, as there is a wealth of charts and graphics for your perusal. It required quite a few chassis repairs before being blasted and painted. Your spitfire stories triumph letters from hemmings. Paying homage to the cars former race driverowner and development engineer. Im thinking that if the seat rails were modified to let the drivers seat go. The steering wheel issue applies to my toledo as well but im putting a smaller diameter wheel in that car.
Sep 04, 2019 today our 1962 triumph spitfire runs way better. In short, a very rare and beautiful triumph spitfire mk1 for the real enthusiast. Heres what its really like to buy an old british sports car. This 1979 triumph spitfire 1500 has only had one owner and 97,300 miles. January 1963 first page second page introducing the spitfire. I agree, the mgb will have more space for a tall driver than either the spitfire or the spridget. The triumph spitfire is a small english twoseat sports car, introduced at the london motor show in 1962. Search preowned triumph spitfire listings to find the best local deals. Triumph spitfire mk 2 this photo was taken in finland on the of feb. See steve mcqueen and paul newman among many other famous triumph race car drivers. But thats where the sparkling realities of owning such a car come to a halt. Obviously you arent going to get a show car for a couple grand, but this spitfire does look clean and the seller has already done a lot of sorting. Triumph spitfire restoration parts and accessories moss. Everyone starts out with a spitfire, or similar, and we dont know anyone who looks back on the experience with anything other than fondness.
The triumph spitfire is a wonderful car to look at, to imagine driving, and to be seen in. How the tr6 can work for a tall person squarespace. When i bought the car from him, the odometer was at 44,600 miles. This triumph spitfire mk3 came in to us for a full restoration. There was a feel of enthusiastic amateurs about triumph in the 1950s, as keen young men such as harry webster and giovanni michelotti followed the make do and mend wartime philosophy to save the beleaguered firm all except bespoke car builders had moved to monocoques, yet standardtriumph made a virtue out of the separate chassis, basing.
Michelottis fun baby sports car still makes a bargain practical classic nearly 60 years after its launch. The vehicle was based on a design produced for standard triumph in 1957 by italian designer giovanni michelotti. Tr parts and triumph parts, tr bits, triumph car spares and. This page contains some hints and tips for those who already own a triumph spitfire. Get all the latest information on events, sales and offers. Ride with hagerty in a 1967 triumph spitfire mkiii. And i almost roll backwards into the car behind me. Wayne 37 mg ta, 49 triumph roadster, 70 tr6, 2000 jaguar xk8, 78 spit6. Join millions of people using oodle to find unique used cars for sale, certified preowned car listings, and new car classifieds. Research, compare and save listings, or contact sellers directly from 5 spitfire models nationwide. Buying a classic car is not like buying a modern car. Buy triumph spitfire parts and accessories for your repair, rebuild and restoration. We asked pat if he would fill us in on the spitfires various modifications. If the choice is strictly between those cars, the spitfire is slightly roomier.
The car is executed in the popular colour british racing green combined with a red interior with white piping, chrome wire wheels and a hardtop. So a couple of weeks ago, i removed the drivers seat from the car in an attempt to fix both issues. Owning a triumph spitfire when youve actually bought a spitfire. John vannorman proves somebody 65 can get in a triumph gt6. The least driveable vehicle for him over the years were.
Id love to sit in a spitfire just to see what it like for a tall person. An option suggested by another tr6 owner is the installation of a pre1977 spitfire steering column, which this gentleman noted is almost identical to the tr6 steering column but is about 4. Buying a triumph spitfire hints and tips triumph spitfire. Classic car overview take a look at this cute little run around car. The car was largely based upon the chassis of the triumph herald saloon, but shortened and without the heralds outrigger sections. Buying a triumph spitfire before you own a triumph spitfire. The gt6 was originally purchased as a daily driver. In the stag i tend to slouch down behind the screen abit. Your spitfire stories triumph letters from august 2012. Triumph spitfire ii engine technical data engine type number of cylinders. The making of a race driver is brought to you by british leyland, makers of the triumph spitfire and the tr6 sports car, so were immediately treated to an amusing commercial about a pair of spitfire 1500s, revved and ready to street race from a stoplightuntil a police car pulls up alongside. Launched in october 1962, the spitfire featured sleek styling by famed italian designer giovanni michelotti. A charming and economical roadster, the spitfire was introduced in 1962 and production ran through 1980. These suggestions are a mixture of car maintenance ideas and some modifications you can make to your triumph spitfire.
Richard brown bought it, and together with his friend nick julian he has been vintage racing it for about six years. Classic car news classic car news pics and videos from around the world. When i asked him his original intentions when he bought his triumph, he replied. Rear doublewishbone setup emulates later competition spitfires. The early cars are desired for their smaller bumpers, but the later mk iii and mk iv cars are desirable for their drivetrain and interior improvements. They are not our words but american magazine car and driver from some 50 years ago.
At classic driver, we offer a worldwide selection of triumph gloria gt6s for sale. To see ads from the march, 2020 issue, you must be a subscriber to hemmings motor news. The 1970 triumph spitfire represents an affordable way into the classic british sportscar experience. Bryan orr goads me into driving his triumph spitfire youtube. The vehicle was based on a design produced for standardtriumph in 1957 by italian designer giovanni michelotti. Use the filters to narrow down your selection based on price, year and mileage to help find your dream triumph spitfire.