Everybody likes a deal, right? Well, Mr. Mitchell G. has found one for us, it’s a 1966 Triumph Spitfire and the price has dropped $400 to a low of $1,350 with no reasonable offer refused! Of course, that old adage is almost always true, “You get what you pay for” so let’s look this Greenfield, Massachusetts resident over and see if that’s the case. This little Brit is available, here on craigslist.
Triumph Spitfires (’62-’80), were rather common finds at one time with approximately 314K seeing the light of day in its nineteen years of production. But today, well, many succumbed to the arch-enemy of British cars – rust. And even though the images show what looks like a sound body, the seller does admit, “Significant rust on the bottom floor pans and trunk pan“. Unfortunately, no underside issues are included but I’d be inclined to believe that “significant” translates into substantial – or a lot. The seller mentions that he’s owned this Spitfire since ’98 and it has been garaged in a barn “most” of the time that he’s owned it so the damage may have happened prior to his purchase or perhaps, was exacerbated by its barn storage. Also mentioned is a folding top that has been devoured by mice.
Power is provided by a 67 HP, 1,147 CC, in-line, four-cylinder engine, utilizing a four-speed manual transmission. The seller adds, “Now the clutch does not engage and we have reached the outer limit of our mechanical knowledge. This car does not currently drive. It is a project car with a functioning engine“. The 4844 mileage reading is just that, a reading – neither the speedometer nor the odometer works.
There’s interior appears as worn and dusty, but completely intact. The seats can’t be viewed in their entirety but what can be glimpsed certainly looks passable. The instrument panel gives no indication of missing gauges or switchgear so there’s a plus. The wooden steering wheel is a common after-market variety that was popular in the ’70s. Of concern, after learning about the mousecapades treatment of the convertible top, is the wiring…
So, this Spitfire started out as a father-son project and the duo did get the car to run at one time, but as stated earlier, they’re out of their mechanical league now, and it sounds as if interest has faded too. The seller states, “It would be so nice if a knowledgeable person were to finish the restoration“. Well, at $1,350, OBO, there’s not a lot of risk, assuming one is familiar with the mechanical facets of a Triumph Spitfire. So, what do you think, is the price here too good to be true, or would the seller be getting what they paid for?
A steal for a complete and intact early Spitfire. I’m guessing the engine is not original as the original would have had dual carbs in 1966. This would be an easy and worthwhile project, and all parts are readily available from a bunch of suppliers.
I’m less familiar with Triumphs than I am with MGs but to my eye that looks like an engine out of a later 1500cc Spit, with its single Zenith-Stromberg.
My ’69 Spit had twin SU’s. Bultaco is correct, parts easily sourced.
* Christmas Elf shown is not included.
I bought one in a barn find in 2001 for 50 bucks totally apart, did mechanics, wiring and body work (that’s how I learned I’m not good at body work) plus a paint job and carpet and taught my 14 year old son how to drive a stick shift. That was a fun car, but barely bigger than a go kart. Ran out of room in the garage so he had to go, sold it on ebay to somebody back in the midwest.
The car or the son had to go? ;-)
There was a Calvin and Hobbes strip where Calvin’s dad claimed they got Calvin as a blue light special at K-Mart. I think today Dad would probably claim they got him on eBay. :)
Bahahaha 🤣
Agree on the twin carbs (SU’s IIRC), I had a 67. Rust was an issue then as apparently it still is. The one I had, it continually needed attention, something always seemed to happen to it.
When it ran it was fun but there were a lot of times it didn’t. Expect to at a minimum, spend a fair amount of time fixing things.
Even at the give away price cleaning up the car wouldn’t have hurt anything. Metal is available for restoration but without knowing how much rust is in the car you stand a chance of pouring a lot of money and time into this one. At least it hasn’t been wrecked.
Found Waldo.
The car looks fairly clean in the last picture. But it must have been smoking pretty badly. Everyone standing around it, outside, has a cloth mask on.
Make molds to recreate a glass or carbon fiber body & tub. Chassis may rust slower than body. Lower wishbones may need refresh to reduce front end shake
I thought the Stromberg Zenith carb,replaced the SUs,in 68,not 66 !
My sister’s car!
Back in 1966 my sister bought a new Spitfire in red with black top and interior. I’m sure there were a lot of red Spitfires as red is a sport car color along with British Racing Green. This car is probably the reason I bought a 1972 MG Midget.
These were fun cars to drive but not so much as daily drivers. More like sunny weekend outings.
After she got married the Spitfire was replaced with a 1970 Camaro.
In fact I drove my 1970 Midget convertible top down almost 365 days a year in the Akron-Canron area. The winds reen was so well designed that it pushed rain and snow over the cockpit and the heater was superb. Until a fried borrowed it forcacroad rally and managed to put both rear wheels in ditches on opposite sides of the road.
Needing basic daily transportation now so if you wanna send it to me in Florida I will accept the gift.
Seller Speak-Surface rust–started on the back surface and is coming through as bubble in the paint
Rust Through–holes
Significant Rust–looks so bad I can’t candy coat it with statements above.
This car is cheap enough, though the original motor and less of a hornets nest of wires and hoses more the hood would make it more appealing.
These are simple cars with great parts availability and the early style Spits are getting harder and harder to find. If it were closer to me I would be looking,I know a guy who had dreams of Spitfire vintage racing and may still have some old 1296 blocks, carbs etc. sitting around.
My mom had a ’76 that was a complete money pit. It looked pretty good and she had a hard top for it, too. But it was always in the shop for something. Dad never said what his limit was, but he eventually bought her a brand new Celica GT and refused to spend another dime.
Funny stuff.
I replaced a clutch in mine, on the street.
That was in 1975.
I loved the car and have no idea what made me get rid of it.
I also had a go-cart when I was in junior high.
That would have been about 1965.
I love spitfires I restored 3over the years loved driving them. Yes they are easy to work on and parts are readily available and at a fair price. As far as wiring and electronics that is also available. Yes there may be significant rust so a lot of the time will be spent cutting and wielding in new metal also available if you can’t weld this is a great way to learn you will be a pro when done. All the spitfires I had were reliable when I finished with them. So much fun to drive. GLWTS