This relatively inexpensive (at least for now, and the auction doesn’t have a reserve) Triumph Spitfire is for sale in beautiful Costa Mesa, California and the auction is posted here on eBay. Current bidding is $750 with no reserve.
As Josh, myself and other Barn Finds writers have explained before, Spitfires offer a very inexpensive way to get that wind in the hair traditional British roadster convertible experience. By the end of production in 1980, the car hadn’t really changed tremendously from the original Triumph offering in the early 1960s. It did gain some plushness, though, with reclining seats, a walnut (real, not plastic) dashboard and available overdrive and hardtop. This hardtop, while not being factory, still makes the car more comfortable and tight, although to be honest I’d take it off and leave it off. You can also see what this car was priced at locally, giving you an idea what the seller is looking for from the auction.
The sills look pretty good — the worst spot for Spitfire rusting is to the right here, just in front of the rear tire (this is the driver’s side).
Floors look good as well. All told, the seller has spent $2,550 on new parts for the car, ranging from a downdraft Weber conversion to new tires. Unfortunately for them, I suspect they will have trouble realizing that much out of this sale (never mind the cost of the car in the first place) as most of what they have purchased are functional items rather than cosmetic ones. It seems that few buyers recognize the intelligence of making something run before making it look pretty.
Here’s one spot you’ll need to take care of. The rear corners of the trunk lids are very vulnerable on these late Spitfires, as the factory stamped a great drainage hole on each side and then promptly filled it with a rubber plug. One of the first things I do when I purchase a late Spitfire is to pull the plugs and throw them away!
Here’s the downdraft Weber, and I can see a header behind it. While I’m not a huge fan of the sump-type manifold necessary to clear the hood, this is one of the better ones that incorporates a warming chamber below the carb to try to avoid freezing. The seller says it needs brake bleeding and a little electrical work; I’m thinking that’s pretty simple stuff for the lucky buyer to remedy. What do you think?
It may be for sale in sunny CA, but is wearing plates from salty IL.
I also have a white 79 Spitfire 1500 with a Weber conversion and it is hands down the funnest car I’ve ever owned.
The last year of spitfire I would get would be a 72.
These ads never say if it has O/D. Imperative on a Spitfire.( 3300 rpm’s @ 65 get’s mighty old after a while) Again, people may not even know what that is ( although, on a Spitfire, it’s pretty obvious, switch on the shift knob.) I agree with Jules, I guess I’d be more tempted if it was t’other way ’round.( Cal. car in ILL) But I don’t care for Spitfires anyway. ( especially non O/D ones) By the way, speaking of Spitfires, how’s the BF’s one doin’? Find a home for it yet?
I’m just about done with a rolling restoration on my ’79. I opted for the euro spec twin HS4 carbs years ago. After seeing the car without the monstrous rubber bumpers for the past couple of years I just can’t bring myself to put those back on. Until I find a reasonably priced set of chrome bumpers to convert it to I’m going bumperless. They are slow but are fun to drive and handle well. Overdrive would be nice but they aren’t cheap. This one seems a little overpriced but they can be a challenge to find without a lot of rust. Most all of the parts are still available and relatively cheap.
I do like spitfires, having owned, restored, driven one for years. Yes, they are no Ferrari but the fun-per-dollar factor can’t be beaten. They must be about the most affordable classic sports car out there, cheap to buy, great parts availability and pricing, and just about the easiest car in the world to work on particularly with the flip front. As others said, not fast, but it feels much faster than it is with the top down and sitting just a few inches off the road.
I am not so much a fan of the last couple of years of production – so a 1979 wouldn’t be my first choice. the switch to the generic TR7 style steering column, the hounds-tooth pattern seat covers, the hideous black rubber bumpers, and increasingly strangled emissions motor, spoiled the simple appeal for me a little….
@Yellowjax. I’d be interested your reasons for a strict 72 model year cut-off. I do feel that the pre-1970 cars definitely have a neater more “vintage” look and feel to them, but the post 1970 cars have much superior handling with the “swing spring” rear suspension sorting out the tuck-in over-steer problems.
Personally would take a 1973-1975 Spitfire over any 1971-1972 car any day. Judging by your 1972 cut-off Yellowjax I assume you’re going on the basis that 1300 engine = great, 1500 engine = bad? it is true that the 1296cc engine in pre-1971 form can be made to rev much higher – and that is good if you are building one for the track but the 1971 and 1972 1296cc engines don’t share this benefit at all. They were re-engineered in 1971 to use a different crank heavier journals (shared with other Triumph engines as a manufacturing cost cutter) and they had a softer “emissions” type cam shaft compared to the pre-1971 1296cc engines.
The 1493cc introduced in the US in 1973 is a vastly better proposition that the 1971-1972 versions of the 1296 engine…. more power, more torque and a better choice for any car driven on the road.
Bravo for the educated and well-written comment! I agree with every word (doesn’t happen often) :-)