For vintage car fans, nothing is quite as electrifying as finding a low-mileage original in well-preserved condition. Ok we all wish the car in the barn would be something like an AC Aceca or an Aston Martin DB4, but today’s discovery is a Triumph Spitfire, and not just any Spitfire: this is a 1500 from the last year of production. Many collectors pine for the first cars, with their upright grilles and busy, switch-y dash. But with only 37,000 documented miles on the clock, a few tasteful backdates, and a concours award to boot, we cannot ignore this exceptional example. Tony Primo found the listing for us, and the car itself is located in San Juan Bautista, California.
The Spitfire first arrived in 1962, entering a lavish universe of British roadsters – drivers could choose from among MGs, other Triumphs, Morgans, Austin-Healeys. It occupied a low-priced tier, and compared favorably with cars like the Sprite. Over time, the Spitfire was affected – like all cars – by fuel and emissions regulations. To maintain power, manufacturers employed several engineering strategies – from detuning larger displacement motors to substituting fuel injection for carburetors. Early Spitfires used an 1147 cc in-line four with an output of about 60 hp, but by the time 1980 rolled around, the motor displaced 1493 ccs, breathed through one Zenith-Stromberg carb, and mustered a compression ratio of 7.5:1 for only 53 hp. The car was heavier, so performance suffered. This car has a rebuilt four-speed overdrive manual and fresh suspension components. Its original non-o’d gearbox comes with the sale.
The interior has seen restoration work. The seats are snazzy in houndstooth plaid; the convertible top, top boot, and tonneau are factory originals (check for shrinkage on those items – age can make them unusable!). A restored hard top adds grace to Michelotti’s design. The dash is solid walnut; two auxiliary gauges have been added below the dash to the right of the steering wheel. The glass is branded Triplex, as it should be.
A luggage rack was added, and the bumpers have been backdated to pre-1979, though the original heavy rubber appendages come with the sale. That striping is from the factory, and the paint is original. The car comes with its factory jack, tools, and manuals, along with a British Motor Industry Heritage Certificate. This Spitfire is advertised here on craigslist, with a price tag of $22,500. Yes, that’s a lot for a late Spitfire, and we note that while the ad mentions how original the car is, it’s seen several changes challenging its status as a concours example. Still, the price is not without precedent; this 1978 1500 sold for $22,500 a couple of months ago. What do you think about the value of early Spitfires?
I’ve learned in my old age, unlike my father, if you don’t like something, keep your darn mouth shut, as someone may like it. For me, the Spitfire is kind of low on the list when it comes to British sports cars. Not in a bad way, they are incredibly fun cars, the OD the icing on the cake. Before the Jeep a couple years back, I had considered a Spitfire, there were several to look at. I narrowed it down to 2. The 1st one, I was so disappointed, I never even looked at the 2nd. I forget the year, it was a 1500, no rust at all, but what a POS. He installed a Weber, once I got it started( short in ignition switch), it ran poorly, absolutely no power, the hood shook, the seat adj. was froze, the gas gauge didn’t work, it was leaking coolant. It was clear he did a LOT of work to it, but I could tell he had enough. I bet $1500 would have got it. I declined and much happier with the Jeep anyways. I’m not sure where these people are getting their prices from, there must be a book, “The California guide to overcharging of vintage vehicles”. If someone pays 5 figures for a Spitfire, regardless of the condition, they better save some for the shrink.
Like Father, like son.
Thank you, doesn’t take a college grad to figure that out. I bash the old man, but our country was built with attitudes like his, not like the wimps of today.
I owned a 71 Triumph GT6 back in my younger years. That beautiful girl could hit 100mph with her calm excellaration in no time. She cruised along smoothly and precisely. No British Leyland vehicle was without problems but it was well worth it. I also owned a 69 MGB Roadster that was so much fun and she ran like a top. My love for British cars came from my oldest brother Harry or Pudgie. He had a 58 XK150 Jaguar that was his baby. I can still hear and feel that car to this day. She made the wooden garage we had shake and shiver like Elvis and so happened to be the first car I drove. We lost Pudgie in Vietnam on 3/14/68, I lost my friend and mentor on that day. There was an age difference of almost 10yrs between us but it never mattered to us. I’ve had an Angel on my shoulder since then and boy did I keep him busy. Thanks for this opportunity to talk about my brother and our love for British cars
@Howard A. Being from the northeast, your comments are aligned to my way of thinking. I have nothing to say bad about Spitfires but they aren’t exactly super high quality. To take one and spend the time to do a concours edition has to be a labor of love or……… obsession. To me it would be like taking a Ford Pinto and deciding to do a concours restoration. It doesn’t make sense ( unless you love Pintos). Being a Brit car guy who dealt with mostly MG’s, Lotuses ( Loti?) and Austins, the Spitfire was pretty much at the bottom of the list for a project. If I were to do a Triumph, it would be in the TR series cars (which are growing in value, but slowly). As I always say, these cars were made to be driven, not just shown. The person who buys this car has plenty of loose cash to throw around and these days with the crazy pricing, there is quite a lot of that to throw around!!
I can’t believe they’d ruin it by putting the wrong bumpers on it. I had a brand new 1980 back in the time, and I’d like to find another one. But not one that’s been butchered.
The original, federally mandated, black buck tooth bumpers were a crime against humanity. But for those inflicted with visual masochism, those criminal instruments are included with the sale.
They look like something that should be bolted onto a loading dock, not a sports car.
Amen Amen Amen!!!! I dealt with those bumpers on BMW 2002’s and did not like them….the Midgets and MGB’s were visually destroyed by the rubber bumpers! Any chance I can take one of these classic cars and restore chrome bumpers to them, I will do it!!!! Yukkkkkkkk! The people that have those cars and don’t mind those bumpers are the people that never had the chrome/steel experience!
The chrome bumpers really clean up the look. It may nit be “stock”, but the pursuit of “stock” above all else goes against much of the history of car culture. Some cars deserve to remain stock, but they were generally really rare and significant in their own right. However this was a mass produced car that only had its bumpers changed to meet a regulation of dubious merit. Growing up, cars that had some sort of modification were what generally caught your attention, that’s often forgotten.
Steve R
First, I thought the black bumpers made both the Spitfire and the MGs look up to date. The chrome ones make them look like 60s models. But if a car comes with a certain bumper (even the big girders of the 70s Fords, they shouldn’t be changed any more than the steering wheel or the engine!!
Don’t like the cars with the black bumpers? Then get an older one!!!
Only the US cars were delivered with those bumpers. I view the UK version as the “real deal” rather than our bastardized bumperized version…. but that’s just me.
Other side of the coin… Stepson has a ’78 that’s going to get a rebuild as soon as he get time and the first thing we’re going to do to it is change out the rubber blobs and put the early bumpers on it. Why not? They are a lot better looking, highlight the history of the car, and doesn’t butcher the car. Nice looking car here.
Say what you want about Spitfires, but every single time I drive ours (every weekend) I get positive comments and a lot of smiles per mile. I guarantee if it sat next to an ugly super car, the Spitfire would draw more attention and comments from the general public, kids and women especially.
At this point in my life if I could manage to squeeze into one of these things you’d need a crane to lift me out. A friend has a TR6 and I have enough trouble with that!
As the owner of numerous sports cars, which range from a 328GTS, Cobra replica, MGTC, to my humble ’72 Spitfire Mk IV, I have to admit, my Spitty holds a special place in my heart. She’s tons of fun to thrash around town while dodging Bozos on cell phones, and even more fun on the back roads.
Not bragging about my collection, rather, making a statement my Triumphs provide the most fun! I do 99.9% of my own wrenching and enjoy such…okay, call me a masochist. And last January, my 29-year-old son bought his first Spitfire–a neglected father/son project–and has coaxed it back to life on his own! Okay, maybe the old man helps once in a while, but it does my heart proud to see my son with his six-year-old son (my grandson) in the garage wrenching together! Building memories instead of wasting time in front of an electronic device….
Spitfires exist so that Midget owners have something
to look down to.