Here’s a strange (and sad) case of a father’s pride and joy falling into neglect. The seller of this 1980 Triumph Spitfire explains that this car belonged to his dad and evidently passed to him when he passed away. The listing for the Spitfire shows what I believe to be the same car in happier times, which begs the question as to why it must be subject to sitting in the tall grass on the seller’s front lawn. The Spitfire is said to still run, so it can’t be that far gone. Will someone please rescue this car? Find it here on craigslist in Sutherlin, Oregon for $3,000.
The Spitfire is a perennial project car, the kind of vehicle plenty of people buy with high ambitions for restoring and far fewer are ever actually successful at. The iconic British sports coupe is a good starter classic, but it has rarely risen to a level of desirability that keeps borderline cars from falling further into disrepair. The seller’s car, however, seems to have been loved at one time, and given it still runs – no easy feat for a neglected British car – one has to ask what exactly went wrong here. The interior looks tired, with a cracked dashboard and random parts boxes inside. However, that three-spoke steering wheel looks like a nice upgrade and a clear sign of enthusiast ownership.
The seller includes several photos of what I presume to be the same car not stuck in the tall grass but actually on the road. The front spoiler is pretty crazy and I’m not entirely sure that it isn’t homemade. It’s way too big for the car but I suppose if you’re an enterprising guy with a lot of fiberglass and some time on your hands, anything is possible. Still, it indicates to me that the seller’s old man was pretty into this Spitfire to the point that it was being used as a driver and had some personal touches incorporated that went beyond a Pep Boys steering wheel cover and chrome wheel covers. There was a genuine interest in working on this Spitfire, and I’m sure the deceased was hoping his son would share the same enthusiasm for the car.
But that’s rarely the case that the offspring are as turned on by what the parents were. And I get it – heck, if my Dad was into old British sports cars and I only had a passing interest in transportation, it wouldn’t light my fire the same way. If I knew the car was important to him but not to me, I’d sure as heck try and get into the hands of someone who would love it the same way he did. Seeing these photos with the clean paint, shiny chrome bumpers, factory hardtop, and up-to-date registration on the license plate all tell me that this Spitfire had a good life up to a point, and hopefully it’s not too late to get it back to road-going use. It looks like the front air dam has since gone missing, and that’s probably for the best.
I would pop on this if I already didn’t have too many orphans that need nursed back to good health so they can find forever homes. Looks like that front spoiler was used to deflect small pets. Very humane. The 1.8 with 185psi of compression will have you swilling from the ethanol free premium pump but give you lots of snappy performance. Enough that you might consider a beefier clutch pressure plate. 3K is a great deal if the no rust claim checks. Hopefully someone on BarnFinds will give it a warm shelter and some TLC
These came with 1500 cc engines,
same as the rubber bumper Midgets.
um, price says $4,500, not $3,000……
The son should have been disinherited.
for putting on that awful front spoiler
1800 5 spd not orig 1500 4 spd … gotta wonder if that’s accurate and if so, what 1800 is it ? MGB maybe ?
It’s got the optional hardtop, so that’s worth something right there.
If it’s not a clapped out rusty with fresh white paint that sure does seem like a good price even with the interior looking like it does
Did the kid hate his dad? Who would leave their dad’s ” pride and joy,” sitting in the weeds, rotting away? That car hasn’t been in that spot for a couple of months. It looks like years.
…kids today…go figure
Hmmm. you got to wonder how long it’s been parked over the long damp grass. I parted out a 78 Spitfire recently that had been abandoned long term parked over grass/undergrowth in someone’s backyard – the lower body panels were totally ruined, horribly rusted. Admittedly, the climate here (SC) is particularly humid and damp at best of times, but leaving a car parked over grass like that for any length of time is a recipe for disaster.
Seller says the body is in great shape, but I’m not sure how you’d confirm that is still true very easily where it parked currently, and with the carpets in?
The re-paint you can see at the rear has been done clumsily painting over the black-chrome edge without bothering to remove them, maybe isn’t a great sign that the work done on this car in the past was of the highest standard ?
You do wonder what the 1800cc engine is. It’s not physically possible to over-bore or stroke the original 1493cc engine enough to get an 1800cc version. as others have noted, an MGB “B-series” is a possibility, though they never came with a 5-speed transmission.
That is the ugliest nose I’ve ever seen. Looks like a cow catcher on old locomotives
It’s on the west side of Oregon so I will have to pass very wet on that side and the underside is probably rusty
This car in this condition would be lucky to get $1500—put the bong down, buddy.
I live on the Southern Oregon coast and Sutherlin is east in the Willamette valley. That’s pretty dry country and no salt. Still a terrible way to store the car but it might be worth a look. Hopefully that front “bumper?” is among the missing.
How old are those cars in the background? They don’t look too old
Jeff, I find it strange that you would not comment on “Comes with bigger and faster aftermarket engine that runs great! 1800 5 spd not orig 1500”, Which engine? Underhood pics would have been nice, and trunk too. With that long grass, one wonders if it really is rust free.
Well, we now it was road worthy in 2016 at least
What a piece!
Add clearly says $4500 ! Bet $3000 cash takes it…
$3000??–that would be a dream score for the diphead son!
Nice to see someone respect there father that way,what douche bag.
Yeah I was thinking the same thing. We have no idea about the son. Shame to see the car like that , but maybe he’s not been well himself or a sick kid or wife , or who knows what his story is. Could be a jerk , but we just don’t know
I wonder if the kid will buy a Weedeater with the proceeds…
And as someone else pointed out above, the price is now $4500. Maybe the seller raised it. I don’t know.
Wow, I thought I was judgmental! Leave the son alone- you have no idea what his story is. It’s enough for me to say that Spitfires were crap when new and still are.
If you like them go ahead and get one-
I’m with you jwaltb. And I wonder what the father-son relationship is with
Rw, Bevis and the others.