Car Talk - Non S2000 General Motoring and Non S2000 Car Talk

Any triumph spitfire experience?

Old Aug 29, 2014 | 10:19 PM
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Default Any triumph spitfire experience?

I'm looking for any guidance with a triumph spitfire. I intend on buying a restoration project.

Does anyone have any experience of them? Looking for some guidance. Should have a trailer etc by the time it's bought, so looking for something that will live in a garage for weekend work. Not a daily drive! Purely something to do.
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Old Aug 29, 2014 | 11:13 PM
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Originally Posted by cheshire_carper
I'm looking for any guidance with a triumph spitfire. I intend on buying a restoration project.

Does anyone have any experience of them? Looking for some guidance. Should have a trailer etc by the time it's bought, so looking for something that will live in a garage for weekend work. Not a daily drive! Purely something to do.
Best thing to do is join / visit the local TSSC branch, almost certainly be someone there who can help / point you in the direction of a project !
They have a new website which is just getting off the ground.. http://www.tssc.org.uk/tssc/index.asp

There are a few Spits available on the site, some good to go and some resto...http://www.tssc.org.uk/tssc/classifieds.asp

Here is the Cheshire meet

http://www.tssc.org.uk/tssc/areas_fi...rn,%20Cheshire
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Old Aug 29, 2014 | 11:21 PM
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Thanks for that. Really helpful. Only thing I want to avoid is mass rust. Anything else I can have a go at. Will join there.
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Old Aug 29, 2014 | 11:42 PM
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Originally Posted by cheshire_carper
Only thing I want to avoid is mass rust.

Good luck with that ! Rust is the only thing that is consistent in Triumph ownership !!

I should know, got two of them....
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Old Aug 29, 2014 | 11:45 PM
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In the '70's the Triumph Spitfire was the car that Custom Car magazine had a vendetta against. In those non-PC times, IIRC a male driver of a Spitfire was invariably labelled as being gay by Custom Car.

Ironically Custom Car featured an image in one issue of a Spitfire with a Tom Robinson band logo on the doors, suggesting Tom Robinson would be less than happy being associated with a car driven by gays. Time would show they were somewhat incorrect with that assertion!

The car's steering is allegedly its best feature.

A good friend - and owner of an S2000 and a Lotus - is a big fan of them.
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Old Aug 29, 2014 | 11:49 PM
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This is what you need !

http://www.tssc.org.uk/tssc/classifi...ssified_ID=226

or look for a Gitfire version ( six pot 2 litre / 2.5l)
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Old Aug 29, 2014 | 11:51 PM
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I've seen that and tempted to call. Which is all a bit premature considering I had the idea a week ago about a restoration project.

Here we go, more money.
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Old Aug 30, 2014 | 02:40 AM
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I've had four - and my dream car is a red Mk3 with hardtop and Triumph Tune twin exhaust.

I Stripped one to a bare rolling shell, had metal and paint, the I rebuilt it'. and started first time..with one bolt left over??


The scariest one I drive had a tuned TR6 lump (c170bhp) under the bonnet - the damn thing never went in a straight line

Check out graham robson's guide or the Haynes manuals

Or put your ?s here and I'll do my best
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Old Aug 30, 2014 | 03:07 AM
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I had one around 22yrs ago, what a horrible, horrible car.

Make sure you drive one before buying, the rear suspension / drivetrain is just stupid.
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Old Aug 30, 2014 | 03:24 AM
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This might be useful too


http://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/stor...e.asp?sid=7526

Guide to Spitfire and GT6
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