and maximum power at peak-revs of 6,000 r.p.m., when 63 (net) b.h.p. (837 lb. Raining on the parade was critical Car which, in 1978, simply said “Oh Death where is they sting?”. This surfaced in 1965 with a plusher interior and slightly more power.Universally regarded as the best of them all, the Mk3 arrived in ‘67.

The interior was modified, with safety switchgear and re-sited speedo and rev counter. The Spitfire was launched at the 1962 Earls Court Motor Show badged as ‘Spitfire 4’ and costing £730, a hundred less than the also launched Vitesse 1600. Consumption of 97-octane fuel (9-to-1 c.r.) posted Tue 17th Apr 2018.

Club Triumph forum - Cars - Spitfire - Compression Test < D type overdrive repair Compression Test Has anyone lunched a Spitfire diff? Costing £751 (overdrive £58 extra, heater £13!) Spitfire seems to me the logical 1971 equivalent of the equally popular (output for output) small sports cars of the nineteen-twenties, about which I wrote at some length in these pages last summer and the rather time-worn illustrations of which prompted one enthusiast to go out and seek an Amilcar of the appropriate age, which is currently being meticulously restored. Three years later the late and lamented Hot Car magazine bemoaned the lack of pace over the Mk3, due to the taller gearing, but still regarded the MkIV as the “Super Spit”. The screen has Triplex zebra-zone toughened glass but a laminated glass screen is available. Tepid performance, poor ride, many bodged ones around, too soft an image? There is a lidded ash-tray on the matt-black screen sill, this finish being used also for the facia. Triumph Spitfire Mk3: The very best reason to buy a Spitfire is because the thing is a ball to drive: All this was a Good Deal back in 1962 when the Triumph Spitfire was introduced, and it is still that today-with improve- ments.
With a massive aftersales and club support, it’s one of the easiest and cheapest real sportsters to own and run.

The short lever masks the notchiness of a Triumph gearbox to some extent but as driving a sports car should be enjoyable, a better change would he an improvement. The Spitfire is adequately fast, with a top speed of rather less than 100 m.p.h., and if 0 to 60 m.p.h. This isn’t altogether true, for while the ride remains comfortable, bad surfaces set up some judder and shake.

Many Spitfires came with overdrive and, if not fitted, then it‘s a very sensible and cost-effective step.Suspensions benefit from the usual harder dampers and springs but take care not to make the ride over-hard; it was never that comfortable. Eatly cars are most valued but Mk3 is best all rounder. . The interior arrangements of this Spitfire are very well contrived—if this is how British Leyland intend to go on, it promises well for their new models. Replacing the myriad of bushes with harder competition ones will improve the feel. Of course it‘s not that hard to slip in the six-cylinder engine from the GT6, to turn a Spitfire into a mini-Stag – Vitesse parts make the conversion fairly straightforward and it sure shames a TR6 if done right! Yet the Spitfire is a fully-openable sports job, with a hood which does not drum or unduly cut down vision when it is erect, yet the interior is smart, with a good imitation of real leather upholstery, and moulded pile carpeting on the floors with a rubber heel-mat for the driver.For the coupé-minded a hard-top is available, and naturally, although in contrast to the original sports-car conception, the Spitfire has an effective heater and the test car had a Smiths Radiomobile radio.There are also wind-up Triplex toughened-glass side-windows controlled by well-placed, taut winders, whereas once upon a time sports cars made do with celluloid weather breaks, or no weather protection of any kind. one bringing in the quiet two-speed fan, but the hot/cold lever was very stiff to move.Parking the Spitfire is easy, especially as the front wings are prominent and the ridges along the tail easily seen, even with the hood up.