Well I got some Triumph Q's???

Before you read any further you have to promise not to tell Jaybird or any other MG owner.


I’m seriously considering getting a
Spitfire this fall or winter if I save my pennies.
What should I look for, what a reasonable price, it doesn’t have to be perfected, I really want another British car, and the Triumph one of the Manliest cars ever. I love the look of them. I also believe that a MGB RB can get along perfectly fine with a Spitfire, even though the MG guys say it can’t.

I live in Southwest Iowa,
Where’s a good place to look, where other Triumphs forums. What should I know about Triumphs?
How much should I save over the summer?

Cheers,
Keenan Bash

Hi Keenan,
I can't help you about the Spit but was just wondering if you were finished with your B? Does it run well now or does it still need work? If the MG needs work why do you want to get another project car now?

Hey Keenan,

Another site I like is www.totallytriumph.net It is really Spitfire centered, although all Triumphs are welcome. A great group of members, just like here. Another good source is www.triumpspitfire.com the website for Spitfire & GT6 magazine, a pretty good read as well.

Cheers,

Rob

So you're considering coming over to the dark side, huh?

Spitfires are available all over the place. Ebay (careful), local newspapers, sales papers etc. Since they made so many they aren't rare. Look for a British car club in the area.

The earlier round tails are getting harder to find. My ideal Spit would be a Mk III with the small journal 1296 with wire wheels and OD. The later square tails were made up to 1980, but the last two years had BIG heavy bumpers. However, they can be retro-fitted with the earlier bumpers. To me the MK IV is a slicker car than the 1500, just has a smaller engine.

The 1500 engine is not considered to be a great engine. Drops thrust washers and knocks out big end bearings with ease. They don't like to be reved high.

As with all British cars, get the best you can afford. Let someone else do the hard work and pay for it. I have over $8000 in parts in my car (Mk I) and probably couldn't get 5 for it. Get OD if possible. And most important get one with as little rust as possible. Its easier to rebuild an engine than replace body parts and paint. But that said, almost all parts are available, just getting more expensive every month.

Another one crossing over to the dark side /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif.....I had a few Spitfires back when they were relatively new, I drove them daily and they got along fine with my MG's /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ...The spitfire is a great little car, I drove mine from Toronto to Montreal(about 8 hours) many times even in the dead of the winter with no problems. a 76 Ruset brown Spit was my last LBC daily driver, the front wheel came off(control arm broke) while going down a hill in downtown toronto, the car spun up onto the sidewalk...I got out, left it there and walked to work...bought the Camaro soon after that....The Spitfire isn't much different than your B it's just a little more 'kart like' it rides rougher and maybe it's just me but I feel a power difference as well.
If you want my opinion I'd say get everything with you B settled first, only then should you consider another project.

Hey Keenan-- there have been several Spitfires Triumphs advertised down here in the Kansas City area. Might check Auto trader, Cars.com, etc to see if they're still around. Otherwise, I can check with the local triumph club. We probably aren't too terribly far from you.

Keenan, although I'm glad to see another person interested in Triumphs I'm gonna second what Zack and one or two others have said about getting things well enough along with your B first before considering another project. Unless you had the money to buy a turn key car (meaning it needs little real work) I'd wait. I know it's hard, I've had to really discipline myself lately on this same kind of thing. I've been checking out TR7 coupes, GT6's and Mustangs left and right, but I always catch myself right before making the bid or picking up the phone. My TR6 still needs plenty of work and I've barely got the time and cash to put into that right now, no less another car. Just think of it this way, any money and time you have now to work on your B, cut that in half since the other half will be going into the new car, at the least. If you were looking to purchase something and just stick it away in storage for a future project that might be different (I've been considering that myself), but it sounds like you're looking for something to drive and enjoy now. Ultimately it's your call, just be careful and don't overstretch your resources.

Take it from me, Keenan,the amount of money required to maintain two cars always seems a heck of a lot more twice the cost of maintaining one. Basically, the more cars you have, the more you find cars suffer damage from neglect.

Think of it another way, as well. The more you save now translates to better cars to buy when you're older. I didn't buy a new car until I was 27, and I didn't own a Triumph (or a "second fun car" until I was 28.)

Get the B in good shape. Enjoy it. If you get bored of it, sell it and take the money and roll it into something better (in your mind.) I know of many people who started with Spridgets and wound up with Lagondas, Aston Martins, Bentleys etc...by going Spridget/Spitfire, TR/MGB, Healey/Lotus, Jaguar E/XK120/140/150 and then up to the real blue-chips. If you buy well, and sell when the market is hot, you can literally drive these cars off the investment in your B!!! (Okay, it takes a LOT of luck, but it does happen.)

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Take it from me, Keenan,the amount of money required to maintain two cars always seems a heck of a lot more twice the cost of maintaining one. Basically, the more cars you have, the more you find cars suffer damage from neglect.

Think of it another way, as well. The more you save now translates to better cars to buy when you're older. I didn't buy a new car until I was 27, and I didn't own a Triumph (or a "second fun car" until I was 28.)

Get the B in good shape. Enjoy it. If you get bored of it, sell it and take the money and roll it into something better (in your mind.) I know of many people who started with Spridgets and wound up with Lagondas, Aston Martins, Bentleys etc...by going Spridget/Spitfire, TR/MGB, Healey/Lotus, Jaguar E/XK120/140/150 and then up to the real blue-chips. If you buy well, and sell when the market is hot, you can literally drive these cars off the investment in your B!!! (Okay, it takes a LOT of luck, but it does happen.)

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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif Well said.....I consider most old cars to be good investments, I've probably made more money just holding the cars I have for 10 years than I could have in most other 'proper'investments.
Also a great point on neglect, remember your only one person with limited resources....letting a car sit while the other gets the attention mean the car thats sitting is deteriorating.....This a a problem I am very familiar with.

I agree with everything thats been said.

If its not play money then dont do it - keep one nice, not two shoddy. In a few years you'll have more disposable income, and you can have a stable of them.

Have some patience - I can say this because I have none...