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I found the one to buy?

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roofman

roofman

Jedi Knight
Offline
I put a deposit on this 1975 Spitfire today and will pick up Monday. Hoping you Spitfire wiz kids can give me some feedback from these pictures. I know the interior is not to great, but no rust, overdrive, good paint, newer tires and wheels, and under 3K. 74,000 miles, current owner 4.5 years, garage kept. He owns a small car dealership.

<span style="font-weight: bold">CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR A SLIDESHOW</span>
 
Not a wiz kid replying, but for under 3 large it certainly looks too good and well optioned to pass on. Nice purchase.
 
You'll have less in that than I will in mine when I get mine to that condition.

Double check on the $@$%!@# thrust washers, and put the engine shrouding back on, but other than that...

if it runs and drives

schveet.


ps, the wiper motor needs it's park switch gone over. Waggle the connector on the top of the wiper motor, it might park itself.
 
Ah, you couldn't live without a Triumph for long! The pictures are a little small, but it looks like a nice car. I think the Spitfire must offer about the most fun per $ or ÂŁ as you can get from a car. I look forward to hearing more about it.
 
I don't see anything all that bad with the interior. Looks like you found yourself a nice car! :laugh: Lose those rubber bumper blocks and I'd say you found a great car! LoL
 
It is in Tennesse, so maybe. Can the blocks simply be removed?
 
Nice looking car! If you remove the rubber bumpers though, you'll be looking at the hinge setup for the bonnet. Then maybe hide them with the earlier GT6 or UK spec covers.
 
Hey Roofy- Did you know that someone stole 2 of the cylinders? There's only 4!!
 
Keep the bumper overriders. Ugly? maybe. Heavy? not terribly (although some of what supports them is). Useful? YOU BET! You'll thank me the first time someone attempts to use your car as a rough guide to where they think their parking space should be.

Overall, it looks pretty good. I don't think it's an original color, at least not for that year, but the body looks decent enough.

Bottom line: it looks like something you don't need to spend much more on and can enjoy inexpensively for quite some time to come!
 
I found out today the full commission # and it does have an "O" at the end, but the shifter doesn't have the switch. A PO must have removed it, and added a dash toggle switch. I'll remidy that. Also the dash has woodgrain contact paper on it! My TR6 dash refurbish turned out good, so this should be a similar project.Speedo and tach don't match, turn signal switch is broken. On the phone the car starts right up, and sounds as good as it can over the phone. Looks like it needs seat foam in the driver seat at least, top is only a few years old. Looks like it is missing the console center section with the radio, but the guy thinks it is in the trunk. There is a box of new parts in the trunk. I'll be going up to see it Monday and bring it home.
 
roofman said:
On the phone the car starts right up, and sounds as good as it can over the phone.
Click to expand...

Brings new meaning to "hold it up to the phone so I can fix it"
 
I have to agree with Andy re. the overriders. I've had over a half a dozen Spits from 73 to 79 and trust me they can save you alot of grief and money. The only ones that look real bad are the big black plastic bumpers on the 79 and 80s. Looks like a nice car. Enjoy.

PS. I believe for a 75 the OD switch should be mounted on the steering column like on the 6
 
Since no one else gave you any usefull information I will tell you what MHO is.
Nicely bought, but start with a re-build on the motor, if your hot psi is less than 15lbs.The 1500 has a weak lower end.Have the head planed to get the compression up, ( at least 8.5/1 ),balance everything,lighten the flywheel,and if possible get carillo rods for it.Next find the first set of 1.5inch SU's you can and put on the pair.A good header can come latter after your bank account recovers.....Next replace all u-joints that dont look brand new.Take very good care of that overdrive,have it cleaned and flushed,and filled with a modern gear lube.Buy a can of castrol LMA brake fluid and keep it with you,NEVER put in anything else!!!
MD(mad dog)
 
roofman,

Just realised that you're in SC.Where?
I was in Charleston last week.
If you're in that area,it would have been
nice to visit with you.

- Doug
 
I'm In Summerville.
 
Over time you get use to the rubber on the bumpers. If the interior is all you have to work on, you could not have pick anything easer. Great car great snag.
 
I was just teasing about the rubber bumpers! :smile:
 
TR_JOE250 said:
I have to agree with Andy re. the overriders....
Click to expand...
Why, thank you! :angel:

TR_JOE250 said:
PS. I believe for a 75 the OD switch should be mounted on the steering column like on the 6
Click to expand...
No, and I'm not quite sure why the TR6 didn't go with the shift knob switch, since the Spitfire did go with it from 1971 on. But the switch could've failed and been replaced by that toggle switch, or the whole shift lever broke, or possibly it's a replacement (yet, hopefully, still OD) gearbox, or ????
 
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