What are triumphs like to own/run?
Discussion
dabofoppo said:
Im looking at getting a TR7 or a Spitfire for my next car ( in march ) how easily available are parts? and How good are they to drive? id be looking at the 2.0 model in both cars thanks
Spifires were never made in 2 litres, only 1300cc and 1500cc varients.The hard top fastback version GT6 was fitted with a six cylinder 2 litre lump.
Some Spitfires WERE converted by their owners however, to a GT6 engine.
I had a brand new Mk 4 Spit in 1973, 1300, in Pimento red, it was a great little car.
Even the youngest are 30 years old now, so beware the dreaded rust you can't see...
The 1968 Mk 3 is considered by many to be the one to have.
(imo), TR7's are an aquired taste.
Try:-
http://www.ss-preparations.co.uk/
(About a mile away from me)
Wacky Racer said:
dabofoppo said:
Im looking at getting a TR7 or a Spitfire for my next car ( in march ) how easily available are parts? and How good are they to drive? id be looking at the 2.0 model in both cars thanks
Spifires were never made in 2 litres, only 1300cc and 1500cc varients.The hard top fastback version GT6 was fitted with a six cylinder 2 litre lump.
Some Spitfires WERE converted by their owners however, to a GT6 engine.
I had a brand new Mk 4 Spit in 1973, 1300, in Pimento red, it was a great little car.
Even the youngest are 30 years old now, so beware the dreaded rust you can't see...
The 1968 Mk 3 is considered by many to be the one to have.
(imo), TR7's are an aquired taste.
Try:-
http://www.ss-preparations.co.uk/
(About a mile away from me)
dabofoppo said:
Cheers thanks for the info about the engine sizes. I was looking at one in the classifieds that was a conversion but i thought it was originally a 2.0. Do you happen to know why insurance is so cheap on them?
Probably because they qualify for "classic" insurance, parts are plentiful and cheap, and the performance is fairly modest...(but enough to have some fun)If you find a good one go for it, but like "E" types, rust can be expensive to rectify.....Don't buy in haste and repent at leisure..
dabofoppo said:
Im looking at getting a TR7 or a Spitfire for my next car ( in march ) how easily available are parts? and How good are they to drive? id be looking at the 2.0 model in both cars thanks
Anyway, to answer your question, parts are more easily available for Spits than just about anything else you might consider. Similar for TR7 although I think some of the plastic trim bits are getting harder to find.TR7 still very nice to drive if well set up, well balanced and predictable. Spit a bit of a handful if you get it wrong when pushing it, despite negligible bhp. That said I drove my GT6 like a loon for five years and never got out of shape.
If you want a 2.0 Spit I'd look out for a rebodied GT6, rather than a re-engined Spitfire.
Every time I write on these threads I find I want my GT6 back :-(
Wacky Racer said:
dabofoppo said:
Im looking at getting a TR7 or a Spitfire for my next car ( in march ) how easily available are parts? and How good are they to drive? id be looking at the 2.0 model in both cars thanks
Spifires were never made in 2 litres, only 1300cc and 1500cc varients.The hard top fastback version GT6 was fitted with a six cylinder 2 litre lump.
Some Spitfires WERE converted by their owners however, to a GT6 engine.
I had a brand new Mk 4 Spit in 1973, 1300, in Pimento red, it was a great little car.
Even the youngest are 30 years old now, so beware the dreaded rust you can't see...
The 1968 Mk 3 is considered by many to be the one to have.
(imo), TR7's are an aquired taste.
Try:-
http://www.ss-preparations.co.uk/
(About a mile away from me)
IMHO the prettiest ones!dabofoppo said:
How good are they to drive?
Don't know about the TR7, never driven one.As with lots of classics, Spitfires are an acquired taste. They do feel very different to a modern car thanks to the traditional separate-chassis construction. Some classics can feel quite modern, but not the spit.
In objective terms the spitfire is noisy, slow and has poor grip however I really enjoyed mine. It's such a different experience from other cars, much more intimate. You really feel part of the car and I've never driven anything which gives you so much confidence.
When you first drive it you may find the brakes and steering heavy if you have only driven a modern car however if you persevere with it you'll find the 'spitfire' way is actually so much better. I guarantee once you are used to the spitfire all modern cars will feel oddly lifeless, numb and clumsy...You'll also realise they have their indicators on the wrong side
varsas said:
dabofoppo said:
How good are they to drive?
Don't know about the TR7, never driven one.As with lots of classics, Spitfires are an acquired taste. They do feel very different to a modern car thanks to the traditional separate-chassis construction. Some classics can feel quite modern, but not the spit.
In objective terms the spitfire is noisy, slow and has poor grip however I really enjoyed mine. It's such a different experience from other cars, much more intimate. You really feel part of the car and I've never driven anything which gives you so much confidence.
When you first drive it you may find the brakes and steering heavy if you have only driven a modern car however if you persevere with it you'll find the 'spitfire' way is actually so much better. I guarantee once you are used to the spitfire all modern cars will feel oddly lifeless, numb and clumsy...You'll also realise they have their indicators on the wrong side
Iv had my Spit6/gt6 cab for 4 years now, I'd got the the straight 6 every time! The extra power and the noise are so worth it! Iv had a few dollys aswell and I'd say parts are easier and cheaper to get for a spit than a TR7 and easier to work on also.
My spit has been used as a daily drive for a whole summer and it never let me down and has since been used as a 2nd car, get one with a good shell and chassiS and youl be sorted.
But IMO you want a spit6 (just make sure its ALL gt6 running gear and not just a gt6 engine plonked in a spitfire!)
My spit has been used as a daily drive for a whole summer and it never let me down and has since been used as a 2nd car, get one with a good shell and chassiS and youl be sorted.
But IMO you want a spit6 (just make sure its ALL gt6 running gear and not just a gt6 engine plonked in a spitfire!)
Wizardskills said:
varsas said:
dabofoppo said:
How good are they to drive?
Don't know about the TR7, never driven one.As with lots of classics, Spitfires are an acquired taste. They do feel very different to a modern car thanks to the traditional separate-chassis construction. Some classics can feel quite modern, but not the spit.
In objective terms the spitfire is noisy, slow and has poor grip however I really enjoyed mine. It's such a different experience from other cars, much more intimate. You really feel part of the car and I've never driven anything which gives you so much confidence.
When you first drive it you may find the brakes and steering heavy if you have only driven a modern car however if you persevere with it you'll find the 'spitfire' way is actually so much better. I guarantee once you are used to the spitfire all modern cars will feel oddly lifeless, numb and clumsy...You'll also realise they have their indicators on the wrong side
I would love a GT6 but I'm a tad too tall (just over 6foot) they feel a bit claustraphobic for me, spit was OK mainly because the seats had lost their stuffing and it was a late one so had the taller windscreen.
Edited by varsas on Thursday 15th July 22:12
What a load of hyped crap
I am sorry but have to say something on this as I am fed up to the back teeth of the poor tr7 getting so much bad press
by people who have never even sat in one never mind driven one
I love the Wee Spitfire But it is not the car for me But I would never slate it to anyone
The TR7 in 2.0L form is a well adequate car if you want a very quick car you could always look for a 2.0L 16V
or 3.5L V8 or even a 4.0L V8 to burn any modern car off the lights
As with all classic cars do your homework first listen to people but make your own decision
yes some tr7's are full of rust but so are any old cars
the 7 is a much more modern feel to it than a spitfire nicer to drive parts are plentiful if not new recon secondhand
I am 43 insured fully comp including breakdown cover and lots more for £92 a year get 38mpg on good motorway runs
in short a great car spend as much as you can to get the best you can and you will never look back
I am sorry but have to say something on this as I am fed up to the back teeth of the poor tr7 getting so much bad press
by people who have never even sat in one never mind driven one
I love the Wee Spitfire But it is not the car for me But I would never slate it to anyone
jellison said:
Spit looks like a Sports Car, TR7's a block of cheese - easy choice.
Grow up man Edited by jellison on Wednesday 14th July 08:19
The TR7 in 2.0L form is a well adequate car if you want a very quick car you could always look for a 2.0L 16V
or 3.5L V8 or even a 4.0L V8 to burn any modern car off the lights
As with all classic cars do your homework first listen to people but make your own decision
yes some tr7's are full of rust but so are any old cars
the 7 is a much more modern feel to it than a spitfire nicer to drive parts are plentiful if not new recon secondhand
I am 43 insured fully comp including breakdown cover and lots more for £92 a year get 38mpg on good motorway runs
in short a great car spend as much as you can to get the best you can and you will never look back
stevie_a said:
What a load of hyped crap
I am sorry but have to say something on this as I am fed up to the back teeth of the poor tr7 getting so much bad press
by people who have never even sat in one never mind driven one
I love the Wee Spitfire But it is not the car for me But I would never slate it to anyone
The TR7 in 2.0L form is a well adequate car if you want a very quick car you could always look for a 2.0L 16V
or 3.5L V8 or even a 4.0L V8 to burn any modern car off the lights
As with all classic cars do your homework first listen to people but make your own decision
yes some tr7's are full of rust but so are any old cars
the 7 is a much more modern feel to it than a spitfire nicer to drive parts are plentiful if not new recon secondhand
I am 43 insured fully comp including breakdown cover and lots more for £92 a year get 38mpg on good motorway runs
in short a great car spend as much as you can to get the best you can and you will never look back
Thanks for the info. Just out of interest what spec is your tr7? I am sorry but have to say something on this as I am fed up to the back teeth of the poor tr7 getting so much bad press
by people who have never even sat in one never mind driven one
I love the Wee Spitfire But it is not the car for me But I would never slate it to anyone
jellison said:
Spit looks like a Sports Car, TR7's a block of cheese - easy choice.
Grow up man Edited by jellison on Wednesday 14th July 08:19
The TR7 in 2.0L form is a well adequate car if you want a very quick car you could always look for a 2.0L 16V
or 3.5L V8 or even a 4.0L V8 to burn any modern car off the lights
As with all classic cars do your homework first listen to people but make your own decision
yes some tr7's are full of rust but so are any old cars
the 7 is a much more modern feel to it than a spitfire nicer to drive parts are plentiful if not new recon secondhand
I am 43 insured fully comp including breakdown cover and lots more for £92 a year get 38mpg on good motorway runs
in short a great car spend as much as you can to get the best you can and you will never look back
General question and its a stupid one are the spitfires and Tr7s front or rear drive? thanks guys
I like both cars. For a daily drive I'd say go TR7. For the raw driving experience others have mentioned go spitty. Don't rule out 4 pot spitfires. Mine makes a wonderful noise and the handling of a well sorted swing spring spit is better than its reputation. Great care needed in wet though.
First job on a spit should be a brake service and some new proper pads. Minted m1144 pads will give reassuring stopping power. Cheap modern pads sometimes can't even lock the wheels.
With spit buy on body/chassis condition first. The mechanicals are trivial to sort by comparison.
First job on a spit should be a brake service and some new proper pads. Minted m1144 pads will give reassuring stopping power. Cheap modern pads sometimes can't even lock the wheels.
With spit buy on body/chassis condition first. The mechanicals are trivial to sort by comparison.
Go for the TR7, all the others before it are prehistoric Also you can do so much more with the TR7 should you want to tune it and it's a monocoque body with CAD input so is safe and strong. Really good cars if they've been looked after.
My grandad probably had a spitfire but he was only 5' so could get into it and anything over 30 mph was scary in those days lol.
Also you can do so much more with the TR7 should you want to tune it and it's a monocoque body with CAD input so is safe and strong. Really good cars if they've been looked after.My grandad probably had a spitfire but he was only 5' so could get into it and anything over 30 mph was scary in those days lol.
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