The Triumph Spitfire nameplate refers to the World War II fighter plane of the same name. The car is a British, front-engined, rear-wheel drive, two-passenger convertible sports car introduced at the London Motor Show in 1962 and manufactured between 1962-1980.
Styled for Standard-Triumph in 1957 by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti, the Spitfire was manufactured for the duration of its production at the Standard-Triumph Canley works — and evolved over a series of five production iterations, with approximately 315,000 manufactured over 18 years.
The Spitfire nameplate refers to the World War II fighter plane of the same name.
The car was sold to our client by an old school friend. He had acquired it in 1986 from his sister who had bought it from its original owner in 1979. The car had always been garaged, which is why the chassis is, so we are told, in such good condition.
The reason for selling the car? Our client said “In the last 5 years before I bought the Spitfire, it languished in my friend's garage who was unfortunately suffering from ill health. When I bought it I wanted to revive it and enjoy it which I feel I have done. I'm very pleased with how it's turned out but now it's time for the next owner to cherish this lovely little piece of British sports car history.”
There is a large box folder containing all the receipts, MOTs and tax discs from the 1980’s. You can see from the images that It also contains the original handbook and service stamps, some photos and various other bits and pieces.
The car also comes with a MOT valid until August 2022.
The seller advised the hood is in excellent condition, with no breaks, tears, or damage. The clear sections are very clear and clean. The foams in the seat backs have been replaced as well as the seat webbing straps on both seats.
The seat base have been replaced with new ones. The carpets are in good condition although faded on the door rails. The dash needs to be sanded and re-varnished, however it is serviceable and all the switches, lights and dials work. A Sony Bluetooth aftermarket radio has been fitted, there are front and rear speakers, but currently the front ones are not working.
The rear view mirror has some silver flaking around the edges and there are new passenger and driver side door mirrors fitted.
The seller tells us the car is totally solid, as it was Ziebarted when it was new. The doors close easily, with the seller further reporting no sagging or rust on the frame. The Ziebart in the engine bay has been cleaned up. The area under the brake and clutch cylinders has also been repainted.
The paintwork on the body isn't perfect. There are a few areas where surface rust has appeared due to the odd scratch here and there. The boot has some rust but this is only on the surface where the paint has been scratched or flaked off. These areas would be easily treated by someone with the knowhow. There are some very minor dents, but someone who is good at bodywork finishing could make it look perfect again.
The Triumph Spitfire has one of the greatest names ever given to a car and much like the World War 2 plane, this will also be part of our British History. Restorations of classic cars are on the rise, and rightly so. This car sounds like it is mechanically very good; it just needs some cosmetic work on the body to bring it back to its glory days.
The doors do apparently close perfectly, which, as you may know, can be a problem with this model. There seems to have been a lot of blood, sweat and tears that have gone into restoring this car and has been done with the love and attention these wonderful cars deserve. As mentioned, there does seem to be rust (which is apparently surface rust), which in the right hand/s could be easily resolved.
This model of Spitfire is very desirable due to its Four-cylinder engine, they were regarded as reliable and easy to work on. Just like our client has done, which is encased in the long sweeping bonnet, which, dare we say, is comparable to the Jaguar E-Type?
This car seems like a genuine, unique opportunity to own one of the classics and become part of its story to be restored to its former glory. Are there many better classic cars like this to own one and drive on a lovely summer’s day – maybe even to show it off at a motoring event, where people will look and smile at its beautiful simplicity and remember the good old days.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
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1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
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