1968 Triumph Spitfire – Project Profile

The problem with British classic cars is that, well, they’re British. We don’t mean they’re problematic because they’re British, we’re saying the issue comes because they have to live here. Designers from the likes of MG, Austin and of course, Triumph, were evidently eternal optimists when it came to their respective offerings. We were the nation that ruled the roadster landscape, despite said landscape constantly being in a state of readiness to destroy them. The constant rain and the salt on the roads meant it wasn’t uncommon to see cars just a few years old with significant rust. We made the greats, there’s no doubt, but our weather and roads killed them. If you’ve ever owned an old British classic, you’ll no doubt be nodding along. 

So what can you do? Well, these British classics might have been made by us, but many were built with the export market firmly in their crosshairs. The MGs, the Austins and cars like this Triumph were built to satiate a global customer base. And in the case of this particular Triumph Spitfire, that export market meant the hot, dry climes of California. No salted roads, no relentless moisture, no excess humidity. Just sun. Lots and lots of sun. As such, while it might look a little down at heel, the fact is this Spitfire is a solid, perfect base on which to build the car of your dreams. 

What is it? 

What we have here is a 1968 Triumph Spitfire, which makes it a MkIII model. The early cars are popular, but no less so than the later models. By this point, Triumph had ironed out the major kinks, refined the design without managing to lose the soul of the early cars. This car still has the original 1,296cc four-cylinder engine and four-speed manual transmission, as well as some desirable options like knock-off single hub wheels and an exceptionally rare metal hard top. 

The car, while in a sorry state, is largely solid. There is some rust on the bootlid, but that seems to be it. All the other corrosion is surface – this looks to be one very solid car thanks to its time in California. Of course, the sun has taken its toll, as the paint is bleached and the interior is crispier than a well-cooked joint of pork, but it’s all easy to fix. There are myriad specialists out there willing to sell you everything you need to fix this old car up. The vendor has even started, as a new set of carpets from Moss are included in the sale. 

Why is it a project? 

Well, it’s pretty clear to see that this little Spitfire is going to need a complete restoration. It needs paint, trim, a complete mechanical overhaul, the wheels need to be refurbished, new brakes, new rubber… you get the idea. It’s not going to be something you can do in a few weekends. However, what you get with this apparently solid car is the opportunity to carry out a restoration that’s honest, that won’t have you fighting severe corrosion or decades of bodges. This Spitfire is rough, make no mistake, but that roughness brings with it a pleasing honesty. Far more than a car that has an MOT, but you can’t help but wonder why or how?

Five things to look for:

1) Rust

This car appears to be very solid indeed, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check for it. More for confirmation of how solid it is than anything else. If there are any issues, better to know now.

2) Interior 

It’s very dry, very tired and in need of lots of love. But what can be saved? Are the seat frames still good, the glass, the centre-mounted dash pod, the steering wheel? The more you can save, the better. 

3) Engine

The car doesn’t run at the moment, but it does turn over by hand. The main things to check are numbers, look for any serious corrosion to the cooling system components – basically stuff that might slow down a rebuild. 

4) Roof

That metal hard top is a rare, rare thing. It looks to be in good condition, and free of damage, which is great. But also be sure to inspect the glass and all the fixings. 

5) Paperwork

There is little in the way of paperwork with this Spitfire. However, the car has been registered on the NOVA system, so you should be able to register it here in the UK with ease. 

What should you do with it? 

If we were taking the plunge with this Spitfire, it would have to be a full restoration. We would also look at turning it back to UK specification. The MkIII Spitfire had a centre dash binnacle, meaning it was the same in left and right hand-drive models. As such, converting this once American Triumph to UK specification shouldn’t be too difficult, especially as it’s going to be stripped for restoration. 

Given the potential for the metal to be in great order, we would be confident to have this stripped and acid dipped. Take it back to the metal, and then build it back up properly and with plenty of care and attention. At the end of it all, you could have a show-winning machine on your hands. A long journey, but almost certainly worth the effort.