1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500 Review - One Of The Last British Roadsters!

[@PatchesCody]

I got a brand new 78 when I was a senior in college. Kept it a few years, loved it. Drove it once at 105 mph for about 30 miles on the interstate. Blah blah. Now I'm 65 and got another '78 3 years ago. She's a beauty. Have had her to 90, but too chicken to go further. 2000 lbs with me in her. Gets right light when going 90. Funny I didn't seem to think about that 42 years ago when I was 100 lbs lighter. Great cars for fun. Never do I take her out here in SWFL that I don't have great conversation with strangers. The border collie loves his spot behind the passenger seat. Great video. Love to see young people enjoying the Spit. Cheers.

[@tristanhunt18]

I just recently bought a 75 and I’m going to be a senior in high school I can’t get mine to go over 70

[@RideswithChuck]

Great revue. I owned a 1500 for a few years. It is a fun car to drive. Be warned, rust never sleeps.

[@jacquescoetzee7971]

Sjo I had to tune my carbs all the time. Does not matter as jt is a sexy little car and cool to be in 💪😂👍

[@generoush3823]

I had a 76 and loved it, great on windy roads, never had a problem with breaking traction and would embarrass muscle cars and some other imported sports cars on mountain roads.

[@johnb7925]

I bought a 1976 Spitfire and still own it. Around 52,000 original miles never been in the snow excellent condition

[@justinneill5003]

I remember when I bought mine, proudly setting off for home with the hood down & shades on, not realising that my seat wasn’t properly locked in position. I pulled up at the lights alongside another car, ready for some fun & as the lights turned green and I floored it, my seat shot backwards all the way and my feet were left dangling in the air in the footwell, unable to reach the pedals. I had a lot of fun with that car until it was written off... I got shunted from behind into a red post box and the car just crumpled at both ends like a concertina (most of the panels & hood are fibreglass, hence the light weight.);I do miss that car!

[@-triumphgt667]

The Spitfire is, from the factory, all metal. It has a separate chassis but the sills are structural. No fibreglass unless replaced by a previous owner. Not a car to have a crash in though!

[@justinneill5003]

@@-triumphgt667 Interesting, I honestly thought it was standard; the panels (certainly the bonnet) must've been replaced on mine, at some point. Mine was a Mk 4 (1973) so was around 9 years old when I bought it in 1982. I remember the engine had been repleced with one from a Herald (which I believe is basically the same anyway.) Replacement engine AND bonnet after 9 years... obviously not a cerful previous owner!!!

[@another3997]

There are several British roadsters that have been in production since the Spitfire stopped, and some still are. 😉 The Lotus Elise and it's brethren, and the Caterham 7 has been in production in one form or another from 1957, firstly as the Lotus 7, and has been constantly developed by Caterham.

[@mikelinehan7693]

Great review, I'm on my 3rd spitty now.....something about them.....slow but real fun

[@another3997]

The car is named after the Supermarine Spitfire, the iconic WWII British fighter aircraft. Triumph had manufactured parts for the aircraft during the war. The car was originally designed to compete with the MG sports cars of the day, small, accessible roadsters which were to buy and run. The Mazda MX5/Miata was designed to replicate the look and ethos of the high end Lotus Elan, with the low price of a Spitfire or MG. The Triumph motorcyle name was seperated from the car manufacturing company long ago, and Triumph branded motorcycles are still made today, independent of BMW etc.

[@Bazzookie]

Interesting fact about the 1500s, the North American variants got a lower compression ratio compared to the rest of the world, but for the 1976 model year (excluding california) the 1500 got an increased compression ratio from 7.5:1 to 9:1 to make up for emissions regulations at the time.

[@geoffburrill9850]

Nice vid. Over in Britain we got this Spitfire with 71 horsepower, which isn't a lot but still great fun.

[@thesarge1969]

I bought a 1977 NEW in 1977 when I was stationed in the Netherlands. It had a hard top/soft top, 4 speed with overdrive. It was fun to drive on the German autobahn. It was FAST

[@dennisking1555]

35 miles pg ,you should have overdrive fitted with the 1500 engine, I have one of the last ones produced,Canley classic that’s what they are called in England

[@MrBbbakersk]

Just got one gonna pick it up today, been sitting for 15 years , so it's gonna need work, but as you said , triumphs always do , my dad has a tr6, always wanted to drop a supra mrk3 engine in it but the original sounds good , great video

[@joselyncrespobaquero9176]

The hood reminds me that of my 1985 corvette, same concept on a smaller British scale

[@aresee8208]

Had a 1978. Bought it used in 1981. It had, shall we say, issues. In a year and a half it cost me in repairs nearly half what I paid for it. My dad was secretly glad the day I was in an an accident and it was totaled. But it was a lot of fun while I had it.

[@OntCanGuy]

It is an Italian body design. I'm the original owner of mine but it needs a lot of work after sitting outside for over 40 years.

[@mescko]

Just FYI, the term is 'marque' (pronounced mark), not marquee. Great video!

[@cvet12]

I have my 1500 spit fire with about 100 hp now took another 300 pounds off of it and put taller gears in it its a different car

[@americanpatriot2422]

Great video!

[@paulpellico3797]

if i recall, mine had some kind of overdrive button...and a hardtop, removable

[@OntCanGuy]

Electronic overdrive on 3rd and 4th, which dropped RPM by 1000.

[@TechGamer45]

BMW already did make a MX-5 competitor.... The Z cars...

[@surfpapo]

My body had one and he spilled some gas in the back seat , we were going to a party and we smell like gasoline , love the 80s we didn’t burn one that night 😂

[@petescarport]

I own a 63 Austin Healey Sprite. They share a lot but I decided to go all out with cam, big Weber carb and bigger performance head. Should be pushing 100hp in about 1100lbs. Love these things

[@jeffhildreth9244]

BS

[@spaghettiopizza8686]

@@jeffhildreth9244totally dude, the lightest sprites were like 1400 lbs i think lol

[@sunburnedtomato]

I love these! Keep up the good work!

[@paulpellico3797]

wow...had a beautiful white one in los angeles in the late 70s. just about the most beautiful looking, but slowest car ever. IF i knew enough about car mechanics, i would get one in good condition and place a better engine in it.

[@MR2Dirtbags]

Small block is the best answer hopefully what I’m planning on doing to mine in the video lol

[@joselyncrespobaquero9176]

Nice review!

[@dave11686]

Beautiful!

[@michaellacroix8029]

Nice car

[@christianlibertarian5488]

I have a 79 Spitfire, almost like the one in the video. Least reliable car ever. But, I love mucking around with it. Just so fun, and easy. And *everybody* notices you. You can't buy gas without the next guy over commenting on it. The video is right, it is slow. This was peak "malaise" era. But who cares? You feel like you are going 100 mph when you are going 65. The engine revs way up, and sounds like a Formula 1. You don't have to worry about your radio, because you can't hear anything.

[@benhur_9377]

❤️🔥

[@buntcake7213]

Will one of your tail lights is out...

[@datruth66392]

Sold mine after dash fire

[@MR2Dirtbags]

Heyo that’s me

[@dougiequick1]

Yes what an appropriate name for something with an old British engine! "Spit Fire"Belch Smoke" "Puke Oil" all come to mind.....just kidding...sort of

[@markhealey9409]

😍😍

[@Findingfrisson]

Sickk

[@Nebbia_affaraccimiei]

you found something slower than a miata XD

[@redchthonic]

Terrible car with lethal handling. No real go and with the one piece bonnet very bad in a crash. I borrowed one on a slightly wet day and waited to die.

[@rotarded1983]

Dude you gotta come review my collection of classic british roadsters in a few months. Got my MGB, Triumph TR4A and the rare Triumph TR8, MGB GT, and an E-Type

[@ShootingCars]

Email me! [e-mail]

[@markhealey9409]

Wow! 😍😍