Why Triumph's Spitfire was almost NEVER MADE

[@JamieBainbridge]

I was at a JDM meet once. You know the Fast and Furious carpark sort of thing, all Skylines and Civics and other Japanese cars, I was there in a turbo RX7 myself. This girl rocks up with her dad's restored Triumph Spitfire and drew a big crowd. Everyone loved it. Beautiful car.

[@annehersey9895]

I’m 75 and have owned many cars but my favorite of all was my ‘69 Spitfire which sadly was stolen after 5 years. I loved that car so much! Living in San Diego, California-average rain 12 inches a year-I was able to have the top down most every day. It was tiny and a bit scary driving on the freeway next to an 18 wheeler realizing I could drive under it with few problems! Parking was a dream because I could fit where few others could and often just made my own parking spot where none existed-especially at my University where parking was horrible. The car was touchy but I became the only girl around who could adjust her own points because they ALWAYS needed adjustment! The carburato and confenser were also touchy. But damn I loved that car and putting the top down on a sunny day and heading for the beach or up to the mountains made me smile and happy every time. Thanks for the memories.

[@Porsche996driver]

My older sister had a BR-green GT6. She could drive - she’d run it through the original Long Beach track streets bouncing along with that little straight 6 just humming! Good times - miss you Sis! 🏁👆🏼🙏🏼

[@ClayS04]

The person who found the car in the dursty corner was my great grandad stanly Markland

[@whitemiata4997]

wow that’s amazing

[@davidpeters6536]

I'll raise a glass to him. Well done Sir.

[@chrisg6086]

He was also the person responsible for instigating the licencing agreement with Bond for the Equipe, I believe, and for which another glass should be raised to him

[@royboy3597]

I got a 73 in green 💚 thank you

[@thetreblerebel]

Crazy but amazing story. It's stories like finding a prototype, that make automotive history!

[@grahamsimons8634]

Bought my '74 Spit in 1980. My first car, and it's now parked in my garage. Never given me any major problems.

[@peppemberton9948]

Definitely less problematic when parked in a garage...🤠

[@johnburns4017]

Mechanically the Heralds and Spitfires had no drivetrain problems.

[@victorvance2573]

I wish i still had my first car!

[@stevewaclo167]

One of the favorite parts of owning my GT6+ was raising the bonnet and sitting on the wheel to fiddle with the carbs. 😀

[@timcarpenter2441]

I did the same on my MkII Vitesse. A wonderful arrangement.

[@DSC800]

You could practically sit on the wheels, unbolt the engine and curl it out. Never had one but a friend did and we both drove and worked on it. Not exactly a chic magnet but fun days.

[@gegwen7440]

Yes the only good thing about it (IMO)

[@Farweasel]

@@timcarpenter2441 Just so Tim. Never had a car before or since as easy to work on as my old, much loved, Vitesse. Brilliant designs across that whole light chasis line. Totally better concept than today's ideas. Brakelight on my Focus went out. Replace bulb. Nope. Read the Haynes big book of lies & half-truths ~ Ah ha! Switch on the brake pedal to swap. Still nothing. Baffled, off we go to the local auto-electrician. Who with a big cheezy grin asks 'Did you change *both* switches on the brake pedal'?

[@gregorytimmons4777]

I had 2, a 1969 and a bit later a 1970. Repainted the '69 after selling it to a girl i dated at the time. Nice engine access. Amazingly the engine never seemed to need tinkering but the trans. and rear end both failed on my second one.

[@r32rocky]

My 2nd car was a 1968 Spitfire MKIII! And I was hooked on British cars ever since. That car also helped pull me away from the "hippie" crowd I was in, over to the local ISOA Triumph sports car club, that changed my life! I then got involved with SCCA and sports car racing for many, many years after! I had that 68 MKIII, a 72 MKIV, a 74 1500, and a 73 GT6, which with some friends help, replaced the weak transmission with an actual TR6 trans!!! OMG the difference that made!!! Perfect gearing (for racing too) and reliable. I then got a 68 Cortina GT for every day driving. Then got hooked on Lotus. Had a 69 non-federal (from Canada) Europa S2 Jimmy Clark Special, then a 72 S2. But that 72 S2 was quite special. Had a 180hp Renault Ghordini hemi race engine with a 7800rpm redline in it. WOW!!! I loved them all, and miss them so much! Oh and FYI, I am in America. So these were not exactly main steam cars here, back then. And due to the parts shortages, factory strikes, and costs, my father and I taught ourselves how to fix and modify these. Often even making our own parts and tools! I'll never forget the fun, and the family bonding we had, from these amazing cars!!!

[@JBass33]

I bought a new dark blue 1971 Mark IV. Loved the styling and fun to drive. I had a roll bar installed, which made putting the top up a challenge. After a year, I had to wait months for a new cam shaft to be shipped in from the UK. The repair shop finally had a local machine shop make one and it arrived on the same day as the factory version. Got the car back and the gauges starting going out. The speedometer went first. That wasn’t too bad since I knew pretty much what speed I was going by the gear I was in and the tach reading. Then the gas gauge went out. Then it was the temperature gauge. By then I was done with it. I got married and we traded in the Spitfire and my wife’s Datsun 2000 for a Dodge Colt station wagon. It was made by Mitsubishi and got handed down to various family members. The Colt had over 400,000 miles on it the last time I saw it. Too bad the internals of the Spitfire didn’t match the gorgeous styling.

[@savguarisco9515]

I've got a 1980 1500. I restored it in 2009 and drove it to the south of France, it didn't miss a beat. Every time I drive her it puts a smile on my face, I will never sell it 😃

[@johnhege6502]

As a professional, I worked on many spitfires over the years, all versions. Loved the styling, but the drive train was just sad. In '93 on request from a customer I put a 12A rotary with the accompanying 5 speed in a spitfire. It doubled the horsepower and reduced the weight by 200 lbs. It made the car what it should have been!

[@jeffbauer3425]

I had a 67 Triumph GT 6 in 1982. Did all the rusted out body work and put an awful thick red paint job on it. The gears started going 2 and then 3rd went . And then I bought a 79 vw Scirocco, which of course was so nice compared to the old GT 6. 😊 Missing a sports car, after having muscle cars ( Camaros) I now have a VW Jetta 1.4 tsi 5 spd. Love this car ! Simple yet refined and a blast to drive sport sedan !

[@KingCast65]

GT6 was a bit better. I learned to drive a stick on a big bumper Spitfire. I was in 8th grade in 1978 LOL.

[@keithlucas6260]

put a Toyota 22r and 5 speed in my 75

[@8.2deck]

I want to ecotec or k series swap one 200hp, coilovers, thicker sway bars, and sticky tires you could have something.

[@bethbartlett5692]

Thank You for this Automotive Tip! I have my eye out for a 1967. (maybe Ill get lucky - Mark III) Fiat, MG, Spitfire, ... I must have "1"

[@grahamespin2779]

I worked at the Coventry "Canley" plant in engineering. While the spitfire was code named "Bomb" the GT6 was coded the "Atom Bomb". We used the later 1500cc engine in the MG Midget for the US at the Abingdon plant.

[@thatcheapguy525]

I remember the 1500cc Triumph engine in the late Midgets with those chunky black bumpers. certainly got them down the road a bit quicker!

[@elbecko7969]

Atom Bomb? Cool as ****!!!

[@Hattonbank]

Do you remember the "Zoom" and the "Barb" and the "Insbruck" as well. Don't forget the "Bullet", the TR7. Great model code names. Did you know Harry Reynolds or Paul Carbutt?

[@BokBarber]

The more I see and hear of these British roadsters, the more impressed I am with how well the NA Miata evoked their spirit.

[@throwback19841]

Honestly, hearing about the triumph fury concept, i.e. a unibody lightweight convertible sports car with about 100 bhp from a 2l 6 cylinder and pop up headlights... that basically was a 1.6l na miata.

[@kenon6968]

Well the Japanese learnt from the best.

[@Boris_Chang]

I owned a ‘65 Mark II back in the early 70’s. I remember it starting to rain and it taking me about ten minutes in the pouring rain to do the procedure: coming to a complete stop on the shoulder, unlocking the trunk, taking out the metal tube frame and unfolding it, sticking downtubes into holes in the sides of the car, getting the canvas piece and unfolding it, draping it over the frame, fastening a number of little straps to strategic spots on the frame, then attaching the front of the canvas to some fasteners on the top of the windshield. It really was like putting up a tent. And I remember how sluggish the acceleration was. And I remember how the whole car rattled nervously at speeds above 60mph. And I changed the clutch myself without a jackstand-the bell housing was that light. And it eventually died completely and I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. And as I was then about to leave for college, I decided to sell it to a friend. I had bought it used, and needing a brake job and a clutch job, for $400 from my brother, and sold it in non-running condition to a friend for $200. It really was a love-hate relationship with it. But in those two years that I owned it, it was just scads of pure open-air fun. Now-a-days, there really isn’t anything like it. The only cars that come close are the Miata and the Nissan Z car. But that mark II in British Racing green was a car driving experience I will never see again.

[@wensleydale581]

Brings back happy memories! My first car in 1983. I kept it for 3 years, used it every day, and loved it. Moved on to MG and Morgan but this was the car that started it

[@johngriffith1089]

I had one of the last GT 6's of the line and I loved it. I doubt I could get in/out now!!

[@michaeltuz608]

The TV series _Mister Ed_ from the early 1960s was sponsored by Studebaker -- in the closing credtits to every episode it was stated "Automobiles furnished by Studebaker Corporation." So it's interesting to note that when, in the fourth season episode _Ed the Chauffer,_ the neighbor buys a new sports car, instead of an Avanti the producers had him get a Spitfire.

[@picardenter]

My dad had a brand new bright red Spitfire in 1967-68. My mum loved it especially when the roof was down and her long hair was flowing in the wind. Sadly he sold it in 1970 after my parents got married. My mum still reminisces about it and how she cried when it drove away after being sold. It was a beautiful car and still a looker even today. The days when you drove the cars, not the cars driving you

[@matthewrobinson4323]

I don't remember the exact date, but the Spitfire was the first car I ever fell in love with. It must've been 1961 or 1962, whenever the car was introduced at the N.Y. auto show. I was a kid, about 14 or maybe 15, and couldn't have bought the car anyway, but I drooled all over it. The Spitfire is, in my opinion, along with the FIAT 124 Spider, one of the two most beautiful cars ever produced.

[@johnburns4017]

The first time I ever saw a Spider was in the USA. They were not imported into the UK as competition was too strong. I never liked it as I was used to the trunk being short. It had a long trunk. Looked odd.

[@UberLummox]

The 124 Spider is a Pininfarina masterpiece. No bad angles, proportionally perfect and the trunk is definately not too long! :) I think the Mk III (?) of '71/2 are much better looking imo. More Michelotti-y. Especially the GT-6. Or the roadster w/the hardtop is way cool too.

[@timwade5157]

I owned aTriumph TR6 bought in 1969 after owning a 63 MGB. The TR6 was one of the better sports cars built at the time and gave me great pleasure on all kinds of twisting roads and tight curves. No problems mechanically like the junior grade Spitfite, although I burned through tires driving that two-seater as fast as it would go through the curves. In fact, I now greatly regret selling my TR6. I also owned BMW and Porsche 911’s that were great, just not as sexy or fast as the TR on curves. Thanks for the history lesson.

[@Dave-sw2dm]

I owned a 1974 Triumph Spitfire with an optional bolt on roof. I bought it in 1978 as a senior in High School. I can't believe my Dad let me buy it because of its diminutive size. But I paid for it with my money and he believed in letting us make our own mistakes. LOL! Fun to drive, but the electrics were constant work. I didn't get my next two seater until I bought a 2006 Pontiac Solstice. That car brought back a lot of memories. Now I am thinking about a Miata RF to take me into retirement.

[@JTA1961]

Obviously letting you make your own mistakes has made you smarter. (Miata)

[@ramspace]

In 1980 I purchased a 1973 model while stationed in Halifax. Whenever a front wheel hit a pothole, the front quarter would flex as if being swallowed by the whole. It always made me smile. Talk about being one with the tarmac.

[@arthurthedane9204]

Great & nostalgic video for me. Thank you. I had a Spitfire 1500 in the mid to late 70's. I looked at the MG Midget/Sprite, but even at 6ft tall, I couldn't get into or out of it, so I got the Spitfire. I commuted 1000+ miles a week into London every day & it was brilliant. I did eventually trade it in for a 2 litre TR7 which I felt was the engine that the Spitfire needed. My budget didn't stretch to the GT6 at that time.

[@mlgauss60435]

Omg...I absolutely loved my 1974 red Spitfire! I belonged to a British sports car club and we had a blast! TSBSCO was the club's name (tri state British sports car organization) nicknamed Tabasco. SO much fun driving through Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois! Most of the times we did poker runs. So many fun memories! ❤

[@joekurtz8303]

Had a customer with a Herald, she loved it, it reminded me of my Cortina. The Spitfire looked graceful up till the end of production.

[@johnkurtz7705]

I had a spitfire...great handling

[@elbecko7969]

I love the Spitfire, particularly the mkIV and 1500 (and GT6 variants) with their better proportions and clean styling updates. I like the smooth bonnet with the big grille under the slim front bumper. They are so simplistic and pretty and have a disposable camera quality about them: no frills or pretensions. I like how it's not as square and stocky as the Sprite and Midget, or even the bigger MGB. I think the Spitfire has a feminine beauty more in line with the old MGA. Actually, I think one of the best looking features on the Spitfire is the windscreen- it's just so right. The interiors look perfect too, especially the steering wheel, which is surprising for a BL product.

[@andyburk4825]

Bought a '76 new, better and more reliable than given credit for - absolute best bang for the buck fun-wise than any car I've owned since.

[@richardrichard5409]

1974 MKIV 1300 facelift in Mimosa yellow, rusty, tatty, slow, cramped, ill handling, cold, draughtly but one of my fondest memories of car ownership, never let me down though. Sadly ORC3N went to make bean cans years ago. Great video!

[@neilgardener334]

Thank you, these videos are fantastic! I have owned my MK2 for over 30 years. It's a beautiful thing to behold, as for handling, that is a matter of opinion. True on a tight corner with negative camber the rear wheels tuck in so only a couple of inches of tyre are on the road but opposite lock at 25mph (20 in the wet!) what an absolute hoot!!

[@BigCar2]

Glad you like them Neil!

[@onfin3al6]

I bought a 70 Spitfire that would not start . Took it home , pulled the motor , it had 3 bolts on the flywheel , 2 were broken . I replaced and put the motor back . it ran just fine . not so good in hard rains or flooded streets because it was so low . I paid 130 bucks for it , the bolts were about 2 dollars . Would like to get a GT6 .

[@motorpsykler]

My buddy had a Spit in the late '80's, I had an MGB at the time that seemed huge in comparison. I remember we put a clutch in his Spit, what a trip that was. I never pulled a transmission from inside the car before!

[@RavennaAl]

My 2nd car was a '63 Spitfire. Blew the engine up after 1 year because I forgot to keep enough oil in it. (Leaked a lot) 3 years later bought a brand new '78. Loved that car. Had it for only 1 1/2 years and it got totaled when another driver went through a red light going 50 mph and plowed into me. Lucky for both of us that neither he nor I were hurt. Still miss the car, but I have to admit my Miata is better in almost every way.

[@randymack1782]

I forget how much fun they were, the first project as a teenage mechanic I ever did professionally, was rebuilding a manual transmission from 1 of these cars, in early 1980's worked on a bunch of them, but never owned one, but really enjoyed driving customer cars

[@Nick68S]

My first car (rather than borrowing the parent's car) - a blue 1975 1500 with overdrive which I owned for around 4 years. All maintenance was DIY except tyre changes and it never let me down. Longest trip was a near 600 mile journey to visit a friend in south of England - we left at 4am and because my mate couldn't drive we were on a 150 mile/2 hour drive stopping strategy - depending on motorway service locations. Hood down all the way (despite some early morning mist) and once the sun got up we were in t-shirts and eventually topless....so we arrived with comical sunburn from the seatbelts. Random fun...having spent too long with a girlfriend, I had about 90 minutes to get to work, 60 odd miles away, so we took a cross country route and ended up having a "spirited" drive with a Mercedes SL on country roads. The Merc eventually turned off....I was late for work! Other adventures included one passenger being asked (well, told) to get out by the Police when we stopped at traffic lights....well, sitting on the rear panel because he was too tall to squeeze sideways onto back shelf was always dodgy. Squashing into the shelf was much more common - hood up or down - and plenty of other stupidity. Joke about the later "hairdresser" image but I had plenty of complimentary comments from young ladies (they didn't necessarily follow up tho) driving the city streets. Girls I knew? Most enjoyed (even insisted on) late night or early morning hood down drives with (as Chuck Berry sang) no particular place to go.........

[@michaeljoesmith3977]

I had a red 67 Mk III back in 1975..Used to autocross that car..Swing axles prevented me from doing much but it was real fun trying. Bolts were always falling out of the axle flanges on the rear. Was so noisy you couldn't hear the radio. Top only leaked when it rained and then the water that came into the car would freeze in the winter and make the seat cushions ice blocks.It had wire wheels with knock off hubs. If it ran all week,you for sure had to work on it that weekend..That was my introduction to British sports cars..

[@williamschaefer7399]

My first car was a 1500. Loved it to death, but not the best made car I have ever owned. Still great memories.

[@talldude5841]

This brings back some great memories for me. My oldest brother bought one (I think it was a 66) used back in the late 60's here in Ohio. Shortly afterwards he went off to Viet Nam. Before he left he gave me the keys and told me to take in out and run it. I was 15 at the time, and had to wait till my parents left for the night, and would take it out of the barn out back. I would drive it around our small town and just floor it and ran the hell out of it. LOL. Luckly I never killed myself as it had a bent axel, and the spinner would come off, and then the wheel! I still remember the great smell of the leather interior. Also, in true English quality fashion, most of the rocker switches did not work. When my brother came back from Nam, we could not locate another axel, so he sold it. It was a very poorly built car, but a blast to drive! I love your vids, thanks.

[@veritasvincit2745]

Yes, glad to hear your brother made it back home safe and also that you have happy memories about that car.

[@carolriley569]

I had a '76 Spitfire 1500 and loved it...I now have a '74 TR6 and really love it!

Bought a 'Spitfire' back in the 60's while living in Inverness Scotland from a lady who was pregnant...and could no longer fit behind the wheel...A great little car and my own wife (not pregnant) learned to drive in it....

[@clarkd1955]

I bought a brand new Spitfire in 1974 and although I loved it’s size and styling, it was underpowered and it continuously fell apart. A lawn mower would had a more powerful engine. Within 1 month, the headers cracked so that it sounded awful. I had both sides fixed but I had to wait many months to get the parts. After 3 years, I sold it at a big loss and tried to forget the mistake I had made in buying anything made in the UK. I bought the car and lived in the middle of Canada. This car was my very first car and my dad told me not to buy a foreign car. He was right, sadly. RIP beautiful little car.

[@chrisneedham5803]

I bought a 1 year Spitfire in 1974. It was purple in colour and an absolutely fantastic car for a teenager to be driving around in. I paid £1050 for it in cash from a man in Manchester UK. Never had any trouble with it. (1300cc) 🇬🇧👍

[@peterellis1946]

Similar to my experience.

[@johnburns4017]

It is amazing that British cars in North American continuously leak oil, brake down every 100 miles because of the Lucas electrics (which were quite reliable) and fall apart in front of your eyes. Yet elsewhere they do no such thing. Must be the air over there.

[@erik_dk842]

@@johnburns4017 Back then in Britain, the speeds were much lower, the owners much more keen on maintenance, since the cars costed much more than mere pocket change, and every mechanic was familiar with the mechanical components. In USA, due to a grossly overvalued Dollar, the British sports cars were cheap and bought as disposable toys for college students.

[@johnburns4017]

@@erik_dk842 Amazing how they fell apart in front of American eyes but not in front of anyone else's.

[@jimbegin6554]

A great little sports car! Had a vermilion 1500 for eleven years until it was stolen! Thanks for your videos.

[@richardcarr6493]

l remember these in CANADA as a kid they looked like fun !! You mention suspension upgrades but not what they did to improve it ??? Some pictures of the chassis and explaining the differences would be great .

[@michaeljoesmith3977]

I owned a 67 Spitfire mklll in 1975. Was my first British sportscar. I learnt how to work on cars by owing it. If it ran all week you for sure had to work on it come the weekend. I sold it to put money into a 59 MGA I was restoring.

[@justinjohnson2294]

I recently purchased a 1978 spitfire. Funniest car I've ever driven. Would love to see a new modern version built today.

[@sahhull]

A new version just wouldnt be the same. It would be a lawyer ass covering, shitbox, loaded with eco emissions and safety BS

[@deaddoll1361]

Northy If it was a shitbox, it’d at least have that in common with the original.

[@Fyyt]

I had the same yr also. Rag top w/role bar. Best time of my life when I had it, back in 95. Vancouver island.

[@wensleydale581]

A new version? Nearest thing now would be the Mazda MX5

[@Fyyt]

@@wensleydale581 barff, you can never replace these cars! Would never want a knew version! I loved everything about the spitfire I had, would love to buy another.

[@bcswalkman]

Love all your British car videos. Keep up your good work

[@alecbrown66]

My mother had a canary yellow 1500s on a T-plate but as the seats had collapsed and she being only 5ft 2 and hated it. But i loved it! The only regular gremlin was taking the skin off yoir knucles on the radio.

[@yodawunn6700]

I've owned 3, a 66, 73, 77. I love the cars. Still a sexy car. Always wanted to build a Spit6.

[@jagolago-bob]

Very pretty car, and a good video. I loved driving the 1962 Spitfire 4. I even got used to cornering hard with the rear wheel tucking under. It also regularly showed over 100mph, on the speedo at least. It was only about 38 inches high with the roof down, so I usually got away without paying in car parks because it fit under the barriers, and I could trail my fingers on the road while driving. :) Shame it was the ex's. :( She loved it though.

[@mikerevello3828]

My first car was a 63 spitfire. I grew up in New York City and parking was hard to come by. I would routinely park Underneath Tractor trailers. Would also scare the curls out of my girlfriend's hair by pulling that same stunt while driving. Fast forward 50 years and I own 3 spitfires. 2 drivers and one we call 'the parts department'. Will be converting one, with my 15 year old son, for him to enter into road course racing. Thank for reminding me of the old days.

[@dixie4470]

This brings back memories! Had a 1970 Spitfire, butterscotch color, and loved it so! Perhaps someday I will be able to buy someone's cast off Spitfire.

[@danbeliveau2445]

My first car in 1973 was a Sunbeam Harrington Lemans, my sister got a 74 spitfire, I regretably sold the sunbeam when I left for college because we were not allowed to have cars on campus as freshmen. Later I bougbt a 65 Spitfire completely redid the body, interior and engine. Fast foward to 1997 I found a 1980 Spitfire in need of rescue. I got it running and drove it for a couple years. But then needed lots of love. So it sat for a couple years then after returning from Afghanistan in 2008 I did a frame on restoration rebuilt the engine with performance parts, rebuilt everything on the car. The result was a very nice custom Spitfire (nomore black bumpers) reliable driver and local show car!

[@Bazzookie]

The spitfire, and any of the other British sports cars of its size, are literal go karts for the road. even at 30 mph you feel like you're really moving. If you've never experienced driving one before you'll genuinely be thrown off guard the first time you do. Thank god they're so slow in actuality because if the spitfire was actually fast they'd be death traps for anyone who didn't know what they were doing. They're great little cars though, and surprisingly comfortable for how small they are. My 76 1500 can fit all 6'3 of me with the seat back and reclined a bit where my head is still surprisingly below the top of the windshield. I can even put the top up comfortably with some room to spare.

[@bwho]

How has your's been for reliability? Basically just L-O-F's, tires and brake jobs, or is it more serious things that are failing and needing work?

[@Bazzookie]

@@bwho so far pretty run of the mill. Basics like rebuilding the drum brakes, front discs and pads, rear leaf spring, oil changes, carb rebuild, etc. nothing more than your typical maintenance for a car that’s from the 70s. Only electrical issue I’ve had are the dash lights occasionally flickering off and on for a second but other than that it all works as it should.

[@bwho]

@@Bazzookie Good. Headlights light up the road well? Blinkers are consistently working?

[@Bazzookie]

@@bwho yup, I mean headlights light up the road as well as mid 70s headlights ever will 😂

[@bwho]

@@Bazzookie Heh. Isn't that the truth? Thanks, bro. I may ask you (and others) more questions later. Nothing sounds all that daunting. It sure is a beautiful rig, man.

[@hackdaniels7253]

Never driven one, but always quite fancied having one... but those panel gaps. That rear suspension. The archaic engines. It would be interesting to see what they'd have done if they'd had the money to develop it properly.

[@SteveBueche1027]

When stationed in Belgium I had one for a few years. Besides trying to keep those carburetors in sync it was a blast to drive.

[@12x2richter]

I gave up on the carburetors after fiddling for years and finally paying $6k to a specialist and having the 'fix' not even last all the way home. I fuel injected it over the winter and now it starts every time and drives beautifully.

[@timon1964]

Great video. Brought back lots of memories of my childhood, a lot of which was spent in the back (yes I know there's no back - I was horizontal across the transmission tunnel!) of my Dad's Spitfire MkII and then GT6 Mk I and Mk III. Loved the GT6 and still pondering buying one now!

[@kwitee]

The MkIII for me. My roommate owned one, spent a year working on it. We drove it to Greece in the 80s, no problems, really puts a grin in your face.

[@88zt]

I saw it rusty as heck in the back of a garden shop, loved the car design and looked for anything that would tell me the car brand. The tire had triumph in the middle of the tire rim. Google “triumph car” and looked at photos. Found out the car I liked was a spitfire. Now this video shows up. I want a spitfire now.

[@Clan501-Scotland]

When my mother met my father at a football social disco they hit it off right away. She was middle class he was severely working class. He arranged to give her a lift home. When they went outside my father walked over to a bright yellow triumph spitfire and opened the door. My mum shouted at him "Get away from that car right now! He had to persuade her that he owned the vehicle before she would get in. I was conceived that same night and they are still together. I'm going to get me one some day!

[@51StPi]

"severely" working class, nice one, what was her maiden name Bucket pronounced bouquet? 😉

[@Clan501-Scotland]

@@51StPi Mate I left out the part where she arrived at the disco with someone else 😂😂

[@beerybill]

I bought a Spitfire (new) in 1964. Kept it for a year and traded up to a Sunbeam Alpine. I live in Western Pennsylvania and can't remember the last time I saw either on any local road.

[@veritasvincit2745]

One of the obvious and many differences between the Spitfire car and the Spitfire aircraft is that the car looked like it was going 100 mph faster than it really was and the aircraft looked liked she was flying 100 mph slower than she was such was her grace. I reckon at least a few Midlanders had a hand in both the car and aircraft's construction.

[@Hattonbank]

Yes, the current Jaguar factory in Castle Bromwich where XE/XF and XK are produced was a WW2 factory built for aircraft production and built over 12,000 Supermarine Spitfires, more than Supermarine actually built. The same plant also produced the Avro Lancaster.

[@yellowgrape-z9k]

i had one of these (a 1977 model) for my senior year of high school (in 89) it was a wonderful car to drive, and I have recently bought another one & can't wait to drive it. Nice video.

[@catjudo1]

The Austin Healey Sprite is the happiest looking car out there. The Spitfire was a pretty thing, even with all the moronic requirements in the USA. I've never found overriders I couldn't remedy with a wrench. Neat video.

[@mabcat37]

Had one for several years and loved it, even if it was a death trap! When you are young you think you are invisible !

[@robertdarby1039]

Invisible or invincible?

[@catjudo1]

@@robertdarby1039 Perhaps both...

[@davidpeters6536]

The MkIII & MkIV Spit and the GT6 MkII & MkIII were really good looking cars. Another great car history, thanks.

[@skywackerjim]

My first car was a 1969 GT6+. Really loved it. Always considered it as a baby XKE. A bit of technic getting in & out of without scraping your back, I am over 6’. Eventually lost 2nd gear, broke a rearend. Bought another complete car minus a transmission just to get the rearend from it. That one broke too but they broke in different ways so was able to make a 3rd rearend from the first two. Always wanted get a Spitfire and drop the spare GT6 engine in and bonnet and make a six cylinder Spitfire but never did. Having the parts car worked out good though. I put it on its roof about midnight on a Saturday, broke the windshield and right door glass. Put the glass from the parts car, swapped out a flat tire, pulled the plugs and squirted the oil out of a cylinder, plugs back in and was driving it again by 5:00 PM Sunday. Took about half an hour for it to burn the rest of the oil out of the cylinder.

[@melissarobertson2242]

The above is my husbands comment. I wish he could find another one reasonably priced, even if it was a project car. He has just retired and this would be something he would love doing now that he’s got the time! So if anyone has one they’d like to sell please let him or I know.

[@davecooper3238]

Two things I remember about the early Spitfire. Replacing the bottom steering/suspension trunnions that tended to wear out. Hit a big pothole & all the panels would go in different directions much like the Herald convertible. I could four wheel drift an early Sprite never confident enough to try it in the Spitfire. If I remember correctly both cars tended to be shod with Dunlop C41 cross ply tyres.

[@johndoyle4723]

Early models were a thing of beauty, you are correct, the real joy was not outright performance but open top driving on uncrowded roads. Yes OK they were death traps, but most cars of the era were dangerous, see mini for example. Thanks for the video.

[@bwho]

Takes someone who really knows how to drive to properly handle one, then.

[@theprofessionaldillweed6235]

I’ve got a ‘79 spitfire sitting in my garage, I’ve been mechanically upgrading it by giving it disc brakes all the way around but I’ve since gotten lazy and put the project aside :P

[@mikeholt7881]

My 1st ever car was a Tahiti Blue 1500, 40 years ago at the age of 17. My Bro currently owns an Inca Yellow 1500. I think we've owned at least 5 between us and wish I'd have kept all of mine :(

[@michaelpielorz9283]

Spitfire - when you discover that fun has nothing to do with horsepower.Looks great,drives great .You never want back a computer on wheels.

[@scootergeorge9576]

I said the same thing about a friend's MG Midget. Driving it in Memphis TN, it seemed fast till I noticed I was barely keeping up with traffic. But it sounded way cool driving through the tunnel under Memphis International Airport. His did have a raspy exhaust.

[@Graham658]

It's the sensation of speed it gives you, where you are so close to the ground, it's a bit like a go- kart. The other good thing is that you could work on them. I changed the gearbox on my British Racing Green 1500 MKIV in the street with a couple of mates and a Haynes manual.

[@nobodythatyouknow241]

My brother in law had a couple of TR-6s. Super fun to drive.

[@billyponsonby]

Noisy, bumpy, slow and in an accident, probably deadly. What’s not to like?

[@philmcevoy7129]

Have you ever had one. I've had three going back to 1970 and still have one. A real fun car. Won't ever sell mine. You sure have missed a lot of fun.

[@Weazelmania]

By those days standards it was a highly rated vehicle for safety in an accident. The rest was just fun.

[@piotrmalewski8178]

The point of this kind of car was actually to drive it a little bit sideways on twisty roads at relatively low and safe speeds. Something that can't be done with any modern car, unless you buy Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ, and put spacesavers on it.

[@afaha2214]

OMG! can't believe I never heard of this car. It's timeless design. I want one so bad but worried about maintenance costs.

[@tomi210210210]

They're really not too bad. I bought one three months ago, and they're reliable even now. Parts are relatively cheap and readily available. They're so simple that I do most of the maintenance myself without many problems. If you have some experience working in cars, maintenance costs will be minimal.

[@Parknest]

I've never owned a Spit but I once borrowed a Spitfire 1500 and it was quick. The only car I've owned with comparable performance was my Dolomite Sprint, another Triumph model styled by Michelotti. As somebody else has already said, the first part of his surname is pronounced like "mick".

[@BanjoLuke1]

Good video about a lovable series of cars. You capture quite well the madness of the production of competing vehicles within the BL group.... And it wasn't just Spitfire/Midget.... It was P5/Triumph 2000/Land Crab... It was an issue across several ranges and brands... Silly sods! I liked also the subtle dropping of the 240z onto the narrative... BL and others believed in a market by birthright and ignored Japan until too late. Like the end of pure and the loss of the colonies on an earlier age.... The Spitfire and GT6 were lovely cars... How splendidly British that they rotted on the vine and faded without replacement... Good video. NB: The "ch" in Michelotti is a hard "c". A silly bugbear, but a bugbear nonetheless. Good video! A nice mix of enthusiasm and information.

[@MattsBrabus]

I had a Mk IV. UMU871M - dark blue. Floor was rotten (you had to sit on one cheek), had a bent SU needle so the carb would jam. Used a can of ways start a month, and you had to stop regularly to pick the bits up that fell off. And I loved that car. It’s last drive was to RAFC Cranwell when I went to IOT

[@jreid641]

I owned a 1975 Spitfire. Wish I still had it!

[@jimbower9268]

I had an Aztec yellow 79 Spit. It was a lot of fun to drive, but here in the Midwest the weather dictates the days where it was not fun to drive. Summertime, you either have the top down to broil or the top up to bake. In addition, in the year I had it I replaced the clutch, repaired a bunch of rust, replaced the brake master cylinder, and the top. The two best days of ownership were the day I bought it and the day I sold it.

[@TDCflyer]

00:15 oh boy oh boy oh boy, I had one just like that, yellow and factory steel rims and all that... I *loved* that thing even thou for each hour of driving it needed 2 hours of maintenance and repair. You should have mentioned the whacky steering setup which made it predestined for drifting in combination with the whacky rear axle that made drifting really really dangerous.

[@perry92964]

i currently have a mark 4 i love it and its a head turner ive had it for 7 years and its been pretty reliable

[@nielskjr5432]

Thank you for all the info. Iconic car. Timeless design.

[@jamesgambony5870]

Spitfire owner for 33 years. The story I heard over the years is that Vickers wanted to use the Vanguard name on a new aircraft, and swapped with Standard Triumph for the Spitfire name. I don't have any references, but Standard used the Vanguard engines in the Ferguson tractors it built. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Motor_Company

[@Umski]

Same story I always knew 👍

[@johnny6171]

Great idea to a story about the Spitfire! Thank you well done!

[@DavidRea2710]

Thanks so much for this. I had a Mk III (with heater and overdrive), and loved driving it. Unfortunately, it rusted too easily and became impossible to repair. Very sadly, I scrapped it five years ago

[@bethbartlett5692]

This car is such a Classic, it is the Chanel of the Sports Cars. They all are great, I'd like any year + a 1967 Mark II Giovanni was a STAR.

[@HenauderTitzauf]

Loved the spitfire, but when I could drive one, the insurance prevented it. I ended up with a Simca Aronde. Great car, 4 speed on colomb, seats laid down, EXTREMELY GREAT DATE CAR! My parents never knew! By the time I could afford a Spitfire, VietNam came along, then a family, then they were and now too expensive. So, my wife bought me a 1967 Mustang.

[@yanuchiuchihaanimegamesand3907]

Even today, it looks amazing

[@peterellis1946]

Yes it looks amazing but it is a death trap.Please see my comments above.

[@nimeshchokshi1921]

Micholetti also did work for the Japanese manufacturer Prince, designing the Prince Skyline Sports Coupe.

[@BigCar2]

Yeah - that looks like one of his!

[@normsimpson2342]

Over the last 63 years I've owned over 150 different cars and trucks...even a Ferrari and a Lotus...but the one I miss the most? My "63 Spitfire Drophead Coup.....such a Great Car...I totally restored it out of two I had, and that care NEVER gave me any trouble and my wife and I drove some major miles in that car. Snow, Rain, we didn't care...such a fun car, and drove like a slot car. You could NOT roll that car. I could blow the doors off a 911SC coming down from Big Bear...downhill speed was all that car needed...my harley had a bigger engine. But it really was the best car I ever owned.

[@The9meister]

Great video, you had a picture of a red spitfire 1AOG-737 with Western Australian licence plates on it, look forward to your next video.

[@cisium1184]

My Dad had a succession of British roadsters in the 60's and 70's, a string that ended with a couple 1500s. The first was a 1977 I think, and it was rock solid. The second was a 1981. It had never-ending rear axle issues; he didn't drive the car as much as the car drove him...insane. After that he started buying German cars. But he never stopped being a fan of British ones. He was perpetually "thinking about buying another MG," and eventually he did.

[@Umski]

The name was in exchange for Vickers using Vanguard on a later plane model - at least that’s the story I’ve always known? Still have my 1972 MkIV - bought it as my first car in 2000 but was naively ripped off by a trader offloading it as “restored” - I kept it going for nearly 4 years before the rot a was too great - mechanically I had to replace pretty much everything including the engine which was a 1500 not 1300 as it turned out - so it was a mish-mash. I took it off the road and bought all the panels ready for a strip down which started but then never progressed due to getting married, moving to the other side of the country and having kids 😬 It sits next to a Honda S2000 in the garage now (also off the road albeit fully working) I am hopeful that one day the Spit will go again 😊

[@vernontaylor568]

The Triumph Herald and Spitfire wouldn't have happened except for the fact Standard-Triumph didn't manufacture their own panels but out-sourced them from the same supplier as BMC - something BMC decided would have to change and change it did as after negotiations BMC took 100% of the output and eventually took control of (I think) Pressed Steel Ltd., leaving Triumph without a reliable supplier of body panels. Facing probable closure they decided they could produce complete rolling chassis and brought in Michelotti to design a bodyshell that could be sourced piecemeal from a variety of suppliers around the country and so was born the Triumph Herald, a car built almost by accident in response to an emergency and early Heralds certainly looked as though they had been thrown together - which they almost had and few of those early cars had any panel gaps that could be described as uniform. Fate and BMC conspired to hand Standard-Triumph lemons and they made lemonade...

[@BigCar2]

Interesting - thanks!

[@alfresco4976]

Ha Ha- "Pressed Steel". Spitties were made of compressed RUST.

[@williamdavis4542]

I bought a new GT6+ in 1969 and really enjoyed the car. Of course, it really helped that I could do all the work on it! I would change the 6 spark plugs every few weeks and get my money back in better gas mileage. Lousy Lucas spark? The half shafts running between the diff and the wheels had a rubber doughnut joint (Rotoflex coupling) out near the wheel and a standard needle bearing U-joint in at the diff. I had to replace the U-joints every few months! I learned to do that job in less than an hour. I would tie the end of the transverse leaf spring to the upper shock mount with a wire coat hanger and then jack the car body until the wheel lifted off the ground. I could then unbolt the wheel assembly from the spring and wishbone assembly and unbolt the U-joint from the diff and take it to the bench to change out the U-joint. The only good news was that none of the bolts had time to get rusty! That car was so hot in the summer (in Rhode Island) that I finally ran two pieces of aluminum downspout from the grille back to the (un-insulated) firewall to bring fresh air to the cockpit. I heard there were two popular bumper stickers for British cars. One said that "The parts falling off this car are of the finest British craftsmanship!" and another one said, "Remember, Dr, Lucas says, 'Never drive after dark!'" That last one was a reference to the unreliable Lucas electrical systems.

[@ches74]

A colleague has an Inca yellow Spitfire which he built himself from a kit of surplus that was being sold after the production ceased.

[@6lr6ak6]

I was 5 yr old in 70, l remember neighbour getting a new one was bright red, he was always driving to play golf, he took me round the streets for a spin in it I'll never forget it,

[@shotforshot5983]

Beautiful styling on the chassis of a golf cart.

[@stuffthings3728]

I learned alot about engines on a triumph spitfire. I was 13 - 15 my dad, my uncle me and my brother. Dickied one up for my mum. Great times.

[@ekim000]

I was lucky enough to drive a yellow 1500 for a couple of months and fell in love with it. That despite the fact that I'm 6.4" and can only look over the screen frame which made highway driving a sunglasses only endeavour. Gorgeous little thing which I wish I'd bought.

[@stumac869]

Had a number of spits in my teens and a MK3 GT6. Great to drive but needed endless maintenance to keep on the road but when you are young it's a great experience to fix your own car. The good thing about old cars is you can always fix them provided you havd a big enough hammer.

[@Mingbaakmei]

Took delivery of a new hard top/soft top white Mk 111 on my return to the UK in Aug 1967. I knew it did not come with a radio so I purchased a 'self-seeking' radio station model plus an automatic aerial whilst abroad and had it installed!! Boy did that cause people to stare! Amazingly it had no interior light so I had to install one also! The rear end braking away was a real problem and someone advised "put a hundred weight sack of cement in the boot" It worked, but given the small boot nothing else could be put into it. Also because I was taking the car abroad (export) the UK number plates were edged with a yellow line (indicating no purchase tax paid) which meant police and traffic wardens were not interested in you because they knew they would not get you into court!! Carte blanche for a then 24 year old!!

[@kimisdaman]

My first car was a '67 Mk. III, ten years old at the time. It looked, and drove as if it had been thrashed for 100 years.