1980 Triumph Spitfire

Convertible

4 - Cyl.

Manual

tfvdw6at005872

Gasoline

This is an adult collector-owned 1980 Triumph Spitfire with 37,000 actual miles and the highly desirable electric overdrive option (approximately 1 in 12 Spitfires were ordered/manufactured with it). The car is solid with shiny paint and no structural rust (I do not want to claim it is "rust free" when you can find rust on new 2010 vehicles if you look closely enough at many of the engine parts, exhaust system, etc.). It has been beautifully maintained and serviced professionally. When I purchased the car as its third owner, it had just 990 miles. It first belonged to a British Leyland dealership owner who kept several Triumph and MG cars prior to the closing of his dealership. The second owner was a collector. Accordingly, from the standpoint of maintenance and use, it can virtually be considered a single-owner car. I'm a long-time auto enthusiast and this is my third experience with this particular power-train (I've previously owned a '78 Midget as well as a '78 Spitfire -- although neither of those sports cars had overdrive). The difference of having the overdrive unit is huge. By keeping engine RPMs relatively low at highway speeds, it increases fuel mileage and allows the car keep up with modern interstate traffic with ease. Overall, it helps make longer highway trips significantly less noisy, more relaxed and enjoyable. Though cosmetically stock, I've made some mechanical improvements in the interest of improving drive-ability, reliability and performance. Engine modifications include a Weber side-draft carbuerator, ceramic-coated exhaust header, Pertronix ignition and a re-curved distributor. Collectively, these professionally installed items have successfully improved the car's cold starting, idle, throttle response and cooling characteristics while also providing a meaningful performance gain. Suspension modifications include a larger front sway-bar (along with a complimenting rear one), Koni adjustable shocks, new (OEM-spec) springs and polyurethane bushings throughout. With the bushings, stock spring rates and the shocks adjusted at "medium/soft," the ride is taut, crisp and sporty without being harsh. Although any Spitfire represents one of the most entertaining cars you can drive, this car's overall performance strikes an especially nice balance between handling and comfort. It also sounds terrific. These tried and true carburetion/exhaust/suspension configurations also leave room for those wanting "yet more" performance. For example, on the "engine-side," additional/sizable power gains are available simply by adding a more aggressive camshaft. And on the "suspension-side," the shock absorbers can be tuned to ten different settings, with the firmer ones leaning toward "track-day/auto-cross." Meanwhile, the car is properly tuned to start easily, run smoothly throughout its operating range and be comfortable enough so your family & friends will want to ride in it more than once. Aside from the engine & suspension modifications, every other piece of equipment on the car is stock and in proper working order -- i.e. lights, turn signals, door locks, heat/ventilation system, etc. This includes the relatively uncommon factory AM/FM radio along with its (manually) retractable antennae. I'm particularly proud of the fact that the car retains its original top which is in excellent shape. It also has its original tonneau and boot covers -- plus all the original factory manuals as well as its original/unused spare. My motivation for selling this car is a recent marriage and desire to focus on starting a family. I've done my best to take good, close pictures. However, it is a 30+ year old car being sold "as is," so please feel welcome to inspect the vehicle in person and/or ask as many questions as you like (or have your mechanic to do those things for you). The car is being listed only on eBay and at no reserve because I believe it's an excellent vehicle that will sell at its appropriate market value. Accordingly, you can be rest assured that your bid will "count" rather than wasted on some unrealistic reserve. If you have zero or negative feedback, please contact me prior to bidding. It's a great car that I'm confident you will enjoy. Thank you for looking. Sale Terms: Winning bidder must contact seller within 24 hours of auction end, and make arrangements for payment at that time. A $750.00 (non refundable) deposit is due within 24 hours of end of auction (either PayPal or Fed Ex w/ tracking number). The remainder is due within 7 days of the auction's end. If no contact is made within 24 hours, I reserve the right to re-list the vehicle, offer it to the next high bidder, or sell it otherwise. Please make sure your finances support making a vehicle purchase prior to bidding and please take shipping arrangements into consideration. If you have any questions or concerns about payment, temporary storage or shipping, please ask them prior to placing your bid. On Aug-11-10 at 04:29:26 PDT, seller added the following information: I've received a couple of questions about how the overdrive unit operates and wanted to add an explanation of it for anyone who isn't familiar with its workings. In a nutshell, it gives you the option of having two "speeds" while in 3rd or 4th gear. So you've got 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3-high, 4th and 4-high. From a practical use standpoint, you've got a 6-speed instead of a 4-speed transmission. From the standpoint of understanding how it works, it's similar to your old 10-speed bike in that it's got two gear sets and two "levers" to operate them. On your bike, one lever switches your front gear-set between high and low (i.e. it has 2 speeds) while your other lever switches the gear set mounted on your rear wheel (i.e. it has 5 speeds) giving your bike its 10 possible "speeds." On a Spitfire w/ overdrive, you've got a regular 4-speed transmission mounted immediately behind the engine and operated by a regular gear lever that changes between those gears mechanically. You've also got a 2-speed "rear-end" gear set that's also mechanical -- although it's operated by an electric solenoid via a switch on top of the gear lever. (if you look closely at the picture with the gear lever, you can see it). In theory, it could give you an 8-speed, but the Triumph engineers believed that having 1st-high and 2nd-high was unnecessary, so it only functions in 3rd or 4th gears. That way, you've got the option of shifting the car as a "regular" 4-speed or toggling the switch up and down to give yourself all 6-speeds. In practical use, it's mostly an entertaining novelty "around town" at speeds under 45 MPH. (Although occasionally, "3-high" is "just right for lopping along in 40-45 MPH traffic). In any event, it really makes a difference in rural and highway driving. At speeds above 45 MPH, it helps the car feel like it's got "longer legs" by cutting engine RPMs significantly while you're in either 3rd or 4th gear. In 4th gear in particular, it gives you a relaxed "cruising gear." From a standpoint of reliability, I've never had a problem with it. And I've been told that repair parts are readily available in case it should need service. Hope that explains it for anyone who may be new to these transmissions. --RobertOn Aug-14-10 at 18:00:45 PDT, seller added the following information: All, I am genuinely trying to run as good and honest an auction that I can. In the interest of keeping everyone in the loop, I thought it only fair that I let you know I needed to cancel a bid today. The reason was that the bidder expressed concern about purchasing a car that was 30 years old -- and that because of its age, he believed it couldn't be considered reliable enough. In my opinion, "reliability" is a relative term -- what's reliable for a family sedan is different than what's considered reliable for an "exotic" car. Similarly, what's reliable for a 2010 vehicle is different from what's considered reliable for a 1980 vehicle. That being said, no amount of preventive maintenance or care is going to change the fact that my Spitfire was manufactured in 1980 which is why I agreed to cancel the individual's bid. I've always believed that hobby cars are supposed to be entertaining and enjoyable -- and that they shouldn't become a source of stress. Hopefully, this was as fair as possible to all of you who are watching this auction, RobertOn Aug-17-10 at 03:39:04 PDT, seller added the following information: I received a question regarding the black area on the underside of the hood near the front (see engine compartment photo). It is factory-applied undercoating on top of the white paint.