1977 Triumph Spitfire

Convertible

4 - Cyl.

Manual

FM6155OU

Gasoline

Up for your consideration is a 1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500. As you will see in the photos, the body on this car is in excellent condition. Being it spent most of it's life in Tucson Arizona, the usual places where these cars are known to rust are very solid with the exception of a hole smaller than a dime on the drivers floor. The bumpers and overriders are in excellent condition! You will also see a small dent on the drivers door near the outside door handle. I'm sure this is something that could easily and inexpensively be repaired via the paintless dent repair system. The overall condition of the paint is kind of hard to describe. The car shines up very nicely and looks good, but it does have some peeling here and there. Those areas are shown in the photos. This car was originally brown, and was repainted yellow. You will notice that the firewall was not painted, nor was the inside of the trunk. I'm not real impressed with some of the taping work that was done, as the switches in the door jams are painted, and there are some visible tape lines and some over spray here and there. There is nothing that a little time and detail wont solve, but it's not the way I would have done it. This car could be spruced up very easily! I will be taking the car to the automotive paint shop and getting a paint code & recipe so one could touch up any areas of concern. The engine runs and sounds good, however it is running very rich. I am on the hunt for a carburetor kit, or replacement carburetor. If this issue is resolved, I will be adding that information to this listing. The oil was changed this weekend, and all fluid levels were checked and topped off. Being this car is 35 years old, it does have some oil seepage! The transmission shifts very smoothly and is quiet, as is the rear differential. The brakes and clutch are in good condition as it has new rear wheel cylinders, and 80% or more pad and shoe life. The electrical system is in 100% working order, including the JVC stereo with 2 6X9 speakers. The interior of this car is the primary area where it needs attention. Though the carpet is in very good condition, as is the seat foam, the houndstooth covers are shot, and the arm rest needs recovering. Under the carpet overlay on the dash, you will see where the Arizona sun has taken its toll on the dash pad. The wood dash shows signs of its age as well. The steering of this car is tight, but the right trunnion is a little loose. I haven't taken it apart to see if it's as simple as bushings, or if a trunnion may need to be replaced. I will just say that it isn't extremely sloppy and screaming trunnion, but there is some play there nonetheless! The convertible top has a couple of holes. You will be able to see them in the photos. You'll also see the area where a snap is missing where the top snaps, right behind the drivers door. The exhaust pipe from the engine back is very solid, yet the muffler isn't what I'd consider a suitable replacement. It's basically a muffler with a pipe bent to enable it to set crossways as it should. It's not as quiet as it should be, but at the same time, it's not loud and obnoxious. All in all for a 35 year old car, this car is well above the average! I am not portraying it as a "restored" vehicle, but rather a very well maintained, mechanically sound, solid platform that wont break the bank just to get it to meet your standards. It starts easily, it runs, drives, stops, and everything works! A little time & tinkering and you'll have yourself one very sweet Spitfire! If you have any other questions, or would like additional photos from any specific angle, please don't hesitate to ask! One may want to check periodically for any updated information. As this car is for sale locally, I reserve the right to end this listing early. This car is available for pickup only, however, delivery is available within a limited range. If you would like a quote for me to deliver it, please inquire with your city & state. If you are considering hiring a transport, this car is located in Des Moines, Iowa, within a few miles of the airport. I will work with anyones schedule to arrange a trouble free pick up. Powered by eBay Turbo Lister The free listing tool. List your items fast and easy and manage your active items. On Mar-17-12 at 09:47:49 PDT, seller added the following information: Since first listing this car I have flushed the cooling system, replaced the thermostat, and radiator cap. All of the hoses are in good condition. Replacing them isn't anything of a pressing nature, but more of a matter of choice. I disassembled the carburetor and gave it a minor clean up. It wasn't horribly dirty inside, but did show signs of having been setting. The metering needle was stuck, preventing any mixture adjustments, and the diaphragm had a hole in it. I have that freed up, replaced the diaphragm and was able to adjust it and lean it down considerably! The coolant operated choke had been replaced with a manually operated version and due to a sticky cable, it wasn't turning off. I have the choke in the off position, and that area will need to be addressed to meet ones personal preferences. I.e. do another manual choke, or return it back to the way Leylend did it. It's running much cleaner than before. The car starts very easily, and runs very well. A set of plugs and an air filter probably wouldn't hurt a thing! A decent muffler,some fine tuning, a pair of $9.00 cones for where the bonnet sets on the body(squeaks & rattles) and you'll have yourself an awesome driver! The clutch feels good but could use a bleeding. Two or three pumps and you can feel a difference where it starts to take hold. It works fine as is, but I'm just making mention. I took it out for a drive in both residential areas and on the highway. It runs and drives very nice! You can let go of the wheel and the car maintains a straight course.