Nighttrain
Well-known member
Its Bronson, he will find two or three motorcycles on the the road trip and drag them back too. Sometimes you just have to take a road trip.
Triumph Spitfire on car dolly
- Thread starter Bronson
- Start date
Its Bronson, he will find two or three motorcycles on the the road trip and drag them back too. Sometimes you just have to take a road trip.
I got back from Mississippi on Saturday morning, at sunrise, after driving 1,217 miles non-stop. The Triumph rode to it's new home on the flat bed, with no issues. Today is insurance and Anique Tag day. Tomorrow, I will be able to drive it on the streets! No pics yet, except the E-bay description.
Thanks for the input, everybody!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/?cmd...49&item=150870386472&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Thanks for the input, everybody!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/?cmd...49&item=150870386472&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Cinneagh
Well-known member
Excellent! Have fun driving!
Omphaloskeptic
Well-known member
Oh, the fun now begins! Just be sure to have the car off the road before nightfall (Lucas - Prince of Darkness); in fact, since you now own a 'Brit Spit', you should return in time for 'high tea'. Enjoy!
Lippyp
Well-known member
I'd also say that was a 1500, a genuine G reg would be a 69 MK III (my very first car was one!) I' also take issue with Magenta being the iconic colour for a spit, GT6 maybe but its a pretty rare colour on a spit, my MKIII was Pageant Blue and the 1500 was a very similar blue to the one pictured earlier although I think that one started out as red and the blue was shockingly, a Ford colour, although I've been in therapy and gotten that out of my system now. I did have a hardtop for my 1500 in Magenta although it clashed terribly with the blue.
I'd say the iconic colour for a spit was probably BRG for the later models and possibly blue for the earlier ones although that nasty shade of baby-**** yellow seems to have been a very popular colour for later models, something went very wrong with peoples heads in the 70's, must have been some very iffy drugs around then! I will however support your statement on the fugly federal bumpers, after all, them lot also ruined the MGB with those horrible rubber bumpers and raised ride height.
Anyway, enjoy your Spit, they are great fun, I loved mine and I have plans for another one as my retirement project although I'd like to fit a modern engine, possibly an MX5 engine and six speed box although the biggest problem with fitting a more powerful engine is that the diff is made of cadburys dairy milk chocolate and melts into cocoa if you get anywhere near about 150 hp. Theres a huge amount of tuning parts available for them, from uprated suspension to unleaded tuned heads, electronic ignition and so on. My 1500 actually had a tuned 1300 in it as they rev much better than the longer stroke 1500 and with just a little work easily make as much power, mine had bigger SU's, a home ported and polished head, tubular header, K&N filters and a free flow exhaust (which was headache makingly loud but hey I was in my 20's and loud was good, especially under the low railway bridge on my way to work!)
Oh and my 1500 was moved in the back of a 7.5 ton truck, although at the time it was slightly dismantled for a resto that sadly never happened due to lack of a garge at my new house, it got sold on to someone who finished the job.
koditten
Well-known member
I love towing my flat deck car hauler, but the car dolly gets my vote. My buddy and I towed an Audi from Key West to Tampa using a dolley. The dolly worked great in the tight streets of Key West. I would not liked using the car hauling trailer down there. As for backing up the dolley, it is difficult, but there are not many places that you can't make turns to get were you need.
You won't lose as much fuel economy with the dolley because of less wind resistance.
By the way, we did get a flat on the dead Audi. Of course the spare was flat. No biggie, we just swapped the flat with one of the tires that was cradled on the dolley. That wheel didn't care if it was flat. Away we went.
You won't lose as much fuel economy with the dolley because of less wind resistance.
By the way, we did get a flat on the dead Audi. Of course the spare was flat. No biggie, we just swapped the flat with one of the tires that was cradled on the dolley. That wheel didn't care if it was flat. Away we went.
I drove it around town for an hour yesterday (without tags!) but I did already have the insurance. I also got the out of state VIN papaerwork. This morning I will go get the Antique Texas tags for it. They are good for 5 years. I can scrape off the Mississippi inspection sticker, as Texas does not require a inspection sticker for Antique vehicles.
The purchase included 2 shop manuals, a big tote full of new and old parts, the original Bill of Sale, pages and pages of hand written notes from the original owner, and a hard top, a tonneau cover, 2 hood covers, the convertible top, and a bunch of parts catalogues, and every receipt for every part ever bought for the car.
The purchase included 2 shop manuals, a big tote full of new and old parts, the original Bill of Sale, pages and pages of hand written notes from the original owner, and a hard top, a tonneau cover, 2 hood covers, the convertible top, and a bunch of parts catalogues, and every receipt for every part ever bought for the car.
carhunter
Well-known member
Is it everything you expected?
I'm about to head to IL for my own ebay purchase...your trip was twice the length of mine though
At least this one runs, which is unusual for me
I'm about to head to IL for my own ebay purchase...your trip was twice the length of mine though
At least this one runs, which is unusual for me
Is it everything you expected?
I'm about to head to IL for my own ebay purchase...your trip was twice the length of mine though
At least this one runs, which is unusual for me
Yes, it is.
I am very hapy with the car. I changed out a short length of fuel line today, about 12 inches, and did a little cleaning under the bonnet. Other than that, I just enjoyed driving it today!
I plan to change out the carpet, and order a new walnut dash fascia , but no rush on that. I also would like to put on a muffler with a little more "snarl". At 60, You cant even hear the motor, just the hum of the tires. Drove it to the beer store, and the Gals there loved it.
When I was just out of college, I had a '78 in that color. I loved that car like it didn't deserve. It didn't handle very well. Had no power. Something always needed work, and I had to do most of that in an alley behind my apartment building. I still regret selling it. And I've never had a car that women liked as much as that one.
Enjoy it. It's a beautiful, beautiful design.
Enjoy it. It's a beautiful, beautiful design.
I'm also a TR guy. I've owned 3 TR-250's and one TR6 that I did a show class restoration on. My good friend had a Spitfire and a TR4A that we worked on a lot (40 years ago) and his brother also had a TR250 that I worked on back then. I don't have any TR's now and really miss them. As for Lucas...well once you get it all set up, I found things to be reliable. One thing for sure, there was never a computer to fail!!!!
Tom
Tom
1320stang
Well-known member
Wished I had seen this earlier, my friend has a yellow '80 Spitfire he wants to sell.
Sorry for the lousey cell phone pics.
That extended tow dolly is for sale too, he had it stretched to be able to haul his Road King and his lifted JK behind his diesel pusher motorcoach. You can kind of see the front of it in this pic of my F-100.
Sorry for the lousey cell phone pics.
That extended tow dolly is for sale too, he had it stretched to be able to haul his Road King and his lifted JK behind his diesel pusher motorcoach. You can kind of see the front of it in this pic of my F-100.
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1320stang
Well-known member
It's right on the south edge of Edmond. It's a nice car, it looks pale in the photos but it's freaking crayon yellow. It's too small for me, especially with the top up, I basically have to fall out of the car.
JamieK
Well-known member
Wow, I'd forgotten how huge those bumpers were on those cars. Is there any way to put earlier model or european bumpers on to give it a cleaner look?
Here are some pics of the car. Been inside all of it's life, NO RUST! Drives great!
61,00 miles. Overdrive, removable hardtop, convertible top, tonneau cover, tons of shop manuals, parts catalogues, service records from new, and receipts for every part ever bought for the car.
61,00 miles. Overdrive, removable hardtop, convertible top, tonneau cover, tons of shop manuals, parts catalogues, service records from new, and receipts for every part ever bought for the car.
JimVonBaden
Well-known member
Beautiful! Don't do anything to it, leave it as is and drive it!
Jim
Jim
James E
Well-known member
Ooooh, an '80 Spitfire. All of the unreliability inherent in the Spitfire with the added benefit of post-'74 power-robbing emissions equipment and the stylistic excitement of humongous rubber bumpers.
Nighttrain
Well-known member
That is clean. I think this thread should turn into the "Bronson Hot Lady Friends Posing with the Spirtfire" Thread
Cinneagh
Well-known member
Beautiful! Don't do anything to it, leave it as is and drive it!
Jim
Exactly! Looks like a great car! How does the engine bay look?
hobie1dog
Well-known member
Had 3 of those dogs, man they were underpowered.
The engine bay is very original, and all the original parts are there. The belt is not on the smog pump. No rust, zero. I will start cleaning up the engine bay next week. Thanks for the positive comments. I dont know why people have to come in and make negative comments.
bazzateer
Well-known member
Looks like yours has had implants! Damn those bumpers are fugly!
Cinneagh
Well-known member
Very cool. Looks like you have a real keeper. How do you like sitting on the tire to get to the engine?
Here's an ad from triumphspitfire.com. Thought it was cool since it features a duplicate of your car.
Enjoy the drive!
Attachments
Lippyp
Well-known member
Like I said, not hard to wake her up, junk the emissions gear, decent exhaust, air filters electronic ignition conversion and if the budget allows cam and head and the difference will be huge.
bazzateer
Well-known member
Expensive? How can removing some unnecessary add-ons be expensive?
R and R intake and exhaust manifolds, different carb, modifly/replace exhaust systems and cat, and on. I can do all of that for best results, or do only parts of it. I prefer to do it all, and make a clean job of it, rather than bit here and there.
It will not be an immediate thing, but down the road, after I have done My researcha nd laid out a plan.
It will not be an immediate thing, but down the road, after I have done My researcha nd laid out a plan.
Very cool. Looks like you have a real keeper. How do you like sitting on the tire to get to the engine?
Here's an ad from triumphspitfire.com. Thought it was cool since it features a duplicate of your car.
Enjoy the drive!
Thanks! Yeah, it is cool to be able to raise the bonnet and actually get to the engine carb, etc to work on. I am having too much fun driving it to start any big projects right now ( not to mention the 5-6 motorcycle projects) The big engine de-smog will have to wait until snow flies!
abstamaria
Well-known member
Congratulations, Bronson. It's good to see British sports cars here on GJ. And a Triumph to boot. I had TR4s when I was in college in the 1960s. TR2s used to be assembled here, and in about 1968 I spied an unassembled Spitfire in the closed factory. I wonder what happened to it?
You're an airplane mechanic, and so should have a lot of fun with the simplicity of a Spitfire.
Enjoy,
Andy
You're an airplane mechanic, and so should have a lot of fun with the simplicity of a Spitfire.
Enjoy,
Andy
Thanks, Andy! It is a beautiful fall day, here, and I have been "motoring about" with the hood in the turtle, and a smile on My face. I just went to show it to My dear ole Mum, and She loved it and asked about the front bumpers. I told Her they were Dolly Partons. She loved that!
Omphaloskeptic
Well-known member
Bronson, don't fret about the Dolly Partons, you can't see them when you are behind the wheel! Motoring down the back roads of the panhandle, top down, road music comfortably loud (ZZ Top ?), shades on, smile beaming and the feeling that all is right with the world. Enjoy!