Why be pedestrian?
Triumph's triumph; the Spitfire is huge fun (Image copyright Martin Wood)
The Triumph Spitfire is – if you’re too big to fit into an MG Midget properly, or see the Abingdon octagon as transport for the Devil himself – the archetypal classic British sportscar. Over the last few years, I’ve looked at MK4s, 1500s, and even those converted to GT6 power – and I’ve thought “Hmm, I wonder if they’re as good as they look?”
But I’ve been put off the idea of owning the Michelotti-styled sportster by the fact that I’m used to the soft life. I enjoy cars with walnut dashboards, leather seats, a nice soft squishy ride, and plenty of space. Also, being of a feeble, weak, and weedy disposition, the idea of an entirely manual, do-it-yourself car appals as much as it appeals – not least because I’d look fairly idiotic failing to manoeuvre such a beast.
I was at the Luton Festival of Transport earlier this month, though – and met up with Martin Wood, a friend of mine through a classic car forum I frequent. His pride and joy is a late 1500, the pretty one with the larger engine. His car is just the ticket for the man with a taste for the high life – a new walnut dash, door cappings, and leather seat covers see to that. Tentatively, I asked if I might be able to take it for a quick spin, and upon his response in the affirmative I folded myself behind the wheel.
Well, I say folded – it wasn’t anywhere near as tight as you’d expect for a long legged chap of six foot three, and from past experience of static displays at shows I can confirm that there is still space – only just, but there is space – for someone of my dimensions with the roof in place. Aside from an initial starting issue – partly due to Martin’s suggestion it wouldn’t need the choke for such a short run after a fair run earlier in the day and partly due to my inexperience with manual chokes – it was lovely.
The pedals are a tad offset to the right, but when you’re used to their positioning it seems second nature. The gearbox is sweet in use, with a fairly short and direct throw. At low speeds, the steering is surprisingly light and communicative – if it’s as good blasting down a back road then I can understand why it has so many fans. The car responds far quicker than I had dared to expect even after reading the literature; with a turning circle of just over 26 feet and under four turns lock-to-lock, the expression ‘turn on a sixpence’ could have been coined for the Spit. Maybe I misjudged non-PAS equipped cars – perhaps the issue comes from non-assisted steering of the driven wheels – prior to the Spitfire the only non-assisted car I had driven was an Austin Montego 1.6 – I shall have to try something bigger with RWD and keep-fit steering to see if the driven wheels really do have such a great effect. A slight prod of the accelerator brings a pleasing aural crescendo, curtailed only by a gearchange which starts the whole treat again. If the four sounds like this, I would love to try a so-called “Gitfire” – a Spitfire with GT6 underpinnings and the burbly-burbly straight six lump.
I don’t think I could live with the sporty Spit every day though. It’s a bit low, a bit small to really be a good bet on motorways or prolonged stints on dual carriageways – you’re at the mercy of lorry drivers who may not even see you coming. I can’t imagine it’s too refined either at prolonged high speed. In traffic, too, it would be flawed – the Spit is easily dwarfed, and isn’t really suited to prolonged crawling about in traffic jams. But as a weekend fun toy – something to just go out into the country and enjoy as a means of light relief – good lord, yes, I’d buy one tomorrow or even tonight if I could find the right one so soon. I would love to go out of a summer’s eve, find a nice little twisty back road or ten. Snickety-snicking up and down that lovely box, listening to that rising and falling engine note and cornering with a Cheshire cat grin on my face, becoming at one with the machine and feeling the wind in my mop.
Given that an MoT’d project can be yours from £750, and a fair one if you double that, the Spitfire is well worth looking into if you want a summer toy. It’s even worth a look if you want to go on a touring holiday – that boot is big enough for two’s luggage and there’s a little space behind the seats. To quote the sales literature for the Spitfire 4 MK2, “Why be pedestrian?” – but potential buyer beware; they’re highly addictive.
