Here's how I break down the different species of owners and their spitfires:
1. Original owners of stock spitfires. These guys bought their spitfires
new and maintained them as stock as possible over the years. Their money
went straight to British Leyland, for years and years and years.
2. Owners of second hand spitfires bought their spits used but have tried
to maintain them as stock or have restored them to near as possible stock
specifications. Collectors fall into this category.
3. Owners of customized spitfires. If you replaced anything on your spit
with a non-standard, non-stock part, you have a customized spit. Be it
bullet mirrors, upgraded carpeting, custom rims, moto-lita steering wheel,
anything like that. Due to lack of original parts, most owners fall into
this category.
4. Owners of modified spitfires. Modifications are usually for performance
enhancements. Anything goes in this category. Wankle engines, v-8's, beefy
suspension systems, headers, carb swaps, anything. These cars can be as far
away from stock as you can get, to the point that the only thing in common
with all other spitfire owners is the body tub.
5. Ex-owners or owners-to-be who are still fans enough to be on the list
but don't currently own a spitfire.
Each one of these groups is going to have a different approach to their
respective cars. Tension will build between say, a snooty original owner
who sees modifications as some sort of bastardization of the marque, and a
rabid racing fan who thinks that their fully blown v-8 with ford
drivetrain, racing buckets, alloy wheels, and headers is a "Triumph".
These are "personal preferences" folks and have nothing to do with what
should or shouldn't be done to a hunk of british metal. A few guys out
there will claim that there is no such thing as a "valid modification" of
their beloved cars. Others will claim that as long as it is Triumph iron,
it's ok. Others think that as long as they "started" with a spit, then it's
a spit. Who's right? Technically, the snootiest original owner is. So
what? What a dull world this would be if we all had to drive or even own
"stock" spitfires in order to be on this list. I say "viva la difference".
Sure, Wankle powered spits are wierd, but so are those trailer-queen
concours spits. I'll gawk at both, but I wouldn't own either. Gimmie my
daily driver spit, any day.
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