At 9:51 -0500 9/16/01, Rich White wrote:
>List,
>
>I have has my TR for many years and have not paid much attention
>to the "other" triumphs. My wife asked about his and her triumphs.
>I saw a 77 spitfire last night I look good on the inside and out.
>I just looked from the outside, so I did not hear it run or look
>under the hood. It is a square back model, does that make it a 1500?
>
>All my books are TR, so I was wondering what it might be worth?
>What to look for?
Rich --
Yes, a '77 would most likely be a 1500 - a squareback model could me
a Mk. IV or a 1500. Mk. IVs were only in the US in about '71-72;
1500s came after that. The only way to know for sure, though, is to
get the commission and engine numbers and check them against the
known ranges for each model -- commission plates and engines can be
swapped relatively easily.
As the owner of a '77, I can share a few thoughts on what to look for:
watch for rust in the fenders, front and back, particularly in the
top inside portion of the wheelwell. The rocker panels tend to rust,
too, so check them for bondo. Also check carefully the area in the
rear wheelwells, behind the seats, where the suspension link attaches
to the body. The floorpans, especially the footwell area on the
driver's side, rust through due to leaks (and thus wet carpet).
Battery boxes, too, are susceptible to rust, though probably much
easier to repair than the other areas I've mentioned.
Other considerations are: overdrive makes a *BIG* difference for
highway cruising in a Spitfire. Check, or have someone check, the
motor carefully, as the late Spitfire motors aren't bulletproof like
the TR four cylinders - I've suffered through a few broken piston
rings, a smashed big end bearing, and badly worn valve guides.
Thrust washers can be a problem, too. I'm not saying the 1500 can't
be a good, reliable motor - you just want to check it to make sure
it's not bad already.
The later Spitfires, a la '77, are not as nimble or quick as the
earlier models (Mk. IIIs of 1970 and earlier), but they do handle
more predictably and have a distinctly different look that some
people prefer - they also have a little bit longer legs for highway
driving, IIRC, due to a lower rear end ratio.
1500s are prone to "rear end squat": the rear springs wear out and
the rear sits very low, with the wheels pointing way in on the top.
This can generally be cured with a new or re-arched spring and a rear
end alignment, at a total cost of a couple-three hundred dollars.
If you do buy it, one very important maintenance item that comes to
mind right away is greasing the rear hubs and, if possible, the
u-joints: do it right away, and regularly thereafter.
Spitfire mechanicals are simple, and easily accessible, and parts are
readily obtainable (not always true for earlier Triumphs) at
generally reasonable prices (also not always true for early TRs!).
Value is difficult to quote: a nice, rust-free example of a driver
with good interior, top, and overdrive could bring $4,000 - $5,000.
Value drops quickly if no overdrive, rust or dents, worn interior, or
mechanical problems.
I love my Spitfire, even though I haven't driven it in three years
due to the acquisition of my TR3 project. They're great little cars.
HTH,
Dan
--
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dan Buettner - Des Moines, Iowa - mailto:danb@thelittlemacshop.com
1957 TR3, TS15098L 'O' - awaiting owner's time and money.
1977 Spitfire, FM64159U 'O' - in storage.
Visit the Team.Net Triumph list member pages at:
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