Triumph Spitfire 1500

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 Triumph’s sleek little two-seater was first shown to the public at the 1962 Earls Court Motor Show. For all its Italianate (Giovanni Michelotti) good looks, it was actually based on the very English Triumph Herald platform and used that car’s front wishbone/rear swing-arm suspension setup. In the little roadster, the ladder chassis was further stiffened by components in the bodywork.

Between 1962 and the model’s withdrawal in 1981, more than 300,000 would be built, with several major styling and mechanical changes along the way. The MkIII of 1967 saw the disappearance of the split front grill, while the 1970 Mk IV saw perhaps the most comprehensive redesign. Michelotti had already refreshed the looks of the Stag and 2000 models and now set about enhancing the Spitfire’s Triumph family resemblance.

The front end was also cleaned up, and the doors were given recessed handles. The interior was much improved: a proper full-width dashboard was provided, putting the instruments ahead of the driver rather than over the centre console. The engine continued at 1,296cc, but was modified with larger big-end bearings and the gearbox gained synchromesh on its bottom gear.

By far the most significant change, however, was to the rear suspension, which was de-cambered and redesigned to eliminate the unfortunate tendencies of the original swing-axle design. The Triumph GT6 and Triumph Vitesse had already been modified, and the result on all these cars was safe and progressive handling even at the limit.

In 1974 the engine was enlarged to 1,493cc and the name changed to the Spitfire 1500. Torque was greatly increased and the new engine at last made the Spitfire capable of 100mph. Other detail improvements included reclining seats with head restraints, wood-veneer dash, hazard flashers and electric washers. The last Spitfire 1500 rolled off the assembly line in August 1980.

The relatively late-model Spitfire 1500 offered today benefits from the sum total of the model’s development, including of course, the more powerful engine and the far more competent rear suspension. The car was treated to a full respray about seven years ago and underwent a full mechanical overhaul 18 months ago. It has also had new plug leads, plugs and filters within the last six months and alloy wheels have been fitted. The partial service history includes invoices from the early Eighties onwards.

The little roadster reportedly drives very well with MOT until September 2015 and a current tax disc. Indeed it recently drove from Scotland to East Anglia with no drama, the 78,500 miles on the clock being thought to be genuine.

The Spitfire is becoming ever more popular with a new generation of classic owners and values of good examples are rising. The better-developed late models provide a stable investment and a practical and enjoyable sports car.