1975 Triumph Spitfire
This is a terrible car. Loud. Unreliable. Hot. Uncomfortable. In other words, British. In even other words, awesome.
This car came to me via a guy in Texas who had just acquired it from a guy in Montana who was, I'm pretty sure, completely insane. Usually I'm the guy putting WAY too much money into a car that will never be worth anywhere near what I'm spending. It's a very efficient way to go broke. This car is a perfect example.
When this guy acquired the car, it wasn't anything special - two previous owners, 42k miles, just another under-appreciated Spitfire. But all that was about to change. The car was shipped off to a well-respected European auto specialist in Bozeman, MT and there it stayed for almost 4 years as it was stripped down to the frame and subjected to a 100%, nut and bolt restoration. The parts bill alone came to just under $17,000 and the labor bill shows 350 hours for the restoration. Umm, yeah. You do the math.
Since completion, the car has been driven less than 1,000 miles (something I plan on fixing soon). It really was built to be driven with some nice upgrades (suspension, carbs) but also enough originality to remind me of everything I love about British cars - the good, the great, the bad, the terrible. All of it.
P.S. If you see a red Spitfire broken down on the side of the road in Austin, TX - please stop. I'm looking forward to meeting you.
This car came to me via a guy in Texas who had just acquired it from a guy in Montana who was, I'm pretty sure, completely insane. Usually I'm the guy putting WAY too much money into a car that will never be worth anywhere near what I'm spending. It's a very efficient way to go broke. This car is a perfect example.
When this guy acquired the car, it wasn't anything special - two previous owners, 42k miles, just another under-appreciated Spitfire. But all that was about to change. The car was shipped off to a well-respected European auto specialist in Bozeman, MT and there it stayed for almost 4 years as it was stripped down to the frame and subjected to a 100%, nut and bolt restoration. The parts bill alone came to just under $17,000 and the labor bill shows 350 hours for the restoration. Umm, yeah. You do the math.
Since completion, the car has been driven less than 1,000 miles (something I plan on fixing soon). It really was built to be driven with some nice upgrades (suspension, carbs) but also enough originality to remind me of everything I love about British cars - the good, the great, the bad, the terrible. All of it.
P.S. If you see a red Spitfire broken down on the side of the road in Austin, TX - please stop. I'm looking forward to meeting you.
