1964 Triumph Spitfire

Spitfires are road-hugging, wind-blowing, look-getting, oil-dripping, driveway-marking, money-spending 4-wheeled boxes full of fun. They are not for folks using them for the daily drive, or in any fashion that requires 100% reliability, as they just aren't up to the task anymore; some would say they never were. The engine is simple, the 1147cc is a "torque-y" beast, and the gearing on the old Spitfire 4 is more torque than speed. Remember this as you shift thru 1-2-3 and your are still rolling thru the intersection.

Top speeds aren't that high, in fact the official top speed for a '64 spit is about 90, not that you'd want to try it. At high speeds the engine revs far too high for comfort; most Spits will avenge themselves by becoming porcupines, leaving you with a blown engine and rods hanging thru the side of the block. Best bet for cruising the interstate is to get one of the late-model spitfire rearends and an overdrive transmission. This will help a little, but don't expect to win any high-speed chases all the same.

Handling is the Spitfire's greatest strength. The cars stick to the road like a slot-car. They turn thru the curves with nary a glitch, under most circumstances. My first spitfire sold herself to me on the basis of handling alone; the engine was too far gone for any power uphill, but downhill she drove like a racer. Please note that downhill meant down a twisty river canyon, on wet roads, with balding tires (I was 20...); you see why I will extol the Spit's handling abilities. I personally have only broken the rear-end loose 2 times, once doing about 70 around a sharp 30mph curve, and one time making a right 90 degree turn at about 45mph.

The twin SU carbs are simple, yet tuning the carbs is probably the hardest thing to master about these cars. Once you get it, it's easy, but the learning curve is high, as is the patience factor.

The weakest part in the engine is the thrust washers. They are half-circles, inserted on either side of the rear main. They are prone to falling out. There are some fixes you can do. The exact procedure is more than this review will cover. If buying a car, check the end-float on the crank shaft by pulling on the front engine pulley. Also, if the car's clutch doesn't fully disengage, yet the clutch mechanicals are all working, you may have a thrust washer problem.

A 3-tube radiator will do wonders in keeping your engine cool. If you need to do any radiator work, just get a core done and get the extra tubes. My first car never overheated after I did the 3-tube core and a 160 thermostat.

Overall, if you and the other half like to pack a picnic and roll hard thru some curves and enjoy the journey, this car is for you. If you want cheap reliable transport, get something else.

Spitfires are road-hugging, wind-blowing, look-getting, oil-dripping, driveway-marking, money-spending 4-wheeled boxes full of fun. They are not for folks using them for the daily drive, or in any fashion that requires 100% reliability, as they just aren't up to the task anymore; some would say they never were. The engine is simple, the 1147cc is a "torque-y" beast, and the gearing on the old Spitfire 4 is more torque than speed. Remember this as you shift thru 1-2-3 and your are still rolling thru the intersection.

Top speeds aren't that high, in fact the official top speed for a '64 spit is about 90, not that you'd want to try it. At high speeds the engine revs far too high for comfort; most Spits will avenge themselves by becoming porcupines, leaving you with a blown engine and rods hanging thru the side of the block. Best bet for cruising the interstate is to get one of the late-model spitfire rearends and an overdrive transmission. This will help a little, but don't expect to win any high-speed chases all the same.

Handling is the Spitfire's greatest strength. The cars stick to the road like a slot-car. They turn thru the curves with nary a glitch, under most circumstances. My first spitfire sold herself to me on the basis of handling alone; the engine was too far gone for any power uphill, but downhill she drove like a racer. Please note that downhill meant down a twisty river canyon, on wet roads, with balding tires (I was 20...); you see why I will extol the Spit's handling abilities. I personally have only broken the rear-end loose 2 times, once doing about 70 around a sharp 30mph curve, and one time making a right 90 degree turn at about 45mph.

The twin SU carbs are simple, yet tuning the carbs is probably the hardest thing to master about these cars. Once you get it, it's easy, but the learning curve is high, as is the patience factor.

The weakest part in the engine is the thrust washers. They are half-circles, inserted on either side of the rear main. They are prone to falling out. There are some fixes you can do. The exact procedure is more than this review will cover. If buying a car, check the end-float on the crank shaft by pulling on the front engine pulley. Also, if the car's clutch doesn't fully disengage, yet the clutch mechanicals are all working, you may have a thrust washer problem.

A 3-tube radiator will do wonders in keeping your engine cool. If you need to do any radiator work, just get a core done and get the extra tubes. My first car never overheated after I did the 3-tube core and a 160 thermostat.

Overall, if you and the other half like to pack a picnic and roll hard thru some curves and enjoy the journey, this car is for you. If you want cheap reliable transport, get something else.