Thinking of buying a Spitfire
Discussion
I was going to just take the "cheese" out of the camera used to take the photos and it's massively over-saturated red but the more I read the more of a horror show it became!
"...its current owner, a well-respected Triumph club member..."
Wonder why he isn't selling it through the club then - and why he didn't proof read the ad copy...
"From the enclosed front air box and front air scoop, with an upgraded, full width GT6 radiator..."
1. The GT6 never had a full width radiator, it has a completely different, 'tall' radiator. This is a standard, full-width replacement radiator and a common mod.
2. That boxed-in scoop is going to mean almost zero cold air getting in to the engine bay, just the hot stuff leaving the radiator. With K&N filters and no cold air feed it probably suffers like a bugger with fuel vaporisation in hot weather/slow traffic.
3. Not sure what those K&N filters are either. They aren't the standard, washable ones usually fitted to Spits - and don't look like they've letting much air through based on how dirty they are.
"Work includes a recondition of the 1493cc engine, adding steel spaced and lightened rockers with a top oil feed."
Unless it's got roller rockers I'm not sure why you'd bother with steel spacers - not a weak point. Also unless roller rockers/an additional restrictor has been added to the head feed inside the block that 'top oil feed' will be robbing pressure from the crank where it's needed, over-oiling the top and "gushing" oil down the bores and out the exhaust. Unless it's a full race engine it's a counter-productive mod.
"...a fully stainless steel exhaust system including manifold (with a stainless heater pipe) straight through to two stainless large bore half-inch back boxes."
Depending what you're buying the car for this may be a negative. I've got the same set-up on my car (it's a very common change) and probably wouldn't if I had my time over. You get a couple of BHP but a lot are very loud and it takes about 5 minutes for my hearing to get back to normal after a day in the saddle.
"The interior has also enjoyed improvements, with upgraded seats fitted."
Mazda MX5 seats - very comfy (I've got a pair in my Spit.) but do sit maybe an inch higher so better for the shorter driver so you're looking through, rather than over the windscreen.
"Should you ever slow down sufficiently to dampen the exhaust note you may also notice a CD player and radio."
You may NOTICE, not HEAR a CD player... I assume that means it doesn't work then. If it's been wired properly it should be playing through the headrest speakers in the MX5 seats so you can hear at any speed.
What the bejeasus is going on there!
I take it it's been used for towing at some point, hence the ugly lump of box steel stuck on the back. Not what I'd call a good tow car and I'd really want to check out how well that's been fitted/how easy to remove/what it might be hiding.
Doesn't look like a car I'd like to buy blind but if you can give it a really good viewing the bodywork (much more expensive to fix than the mechanicals) doesn't look too bad.
"...its current owner, a well-respected Triumph club member..."
Wonder why he isn't selling it through the club then - and why he didn't proof read the ad copy...
"From the enclosed front air box and front air scoop, with an upgraded, full width GT6 radiator..."
1. The GT6 never had a full width radiator, it has a completely different, 'tall' radiator. This is a standard, full-width replacement radiator and a common mod.
2. That boxed-in scoop is going to mean almost zero cold air getting in to the engine bay, just the hot stuff leaving the radiator. With K&N filters and no cold air feed it probably suffers like a bugger with fuel vaporisation in hot weather/slow traffic.
3. Not sure what those K&N filters are either. They aren't the standard, washable ones usually fitted to Spits - and don't look like they've letting much air through based on how dirty they are.
"Work includes a recondition of the 1493cc engine, adding steel spaced and lightened rockers with a top oil feed."
Unless it's got roller rockers I'm not sure why you'd bother with steel spacers - not a weak point. Also unless roller rockers/an additional restrictor has been added to the head feed inside the block that 'top oil feed' will be robbing pressure from the crank where it's needed, over-oiling the top and "gushing" oil down the bores and out the exhaust. Unless it's a full race engine it's a counter-productive mod.
"...a fully stainless steel exhaust system including manifold (with a stainless heater pipe) straight through to two stainless large bore half-inch back boxes."
Depending what you're buying the car for this may be a negative. I've got the same set-up on my car (it's a very common change) and probably wouldn't if I had my time over. You get a couple of BHP but a lot are very loud and it takes about 5 minutes for my hearing to get back to normal after a day in the saddle.
"The interior has also enjoyed improvements, with upgraded seats fitted."
Mazda MX5 seats - very comfy (I've got a pair in my Spit.) but do sit maybe an inch higher so better for the shorter driver so you're looking through, rather than over the windscreen.
"Should you ever slow down sufficiently to dampen the exhaust note you may also notice a CD player and radio."
You may NOTICE, not HEAR a CD player... I assume that means it doesn't work then. If it's been wired properly it should be playing through the headrest speakers in the MX5 seats so you can hear at any speed.
What the bejeasus is going on there!
I take it it's been used for towing at some point, hence the ugly lump of box steel stuck on the back. Not what I'd call a good tow car and I'd really want to check out how well that's been fitted/how easy to remove/what it might be hiding.
Doesn't look like a car I'd like to buy blind but if you can give it a really good viewing the bodywork (much more expensive to fix than the mechanicals) doesn't look too bad.
Edited by Ollie_M on Thursday 8th October 13:58
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