Hello all,
Thanks to everyone who responded to my request. You were all a lot of
help...(as usual). Here is a rough of the article i will turn in. It isn't
due for 2 weeks so i have plenty of time to change it. Any comments
(positive or negative) will be appreciated.
Lew 63 spit
RESTORATION OF A TRIUMPH
Everyone enjoys a well-preserved car, whether they are looking at it at a
car show
or watching it drive by on a sunny weekend afternoon. There is nothing like
driving a nimble little sports car along a winding country road with the top
down and the wind in your hair. The Triumph Spitfire ranks right up there
with the best for this type of entertainment. These little sports cars were
manufactured in five different models, Spitfire 4 (62 - 64), Mark II (64 -
67), Mark III (67 - 70), Mark IV (71 - 72), and the 1500 (73 - 80).
When someone takes on a restoration project they usually start it with an
idea of what its final value will be. Usually, the more uncommon a certain
type of car is, the higher its final value will be. There are very few nice
Spitfires on the road today (especially the older “round tail” Spits).
A restorable Triumph Spitfire will cost anywhere from “just haul it away”
to $500. With this small of an initial investment restoring one can be very
profitable. Most of the parts required are surprisingly plentiful. With the
internet parts can be purchased worldwide with ease. They are especially
plentiful on the east coast of the US and in areas with dry, arid climates.
There are three main suppliers of new parts, Moss motors, The Roadster
Factory, and British Parts Northwest. All three of these companies offer
catalogs dedicated to the Spitfire.
It is best to remove or dismantle as much as possible at the outset. Check
for obvious problems and set parts aside for later repair, refurbishment, or
replacement at the time that the particular part will be needed. Parts can
be ordered after determining what might be necessary, thereby not losing
time at the repair/replacement stage. Most parts will require stripping,
sand blasting, or sanding to remove old paint, rust (hopefully not), and
build-up of deposits. After cleaning the parts, prime and paint them as
necessary for protection from the elements, during and after the
restoration process.
Have a camera with a decent flash attachment that is capable of close-ups.
Other materials that are a big help are notebooks, factory parts
catalog/manual, service manual(s), a variety of sealing storage bags, and a
marking or laundry pen. Plan on sufficient storage for all items. Do not
throw anything away until absolutely sure you will not need it in any
capacity. Attach hardware to related part either by placing in a sealing bag
fastened to the part or by re-attaching them to their original location.
Photograph any and everything for later re-assembly. This is especially
important if you are unfamiliar with the car you are restoring.
While these little cars can be very rewarding to restore they do have their
drawbacks. The older cars were manufactured with a marginal recharging
system. This can easily be fixed by converting the system to a negative
ground and replacing the generator with an alternator. While there are a few
particularly rare parts, most can be found in wrecking yards, or in the
extreme, shipped from several different companies in England.
Don’t be afraid to take your project to the local car shows. The people at
these shows are always appreciative and friendly and will usually offer some
good advice or ideas. There are almost always categories for cars that are
“not complete." So your little “diamond in the rough” will not be judged
against a completely restored car.
Start with a plan (albeit a flexible one). Work slowly and take your time.
Many projects are started and just never make it anywhere due to
distractions, disillusionment, or lack of financial planning. The Triumph
Spitfire can be a very rewarding car to restore. Triumph enthusiasts are
some of the most friendly and outgoing people around. They are always glad
to see someone restoring one of these little cars and never hesitate to
offer their support and advice. I have had other Triumph owners send me
used parts, pictures, or drawings in the mail, free of charge, simply
because I asked for advice or needed a hard to find part. They just wanted
to see the part used instead of having it sit on a shelf and rust. It is
almost like becoming part of an extended family. The feeling of
accomplishment you will receive when you finally get your car on the road is
awesome. So do not hesitate if you get a chance to own a Triumph of any
kind. Although the Spitfire is probably the cheapest to restore, if you own
a Triumph of any kind you can be sure you have one of the few around.
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