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Re: Major Spit surgery--GT6 engine implant?

To: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: Major Spit surgery--GT6 engine implant?
From: msecres@ibm.net
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 18:59:10 -0500
References: <199802191657.JAA01370@triumph.cs.utah.edu> <34EC767A.46FA68DC@gte.net>
Joe Curry wrote:
> 
> Ross Vincenti wrote:
> 
> > Harris - the general consensus is that it is far easier to simply bolt the
> > Spitfire body onto the GT6 frame, making the relatively minor changes
> > necessary for clearances, etc.  Otherwise, no you are not crazy, it is
> > something the factory should have done a LONG time ago.  Jesus, can you
> > imagine?  A Spit 6 would have been so neat, and pretty damn quick too.  A
> > poor man's Jaguar XKE drop head coupe. (sigh)  Like a lot of other mistakes
> > made by Triumph, they dropped the ball.
> >
> Ross,
> I doubt that many who were working at Triumph in the later years of its
> existence will argue that point with you.  As they were crippled by the
> lack of independence from the other divisions of BL, they couldn't even
> capitalize on the outstanding response to the Spit 1500.  John Thomason,
> however cites in his book, "Triumph Spitfire and GT6, A Guide To
> Originality" that the option for a Spit 6 was not even considered.
> Something to do with not wanting to compete with the market for the GT6
> and the TR series cars.  Too many players in an already compressed
> market segment.
> 
> Joe Curry
> --
> "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible
>  to travel across the country coast to coast without seeing
>  anything." -- Charles Kuralt

Right.  I mean, think about it.  If you were making the production
decisions, would you produce both the TR6, the GT6, and a Spit-6?  You'd
be your own worst enemy.  

Having a six-banger on a small chassis is a blast, I can say, but it
ain't quite the same car.  A maxed-out 1500 is a pretty cool thing too.

--
Martin Secrest
73 GT6
74 Spitfire
Arlington, VA

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