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Seven Fascinating Triumph Spitfire Trivia

  • The Triumph Spitfire was named after one of the most famous and prolific British fighter planes of World War II. The Spitfire fighter plane, also known as the Supermarine Spitfire, played a key role in both the Battle of Britain and the Second World War.

  • With its classic roadster looks, the Triumph Spitfire has been a popular model among makers of die-cast toys. Some of the toymakers that produced Spitfire-inspired miniatures are Dinky Toys, Lledo, Vitesse, Sun Star, Minichamps, and Chrono.

  • Famous Italian auto designer Giovanni Michelotti was responsible for the looks of both the original Spitfire 4 or Mark I of the '60s and the redesigned Spitfire Mark IV of the '70s. To honor him, a small letter 'M' was placed on the hood latches of some Spitfires.

  • The Spitfire has had many well-known fans and owners including Nicolas Cage and Rod Stewart. Nicolas Cage's first car was a yellow Triumph Spitfire. Meanwhile, Rod Stewart said that back in the '60s, owning a Spitfire was a dream of his.

  • With Standard-Triumph experiencing serious financial trouble in the 1960s, the Spitfire almost didn't make it to the production line. It wasn't until Leyland Motors took over the company that the project got the go signal. When Leyland's CEO, Stanley Markland, saw the Spitfire prototype that was hidden beneath a dusty cover, he immediately liked the design of the roadster and said, "That's good. We'll make that."

  • Over its 18-year production run, the Triumph Spitfire was sold as five different models: Spitfire 4 or Mark I, Spitfire Mark II, Spitfire Mark III, Spitfire Mark IV, and Spitfire 1500. The least-produced model was the Mark II with 37,409 units built. On the other hand, the most-produced model was the 1500 with a total of 95,829-more than twice the number of units produced during the Spitfire's first generation.

  • The creation of a small sports car by the Triumph Motor Company was brought about by the release of the Austin-Healey Sprite. Motivated by the success of the Sprite, the car that really started the roadster trend, Triumph immediately called upon Michelotti to work on a prototype. The Spitfire was known as the 'Bomb' during the construction of its prototype.

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  • Triumph Spitfire Problems

    17 January 2013

    With a very attractive design and a price tag that is just as appealing, the Triumph Spitfire made its way into the classic roadster hall of fame. Throughout its successful 18-year production run that began in 1962, the Spitfire sold over 300,000 units. But while Spitfires offered reliable performance back in its heyday, Spitfire owners today still experience quite a few problems typical of older vehicles. For those who own a Spitfire, here are some of the most common issues to watch out for.


    Overdrive problems

    For all its model years, Triumph Spitfire buyers were always given the option of an overdrive. However, the optional overdrive that initially gave them smoother and better cruising eventually became one of the most common sources of Spitfire trouble.

    Apart from a faulty electrical system, low gear oil level and problems with the solenoid and solenoid valves are among the familiar culprits of a faulty overdrive. These issues often result to an overdrive that does not engage or of the cone clutch slipping in overdrive. In some cases, sticking solenoid valves and blocked control and relief valves also result in an overdrive that does not disengage, experiences slow disengagement, undergoes freewheeling on overrun, or slips in reverse gear.


    Carburetor troubles

    The Spitfire's carburetor is also a known problem spot on the roadster. Several owners have reported poor idle quality on their Spitfires; a problem which can be attributed to air leaks due to improperly fitted gaskets and vacuum seals, faulty temperature compensators, wrong fuel levels, sticking air valves, and many more.

    Faulty carburetors on the Triumph Spitfire were also said to cause lack of engine power, acceleration flat spots, and really bad fuel mileage; although the last one can also be linked to fuel leaks on the Spitfire.


    Other common complaints

    General wear and tear can also become a source of headache for many Spitfire owners. For instance, body rust and rotting due to old age have been known to occur on the drive joints, crankshaft thrust washers, rubber seals in the hydraulic brakes and clutch system, and the pistons in the cylinders and the front calipers. Broken seat frames and a sagging rear spring are also among the old-car problems of the Triumph Spitfire.

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