Anything and everything Spitfire.

General Spitfire messages

Saw this on ebay: item 250019731513 While I am very sceptical about the "it was built like this" it makes an intruiging comparison with the "GT4" that Canley Classics sold last year.
This one has the Spitfire bonnet and dash, but clearly the rest of the bodyshell is Mk1 GT6. Wonder how the bonnet is hinged, bearing in mind the challenges someone has had about swapping Spit Mk2 and 3 bonnets? But the rear bumpers are Spit Mk3 rather than GT6 Mk1. Wonder what the chassis is? Makes a change from chopping hardtops into convertibles!

Now I'm no expert on models and such, but I notice the Black windscreen surround.
That was mentioned recently, either here or on the TTN, as a Spitfire Mk3 feature.
Not a GT6 one.
So IS this a GT6 body????
It's in Chelmsford - anyone local want to wander around and have a look?
Or dude? samuel? triumphnuts? You're bidding - have you looked already?

Or else, Gurus, one pace forward. March!

John

It certainly looks like a Gt6 Mk1 body; the photos don't give any other hints other than the aeriel position on the wing rather than the wing top. There's also a mark on the visible rear bumper which may suggest overriders were once fitted but it's a small point. If it wasn't for the aeriel position (which in any case isn't set in stone) I'd happily suggest a grafted-on rear tub and roof, the alternative of fitting the roof alone then having to move the petrol tank etc seems like a lot of work (of course it could be a complete botch under the skin!) but at least he kept the Spit bonnet which is a nice touch.
Colin

Does anyone know what a "conversion from new" is???? Sounds like a contradiction to me.

Bonnet and bumper look like Spit Mk3 to me. Presumably this is what the chassis is, so no problems with that part of the conversion. Dash looks like the Spitfire dash. There's probably very little GT6 here.

Black windscreen frame is a late GT6 Mk2 feature, many are body colour now. Looks better.

Van

Thanks, Van, Colin,
"Learn something every day" Aristotle (or was it - I forget!)

A 'conversion from new', Van? An example would be the Vitesse Estate, a model I DO know about!
They were built by Park Royal, the coachbuilders, with the blessing of Triumph, but very little cooperation.
PR had to buy complete Herald Estates, plus 2 litre engines and Vitesse bonnets, with the trim extras.
Then strip and re-build the cars in their works.

Consequently, what could have been a small winner, a sports estate rather like the Reliant Scimitar which sold over 10,000 cars, was badly overpriced and only twenty were ever made. Mine isn't one of them!

And a GT4? In the TSSC race series, it's not the aerodynamic GT6s that win, but the revvy Spitfires, despite the drag disadvantage of an open car, or the not very aero hardtop. A Spitfire coupe might, just might, have the advantages of both. Certainly Triumph thought so - see Le Mans! So someone might have gone down that road from new. Very much doubt if it's a factory job though.

John

PS Chris, please use hyperlinks! I've gone to that eBay item several time now. Each time, I've copied the number from your post, gone to eBay, pasted into an eBay search...... When this takes you straight there! J.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ru...

John
I take your point about the Vitesse estates, so "conversion from new" could apply to a car converted before it is registered and sold. But nothing else.
Van

The only thing which deflects me from the idea of a factory prototype or conversion is the VRM - the GT6 is already on the go at this time in 1967 plus there are any amount of fastback type aftermarket roofs for sale as accessories. I can't see the factory taking a step backwards to something they've already done as a test in around 1964... I'd say this is a home conversion with no evidence whatsoever other than conjecture! However if it's been anyway well converted then it would be a nice talking point for the new owner...
Colin

there's something very odd about this car, eg it has spitfire dash on the bulkhead, the gt6 pressing is very different with the clocks in front on the driver, that pressing is intergral with the body tub and by extension the roof

also it has spitfire doors (round glass) with some odd infill bits to make up the gap for the square glass of the gt6 doors

also also, the rear loghts i think are positioned to not allow the gt6 rear overidders ie a spitfire rear valence (prepared to be wrong about this)

also also also the interiior is all spit mk 3 ie seats, handbrake, dash and the rear load floor is different to my GT6 mk1

I wonder about a spitfire that has had a gt6 mk1 roof grafted onto it? or a cut and shut body tub (my gt6 mk1 was with a brazed seam across the floorpans until i rplaced the floors and sills)

anyway, none of this detracts, altthough i guess needs new floors sills and rear wings like all these now 40 year old cars

the giveaway will be the brakes, small discs = spitfire origin, large discs = gt6 origin

j

Section : General

Another GT4

Followups :

Another GT4

Another GT4

Another GT4

Another GT4

Another GT4

Another GT4

Another GT4