[MikeE]

Very nice...

[Rob P]

I often find people wanting to tell me stories about the Spitfire

All my Spitfire (road) stories date back to 1970 when I worked for what was the British Leyland Specialist Cars Division or 'The Standard' as it was still known to anyone living in Coventry at that time.

I am afraid the dear old Spitfire rated quite low in the desirability stakes for we lads in the publicity department, with Stag definitely the one to grab for an "important meeting" that needed a car signing out.

I once was allocated the Brian Culcheth 2.5PI which came second (IIRC) in a World Cup Rally. Mexico?

Rob P

[Flying_john]

Does yours ever go out in the rain?

No - definately not. Never even washed it.[/quote]

[Colonel Panic]

I often find people wanting to tell me stories about the Spitfire they had "when they were a lad"...

Here's moi in mine in 1979. I really thought it was the bees knees. Whilst it had the hard removable top & a tonneau, I could never afford to buy a soft top to go with it. Sadly I didn't keep it for long as the insurance proved crippling

[johnm]

I once was allocated the Brian Culcheth 2.5PI which came second (IIRC) in a World Cup Rally. Mexico?

Correct, the first five places in 1970 were shared between Ford Escort (overall winner) and 2.5 pi’s

[Rob P]

That car was a hoot.

One of my tasks was to get it dirty. It had been shipped back from Mexico and the Engineering Crew thought it a great idea to wash and polish it as they would any of the press cars. But this was wanted for showroom display, in 'as returned' condition, so I had to seek out ways to get it as filthy as possible, even though it was mid-summer.

Taking it to the Phantom Coach one lunchtime at fairly anti-social speeds we caught up with a police car on the Fletchamstead Highway. Discretion decreed that overtaking him was not a good plan so I pulled in behind him, allowing five or six car lengths.

Which was fine until the mega-powerful air horns on the Triumph came to life with a loud and lengthy blast. I frantically looked at the horn ring, hands were well clear, but to be sure I pulled on it to no effect, except shortly after there came a second blast. I started to drop back, but he also slowed. Then a third. I was frantic. I turned to the Exhibition Controller in the passenger seat to see if he had any ideas, at which point I noticed he was smirking.

There was, of course, a foot-operated horn for the co-driver's use.

I also had the 2,.5 for some wholly spurious trip to Liverpool at a time when the factory was on strike, so I could not have the car refuelled at the works pumps. Engineering offered me a chit for the local filling station. "How much will you need?" they asked. "It's a long trip, you'd better make the chit for 'full tank' " I hopefully suggested. "Sure" said the foreman, signing the chit with a flourish.

I have no idea how much fuel the two, long-range tanks actually held, but it was sufficient for the guy in the filling station to start peering underneath the car to check there was no gushing fuel finding its way to his forecourt.

Rob P

[Propwash]

In the 1970s, the Met fleet for Area Cars comprised Rover 3500s and Triumph 2.5PIs. The former were by far the better for the job and I loved driving them. The Triumphs were nice cars but the injection pumps were a nightmare after a "hot" run often preventing restarting until the car had cooled down. Fortunately I only had to drive them occasionally as spares when the Rover was in for service or something. Not sure if Triumph ever rectified that problem.

PW

[Colonel Panic]

Interesting; my 1992 (Rover based engined) 5 litre V8 TVR Griffith used to suffer dreadful problems with not re-starting when hot due to fuel evaporation. Deeply irritating, so not just a Triumph issue.

[johnm]

The Rover V8 was a Buick engine originally IIRC. There was an all aluminium 3.5 litre and 5 litre with iron block and aluminium heads....memory now runs out.....

[Rob P]

The Triumphs were nice cars but the injection pumps were a nightmare

The Culcheth 2.5 had a custom injection setup replete with a quadrant to adjust for altitude.

The TR6, second favourite to the Stag for we of the publicity department, used to reek of fuel, often to the point we'd leave hardtops at the factory and live with freezing temperatures on return trips overnight rather than be stuck in a closed cabin.

The US versions were on carbs, but they were as flat as a pancake and struggled to keep up with a well-driven Dolomite.

Rob P

[kanga]

Bach to OP: I hope proposed DVLA strike (over Covid working conditions) will not affect implementation of the change:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56617206

[my father had an early Triumph Stag, new. ISTR that it had to be returned to dealer more than once with carburettor problems. It was fun to drive, though; and in those days including younger family members in the insurance was fairly affordable. My own vehicle at the time was, IIRC, an ancient moped ]

[johnm]

I seem to remember that the Stag engine was basically two Dolomites configured in a V and had horrendous cooling system problems. A standard mod was to fit a Rover V8.

[Propwash]

struggled to keep up with a well-driven Dolomite.

Rob P

I had a Dolomite in the late 70's for a few months and it was a nice little car with very comfortable seats, (one of the hallmarks of most Triumph models in those days), but one of the Q Cars I drove on a posting about the same time was a Dolomite Sprint and the difference in performance was remarkable; it could really shift. So much so that I was dismayed by my own and got rid of it.

I didn't much care for the Stag which I felt was like driving a billiard table.

PW

[Paultheparaglider]

I often find people wanting to tell me stories about the Spitfire they had "when they were a lad"...

Here's moi in mine in 1979. I really thought it was the bees knees.

You were both lucky. My first car was the plain Jane version. Amazing turning circle. And you could replace the big end bearings without removing the engine.

[avtur3]

Bach to OP: I hope proposed DVLA strike (over Covid working conditions) will not affect implementation of the change:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56617206

[my father had an early Triumph Stag, new. ISTR that it had to be returned to dealer more than once with carburettor problems. It was fun to drive, though; and in those days including younger family members in the insurance was fairly affordable. My own vehicle at the time was, IIRC, an ancient moped ]

Having paid up I now have 6 months to work through the tax -free rigmarole, if all else fails then I'll have to buy a further six months to see me beyond the end of 2021 at which point the build date will not be an issue. There's no real pressure, it's just me wanting to take advantage of the 'freedoms' the system is supposed to offer me.

The rear end styling of the Spitfire 1500 makes it look very much like a scaled down Stag, although that's where any similarities end. There is nothing exciting about the Spitfire in terms of speed and handling which are really nothing to write home about, but the joy of top down motoring in a car of that era skimming along our potholed roads with one's back side just a few inches above is something I find quite joyful. Add to that the previously mentioned car inspired conversations with complete strangers and it makes any trip out in the Spitfire a pleasurable experience.