On the search for a good example of an MG Midget, the other junior British sports car showed up in some results. With its diminutive size and Italian styling, it could have easily passed for an etceterini in another life, so how about this equation: (Triumph Spitfire) + (hopped up Fiat 1100 engine + cool Italian wheels) = profit? Okay, maybe that’s a bit absurd, so let’s try a Spitfire with a hopped up Spitfire engine, and fortunately there’s this 1974 Triumph Spitfire for sale for $3000 in Bullhead City, AZ.
The seller does not offer many photos or details, but it’s said to be in very good condition with original paint, free of rust, and with a nice interior and top. Most critically, it’s said to have a PRI stage one engine, which by itself seems to exceed the asking price for the car. PRI claims a near doubling of the original 63hp for this engine, which would make it much more competitive with larger British sports cars and some of the Italian competition.
Thankfully, the 1500 Spitfires benefit from improvements to the suspension which eliminated some of the scarier performance characteristics of this swing-axle car, but the seller does not mention any further upgrades to the suspension or brakes, which would go a long way to making the car truly competitive with the cars mentioned above. There’s no detail given as to carburetors or exhaust either – PRI offers upgrades for both. If you’ve ever been interested in a Spitfire, and are willing to make the long journey to a small town inside the Arizona border just south of Laughlin, NV, this one is well worth a look, and right now would probably be a great time for a desert road trip.
Rusty But Trusty 
November 17, 2015 at 10:43 pm |
Bullhead City is actually in Arizona, not Nevada. It’s just across the Colorado River from Laughlin, NV.
November 18, 2015 at 12:05 pm |
Oops, mapreading fail… correction forthcoming