Up for sale is a very cute and clean original California blue plate 1979 Triumph Spitfire. Poor health has required me to list this car for my good friend. He purchased this car about a year ago with the intentions of spiffing it up a little and driving it on nice days. Unfortunately, is plans have changed, o here it is..
From what I know about the car, t was sold new in Northern California and was a one family owned until my friend bought it. It comes with an original, ld little California pink slip that is clear. The date on the title shows the date of 1985 for transfer, ut I was told it was the original family who owned it. As that goes, hey had it from at least 1985 until 2014. I can 99% guarantee the mileage of 42K original as if you look close, he last registration was 1991 !! and I do know it was stored for a year or two prior to that. Meaning it was really only on the road for less than 10 years total.
My friend purchased the car after it had been stored for many years. Unfortunately, ome of those years were under a carport, overed. So, t did suffer some cosmetic aging during that time. However, t managed to remain rust free!. It was shipped down to Orange County and was brought to a reputable restoration shop for repair and service to bring it back to running condition. The worked my friend had done is as follows (to the best of my knowledge) :
Fuel system flushed completely
new electric fuel pump
new fuel sending unit
rebuilt carb.
rebuilt smog pump
new belts
new water pump
new radiator hoses
new spark plugs
flush cooling system
new oil and filter
new rear brake shoes and wheel cylinders
full brake system bleed and flush
new clutch slave cylinder
clutch master cyl. rebuilt
valve cover gasket
thermostat
new wiper blades
NEW CONVERTIBLE TOP!
new battery
Etc, tc, tc.
I am sure there is more. However, his is all I can remember from inspecting the car and from talking to my friend.
Things I noticed:
Several small dents on the RH side of the trunk lid. Not deep dents, ut there non the less.
Small dent on the leading edge of the hood
A couple of door dings on the side?? but hard to notice.
Car is a mix of original paint and some touch-ups early in life.
Paint has a nice shiny-ish patina, ut thin and primer showing in spots on the horizontal surfaces.
Clean original striping
I could not find any rust!
Very clean engine bay and surrounding areas
Very clean chassis!
Nice wheels, rim rings, enter caps, nd older but good tires with little wear
Nice glass
Nice bumpers, enses, rim, tc. (The windshield trim is in the truck should you choose to re-install it)
Complete Tonneau cover for interior in the trunk.
Nice, lean trunk and spare tire area
Nice Original interior with a really nice dashboard, auges, rim, tc.
Nice original seating and carpet with minimal wear for 35 years.
Original optional radio that works!
Nice OEM sport steering wheel with nice Triumph center emblem
The car runs and drives nice for an old Triumph. The chassis seems very tight and rattle free. The engine is quiet and revs. with ease. I didn't notice any odd smells or noises from the engine. I do believe it has a very slight exhaust leak at the manifold when it is cold, ut maybe not? Hard to tell. The trans., lutch, tc seem very tight and easy to use and shift with no noises, rinding, tc. The diff, s nice and quiet. It handles quite well for a tiny car. All of the external lighting in good working order, ncluding the back up lights! All dash lights and gauges seem to work correctly with bright lighting. The fuel gauge seems a little stubborn at times. It works as it cares too. The Electric fan sending unit is bypassed and there is a toggle switch under the edge of the dash for the cooling fan. I drove the car for about 45 minutes (on expired plates) arghhh! It took about 5 to 8 minutes to reach just shy of 1/2 temp. I switched on the fan and that is where it stayed the whole time.. So, he cooling system is in good shape. Manual choke cable works fine. It is really a fun little car. I stress the word "little". Comes with the original owner's manual.
All in all, his a nice, lean original California blue plate car that was only on the road a few years and has very low miles. It is not mint.. but it is a good, lean rust free driver that has not been abused or driven hard. It has a great patina on the old paint with just the right shine to give it that Original look. The british green style original color is very smart looking on the car. The interior feels clean and together and is as comfortable as you would expect and want from a miniature sports car. It can either be preserved as is and enjoyed, r you could continue with the restoration. Either way, ou can't go wrong with a good, lean, onest little car like this one. Don't miss out as I have noticed a lot of these look like they were some backyard derelict with a cheap new paint job and a bunch of aftermarket repro. parts. Not this one.. It is very original.. I believe what you see is what you get. NO hidden issues like poor rut repair or damage.. This little car is 100% ORIGINAL sheet metal and trim! Find one of these like this and you can't go wrong. Beautiful floor pans under the carpet and a super clean chassis combine to make the perfect investment for that astute British sport car collector. These are increasing in value and real and true original clean examples are becoming impossible to find.. Invest now to reap the benefits in the near future.. My friend's unfortunate loss is definitely your gain.
*****Car has not been registered since 1991, o no back fees in California. However, f you are a buyer in California, ou as the buyer will be liable for any parts needed to bring the car into current smog compliance. It is complete with all smog parts and it's original catalytic conv. and seems to run fine. However, e are not in the position to deal with any further issues with the car, ncluding smog checks. So, ar will be sold as-is, nd the buyer will be responsible for any related issues regarding California emissions compliance.
Please ask any and questions before bidding. I have done my best to describe this car accurately. However, pinions differ. So, lease make sure you do your due diligence before making a decision on purchasing this car. If you bid and win, ou purchased the car. We will consider a successful bid a confirmation of intent to purchase and will expect the buyer to complete the transaction with success. If you would like a photo of anything specific, lease let me know. If you have a question that I can't answer, will get in contact with my friend for his best answer.
Thank you for considering this little car...