This is my little yellow car. It's a survivor - it looks and drives like one. It started life maroon and somewhere along the way it got yellowized by a PO. I've had it about 10 or 12 years. The name Spitfire was borrowed from the fighter aircraft. Vickers-Armstrong made the Vanguard aircraft - a name already in use by The Standard Motor Company for one of their cars. Rather than litigate the two companies came to an agreement Standard could use the name of one of the Vickers Group planes. So Standard chose Spitfire from the Supermarine division of Vickers.
The car shares the platform and running gear with the Triumph Herald (James Bond drove one in DR No). Styling was done by Giovanni Michelotti.
A ground pounding 72 HP 1296 cc (79 cu in) 4 cylinder with 67 lb-ft of torque in a car with about 1700 pounds curb weight. It has a single Stromberg CD 150 side draft carb - earlier models had dual Strombergs.
The car had the smallest turning circle of any production vehicle - 24' 2" (7.3m) - until the 1996 Smart Plus 4 and uses anti Ackerman steering geometry unusual in a street driven car. It also used front disc brakes - also unusual at that time with rack and pinion steering (also unusual) and had a swing axle rear with a single transverse leaf spring.
The car is pretty small. The top of the roof is 44" off the ground, 145" oal with an 83" WB and 57" wide. The seat cushion is 10" off the ground and you sit with legs extended in front of you like in goodfellows E-Type. With the hardtop installed if you're over 6'2" you probably won't be able to get in and if you manage it you probably won't get back out. The hardtop on this one is a factory option. It also has a convertible top but I took the frame out as I never take the hardtop off and if I did it'd just be a roadster. The hardtop is small and light enough I can remove it and install it alone. It was my DD for a long time but I don't drive it much anymore for no reason in particular except it's kind of a pain to get in and out of the garage because of my Triumph TR6 project takes up most of the space.
IMG_20150822_152711337_TOP.jpeg
The front end tilts forward for easy maintenance. Never had the nose off but I'm guessing I could remove, lift, carry and reinstall it alone.
It's really just basic car. It doesn't do anything not necessary for the operation or control except windshield wipers, a fussy heater and roll up windows that look more functional than they are. If it rains I get wet.
The wheels are aftermarket mags. I'd rather have the original stamped steel but they are hard to find anymore especially ones that are still completely round and not twisted.
I assembled a complete factory tool kit for it. It's about as useless as the windows but I enjoy having it rattle around in the trunk. Hard to distinguish that rattle from all the rest.
IMG_20150822_152922830.jpeg
Closeup of the monstrous power plant.
Nothing fancy just an overhead valve four cylinder. I can do everything I need without a jack except maybe drop the oil pan. The oil drain plug is accessible by reaching between the frame rail and engine and under and the oil filter is on the left in this pic.
This one is defective though. It's a Brit car and doesn't leak oil. Not sure what's wrong but maybe I'll get around to fixing it.
This also still has a manual choke. Not sure when or if British Leyland (who consolidated several British marques including Standard Motor) ever adapted an automatic choke. The car was made until 1980 (the MK IV was replaced by the 1500).
IMG_20150822_152857484_HDR.jpeg
Do you want me to send you a polishing tool for those mags.....lol
Quote from: jabberwoki on Feb 10, 2025, 04:56 PMDo you want me to send you a polishing tool for those mags.....lol
Thank you but no. If you did I'd have to polish them.
Great looking car Steve -- really a classic old Gem. Old high school buddy had a GT6 (2.0L I6)and it was a blast to drive. At the time (early 1970s) is was probably the best bang for the buck as far as a true sports car was concerned. In my humble opinion, it was far better than the 2.9L MGC-GT in terms of handling and overall performance.
I owned a few MGB's and always regretted not getting a GT6 instead.
Very cool
I always wanted a GT6 but was never able to have the money and the car at the same time and place. I worked with a guy that had one - you're right it is a blast. At that time I had a TR6 (still have it) - fun cars.
Yeah it is pretty.