Just after some opinions on a separate project I thought of last night.

What would you all say to a restored Triumph Spitfire and a Pan Euro V4 engine under the bonnet?

Reverse gear would need a bit of thought and also the drive shaft as well, but for a bit of fun?

Love the car but always wondered about doing something under the bonnet on one.

Just some thoughts nothing more at the moment.

Cheers

Mark

think the recent thread on triump vitesse applies to this one.

lots of hp in a late 50's chassis designed for a 40 odd hp engine isnt a great idea.

I think later models had decent rear suspension.


How about a BEC bond bug saw one of those on ebay a year or so back, claimed to better 3 secs to 60.

pre-book your funeral plan tho....

atb

steve

Thanks Steve

I should have done a search before posting the question.

However, I was thinking about incorporating a roll cage with additional forward bracing to help with torsional stiffness but I'm not looking for a mega speed machine.

As regards power, the GT6 had an inline 2 litre which was very heavy but in its day used to take on 911's. I just thought that with a lighter engine, the stresses would be less around the front chassis members.

I would think of it as tourer rather than a racing screamer.

This is all food for though anyway at present.

Cheers

Mark

quote:

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Originally posted by marktigere1

As regards power, the GT6 had an inline 2 litre which was very heavy but in its day used to take on 911's. Cheers

Mark

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The GT6 may have taken on 911's but it would have lost!!!!!

I used to drive a Spitfire as everyday transport and thought it was really good at the time.

I have driven both the Spitfire and GT6 recently and could not believe how old they felt in terms of performance/handling etc I think there would be a lot of work to bring a fundamentally weak chassis design up to handling modern power.

That said, I did see a full fibreglass monocoque GT6/LeMans Spitfire body for sale at one of the shows recently - may be a new build project with one of these would be interesting........

Hi Steve

It was an article in Practical Classics about classic rallies.

I believe the entered PC GT6 was giving 911's of the era a good race. If memory serves the 911's still won but it was closer than you would think.

The GT6 although based on a Spitfire had some changes made to the rear end in mk's 2 and 3 guise. Didn't the engine originate in the TR6? These have around 140BHP I believe.

My uncle had a GT6 and regrets the day he ever sold it.

I'll see if I still have the article on the GT6, although Mrs Tigere1 cleared a load of my mags out recently

Talking about whether the spitfire chassis is up to 120BHP (Pan Euro) how does the TR7 V8 differ?

Just asking.

Cheers

Mark

PS. I saw the body shell for the GT6 as well. Think it looks great. How about a locost chassis with one of those on the top.

[Edited on 29/9/04 by marktigere1]

GT6 has 98Bhp (if your lucky!!). My other half has one and although fun to drive it isn't fast by any means. Pretty scary driving even remotely fast on the wire wheels with 165s.




Cheers

I think the general concensus then is don't go there unless I plan to drop the same engine back in after restoration?

Oh well as I said, just a thought.

Cheers for thoughts.

Mark

ive recently started to get intpo the idea of the spit gt6 - im not a big fan of the normal spitfire, but was thinking about my next project possibly being a gt6.
will have toi keep an eye on your progress

hey up.... now this in an interesting thread....


the gt6 lemans (t6 motorsport) is my next project....!! it is a grp shell that has been reinforced to stiffen the chassis, by all accounts it sticks to the road!!! im off up to t6 in the next few weeks to have a proper look and poss part with some cash!!!

my idea was a new honda civic type r engine (2.0l vtec 200bhp) now that will shift reckon sub 5sec?? and do 50mpg!! i know a company that makes the belhouse onto a type 9 box... the problem is the diff, either fitting a ford diff (only a few people in the country have done this, not so easy!) or paying out for a LSD that will just cope with 200bhp and cost £800!!! hum... im still thinking on this one... the standard diff will take approx 170 bhp (so i have been told!) but needs to be in tip top condition)

this may just give you a few ideas.........

im not to hot on bike engines but i would have thourght that a siptfire / gt6 would be a bit heavy?? poss change of gearing may help?? or a cyclone v8 bike engine........

bob

Hi Bob

Are you modding a Spitfire to use the shell and if so are you intending to mod any of the rear suspension?

I raised this as an idea as I wondered how much weight would be saved by replacing the standard engine and box by the Pan Euro.

With the GT6 shell it would look fab.

Cheers

Mark

hey up mate.

i would love to make the rear end irs wishbone set up with ford diff... but to be honist i reckon that beyond my skills and time, i spent 3years on the last one which was toooooo long!! so this is a quickie! say 1 yr! if i could find a company / kit to do it then i would seriously consider it... do you know of any?? it would also increase the value no end! that is the big question for me at the mo, if i want 200bhp then i will have to make some mods, even if it is just a track set up, if not a less powerfull say 150bhp motor and a reconditioned diff / suspension set up......

still fininshing the locost (it is on the road) and then sell it, as that and the value of my classic mini is the budget for the T6!! then will do indepth research into the lemans t6

take it easy mate

bob

Hi Bob

Don't know of any companies but I do like the T6 shell.

Is that an integral roll cage I see in the shell in the bottom photo of your archive?

Cheers

Mark

hey up mate, yep she sure is gorgeous...!!

the roll cage in an `oprional extra` at £450 ! and an entra that i will be having!! from what i understand it just bolts onto the chassis, the shell is steel reinforced as well to make it more ridgid and to take the power, the steel shells teand to pull a part with big power!!

have a look at www.triumphspitfiret6.com, just dont get you order in before me as it takes 4weeks to make the shelll!!! and there is an ever growing list!!!......

just bourght the haynes restoration for the spitfire / GT6 to start the research.......

take it easy mate

bob