Triumph Spitfire 1500 - Able to Drive on the Highway?!?!
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- Driving British roadster Triumph spitfire 1500 on I-95, highway driving
This small cute convertible tries to keep up with traffic on the highway.
Four-cylinder engine
Four-speed manual transmission
Narrow chassis
No airbags, power steering or antilock brakes
I use to drive my '76 Triumph Spitfire between Portsmouth, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., mostly on I-95, all the time and never had an issue with keeping up with traffic. Now '76 was the one year they bumped the engine compression up a bit, so it did make a tad bit more power.
Yeah it gets a bad rap for being a slow car - it is kinda by modern standards but people forget that when you’re a little metal sardine can, 70 mph feels
BLISTERING and taking corners at 50 is a beauty
Currently doing this exact traversing between Alexandria, and my parents place in Portsmouth so I can work on the vehicles on the weekends. She's a little loud, but makes the treks (overdrive is nice for it too)
This is good to know, I'm possibly looking for one to own too
I had a 1975 1500 I bought in Scotland when I was in the US Navy. Drove it all over the UK and across the US. Loved her.
My 1975 4-speed 1500 has no trouble keeping up with traffic on the Merritt. I just avoid it most times for safety reasons... the folks in the giant pickups, SUVs, and even Mini Coopers can barely see our little cars. I've had mine up to 76mph or so on the track at Lime Rock... plenty fast for me! Love these cars.
I drive my ‘80 Spitfire routinely on highways and the one interstate in Maine for work assignments. 65-70 mph for hours, but top up or down, the buffeting from todays SUV’s and semi-trucks is tiring :). Mine has even been on the Merritt Parkway, too!
honestly i thihk your vids on the spitfire are the most entertaining out there
Had a 72 Spitfire back in the day and took it from Toronto to Key West down I75. Top speed was about 100mph so highway driving was no problem and it was the smaller 1.3L engine.
has '74 has an original Laycock overdrive, it's perfectly happy at 80 on the highway. The dual carb high-compression 1296 motor helps too, of course. Baffles me that overdrive was such a rare thing on these cars in the states, but I guess it was quite expensive.
I had a spitfire, fun to drive but, noisy, not just the wind noise, everything rattled .
Fast with one person in it. Sorta medium fast with two adults in it. Amazing difference in handling with two adults in it
Nice video. Mine's been in Body Shop Purgatory for going on 3 years, so I miss that sound. Maybe soon....
Aa a TR-250 owner, little car as these are a blast to drive. You don't have to be going very fast to feel the sensation of speed. I have a Supra tranny conversion in mine, at 3000 rpm I'm doin just over 80. With a little engine work about a 150 hp at the rear wheels. HAPPY MOTORING
Great video, we are just heading in to Europe for a little tour. What size is your steering wheel?
Wow, your’s is way smoother than mine. I routinely take it over 70, but usually cruise at 70, about 4000 rpm. But my steering vibrates like mad compared to this. I guess I have some work to do.
Yeah I noticed that as well, mine feels like your in jeep grand Cherokee with a death wobble 😢 need to address that asap 😂🎉 she tracked down that interstate like a champ
What could possibly fall off...?
Nice Spitfire!
Geeze, we did it all the time back in the day. It ain't exactly LeMans.
yeahhh a spitfire babyyyyyy
Super, vidéo intéressante, le spit extra.😅
I’ve been restoring an 80’ spitfire for a few months now and I was wondering if you could tell me what radio you have so I can find one that will fit my car.
If this Spit is in good shape it should be able to make 90mph.
Yeah for sure - mine gets up to 80 no prob - I’m just joking about the 42 mph max speed
My Spitfire goes up to 100mph, but in this car it is more than enought.
i drive about 4000 RPM and hold 70 miles per hour quite well. At 4500 RPM. I run about 75 MPH. Braking is not problem. I have a 1980 1500 Spitfire. You car may require a brake rebuild and engine tune up or rebuild.
But is it able to drive on the Autobahn? xD
i've been over 80 in my 1977 spitefire
Defense defense defense
42mph?....did you mean miles per gallon or is your spit' misfiring?
Haha yeah - I’m just kidding about that you know - it does get right around 40mpg which is great nowdays, and I do some “spirited” driving
It weighs 700kg or 1700lbs! bit more than just under a tonne
one ton is two thousand pounds. firmly under a ton
With overdrive
42 mph ? Buddy I think you need to go to the mechanic, top speed of a 1500 spitfire factory is about 102.
Considering the whole video is spent doing speeds in excess of 42mph, I'd assume that was a joke