1975 Triumph Spitfire 1500 MKIV |

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1975 Triumph Spitfire 1500 MKIV

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£5,035

Mileage~52,143 on the clock
TransmissionManual
Engine1.5-litre
LocationColdstream, Scotland

SOLD

1975 Triumph Spitfire 1500 MKIV

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Colin Bashford

Professional Consigner

The epitome of a British sports car, the Spitfire begs to be driven on a summer's evening with the wind in your hair.

The Spitfire enjoyed a long production run of ~18 years and was designed by Giovanni Michelotti; sculpted hips and wide arches giving some Italian flair.

Over the years the Spitfire received various updates, over five variants. This particular car is a Mk 4 1500, the last of the variants and it features a nippy 1.5L engine producing ~73bhp.

This car comes to market after nearly 3 years with the current owner and it's had just two previous owners before that, the first actually being the current owner Stuart's mother.

More recently the car has been restored, and in the last couple of years the carburettors have been refurbished, the brakes have been replaced and a new fuel tank has been added.

This listing was written from information supplied by Colin after meeting Stuart the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

Having fond memories of driving this Spitfire around when he was 17, Stuart took the opportunity of buying back his mother's old car again.

After persuading a family friend that his mother sold the Spitfire to, Stuart bought back the car in 2020 - he decided to restore the car back to how he remembered it all those years ago; an emotional journey.

After getting the car back to its former glory Stuart hasn't really had a chance to enjoy the car as much as he'd like, so has decided to find a new and appreciating home, hoping it will give someone the same enjoyment he has had from it.

Stuart will be happy to answer any questions in the comments section below.

Stuart

Vehicle Owner

Stuart saved £0,900* when they
sold their Triumph with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Bright paint and flowing lines give the Spitfire a striking look.

Wheels and Tyres

Original steel wheels looked in decent condition, we did notice a few small areas of corrosion showing through on all of the wheels, nothing too concerning though and an easy Sunday afternoon project.

A full matching set of Tiger tyres were found on the car. All looked in great condition with plenty of life left in them and no cracking seen in the outside sidewalls.

Please have a look at the photos and video below to asses the condition of the wheels and tyres for yourself.

Bodywork

Stuart has had the car restored and the bodywork was looking in good shape, with just a few areas needing some attention in the future.

You'll notice the doors didn't quite sit flush with the body, more so on the drivers side - a common sight on Spitfires but maybe with a bit of fettling they can be improved.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The Saffron Yellow paint looks great - we only noticed a few chips that you'll see in the images / videos, nothing major though.

There was also some imperfections in the paint finish, we mainly noticed this on the bonnet, which maybe could do with flattening / polishing as there looks to be a nice thick coat applied. There's also some paintwork required on the leading edges of the sills.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

On the windscreen we noticed a chip which had been repaired, it didn't seem too noticeable from inside the car though. Apart from that the glass looked in good condition.

Chrome trim around the car looked in good condition too, we noticed a few small marks but nothing major.

The vinyl roof looked in great condition, it went up with no issues either.

Please view the photos and video below to review the condition of the glass and trim for yourself.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Brown vinyl seats, thick pile carpets, wooden dash and Moto-Lita; the interior of the Spitfire is a proper throwback to the '70s.

Seats and Carpets

The brown vinyl covered seats looked in great condition, showing very little signs of wear considering the age of the car.

The carpets were very thick and looked in great condition - we noticed a couple of small stains in the driver's side carpet but nothing of concern.

Please take a look at the photos and video below to decide on the condition of the seats and carpets for yourself.

Dashboard

The Spitfire features a wooden dashboard, quite a basic affair, but everything the driver needs; rev counter, speedometer, temperature and fuel gauges.

The dashboard looked in good condition with all the dials working as expected.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The thin wooden rimmed Moto-Lito steering wheel looked in great condition - Stuart had bought this in 2021.

The overdrive equipped gear stick looked in good condition, showing a slight bit of wear on the top, we didn't notice any rips or tears in the gaiter though.

Please take a look at the photos and video below to check the condition of the steering wheel and gear stick for yourself.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

Under the bonnet a 1.5L engine produced ~73bhp for the British market, allowing the Spitfire to reach 100mph.

Engine and Gearbox

The engine fired up at first attempt, without issue, Stuart told us it does take some time to get up to temperature.

On our drive the engine performed well with no unwanted sounds noticed - the carburettors were refurbished last year, Stuart told us.

The original gearbox with overdrive was still in the car - it performed well too, going into gear with ease, with no crunching etc either.

Please take a look at the cold start video below to see for yourself the performance of the engine and gearbox.

Suspension and Brakes

On our short drive with Stuart the suspension performed well, holding the road and soaking in all the bumps with ease. We didn't notice any knocks from the suspension either.

The front left side of the car did seem to be riding slightly higher than the right side, it could maybe do with a slight tweak.

The brakes have been replaced in the last year, they felt good on the road too, stopping the car with no pulling or unwanted noises noticed either.

Please take a look at the on the road video below to see how the suspension and brakes performed.

The Drive

As mentioned above the car felt good on the road, the engine didn't miss a beat with the gearbox going into gear without issue.

The Spitfire also rode the bumps well, with no rattling coming from the suspension. The brakes stopped the car straight and true too.

To see the Spitfire in motion please take a look at the on the road video below.

Electrics and Other

The Spitfire is quite a simple car with very few electrical components, lights around the car were working, apart from the dipped beam which we couldn't seem to get working during our visit.

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History and Paperwork

Stuart's Mum was the original owner in 1975 - he then tracked the car down and bought it back in 2020.

In the last few years during Stuart's ownership, the Spitfire has been restored to how he remembered it when his mother owned it. Stuart has replaced and refurbished many parts such as; carburettors, brakes, fuel tank, exhaust, roof and steering wheel.

The car has only covered ~52,143 miles in its lifetime and only ~300 miles since at least 2014 according to the MOTs.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.