1965 Triumph Spitfire

LJH 860C - now known as Spittie - was registered on 3 September 1965. While there isn’t too much history dating from its first 20 years, there is a record of its previous owners, who seemed to like changing its colour. The paint code of 19 on the chassis plate suggests that it was born in white, but by 1981 it was Bronze Yellow - a more modern shade, possibly applied in an attempt to update the car. In 1982, it was registered as brown, which presumably didn’t suit it, for in January 1984, it changed hue again to British Racing Green as it is today. Quite the chameleon.

The husband of the present owner bought it in 1986, intending to use it as a source of spares for the couple’s existing Spitfire. Except the new Triumph turned out to be better than what they had - so the donor parts ended up going the other way. The suspension and running gear were overhauled in 1986 and 1987, when a close ratio gearbox with overdrive were also fitted. In 1991, a body restoration was carried out by Reg Swann, incorporating many new panels, after which the mechanical, electrical and paint sides were sorted by Clive Manvers, then one of the most renowned Triumph specialists, during 1996.

Since then, Spittie has been regularly used and much relished, including being used for holidays away in France. However, having had the car for 35 years, the Triumph’s owner now feels it is time for it to pass to a new custodian, who may be able to refresh it, as well as enjoy it as much as she has. The car is much-loved, so it needs to go to a good home. We at The Market want to make that happen.

With the odometer showing 42,372 miles - which we’ll assume is 142,372 miles - and having been restored 30 years ago, the Spitfire is now showing signs of age and use. But, at its heart, it’s a solid and honest car that seems mechanically all together, and can gradually be improved while still being driven. After all, being a Triumph, pretty much everything is available either new or secondhand. Have fun in it this summer, then do some sorting during the winter, and there’s great scope for Spittie to be a valued and cherished member of any classic car enthusiast family.

In a write-up for when the Spitfire was attending car shows, the owner described it as ‘serviceable and sound’. We’d concur with that. The car is very presentable in its British Racing Green colour scheme, with black trim and what we think are Cobra Supaslot wheels.

Up close, the signs of three decades having passed since the car was last renovated are noticeable. Have a look through our gallery images, because we’ve tried to capture most of the blemishes. While the paint is holding up pretty well, there are stonechips and scratches across the body - in particular, you’ll find more obvious blemishes between the ‘R’ and ‘I’ of ‘TRIUMPH’ on the bonnet, on the top of the offside front wing and on the offside rear wing.

The finish is a little rough on the bootlid. This, sadly, received the unwelcome attentions of some partying youngsters while parked in Cambridge some years ago. And while there are no dents, there is a crack several inches long in the paint - apparently caused by stiletto heels, which can be lethal things in the wrong hands (or rather feet) - which has allowed rust to bloom below, although it appears to just be surface stuff. There are a few small bubbles under the paint surface too, in places. You’ll also find three empty mounting holes on the left of the panel where the ‘Overdrive’ scroll once sat - a quick online check revealed that these are readily available new for under £20, and much cheaper secondhand. So that’s an easy job.

Spitfire panel gaps were never that tight even from the factory - one of the penalties of body-on-chassis construction - but they’re reasonable enough here, although the bonnet fit is slightly better on the left-hand side than it is on the right. Rust is confined mainly to some surface patches on the wheel arch lips, where it’s not that noticeable under normal viewing. It’s not started nibbling to into the metal yet, so there are no jagged spots.

The grey canvas hood has rarely been put up in recent years, with the Spitfire only venturing out on dry, sunny days. It’s free from any tears or any significant damage, but is quite mottled in places, complete with the traces of an old bird dropping just above the rear window. Some specialist hood cleaner and elbow grease would probably bring it up a treat. There’s some clouding to the three plastic screens and white marks on the centre one, but visibility isn’t harmed too much; from inside, you can still see through them clearly. There is a full tonneau cover as well, with a middle zip, so the car can be driven with the passenger side covered. Like the hood, some cleaning would bring benefits. One of the studs has disappeared and been replaced by a hook; however, because the other fittings are still in place, it still fastens securely in place.

All the chrome is generally good - there’s some minor tarnishing up close, but the overall effect is still bright and shiny. The driver’s door lever button is a little ill-fitting and no longer flush with its surround. Black plastic door mirrors have been added, which look out of place on a 1960s’ Spitfire - they’re much more 1970s’ items - and the passenger one has come off its mounting and is in the boot. Replacement with more age-appropriate chrome items would be be an instant improvement.

The alloy wheels are standing up well, with no outbreaks of significant corrosion, although some of the rims display some scraping and there’s a mark on the nearside front one where, presumably, a sticker was removed. The tyres are Kumho Solus KH17 165/70 R13 items; there’s only a date stamp on one (the front nearside one), which pins it to the end of 2015. All the rubber looks of similar vintage though. There’s plenty of tread left and no damage to the sidewalls.

The cockpit is snug and low, and looks to be largely original, although there are some later fitments, including a drilled alloy steering wheel - we can’t see any Mota-Lita branding, but it’s certainly a replica of one from that manufacturer if not actually the genuine item - and a wooden dash insert around the centre instruments. Wood only made an appearance on Spitfires from the 1967 Mk3 model onwards.

While it’s generally tidy and together, the passage of 55 years has taken its toll, most notably on the seats, which are black with white piping. The owner freely admits that these could do with replacement. The passenger one is okay-ish, albeit with a gap between the squab and the back, and its rubber stoppers now secured in place by black cable ties. On the other side, the driver’s seat has splits along its top seam and foam escaping from underneath. Both are less supportive than they once were.

The black carpets are in reasonable order, and lifting them reveals floors that are solid and free from anything other than cosmetic corrosion. The doorcards have little more than superficial scuffing. Aspects that could easily be improved are the hole where there was once a radio - the car obviously once had one, as there are two round Pioneer speakers fitted on the back panel - along with the missing parcel shelf on the driver’s side. The indicator stalk has lost its plastic tip, plus its identification marking has been worn away. Over in the centre, the windscreen wiper knob has been replaced by a toggle switch, while the blower control has been snapped off at its base, but is still usable. There’s an additional switch fitted alongside the temperature gauge, but its purpose is unclear. Elsewhere, there’s a drip of reddish-brown paint on the driver’s side of the dash - perhaps a remnant of one of the Spitfire’s previous colours - and the bottom of the steering wheels has come un-stitched. Because the handbrake has quite a long travel and probably needs adjustment, the bottom of its gaiter now sits on top of the carpet rather than beneath it, as it should be.

One thing that Spitfires do exceptionally well is allow access to their engine; thanks to that flip-front end, there’s little you can’t see or get at. However, because the engine bay is so open to the elements, they are difficult to keep looking good, and this one does exhibit signs of being a working environment for many decades. There’s a skim of rust on some of the metal parts, plus the expected dirt and grime in crevasses. Although there’s been some lifting of the paint from underneath the brake and clutch master cylinders - an area often affected by spilled fluid - it doesn’t seem to have affected the metal underneath.The engine bay appears standard, save for individual Cooper pancake air filters on the twin SU 1.25in HS2 carburettors instead of the standard casing.

Around the top of the radiator, there’s evidence of the coolant having boiled over at some point, with rusty stains around the cap. This happened some time ago, a new radiator was fitted in 2008 and during our time with the car, we left it standing for some time with the engine running, and there was no evidence of overheating. There’s some sludge under the radiator cap, so the system could probably do with a thorough flush, but checking the oil filler cap, there’s no evidence of the ‘mayonnaise’ that usually forms as a result of coolant and oil mixing due to head gasket issues. In fact, all the fluids look healthy; the car was last serviced in April 2021, with an oil change, when it was also checked over for general roadworthiness. As an historic vehicle, it does not require an MoT, with its last one expiring in October 2018. Since then though, just over 300 miles have been covered, and the car dry-stored in a garage when not in use. In fact, over the last 15 years, the car has done less than 5000 miles.

Underneath, everything looks solid enough, although some welding was carried out during the restoration. There’s some expected surface rust, but nothing that looks like it is remotely compromising the structure in any way.

The engine starts easily even from cold, and has a delightfully rorty exhaust; it sounds just like you’d want a small British sports car of the 1960s to do. It doesn’t take long before the choke can be fully pushed in, after which the engine idles steadily without it, with no hint of stalling. We were able to drive the car, and everything functions as it should. The Triumph pulls well without any misfiring or hesitation, and while the gearbox is notchy - something they all do, sir - it’s easy enough to find all the gears, with a light clutch pedal making cog-swapping even more of a pleasure. Overdrive engages and disengages quickly and effectively, and is always a desirable option on these four-speed cars. The brakes are sharp and pull the car up quickly and cleanly. In summary, this Spitfire behaves very well on the road; in fact, it’s quite a joyful drive giving a great deal of driver engagement and pleasure. Think of it as a motorised skateboard, and you’ll get some idea of just how smile-inducing it all is.

The history dates back to the 1980s, and includes invoices, correspondence - much of it regarding the restoration work during the 1990s - and photos of the car at various stages of its life, including during its rebuild. While routine servicing and mechanical work was carried out by the owner, so there’s thus little in the way of servicing documentation, there are other bills from the 21st century for other work, much of it undertaken by Clive Manvers.

Also in the history folder are an owners’ handbook, official Triumph workshop manual, spare parts catalogue, list of previous owners with photocopies of the old logbooks, and a collection of tax discs dating back to 1986. MoTs from 1985 to 2010, albeit with some years missing, are also present.

One letter, from Marshall of Cambridge, then an Austin Rover dealer, apologises for a problem with a universal joint fitted by the dealership in 1986. It turned out a circlip wasn’t put properly in place, which caused issues during one of the owners’ first holidays in France with their new classic. There was a refund of £32.20, with a scribbled note from the presumably grateful recipient that ‘No organisation is proof against mistakes - the best are judged by how they deal with them’. The errant circlip has been preserved for prosperity with the paperwork.

If you want a small historic British sports car to enjoy now and improve later, this could well be the Spitfire for you. Yes, there are areas that require work, but there’s nothing stopping this endearing and characterful classic being regularly used for al fresco fun throughout this summer, after which it will make a great winter project so it’s even better for the 2022 season.

There’s no reserve on this car, but we’ve estimated it at around £3000 to £6000. These earlier MkI and Mk2 Spitfires, with their original pure shape, have higher values than the Mk3 models onwards, where the looks were altered to try and keep the cars current in the marketplace. For a Mk2, £3000 is what you might expect to pay for a pretty rough car requiring a lot of attention; this is much better than that, and with prices for very good examples up to £12,000 and beyond these days, there’s enormous potential here. There’s a ready supply of spare parts for these Triumphs, club and specialist support is huge, the cars are cheap to run and they’re very easy to work on.

Above all, Spittie deserves a new owner who will continue to use and enjoy it as much as it has been over the last 35 years, and give it a new lease of life for the many decades left ahead of it. We certainly enjoyed our brief time with it. Now, who’s next?

Inspection is always encouraged (within government guidelines of course), with this particular car is located with its owner near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.