1964 Triumph Spitfire Le Mans GT Fastback

• Original Williams & Pritchard Le Mans GT fastback with a Lenham one-piece front end
• Comprehensive restoration in 2012 with incredible attention to period detail
• 1320cc competition engine with twin Weber 40s. C/R competition gearbox, LSD, IRS, adjustable shocks, uprated discs
• New fire extinguisher system, race harness, competition dry-cell battery, electrical cut-out, Smiths 8,000 rpm tach
• Full engine rebuild by Damax in July 2018 and done nothing since. Invoice in the file for £4,747.85
• Two seats with harnesses and road registered
• Fairly well patinated in places but wouldn’t take much to take it to the next level

Named after the iconic WW2 fighter aircraft and launched in 1962, the Triumph Spitfire, styled by Michelotti, was Triumph's riposte to BMC's Sprite/Midget range and was such a success that the basic design remained virtually unchanged until 1970. This 1964 Spitfire has been built with incredible attention to period detail. Whilst echoing the style of the Works Le Mans cars, this particular Spitfire has its own unique identity having been clothed with an original Williams & Pritchard 'Le Mans' GT fastback and a sleek Lenham one-piece front end. Sporting a 1320cc competition engine breathing through twin Weber 40s, the power is fed through a close-ratio competition gearbox to a limited-slip diff which ably transmits the car's horsepower to the independent rear suspension, all of which works in unison with the adjustable shock absorbers and uprated front disc brakes. Keeping the driver safe is a full roll cage, racing harness and a plumbed-in fire extinguisher system. The comprehensive restoration was initially carried out on this car in 2012 when it was stripped to a bare shell, carefully repainted in the correct shade of British Racing Green and detailed before being prepared for competition. The owner, a time-served restoration specialist, then completed just 4,000 road miles and a single hill-climb, so the mechanical integrity of the car's rebuild has been carefully retained with such little use. In October of 2017, this car was sent to Triumph racing specialist 'Moto-Build Racing' for a complete refresh for the forthcoming 2018 season. After the engine was tuned and set up on a rolling road, the safety equipment on this car was subjected to a full upgrade to include a new plumbed-in fire extinguisher unit, new race harness, converted to a competition dry-cell battery system and fitted with a new electrical cut-out. A new period-correct Smiths 8,000 rpm tachometer was also fitted.

During the early part of the 2018 season the engine blew-up (it happens) and was sent to Damax in July for a full engine rebuild and the account for this, totalling £4,747. 85, is in the history file.

With a more than acceptable patina of age, this versatile competition car will look the part in any historic competition paddock. The attention to period detail in all aspects of this historic Spitfire is obvious; notably, the period competition steel wheels, race number lights, vented bonnet detail and correctly executed race numbers. Prepared and accepted in the past for the HRDC 'Allstars' Series, this Spitfire will surely be a welcome addition to a number of other prominent historic series such as CSCC 'Swinging Sixties' and the Ecurie GTS Championship. (when we can get back to motor racing). It’s also worthy of note that this car may be eligible for one of Goodwood Revival's coveted 'Fordwater Trophy' production sportscar races.

Offered at a most realistic reserve, it would be hard to contemplate buying an early Spitfire and successfully building it to anything close to this rare specification for the money. An altogether unrepeatable package that provides a truly accessible entry into the exciting world of historic motorsport in the (hopefully) near future.