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1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500 4-Speed Manual Overdrive Convertible, a Thrifty Thursday Offering

This is a 1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500 4-Speed Manual Overdrive Convertible which has been in the hands of the current mechanic owner for the past eight years. It is finished in Maroon over a reupholstered tan interior and is powered by a 1.5 litre inline four-cylinder engine, mated to a four-speed manual with overdrive – the functionality of which is illustrated in a couple of our driving videos. The manually operated convertible top is complemented by both a parade boot matching the interior colour and a black racing cover which can cover the entire cabin below windshield level while the car is not in use or all but the cockpit area for solo driving. Other features include a hardtop which needs refinishing, 13” wheels, front disc brakes and a single barrel carburetor with a two-barrel carburetor set up needing a rebuild also included.

This 1980 Convertible represents the final model year of Triumph’s Spitfire. It is accented by a chrome luggage rack on the trunk lid, yellow and white striping, side mirrors as well as chrome bumpers, front and rear. While the car is functional as it sits – the mechanic owner expects it would pass an Ontario safety check as it is, depends on the shop, of course – the paint does exhibit patina and the car needs switches for reverse lights, headlights and a transmission lockout. The former two items are addressed to make the lights functional by switches in the centre console while on the latter, there is no fail-safe to preclude overdrive, engineered for third and fourth gears only, from being engaged in first or second. Where applicable, these are fairly presented in our photo gallery.

The 13” wheels are finished in silver and are equipped with chrome trim rings and 3 Triumph-branded centre caps, the Triumph label is missing from one of the caps. They are lined with 155/80 tires installed 8 years and approximately 3,000 km ago. Braking is by a pair of discs up front, a pair of drums aft of the cabin.

Under previous ownership, the cabin was refreshed with replacement soft vinyl on the seats, arm rest and emergency brake boot. It remains in very good condition, evidencing the current owner’s light use of the Spitfire. Door cards match the seat colour while the dash cover and carpets are a neutral black. The face of the dashboard is covered in wood grain which shows cracking from age. The shifter shows four forward gears on the knob, while the overdrive is engaged by a switch mounted thereon.

Instrumentation is by SMITHS. The speedometer is left of centre and has a maximum reading of 200 km/h and an integrated five-digit odometer reading under 88,000 km – believed original but not corroborated. To its right is a 7000 RPM tachometer with a red line 1000 RPM lower than max reading. Auxiliary gauges are centrally mounted on the dash: moving rightward – for fuel, coolant temperature and oil pressure. The speedometer and tachometer are fronted by a Triumph-branded three-spoke steering wheel while an SCCA National Champion badge commemorating seven victory years between 1965 and 1973 appears on the dash fore of the passenger’s seat. Heating and ventilation controls are above the fuel and coolant temperature gauges.

The 1493 cubic centimetre inline four-cylinder engine was factory rated at 71 horsepower and the four-speed manual transmission with overdrive gets power to the rear wheels. Work done by the current owner includes replacing the floor pan (see photos below carpets in our gallery), lower rear quarter panels, front brake calipers, outer tie rod ends, brake and overdrive servicing as well as regular oil changes.

This 1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500 4-Speed Manual Overdrive Convertible is available with a service manual, one set of keys, hardtop, parade boot, racing cover, spare tire cover, dual carb set-up and other spares as pictured from the eight-year owner in Cobourg, Ontario.

More videos and Photo Gallery appear below the bidding section. 

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