477 Triumph Spitfire GT6 Mk.1 (see text) (1967) MNJ 821 F
Triumph Spitfire GT6 Mk1 (1966-68) Engine 1998c S6 OHV Production 12,066
Registration Number MNJ 821 F (East Sussex)
TRIUMPH ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623847263736...
This car is registered and badged as a GT6, with a GT6 engine, but obviously the GT6 was a hard top fast back, while the Spitfire was a soft top with an occasional hardtop. So it is eith er Spit with a GT6 lump or unique. Here is a little bit of info i picked up. An unmodified Spitfire 4 was delivered to Michelotti's design studios in Italy and late in 1963 the prototype Spitfire GT4 was returned to England for evaluation. The styling of the vehicle was a success but the extra weight of the GT bodyshell resulted in extremely poor performance from the Spitfire's 1,147 cc engine and plans to develope the GT4 were shelved. Michelotti's fastback design for the Spitfire GT4 prototype was adopted by the Triumph racing programme for the 1964 season, as it was deemed to provide an aerodynamic benefit over the standard Spitfire body shape. Fibreglass copies of the Spitfire GT4's fastback were grafted on to the race-modified Spitfires destined for competition. The Spitfire racing programme was successful and in 1965 resulted in 13th overall and a 1st in class at LeMans. The Spitfire's competitive success and the continuing commercial success of the production vehicle led Triumph to re-evaluate its shelved plans for a GT version of the Spitfire. To overcome the lack of performance inherent in the heavier body style the Spitfire's 4-cylinder engine was replaced with the more powerful 2.0 L (1,996 cc) Triumph inline 6 originally derived from the Vitesse. The car was further developed and refined and eventually launched as the Triumph GT6 (dropping the Spitfire per-fix. Contemporary Triumph marketing advertised the GT6 as being developed from the race winning LeMans Spitfires, when in truththe Le Mans Spitfires and the GT6 were actually two entirely separate development programmes (the GT programme pre-dating the racing programme). However, the marketing spin was so successful that many people erroneously believed the Le Mans Spitfires to actually be GT6s.
The first series of GT6 was introduced in 1966 as a six cylinder sports coupe based on the Spitfire. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti and based on the recently introduced Spitfire Mk. IV. he new body was a sleek fastback design with an opening rear hatch, earning the GT6 the nickname of poor man's E-Type It was really a 2-seater, but a small extra rear seat could be ordered, large enough for small children. The family resemblance to the Spitfire Mk II was strong, the longer 6-cylinder engine necessitated a new bonnet top with a power bulge and the doors were provided with opening quarter light windows and squared-off glass in the top rear corner. The 6-cylinder engine was based on that of the Triumph Vitesse 2 litre developing 95bhp necessitated certain changes to the Spitfire mechanics; the radiator was new and mounted further forward in the car and the gearbox was the stronger unit from the Vitesse 2 litre, with synchromesh on all 4 forward gears. An optional Laycock de Normanville overdrive was offered giving a 20 per cent overdrive on 3rd and 4th gears. Front springs were uprated to cope with the extra weight of the new engine with the car weighing in at 1,904lbs The only major criticism was of its rear suspension; the GT6 inherited the swing-axle system from the Spitfire, which in turn was copied from the Herald small saloon. In the saloon it was tolerated, in the Spitfire criticised and in the more powerful GT6 it was a problem, particularly in the US market.
Triumph realised that they needed to find an answer to the handling problem, and their response came in 1969 with the Mark 2.
Diolch am 85,115,698 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn 90cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 85,115,698 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 01.08-2021 exiting the Silverstone Festival 01.08.2021 Ref 149-477
477 Triumph Spitfire GT6 Mk.1 (see text) (1967) MNJ 821 F
Triumph Spitfire GT6 Mk1 (1966-68) Engine 1998c S6 OHV Production 12,066
Registration Number MNJ 821 F (East Sussex)
TRIUMPH ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623847263736...
This car is registered and badged as a GT6, with a GT6 engine, but obviously the GT6 was a hard top fast back, while the Spitfire was a soft top with an occasional hardtop. So it is eith er Spit with a GT6 lump or unique. Here is a little bit of info i picked up. An unmodified Spitfire 4 was delivered to Michelotti's design studios in Italy and late in 1963 the prototype Spitfire GT4 was returned to England for evaluation. The styling of the vehicle was a success but the extra weight of the GT bodyshell resulted in extremely poor performance from the Spitfire's 1,147 cc engine and plans to develope the GT4 were shelved. Michelotti's fastback design for the Spitfire GT4 prototype was adopted by the Triumph racing programme for the 1964 season, as it was deemed to provide an aerodynamic benefit over the standard Spitfire body shape. Fibreglass copies of the Spitfire GT4's fastback were grafted on to the race-modified Spitfires destined for competition. The Spitfire racing programme was successful and in 1965 resulted in 13th overall and a 1st in class at LeMans. The Spitfire's competitive success and the continuing commercial success of the production vehicle led Triumph to re-evaluate its shelved plans for a GT version of the Spitfire. To overcome the lack of performance inherent in the heavier body style the Spitfire's 4-cylinder engine was replaced with the more powerful 2.0 L (1,996 cc) Triumph inline 6 originally derived from the Vitesse. The car was further developed and refined and eventually launched as the Triumph GT6 (dropping the Spitfire per-fix. Contemporary Triumph marketing advertised the GT6 as being developed from the race winning LeMans Spitfires, when in truththe Le Mans Spitfires and the GT6 were actually two entirely separate development programmes (the GT programme pre-dating the racing programme). However, the marketing spin was so successful that many people erroneously believed the Le Mans Spitfires to actually be GT6s.
The first series of GT6 was introduced in 1966 as a six cylinder sports coupe based on the Spitfire. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti and based on the recently introduced Spitfire Mk. IV. he new body was a sleek fastback design with an opening rear hatch, earning the GT6 the nickname of poor man's E-Type It was really a 2-seater, but a small extra rear seat could be ordered, large enough for small children. The family resemblance to the Spitfire Mk II was strong, the longer 6-cylinder engine necessitated a new bonnet top with a power bulge and the doors were provided with opening quarter light windows and squared-off glass in the top rear corner. The 6-cylinder engine was based on that of the Triumph Vitesse 2 litre developing 95bhp necessitated certain changes to the Spitfire mechanics; the radiator was new and mounted further forward in the car and the gearbox was the stronger unit from the Vitesse 2 litre, with synchromesh on all 4 forward gears. An optional Laycock de Normanville overdrive was offered giving a 20 per cent overdrive on 3rd and 4th gears. Front springs were uprated to cope with the extra weight of the new engine with the car weighing in at 1,904lbs The only major criticism was of its rear suspension; the GT6 inherited the swing-axle system from the Spitfire, which in turn was copied from the Herald small saloon. In the saloon it was tolerated, in the Spitfire criticised and in the more powerful GT6 it was a problem, particularly in the US market.
Triumph realised that they needed to find an answer to the handling problem, and their response came in 1969 with the Mark 2.
Diolch am 85,115,698 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn 90cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 85,115,698 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 01.08-2021 exiting the Silverstone Festival 01.08.2021 Ref 149-477