1979 Triumph Spitfire FM97C
This Triumph Spitfire started off life in California, and has made it’s way to myself nad Illinois. Currently it is in pieces, waiting for me to get some time to put it all back together. The engine is at Apex Engineering in Bensonville, IL and the rest of the car at Auto Body Dynamics, Crest Hill.
The plan is to get the car reassembled this summer, after painting and refirbishment of the many subsystems. When done, it should represent a Triumph spitfire in as nice and workable a trim as possible.
Current plans for the spit are as follows:
· Rebuild the frame to spec, new soft components, springs, seals, lines, everything that could rot out. The frame is completely rust free as is, but I want it to be new. Not that there are any problems as of now, just that I want to have a car that will be a fully functional daily driver. Fuel lines will be upgraded so as to facilitate EFI later.
· Body is currently detatched from the frame and ready to go on the roticeree. The work is being performed by Lee Davis, Auto Body Dynamics in Crest Hill, Illinois (near Chicago). I met him when we were working for Payton Coyne Racing, and his work is first class. It may be a while before I see my car on the road, but it's a certainty that it will be in the best possible condition.
· Mechanical work is currently mostly decided, but still under revision. Right now I am putting the stock driveline back into the car, after rebuilding, but will almost certainly upgrade to EFI almost immediately.
· The wiring harness will be completely custom built. After working with the harnesses on Champ cars, I have a new hatred of bullet connectors and sloppy wiring. The new harness will be properly done, using Raychem DR25 heatshrink (great stuff), Hellerman or Raychem junction heatshrinks and Deutch, Lemo and/or Autosport connectors. This part of the car will be first class. The loom will be designed so that the different modules are upgradable. For instance, the engine loom will connect to the specific engine that it is designed for. The Toyota 4A-GZE (SC) or 4A-GE 20VVT motors require different connectors, and so will need a different harness. But the chassis loom should not change between motor swaps. There is a possibility that I will be using different engine management ECU's (with the stock Toyota one to start, then graduating to either a GM programmable or my own design) and so I want to simply make a different ECU loom, not a full engine loom with each change. The dash should remain constant, looking stock with a few small indicator lights for the EFI functions hidden.
· The interior will remain stock, with perhaps just a change to leather covered seats. I do like my comforts. But on the outside appearance, the car should look just like a spitfire. Nothing interesting beyond the normal rare sight of one of these cars on the road.