Here, here. I think about how great it would be to have had one of these
gems from the time they were showroom new. In the meantime, the best I can
do is to install the options I want and make the rest of the car as new as I
possibly can! But it will never have that "new car" smell. Not even with
the new interior I recently installed. Sigh.
Best wishes,
Jeff in San Diego
'67 RHD Spitfire Mk3 aka "Mrs. Jones"
Jeff's Classic '67 Spitfire Mk3 site & Vintage Spitfire Webring
http://www.ohms.com/spitfire/spitfire.shtml
home of the NEW Totally Triumph Auction
"By Triumph enthusiasts, for Triumph enthusiasts"
http://www.ohms.com/cgi-bin/TRauction.cgi
and... The Triumph Autos/Parts Wanted Listings
http://www.ohms.com/cgi-bin/TRwanted.cgi
...plus a few other surprises!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
----- Original Message -----
From: Banbury, Terrence <Terrence.Banbury@dnr.state.oh.us>
To: <spitfires@autox.team.net>; 'Simmons, Reid W' <reid.w.simmons@intel.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2000 9:57 AM
Subject: RE: ODs off topic
>
> Reid, after reading your post, I wondered what it would be like walking
into
> a Triumph showroom and ordering a new Spitfire with the options I wanted.
> Then there is that day when I take that first drive in a brand new
Triumph.
> Maybe sometime you could recount a few of your memories for the many who
> have only known their LBCs after a PO.
> Terry Banbury
>
> > ----------
> > From: Simmons, Reid W[SMTP:reid.w.simmons@intel.com]
> > Reply To: Simmons, Reid W
> > Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2000 11:38 AM
> > To: spitfires@autox.team.net
> > Subject: RE: ODs
> >
> >
> > ODs may be hard to find now but I would hardly call them unreliable.
The
> > one in my '79 has not given me even a hint of trouble in 21 years.
Prior
> > to
> > the Spitfire I had an MGB with overdrive that never gave me any trouble
in
> > the many years I owned it. When I bought my Spitfire I told the dealer
> > that
> > the OD was a "must have" or the deal was off. For highway and
interstate
> > driving I wouldn't want to be without it. Not only does it make the
> > engine
> > happier loafing along at a low RPM, but the gas mileage increases
> > significantly when I use the OD at higher speeds.
> >
> > Reid
> > '79 Spitfire (original owner)
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Fred Griffiths [mailto:griffco@mail.cadvision.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 5:59 PM
> > To: spitfires@autox.team.net
> > Subject: Re: So, who wants to sell me a Spitfire OD tranny?
> >
> >
> >
> > With all this talk about hard to find ODs, and their unreliability, why
> > not
> > contemplate fitting a 5 speed transmission?
> >
> > I am sure it haas been done, but what would be a good model to use with
> > the
> > least amount of work?
> >
> > I know, I know, it's not original, but....
> > Cheers, Fred
> >
> > David Moag wrote:
> >
> > > Laura,
> > >
> > > I just wanted to second Dean's opinion of the O/D. When I first got my
> > Spit
> > > it didn't have one, and I'd have to wind it up pretty well to stay up
> > with
> > > traffic. I tried to limit my freeway driving as much as possible
(which
> > in
> > > LA, as you know, is not too easily accomplished). Now that one in the
> > car,
> > > it is SO much nicer that I really would NOT want to have one without
an
> > O/D.
> > > But again, Nigel's engine is capable of quite a bit more than my stock
> > 77
> > w/
> > > smog controls can give me.
> > >
> > > Dave Moag
> > > 62 TR3B
> > > 77 Spitfire
> > > La Canada, CA
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: owner-spitfires@autox.team.net
> > > [mailto:owner-spitfires@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Dean Dashwood
> > > Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 10:24 AM
> > > To: Laura.G@141.com; spitfires@autox.team.net
> > > Subject: Re: So, who wants to sell me a Spitfire OD tranny?
> > >
> > > Laura,
> > >
> > > Good point about more things to go wrong. In fact, in the time I've
had
> > my
> > > car,
> > > the overdrive has gone wrong far more times than anything else. But
> > it's
> > > always
> > > been a simple electrical problem (broken wire, inhibitor switch worn,
> > etc)
> > > which
> > > I've always been able to fix myself, so it's not really bothered me -
of
> > > course,
> > > this will vary depending on individual ability.
> > >
> > > Personally, I would think twice about buying a car without overdrive,
> > > especially
> > > as a daily driver - it really is much more pleasant to be able to
reduce
> > the
> > > rpms by 1000 or so when cruising along the motorway. To me, having to
> > > remove
> > > the gearbox tunnel every few months to fix a wire is a fair price to
pay
> > for
> > > that.
> > >
> > > Of course, Nigel is not your average Spitfire, so he may be able to
take
> > the
> > > high RPM much better than my car!
> > >
> > > Dean
> > > ------------
> > >
> > > Date: Tue, May 23 2000 10:21:54 GMT-0600
> > > From: Laura.G@141.com (Laura Gharazeddine)
> > > Subject: Re: Re: So, who wants to sell me a Spitfire OD tranny?
> > >
> > > None of my Spits have had o/d. With Nigel, we've talked about it. Then
> > one
> > > of
> > > the guys from my local Triumph club said he could get me (a used) one
at
> > a
> > > good
> > > price. I thought about it. Talked about it with Dave. Talked about it
> > with
> > > the
> > > English guy who works for Dave. In all, I talked to about 5 different
> > people
> > > and
> > > what it came down to is that it's a nice thing to have-but not a
> > necessity
> > > and
> > > more importantly-it'll be just *another thing to break or go wrong*.
> > >
> > > That last bit, coming from individuals I respect and who hadn't
confered
> > > with
> > > each other convinced me not to do it.
> > >
> > > This year, at least!
> > >
> > > Laura G.
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Fred & Wendy Griffiths,
> > Calgary, Canada
> > http://www.cadvision.com/griffco/index.htm
> > mailto: griffco@cadvision.com
> >
> >
>
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