Are you sure it's coming from the left side of the car, and not the center?
If you're positive it's from the left, that's axle bearing territory. If
you're not sure, then it's more likely it's the differential.
I don't remember what the Spitfire differential plug looks like, but if it's
the rather typical 1/2" square plug, you can purchase a nice square socket
from Sears or an auto parts store, they work well.
Assuming you do in fact determine the whining is coming from the
differential, and the unit is indeed low on oil. Add some oil first before
you go out and buy a replacement differential. Those units are inherently
tough, even a Spitfire unit. They can run for many 10's of thousands of
miles whining away.
My best (worse?) test of that was when my RX-7 managed to unbolt its pumpkin
and went dry for god knows how many weeks. It was the loss of my limited
slip clutches that got me under the car exploring when I found the unit open,
bone dry, and rather grimy inside. I bolted it back together, put oil in it,
crossed my fingers and hoped for the best (I was really poor at the time). I
sold the car several years later, with an additional hundred thousand miles
on the differential, and it was still going fine. Whining a bit, clutch pack
long burned out, but still functioning.
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