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1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500 Exhaust System


Black Cat

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Hi Gents,

 

I’m new to Triumph's but have just brought a 1978 Triumph Spitfire which is in need of some tender loving care. The good thing is the car is quite sound apart from the usual oil leaks and a little bit of rust.

 

There are a couple of things I need to undertake as a matter of urgency as I want to keep the car on the road for the next couple of months before I start the complete restoration which will involve taking the body off, engine gearbox and diff rebuild, any bodywork replaced or repaired and respray.

 

Firstly, the exhaust system needs to be replaced, not sure what the previous owners have put on it, they claimed it was from a Triumph Stag and that it sounds sporty but to be it sounds like there is a great big hole in it. Had it up on a hoist today and no sign of any holes but would still like to replace it with a Full stainless steel sports system with twin rear silence.

 

Where is the best place to get an exhaust system, how much will it cost, and should I also get a stainless steel manifold at this stage or wait until the rebuild?

 

The engine doesn’t run very smoothly at the moment, I’m hoping with the new exhaust in place the carbs can be reset up and then the car will run a lot nicer.

 

Secondly, there is a leak in the radiator, only a small one, again at some point I will replace this with a large aluminium one. I think these work out at about £100.00 plus, is it worth having the rad I have repaired or should I just bight the bullet now and buy a new one with a new fan?

 

Many thanks

 

Steve

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looks like a semi-sport rear box meant for a spitfire. Twin wheelbarrow type will be louder..... and despite me being referred to as a hooligan by some, I find sports exhausts too loud. So have a think, a std GT6 rear box may work better and be easier to live with. 

If you get the stainless manifold now, get that with a GT6 mk2 system. At least, that is what I would do for an easy life. It will all fit together...

 

Timing of purchases is always difficult. But keep an eye out for discounts/offers. Club shop gives a fair discount if you area club member, and their exhausts are good....

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I would just fit a new full size radiator - stainless if you want, but I didn't bother - also a new frame (they aren't expensive) as the chances are it will be rotting behind the expansion bottle.

As for exhaust, I have a wheel barrow type with a 4-2-1 manifold - I got it second hand but almost unused - it came from Rimmers and has a centre silencer and I find the noise levels perfect - and sounds like a sports car should. (IMHO!) 

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11 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

I was actually going to suggest that THAT is a GT6 rear box already....

It looks too "short" and the entry/exit pipes go into the end of the silencer, but the GT6 the pipes enter/exit the body. Argh, difficult to explain! pic link attached which is worth many thousands of my words

https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID008010

 

I had a semi-sport on a spitfire many years ago. Certainly not subtle.

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12 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

I was actually going to suggest that THAT is a GT6 rear box already....

No, as Clive said, that's a semi-sport after-market box.

The standard Mk2/Mk3 GT6 exhaust is very similar to a 1500 standard system so it will fit and give sensible noise levels. I'd recommend that option (my Spitfire is a Mk3 so its tubular manifold is coupled to a standard Mk1 GT6 exhaust).

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