Unusual Spitfire Mk3 for sale - anyone know this car?

[Suzie]

I've just been told of a Mk3 Spitfire, OML 845E, which is going under the hammer at the Charterhouse Auction in a couple of weeks time, on Sunday 19th July at the 'Classics at the Castle' show at Sherborne Castle.

 

The car has a fastback body on it and there seems to be some thought that it was a works prototype, but I'm not sure where that information came from, as that's not made clear on the auction details. I'd be very interested to hear if anyone does know any more about this car and its modifications. It's not a car that I've previously heard of on the Register or otherwise.

 

More information can be found at the Charterhouse website: http://preview.charterhouse-auction.com/2015/06/1967-Triumph-Spitfire-MkIII-GT.html

 

Suzie

Early Spitfire Register Secretary

[thescrapman]

I believe it is just a "bitsa".

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[Colin Lindsay]

At a guess it’s either a MK3 Spitfire reshelled with a GT6 body, or a GT6 Mk1 rebuilt using Spitfire parts; I’d guess the former. The shape of the door glass reflects the Spitfire and the body appears to have been adapted / built up for this shape of door glass. The lack of rear overriders, the large brake master cylinder and various other assorted ‘bodges’ point to, as Colin says, a bitsa. No doubt some hopeful seller has decided to raise the price by claiming it’s a factory experiment, but I very much doubt it.

[Pete Lewis]

if it was a factory test bed or pre production  of whatever model , guess it would have been on a coventry reg or trade plates

as if sold in london  ML reg twas not new but sort of sold as  .... 'used' 

 

most developement build was not allowed to be sold through the dealer networks, had to be scrapped or a private purchase

often to staff. later homologation rules would ban it from sales

 

just a thought 

Pete

[Essex2visuvesi]

"which leads the vendor and other Triumph enthusiasts to believe that the car could be a prototype. All of the running gear and engine are standard Spitfire MkIII as is the interior. The vendor has been in contact with Jigsaw Triumph Specialists and the TSSC who believe that the Triumph is something different and further investigation is needed to verify the car's status"

 

Excellent cop-out there!

[JohnD]

In John Thomason's authoritative "Guide to Originality" he says that despite the PR hype that the GT6 was "Born in Lemans", the design process predated the development of the LeMans Spitfires , and that they copied that design!

 

Anyway, a car that Heritage says was produced in 1967, two years after the second outing for the fastback Spitfires, and a year after the first production GT6, must have been in store for some time before it was registered, if it was a 'prototype'.  No, it's auctioneer's hype!

 

John   

[Andyj]

A low bumper Spitfire bonnet, with a strangely mounted mk 3 Spitfire front bumper, I can't believe Triumph built it like that?

[Suzie]

Hi, we had thought we might be able to get to the show/auction to have a closer look at the car but it turns out that we won't be able to. Just wondered if anyone out there in TSSC-land will be going to the show and auction? I think you probably have to buy their catalogue to view or attend the auction, that's the way it is at the Bath & West showground so probably not worth it unless you were intending to anyway, but if so we would be very interested in more information, close-up photos of it etc.

 

Suzie

[Essex2visuvesi]

Sold for £6200 plus comissions