Back in the the late 1970's and early 80's, there were a handful of sporty European convertibles still being sold in the US market. The MGB, Midget, Triumph Spitfire and wedge TR7 were the final entrants from the UK to be sold here on our shores. Offerings from Italy like the Fiat and Alfa Spider were pricey options even back then. Germany was out of the entry game entirely until the Rabbit/Golf cabriolet was introduced. The Triumph Spitfire was arguably the most attractive and traditional of the lot. It was light, with solid handling at an affordable price. The 1979-80 model years were the last hurrah for the Spitfire. While a fair number of decent restored examples remain--to our knowledge there is nothing out there like the Triumph we are about to present---
If you were to take a Spitfire from a new showroom in 1979, drive it for a month or two, wrap it in plastic and come back 45 years later you would have this car. Only 3868 original miles. Yes you read that correctly! Not 103,868. Everything about this car looks, feels and smells like a brand new Spitfire. Even if you are not a British car enthusiast, you should be able to appreciate the sheer excitement that a completely original car from this era brings. Take some time and look at the extensive photos. There are no comps. This is a Unicorn. It is the Holy Grail of this brand and model. Put simply, the car is irreplaceable. BTW, it also has the rare electronic overdrive transmission which mimics the characteristics of a true 5-speed for relaxed highway cruising. Also included are custom car cover, bra, interior cover and more.
Upon arrival we looked over every detail to see if we could find any signs that the car was not represented accurately to us. There were none. Remember this is not a restoration. It is an original car featuring a spotless undercarriage, lovely interior, extraordinary original paint. No leaks. And by the way...it drives beautifully. No observed mechanical concerns. We drove the car for several hours in 95+ degree heat without any protestation or signs of overheating. All the stories about British cars from this era seemed to be either exaggerated or irrelevant during our drive. This is not a 2026 Mazda Miata. It is a true classic that is ready to be shown, driven, displayed in your living room---or wrapped up in plastic again for the next 50 years. Likely the most talked about roadster at your next cars and coffee outing.
Establishing a value for this car is nearly impossible. Most collectors agree that a true original example--even with patina should be more valuable than a full restoration. Guides value #1 examples as highly as $25,000. But where has there been a sale in the past few years of a comparable original car with similar miles? We could not find one. Roadster Salon always tries to represent our inventory in the fairest way possible to support our future business. If this car had complete documentation with it's original window sticker and service records---it could possibly break the record for a 1979 sales price. Unfortunately the car was purchased through an estate without any accompanying documents. That said--the car speaks for itself. Do not be afraid. This car is priced fairly and is the real deal. A+
