1979 Triumph Spitfire Project

(Written on 3/23/2022) A reader commented. "Would like to see a pic of that 2.5L". This is exciting because it means we actually have a reader. Well, here it is. Right side of the 2002 Mazda KLG4 2.5L V6 engine, which will be the back of the engine if it ends up in the Spitfire.   Left side of the engine, which with luck will be the front. As I said previously, I discovered the Mazda KLG4 2.5L V6 on a Miata forum. The engine has an aluminum block and cylinder heads to reduce weight. My understanding is that this is physically the smallest V6 engine manufactured. But as noted on the Miata forum it is neither small nor light with all of the "stuff" around those fundamental parts. So what one does is scrap all that stuff. The stuff is mostly intake and fuel injection parts. This will be replaced with aftermarket components if I move forward with this engine. Switching from the restrictive factory intake to the free breathing setup the Miata folks use increases the hors...

  (Written on 2/19/2022) As I mentioned previously, I love the look of the Spitfire. The handling and braking are on par for a sports car of this class; no reason to try and change anything about them. However, the Spitfire does not provide the performance that I'm looking for. I gave considerable thought to what my objectives for this project are, and came up with this list:     Do not alter the exterior body of the car.     Do not add significant weight, or significantly redistribute weight in a way that would adversely impact handling.     Significantly decrease the 0-60 and 1/4 mile times of the car.     Improve the reliability of the engine, transmission, and drivetrain.     Make the interior comfortable for drives up to two hours in duration.     In all decisions try to minimize costs.     Don't compromise the car's inherent safety. The third and fourth objectives greatly ...