Build catalogue
Graham Bingham's 1974 Triumph Spitfire V8 Conversion
britishv8.orgas published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XVII Issue 1, July 2009
Photo: britishv8.orgA 1974 Triumph Spitfire rebuilt twice, ending with a Rover 3.5 V8
Graham Bingham bought a tired 1974 Spitfire Mk.IV in 1984 and gradually rebuilt it, first as a body-off restoration with a Triumph 2000 six-cylinder engine, then years later as a Rover V8 conversion after driving a friend's MGB GT V8. The write-up traces both swaps, the fabrication needed to fit each engine, and the parts sourced along the way, including from a scrapped TR7 V8 conversion.
Specs
As the owner states it.
- Engine
- 3.5L Rover V8, originally from a Rover P6B, later fitted with SD1 heads
- Intake
- Offenhauser 360 manifold with Edelbrock/Weber Performer 500 four barrel carb, Mitsuba electric fuel pump, MR Gasket 14" chrome free flow air filter
- Cooling
- Modified Renault 21 radiator with twin Peugeot 205 electric fans in a custom housing, standard Spitfire heater and control valve
- Exhaust
- Stainless steel, modified MGB V8 block hugger manifolds, custom Y-pipe, Phoenix Systems 1-into-2 and twin single rear sports silencers
- Transmission
- LT77 5-speed with Sherpa van short remote shift, standard Rover clutch with TR8 master cylinder
- Driveshaft
- Triumph TR8, rear flange re-drilled to mate to Spitfire differential
- Rear End
- Spitfire 1500
- Front Suspension
- Triumph GT6 MkIII
- Rear Suspension
- Standard MkIV Spitfire with new springs, shocks and bushes
- Brakes
- Spitfire master cylinder and Lockheed remote servo; front standard GT6 MkIII calipers and rotors; rear standard Spitfire MkIV drums
- Wheels/Tyres
- Unknown make/model alloy wheels with 175/70/13 tyres
- Electrical
- Modified MkIV Spitfire loom with fused relays added for electric cooling fans and electric fuel pump
- Completed
- On the road in May 2008
Parts used
What the owner names in the write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Shop suggestions are being prepared. The owner's parts list is available below.
Engine 3
- 3.5L Rover V8 engineRover
Sourced secondhand from a TR7 V8 conversion, originally from a Rover P6B; bottom end checked, mains replaced
- SD1 cylinder headsRover SD1
Replaced a head with a sheared manifold bolt, giving slightly larger valves as an upgrade
- Billet timing gear set and chain
Fitted up-rated set during bottom end rebuild
Fuel & Ignition 4
- Offenhauser 360 intake manifoldOffenhauser
Fitted to the Rover V8 to carry the four barrel carburettor
- Edelbrock/Weber Performer 500 four barrel carburettorEdelbrock/Weber
Main carburettor for the V8 conversion
- Mitsuba electric fuel pumpMitsuba
Supplied fuel to the V8 engine
- MR Gasket 14 inch chrome free flow air filterMR Gasket
Fitted over the carburettor
Cooling 3
- Renault 21 radiator (modified)Renault
Bottom outlet angle modified to fit and cool the V8, also used earlier for the six-cylinder engine
- Peugeot 205 electric fans (twin)Peugeot
Mounted in a custom housing for engine cooling
- Remote oil filter housingMOCAL
Fitted because the standard oil filter position did not clear the chassis
Gearbox & Drivetrain 5
- LT77 5-speed gearboxRover
Paired with the Rover V8, fitted with a Sherpa van short remote shift
- Sherpa van gearshift remoteSherpa
Shortened and fitted to position the gear lever correctly
- TR8 clutch master cylinderTriumph TR8
Used with the standard Rover clutch
- Triumph TR8 driveshaftTriumph TR8
Rear flange re-drilled to mate to the Spitfire differential
- GT6 overdrive gearbox mount bracketTriumph GT6
Adapted to mount the LT77 gearbox in the Spitfire chassis
Suspension & Steering 2
- Triumph GT6 MkIII front suspensionTriumph GT6
Fitted during restoration as an upgrade over standard Spitfire front end
- New springs, dampers and bushes
Fitted all round, with adjustable dampers, during the restoration
Brakes 3
- GT6 MkIII front calipers and rotorsTriumph GT6
Standard upgrade fitted with the GT6 front suspension
- Lockheed remote servoLockheed
Added with new brake plumbing during the restoration
- Spitfire master cylinderTriumph Spitfire
Retained as part of the braking system
Wheels & Tyres 1
- Alloy wheels, unknown make
Second hand wheels fitted with 175/70/13 tyres
Body & Trim 2
- Glassfibre GT6 bonnetTriumph GT6
Fitted because the original Spitfire bonnet would not cover the bigger engine
- Rover Eclipse Blue paintRover
Used to finish the body during the 2003 restoration
Electrical 1
- Modified MkIV Spitfire wiring loomTriumph Spitfire
Fitted with fused relays for the electric cooling fans and electric fuel pump
Other 3
- Modified MGB V8 block hugger exhaust manifoldsMGB V8
Nearside exit pipe adapted to sit closer to the block for clearance
- Custom fabricated Y-pipe
Joined the exhaust manifolds into the system
- 1-into-2 exhaust system and twin sports silencersPhoenix Systems / Phoenix exhausts
Stainless steel exhaust components fitted to the V8 car, and earlier a similar setup on the six-cylinder car
Photos
All 40 pictures in the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from britishv8.org. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
How it was done
A tired Spitfire bought in 1984
Graham bought a weathered 1974 Spitfire Mk.IV and got it running again on a tight budget as a 1300cc car. In 1988 he drove it in a charity run from John O'Groats to Land's End, where it outperformed a friend's MG Midget and another Spitfire for both economy and speed.
A proper restoration begins
By late 1989 rust had outpaced patching, so with help from engineer friend Jim Britland, Graham began a full body-off restoration. New floor pans, boot floor, rear wings, sills and door skins went in, along with a glassfibre GT6 bonnet to clear a bigger engine planned for the car.
Fitting a Triumph 2000 six-cylinder engine
Graham sourced an engine and gearbox from a Triumph 2000 saloon, overhauled it, and fitted a new clutch, GT6 engine mounts, inlet manifold and carbs, plus a stainless six-branch extractor and twin silencers. He solved cooling with a modified Renault 21 radiator and twin Peugeot 205 fans, and repositioned the clutch slave cylinder to fit the overdrive gearbox.
Suspension, brakes and finishing the six-cylinder car
During this rebuild the front suspension and brakes were upgraded to GT6 parts with a remote servo and new plumbing, and new springs, dampers and bushes were fitted all round. The car was finished in 2003 in Rover Eclipse Blue with second hand alloy wheels, and ran well as a 2000cc for four years.
Inspiration for a V8
After helping Jim Britland fit a V8 into his MGB GT over the winter of 2006-7 and then driving it, Graham decided the Spitfire needed a V8 too. Researching online led him to BritishV8 and write-ups by Buddy Fares and Carsten Ullerup, which convinced him a Rover V8 conversion was practical and affordable.
Sourcing the Rover V8 from a scrapped TR7
Graham found a Rover V8 and gearbox still running in a TR7 V8 conversion whose body was beyond saving. He bought the car, stripped it over the summer, and sold surplus TR8 parts on eBay. Checking the bottom end, he replaced worn mains and fitted an up-rated billet timing gear set and chain.
A sheared bolt leads to better heads
While stripping the engine an inlet manifold bolt sheared in the head and could not be removed, so Graham bought a pair of SD1 heads on eBay, which turned out to be an upgrade thanks to slightly larger valves.
Fitting the V8 into the Spitfire
In October 2007 Graham removed the straight six and fabricated a lifting beam to trial-fit the V8, keeping it as low as possible for bonnet clearance and positioning the gear stick correctly. He modified the bulkhead and chassis, added a remote oil filter housing from MOCAL, and with Jim reworked the TR8 engine mounts and made a gearbox mount using a GT6 overdrive bracket.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is the owner's: read it at britishv8.org ↗
Worth knowing
- Check a secondhand engine's bottom end even if it runs well, worn or pockmarked mains may need replacing
- Keep the engine as low as possible when swapping in a V8 to preserve bonnet clearance
- Sourcing a whole donor car, even a wreck, can supply engine, gearbox and useful ancillaries plus parts to sell on
- A sheared manifold bolt can be a blessing in disguise, it led to finding upgraded SD1 heads
- Fabricating a lifting beam in the garage makes trial-fitting a heavy engine much easier
- Turning the clutch slave cylinder and arm 180 degrees can solve gearbox clearance problems