Spitfires worth more than TR7 DHC's ??

[busheytrader]

Well, according to Practical Classics, Spitfires now sell for marginally more money than Drophead 7's in the UK. I've looked at Ebay and some retail adverts on the web and this looks about right. In recent years values of Spitfires have increased, 7's appear static and MG Midgets have reportedly fallen.

When I bought my 7 as an everyday car back in 1986, Spits and Midgets didn't work for me as they were too slow, too small,lacked presence and refinement.

Maybe our cars are competing with used MX5's, which are everywhere and fantastic as we had a MX5 Sport - loved it, and MGB Roadsters?

Maybe Spits represent a previous era in buyers' minds plus fit in a smaller garage and are more attractive now? If so why have Midgets fallen in value?

What do you think?

Adam



TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes, Anti- Dive, Capri Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 5 Spokes and Cruise Lights. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991

[davesopener]

spitfires certainly a very different ride
always made me feel like being in a go-kart
much more pleasing to the eye than its midget sister/rival
[:D]

[RJS]

I'm sure we all think (or at least hope) that wedges will go up in value over time.

Things that hurt our values:
* There were a lot made. If there is more supply than demand the price goes down.
* Perception of bad quality.

Things that will help over time.
* A unique car for it's time.
* There are getting to be less and less around, and in not to many years the supply will not be that many.

I would hope our values follow the ford edsel. When it first came out people did not like it's unique styling and it had a poor reputation for quality. For many years they were worth nothing. Today they are very popular and worth a lot.

Cars that were unique in their day are normally more popular over time than cars that were "normal".

Rob

[Beans]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by RJS</i>

I'm sure we all think (or at least hope) that wedges will go up in value over time...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I certainly hope not [}:)]
If prices go up, usually the prices for parts follow [B)]
Also if they become more valuable they are more interesting for the thieving guild [V]

The cheaper the better [:D]

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
1980 TR7 DHC (my first car currently being restored)
In parts a 1980 TR7 PI DHC, 1981 TR7 DHC, 1981 TR7 FHC</font id="blue">
<font color="red">http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/</i></font id="red"></center>

[FI Spyder]

There was a guy at our Brits on the Beach that was selling his just restored Spitfire (why do they do that) for $9,500...it was suggested to him by a long time Spitfire restorer that was an appropriate price. (might be time to restore mine [:)])




TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

I had an early MK II Sprite same as a Midget MK I. I saw one on the back of a tow truck the other day. I couldn't believe that our family drove all over Texas in one just like it. Too small, no power, uncomfortable and twitchy.
ever
My current 7 is the best sports car I have owned. I like it better than my BIL's Ferrari 308. It would take a lot to make me sell it. I hope that my TR7V8 will be just as good.

jclay

[url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/iWeb/Technical/Intro.html"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileSharing.woa/53/wo/HJMTK8gsojtwKleP.1/0.2.1.2.26.31.97.0.35.0.1.1.1?user=jclaythompson&fpath=Triumph_Articles&templatefn=FileSharing4.html"]Download Page[/url]

[Cobber]

<font size="2"><font face="Comic Sans MS">An increase in value is only of any use if and when you sell. [:(]
Other than that it's just inflationary, as Beans so rightly pointed out, The price of spares will rise as will the rate of theft, cost of insurance and repairs. [B)]
The thing is, while your sitting there with your car squirreled away waiting for the market to rise so you can cash in all of the aforementioned casts will've eaten away all your capital gains anyway, rendering the whole exercise pointless. [V]
And that's not fair to us enthusiasts as we will also have to wear the increased costs. [:(!]

Another advantage of the relatively low value of our cars is it keeps away the type of pretentious tosspot you find lurking around some of the more prestigious marques. [:o)]

So if the only interest you have in cars is their investment potential:
Bugger off back to the stock market with all the other investment wankers and leave us enthusiasts to it! [}:)

You see, what we have is a rare thing in the old car enthusiasts world, that thing is a best kept secret! [;)]
We should only share this secret with the deserving few true enthusiasts and stay below the radar, any large or sudden increase in value would attract the unwanted attentions of the greedy and the pretentious. [}:)]
Those scumbags have killed the joy of owning many a desirable car and put those cars out of the financial reach of many a true enthusiast! [B)]</font id="Comic Sans MS"></font id="size2">

80'Triumph TR7, , 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
85'Alfa 90, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100

[silverseven]

Jclay.............I'm sure the v8 will blow your mind away[8] I sure know mine would be complete with "more poweRRRrrrr" (one day,[;)]one day he says with an eVil grin [}:)][}:)][}:)])



Actually I've always had a soft spot for the Spit's, especially the hardtop GT6's.....actually there's even a very strong probability that as young child,the first brit car I fell in love with was my neighbors beige mk3.
I've never been much of a MG guy (probably just because there just too popular, kinda like the way I feel about camaro's vs mustangs).......but I'd definitely hit a Sprite or bugeye any day of the week [:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

NB, I'll probably never sell my wedge either (you know with being originally my dad's car and all....) so I don't really give a squat about the value of the car either... honestly it's probably one of the better reasons to justify keeping it around....
it's also helps that parts and insurance cost the equivalent of peanuts in the classic car market!!
(......and who knows, but with clean drivable coupes running in the "chump change" region, maybe one day I may even be able to convince the one who <i>"should"</i> be obeyed that I really do need another FHC)

Ron.

[PeterTR7V8]

I've owned a Spitfire 1500 & I liked it very much but in terms of entertainment value there is no way it is worth more than a V8 wedge. A 2L TR7, I'd say they would be about equal with a FHC but not a convertible. I also had a GT6 for many years & it is a very under-rated car but there comes a time when you get too old for little cars with roofs & then you get a TR7.

I sat in a Midget once & I thought it was the most uncomfortable car I'd ever been in.


Never say die. At least not while you're still breathing.

[Howard722]

I agree, the GT6 is OK but cramped. Never felt I was safe in it (Mk3), compared with an MGB or TR7-it just seemed a tad too lightweight for the big lump.


Enjoy& regards

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

Good on you, Cobber and Silver Seven!

Even the new cars are cramped. The Miada, S2000, Sky/Soltis are all way to small to be comfortable.

When one of the pretentious tosspot comes around my car at shows, I always try to get his WIFE to sit in my 7. They are usually impressed with how roomy it is and then I tell her that it has air conditioning.

That way, she can tell him how nice the 7 was on the hot, cramped ride back home.

jclay

[url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/iWeb/Technical/Intro.html"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileSharing.woa/53/wo/HJMTK8gsojtwKleP.1/0.2.1.2.26.31.97.0.35.0.1.1.1?user=jclaythompson&fpath=Triumph_Articles&templatefn=FileSharing4.html"]Download Page[/url]

[PeterTR7V8]

Jclay, I love it when a Texan says "tosspot" and uses it in the correct context. Good on YOU, sport!

I was surprised when I got into a MX5/Miata & a S2000 at how retricted they felt. And when I drove a MGF I was flummoxed by the miniature pedals. It made my old GT6 feel roomy by comparison but at the end of the day, nothing compares to the luxury of the TR7.

BTW, my GT6 was a 2.5 which is a much more torquey motor than the 2L but it really did feel like you were strapping on an engine rather than sitting in a car. Also, I really loved the way it looked & it still rates in my top 5 cars to drive but I would not buy another one at my age. But I sure had a lot of fun in the little beast.

By crikey this picture takes me back though. Getting a bit emotional so I'll just be quiet for a bit.




Never say die. At least not while you're still breathing.

[Underdog]

I wonder which Spitfire range they are speaking of? The late 1500s with the big bumpers don't do all that well over here. I can see an earlier Spit bringing more than a 7. I think as time goes on the supply of the older models gets thinner and people turn to the next in line. I was just remarking that TR4s didn't get much attention back in the early 90s then all of a sudden people started restoring them.

Perhaps in time the Wedge will gain in popularity. I think they already have in the past 5 years or so. I seriously doubt I will live long enough to see them command huge prices though. Maybe someday but it won't matter to me by then. [;)]

Jim Underwood
72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

[earlarentz]

I have a soft spot in my heart for Spitfires and GT6's. My Father picked up a MkIII Spit at the factory in Coventry, and shipped it home to PA. We had him order it with the optional Laycock O/D in Valencia Blue. I think the O/D really improved the car. You really did sit low. I can remember being chased by a big Guard Dog and looking <b>up</b> at him. Unfortunately, the Spitfire got traded on a '71 Monte Carlo while I was away at school. That trama may have led me to become a compulsive Triumph hoarder in recent years. [:D]

In the '80s I had a nice GT6 MkIII that I bought from the original owner. Nice ride, but cramped inside. I am only 5'10" and people told me that I looked too big for the car.

I think a 5 Spd TR7 is certainly a superior car to the Spitfire, although, I would prefer an O/D Spitfire to a 4 Spd TR7. The Spitfire and other body on frame, chrome bumper Triumphs will probably always be considered to be more collectable than the TR7. They are older technology, easier to work on, and more forgiving.

The TR7 with the roomy interior, OHC engine and A/C is much more practical as a driver.

1980 TR7 DHC
1981 TR7 DHC
1976 TR7 FHC

[busheytrader]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Underdog</i>

I wonder which Spitfire range they are speaking of?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The MkIII Spitfire up to the last 1500's