All this talk of swapping. Kastner was getting 160 reliable hp from the Triumph motor on a stock crank and connecting rods and running it through the stock transmission and diff. That is a lot of fun in such a light car. I am building a Triumph 2 liter that I expect 200hp from. Not that it will be cheap....
Here are some Spitfire results I posted a while ago that show that Triumphs are not as slow as some people imagine they are. If you look at production class results Spitfires are generally right up there most of the time which is a pretty good showing for a poorly built underpowered econobox that cannot be made to handle.
the below is from the 2012 runoffs.
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. - Provisional Results from Friday’s F Production National Championship Race, part of the 48th SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Road America with finish position, starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, car and laps complete.
1, (1), Steve Sargis, Frankfort, IL, Triumph Spitfire 1500, 13. 2, (2), Eric Prill, Topeka, KS, Mazda Miata, 13. 3, (5), Charlie Campbell, Corry, PA, Mazda Miata, 13. 4, (10), Sam Henry, Republic, MO, Mazda Miata, 13. 5, (7), Bill Wessel, Madison, WI, Nissan SPL311, 13. 6, (8), Robert Bramlage, Junction City, KS, Mazda Miata, 13. 7, (12), Scott Lunder, Mentor On The Lake, OH, Honda Civic, 13. 8, (14), Joe Walker, Richland, MI, Lotus Super 7, 13. 9, (15), Sean Powers, Peoria, AZ, Mazda Miata, 13. 10, (13), Robert Keller, Algonquin, IL, Volvo P1800, 13. 11, (16), Mark Weber, Saint Louis, MO, Mazda Miata, 13. 12, (17), Chris Patrick, Derry, PA, Triumph Spitfire 1500, 13. 13, (19), Mike Gnadt, Kiel, WI, MG Midget, 13. 14, (18), James R Smith MD, Alvin, TX, Honda Civic Del Sol, 12. 15, (22), Brent Louzon, Colorado Springs, CO, BMW 2002, 12. 16, (21), Paul Jensen, Colorado Springs, CO, Mazda Miata, 12. 17, (9), Mason Workman, Reynoldsburg, OH, Mazda Miata, 12. 18, (4), Kevin Ruck, Delaware, OH, Acura Integra, 11. 19, (3), Ken Kannard, East Troy, WI, Mazda Miata, 7. 20, (11), Dieter Griesinger, Maple Park, IL, Triumph Spitfire 1500, 6. DNF, (6), Donald Kraftson, New York, NY, Elva Courier, 4. DNF, (20), Gerald Lamb, Oswego, IL, MG B, 2. DNS, (23), Lee Feineigle, Van Buren, OH, MG Midget, 0.
