Fiat Spider vs Triumph Spitfire/GT^

[fiatferrari]

I'm trying to decide betweeb a fiat spider and a spitfire or gt6. Right now, the pros for the spitfire are, honestly, I think it looks better than the fiat(sorry!), from videos I have seen, the sound of the spitfire is much more appealing to me, it has that high revving harsh sound to it, very mechanical, while the fiat sounds more airy, much like my current car(z3). Also, the spitfire is very small, which I like(Hence the z3). Also, the flip up hood on the spitfire along with the simple engine make it very easy to work on, which I plan on doing alot of(I'm a mechanical engineering student, and I'm looking for something I can tinker with/modify). Pros for the spider seem to be it's reliability, generally more power than the spitfire, and from what I've heard, the handling. Just to be clear on what I'm looking for, I want something that is great fun on winding roads. I have a bmw z3 right now but I find the sound horrible, the engine impossible to work on, and the looks are nothing to special, which is why I am trying to make the switch. If I had to put it in order of importance 1) Looks 2)Driving Pleasure 3) Workability 4)Sound and then everything else. Anyone is open to comment and put in their plug for the spider, but I would especially like advice from someone who has owned and worked on both. Thank you!

[TX82FIAT]

Had a Spitfire for about six months many years ago. Good car. Honestly, I find the FIAT easier to work on. Both fun cars. I have owned one spitfire and I'm on my third Fiat Spider. I find the Spider much more fun to drive.

[burgandy81]

Interesting!

A GT6 was on my list when I was looking for a car. The GT6 was the fist car that stopped me dead in my tracks when I was a kid. It was parked on the lawn of a house around the corner. I actuallly stopped my bike in the middle of the road and then asked my dad to take me back so he could tell me what it was!

Here is how I got to the Spider;

Many more examples = easier to find cars and parts
Reported better handling
Reported better fundamental chassis design
I could get an injected version with a similar aesthetic to a late sixties design.


My goals sound similar to yours. Long term driving hobby/project car to work on including modify. I will add that I am extremely "Budget Minded" when it comes to toys.

So far I have;

Lancia intake with large injectors
Megasquirt
IAP Red Springs
Konis
Speedline 15" wheels
Larger front sway bar
Rear sway bar
Additional gauges
Interior back-dated to 73 with custom dash

Future will (hopefully) hold forced induction and continued improvements.

All of my goodies (other than Megasquirt) have been used purchases. The fiat twin cam engine made it into so many cars that an incredible amount of aftermarket and used parts are available.

My experience has been as good or better than expected. Machinery aside the Italian car community, and especially Fiat, are a great group and the help I have received along the way is hard to imagine in generosity of time, information and bargain pricing for fellow enthusiasts. Truth be told, that is one of my favorite parts of the car hobby.

Thinking of your list. I have ALWAYS loved the looks of the 124 Spider and in 10 years of ownership would say that I like it even more now. They need a little help to get the looks perfect but it is easy and worth it. Check this out;

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... ryone+post

The driving experience is brilliant and the convertible is brilliant.

Hope that is of some help.

[BEEK]

triumph spitfire = tractor modified to make a sports car

the main reasons it sounds noisy and mechanical is, it is, its not the sound of a mechanical symphony, its more the sounds of a thrashing machine.

i too like the aesthetic style of the spitfire, but it is a much smaller car than a fiat. a gt6 is a coupe, not a convertable. the triumph in v6 form barely makes more power than a stock fiat. also you do have lucas(prince of darkness) electricals to deal with.

brittish sports cars in general are very rudimentary, they are supposed to be driven top down, wind in the hair, from the house to the mechanics shop and back

mechanically, is you are a engineer, just looking at the 3 power plants you should be able to make the obvious choice.

driving pleasure, the fiat wins over the truimph hands down, lever shocks...yuck, what were they thinking. if you just study the engineering aspects of the cars you should be able to come to a decision very easily.

as for looks, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. i cannot sell you on the looks, either you like the looks or you dont. i like the style of the fiat 850 better than the 124 if it was larger. the fiat dino spider better than all, but it is out of reach price wise.

for moving from a modern sports car, to a classic sports car , you will be loosing some amenities, but that is a choice that you will have to make.

[fiatferrari]

Thanks guys. The only time I saw a fiat spider in person I thought it was beautiful, but after looking at online pictures, it seems to look worse. Maybe it is one of those cars that looks much better in person. Also, I think the car would look so much better without the late model gigantic bumper. The early chrome bumper lower down on the front looks good, but the large plastic one in the middle on the later models just looks god awful in my opinion. Now I am leaning more towards the fiat from what I've heard, but I would definately be removing that hideous bumper.

[fiatferrari]

Also, is there any examples you all can give me of a good sounding spider? With modifications or what have you, on youtube or the like? Thanks. Sound is of great importance to me, and I really like the sound of the spitfire. If I could get a decent sound on the spider, I would almost be sold.

[BEEK]

agreed, a 74 and earlier spider is better looking with the "small chrome bumper".

but any year can be modified to accept the small bumpers

[burgandy81]

Soundtrack courtesy of our moderator and some of his excellent products

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CnzO6OqJRA#t=36

[SunnySideUp]

Accessibility to engine bay: advantage goes to Triumph (my opinion)
Everything else: Fiat

If the Triumph lights the fire in your heart and the passion in your soul then go for the Triumph. Otherwise you will always be left wondering "What if...?" Don't be that guy. Once you become disillusioned with the Triumph sell it off to some other person struggling with the same question and get yourself a Spider. We'll keep the light on for ya!

Remember: A Triumph will NEVER be an Italian sports car. Never. Another thing to keep in mind that none of these classics, British or Italian, have the technical maturity that your BMW Z3 possesses. But you already know that. I bring it up because I dealt with a person at Cars & Coffee who was in my face about how their 2010 Miata was such a better car than my '82 Spider. I told the that it damn well better be as their Miata has 28 years of design and automated manufacturing advances over my hand-built Spider. (Jay, please skip the temptation to post that gwad-awful naked butt Miata "thang." )

I suspect that you would be hard pressed to find as good of supplier network and tech forums that the Spider enjoys. That's why your here and not "there," right?

[Redline]

[azruss]

When the 124 came out, it was a very modern car compared to its british counter parts. DOHC motor, 5-speed box, coil springs on all corners, modern shocks, 4 wheel disc brakes, unibody construction, weber carbs, super easy ragtop. When you spend time with both brands you see the refinement of the Fiat. If you are driving a modern sports car, be aware of the big drop in performance with an old car. The fiat is much easier to update to a more modern expectation. Fiat's factory sound is horrible, but doesnt take much to turn that around. The british sound is iconic and you will never duplicate it with a Fiat. But Fiat is Italian and will aways sound Italian. Like Jag and Ferarri, each has its unique sound. I've owned both. The only british car i wish i still had was my TR3. I would be terrified to drive it now as it is about half as safe as a motorcycle. I have just finished a 6 year retro of an 80 FI. There is so much interchangability thru the years that it is easy to do motor and suspension swaps to get what you want. The Fiat brain trust is amazing as you will see hanging out with these retards. parts are readily available and inexpensive. I always loved the looks of british sports cars and never like the Fiats as well, but the Fiats have truly stood the test of time and IMHO are better looking now than when new.

[georgeramos]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOiiHEFx0eE

Here is a video my son and i made a while ago. My car had an aftermarket Supertrapp on it at the time and has since been changed but i thought and still think it sounded great. the car in front of us would not pick up the pace but you gat a general idea of the sound of a 1608. if you want the pure looks i think a 71 is your best bet if you can find one with a flat hood and a strong 1608.

[georgeramos]

Respectfully i must disagree with you on the aesthetic issue. I think the very early version of the Spitfire as seen in the first pic is quite pretty but the later ones which are much more available have the bumper running across the grille! Who's idea was that? The Spider has a few angles from which it is truly stunning while others lack that level none of them are as clunky as the later Spitfires IMHO.

[fiatferrari]

Could not agree more with you actually. If I were to get a spitfire it would have to be the early model, without the large bumper in the middle, but as you say, they are harder to find, and thus more expensive. The advantage of the fiat being the styling remained much the same and the bumper could be removed, modified to make it look better. I'm still not sold on the sound, even with these examples, I can't find anything that resembles this http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/posting.p ... =3&t=25237 (0:32 on) on a spider, and that is really the kind of sound I enjoy. If there are any carbs, exhaust systems, etc. to make it sound like that in the video, I would be much more open to the spider. Sound is all subjective of course, but I just can't get over that one example in the video.

[fiatferrari]

My mistake, this is the exhaust of the spitfire, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOR9T56uQKU