Reviews for Triumph Spitfire and GT6: The Complete Story (Crowood AutoClassics Series)

The average rating for Triumph Spitfire and GT6: The Complete Story (Crowood AutoClassics Series) based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2013-01-28 00:00:00 Richard Rosen This was a well-informed and lucid read. I have a strong affinity with the Triumph brand, and went to University near the site of the former Triumph plant in Canley. Since my re-location to the West Mildands in 2008, I have made a conscious effort to learn more about the rise and fall of the British Motor Industry, particularly the regional brands of Rover; Triumph, Alvis and Humber. This is the second James Taylor book that I have read, and it follows on from the equally well-informed Rover P4. The book follows the same structure as Rover P4 in that it covers design and conception; Press reviews; techinical specifications, and the internal and external economies of Standard Triumph and latterly, British Leyland. The book covers the Spitfire and GT6 models, and covers the Spitfire 4 through to the Spitfire 1500, and the GT6 through to the GT6 Mark 3, including the stunning GT6+, which, as pictured in North American Federal Spec, with whitewall tyres; bodyside louvres and bonnet bulge looks sensational! The book's narrative supports the view that the untimely demise of both the British sports car, and critically, the Triumph brand relates to two principal factors. Firstly, the Nader / Corvair factor and the increased safety / environmental requirements of the North American market stemming from this. Secondly, the Spitfire and GT6 faced increased competition from foreign brands whom were producing modern, technologically advanced cars as part of the transition from front-engined, rear-wheel drive cars to mid-engined layouts. There were certain technical short comings that affected both models, but some of these were overcome by either market or manufacturer repairs that filtered through with successive evolutions of the cars in question. However, of the two factors, it was the abandonment of the US market in the face of increased Federal requirements which placed the writing on wall for Triumph and the quintessential British sports car. In general, I found this book a little easier to read than Rover P4, and was impressed by the lines of enquiry that the Author pursued in his quest to identify why the British Sports car died; and why Triumph as a car manufacturer has since disappeared. The resitance to single-out personalities, or blame supposed "character traits" of British leyland boards of management removes human agency from the demise, and makes it appear almost "natural" or inevitable. The Triumph brand is currently alive and well, and operating as a producer of Motorcycles, approximately 10 miles away from where I am now. We can but hope that one day, car production returns, and that a new Spitifre or GT6 may arise from the ashes.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-11-07 00:00:00 Spencer delgado This book has some basic information that may be useful to the complete novice, but there are websites that serve this purpose much better. Worse, some of the information is incorrect or misleading. For example, the author says everyone should put on winter tires and wiper blades during the winter season, but that clearly does not apply in many cases depending on the climate. Using winter tires in Nashville would be a waste of money. Another example during the oil change section is that the author suggest changing the oil filter and afterwards placing a pan under the car and draining the oil from the oil pan. In most cars, oil will drain from the filter area, so the pan needs to be under the car before either the filter or the oil plug is removed.