Jim Arch's 1964 Spitfire

My first exposure to LBC's was in the late 60's when my older brother had purchased an '68 AH Sprite. I wasn't even old enough to drive yet but the thrill of speeding up on the expressway cloverleaves instead of slowing down had me hooked.

After getting my first part time job I saved up a little cash. I found a '65 Spitfire similar to the one I have now, for the very reasonable price of $100. Just one hitch, it had holes in the top of two pistons! I drove it home (yes it did run) and started to repair it, marveling at how easy it was to work on compared to some of the American auto's. It took several months but with the help of my Father the little Spitfire was ready to roll in the spring of 1970.

Later that year I saw an ad in the paper for a V8 spitfire. I thought it might be a misprint but to my surprise the ad was correct. Someone had salvaged the drive train from a totaled '63 corvette 327 365 hp and installed it in a MKI Spitfire! As you might understand it was something I just had to have. I borrowed some money and put the for sale sign on the car I now dubbed the "little Spit" so I could buy the "big spit". The "big Spit" had been stretched 8" to make room for the 327. I soon found out that the big spit was not a good vehicle to drive to and from work, about 50 miles a day, it would pass up anything but a gas station and was especially bad in the winter.

It was about this time I met the love of my life, my future wife, who used her life savings to pay off the loan balance on the big Spit which went into storage shortly thereafter. One thing led to another and 28 years later she still has not heard the big Spit run.

About 7 years ago a friend showed me an add for a parts car that I could use to get the big Spit back in shape. When I went to look at it, it was too good to part out and too cheap to pass up. Nostalgia took hold and soon I had 2 projects.

I bought the car, a 1964 Spitfire 4, which are getting rarer by the day. From the stickers on the windshield we guessed the car was originally from Louisiana owned by an airline pilot. My son and a friend of his took a liking to the new addition and we started bringing it back to life. The body was in excellent condition with only the usual floor rot and some worn upholstery. We discovered the reason it had been taken out of service for so many years was that the timing chain had stretched and jumped a tooth. So after a new timing chain and all the rubber seals and trunions were replaced, it was ready for the road. Of coarse new brakes and a major tune up were first. Since then my wife, my son and I have been slowly restoring and upgrading it with major help from club members. Some of the work includes the addition of a set of wire wheels, a rebuilt radiator, a new clutch, re-upholstered seats, a dash overlay, and conversion to negative ground so that a CD player could be installed.

Recently my wife and I drove for 18 hours (not in the Spitfire) to purchase an overdrive transmission. At last year's transmission clinic we rebuilt the overdrive and installed it shortly after. Now I can keep up with all the rest of the cars (and even pass a few) on the Chicago expressways. At this years transmission clinic we rebuilt the rear axles and hubs.

After all this work the 38-year-old car is now capable of much longer road trips. We enjoy driving it to cruise nights and car shows of all types. We get many comments about the car mostly from people reminiscing about the Spitfire they had in their younger years. "It looked exactly like this!" One lady exclaimed as a tear rolled down her cheek. I think I know how she felt.

Next project, the big spit. This time for sure.

by Jim Arch