Registry: 1962 Triumph Spitfire 4 (MkI)

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"Dobbin"

One of the very early production cars - estimate late 1st week of full production with a build date of 08 November 1962. She has done just over 30,000 miles from new and has been off the road since 1975/76.

The 1st owner, a Mr John Dobbin, won the Military Cross at Salerno in 1943 coming ashore in the 1st wave and was gazetted for bravery for hsactions at Sword Beach, Normandy on D-Day, 06 June 1944. He was a Squadron Leader with the invasion beach landing unit and came ashore at D+240. He bought the car as a company car for his son John Dobbin who fell in love with the car after he actually went to the launch of the new Triumph Spitfire at the Earls Court Motor show on the 27th October 1962 and ordered the car on the 30th October 62. She is one of the oldest surviving examples (no 13 on the Internation Triumph database.

She is being fully restored to original specification and will be painted in her original colour/trim of Signal Red with a Black interior.

Owner:

Jonathan Cronin [Sebring Spitfire GT]

Location:

Cardiff/Wales, United Kingdom

Status:

Undergoing Restoration

VIN:

FC316

Model Year:

1962

Build Date:

1962-11-08

Original Colour:

Signal Red

Current Colour:

Black

Odometer:

30153 miles

Body Code:

FC305

Engine Type:

1147cc

Engine Code:

FC1211 FRE

Transmission:

4 speed

Last Updated:

2010-01-21 02:28:35

Member Comments

Comments on Registry: 1962 Triumph Spitfire 4 (MkI) –

Comment by Bob Coker at 2010-04-07 18:10:01

What a wonderful provenance! This car, with it's early build date and history, is a treasure!

Comment by Jonathan Cronin at 2010-04-07 22:03:46

Hi Bob. Thanks for the lovely comment - She was taken off the road early in her life I'm fortunate that I have all the very early parts that were subsequently changed during production. There are lots of little differences to even the mid 1963 Spitfire4's - the fuel tank is different with the cut out actually welded rather than the later moulded panel; b-post cappings are different; rear wing trim is different; engine bulkhead is different with the bonnet roller panel being straight and pop rivited rather than part of the upper a post moulding; The heater and heater airbox is different with a drain pipe and rubber plenum chamber rather than the more usual rubber flap; the propshaft is different (this being changed after only 1800 or so cars were built); the dash top pad is different with no lip over the guages, as is the dash support (changed after only 3000 or so cars were built) - the changes are all correct and listed in the Spitfire4 parts manual/the guide to originality. I'll post some pics :-)

Comment by Jonathan Cronin at 2010-04-07 22:04:45

You can read the full history bit in my blog by the way :-)

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Vehicle History

This vehicle's information was last updated on 2010-01-21 02:28:35

Ownership History

Transfer Date	Owner ID
2009-08-01	Jonathan Cronin

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Registry: 1962 Triumph Spitfire 4 (MkI)

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