The Triumph Spitfire Trike
by CARCENTRIC

 
=  INSPIRATION  =
The classic and unforgettable
1933-52 Morgan F2 "barrel back" and F4.
Sporty Ford-powered roadsters with a two-speed rear end,
a passenger side door (or none at all), and three very skinny wire wheels


Inline engine,  driveshaft,  dual chains . . . radical  old school  engineering

 =  THE  SPITFIRE  TRIKE  =
Retain the stock bonnet (hood), frame, steering
and front suspension,  engine,   transmission,  driveshaft,
and differential from an early '70s  Triumph Spitfire.  Replace its
rear suspension and swing axles with a SINGLE wheel that's chain-driven.
Taper the body from 30" wide at the windshield to 20" wide at the rear.  Put one
bucket seat behind the other down the center ("tandem" seating).  Weld the doors shut
and cut them down to stepover height a la Morgan.  Add rubber bumpers from a '80 Spitfire.

Triumph Spitfire "all tarted up" 

 =  SPECIFICATIONS  =
Capacity:  Two courageous adults
Engine:  Water-cooled four-cylinder, 1492cc
Transmission:  Four speeds forward plus one reverse
Differential:  Chassis-mounted swing-axle type, 3.89:1 gearing
Front tires/wheels:  165R13 radials on 4.5" x 13" 60-spoke wire wheels.
Rear tire/wheel:  255/60R15 radial on 7" x 15" aftermarket spoked steel wheel.

 =  CHASSIS  DETAILS  =
The Spitfire's differential will be "locked"
(its  internals  will be  welded together  so  that
both output flanges will always turn in unison).  The left
stub axle's flange will have a chain sprocket bolted on.  A left rear
trailing arm and disc brake from a Porsche 914 will be used unmodified, but
a custom hub will need to be fabricated to mount the third wheel and driven sprocket.

The Spitfire's backbone chassis seems like it was designed for a trike!

 =  YOUR  INPUT  IS  APPRECIATED  =

A Primer on Trike Handling Characteristics "The single front wheel layout naturally oversteers and the single rear wheel layout naturally understeers. Because some degree of understeer is preferred in consumer vehicles, the single rear wheel layout has the advantage in this department. Another consideration is the effect of braking and accelerating turns. A braking turn tends to destabilize a single front wheel vehicle, whereas an accelerating turn tends to destabilize a single rear wheel vehicle. Because braking forces can reach greater magnitudes than acceleration forces . . . , the single rear wheel design has the advantage on this count as well. Consequently, the single rear wheel layout is usually considered the superior platform . . . ." - Robert Q. Riley                                        Excerpted from Three Wheel Cars -                   Primary Factors That Determine                           Handling & Rollover Characteristics