Pat Ryan's 1967 Triumph Spitfire Racecar
Owner: Pat RyanCity: Asheville NC and Montgomery AL
Model: 1967 Triumph Spitfire
Engine: 1296cc
Race prepared by: Sam White and Rick Parent
Background
Don Devendorf originally built this Spitfire, and he drove it to G-Production victory in the
1968 SCCA Runoffs (held at Riverside). Devendorf was the odds-on favorite to win SCCA's 1969
G-Production Championship too, but although he qualified fastest (this time the Runoffs were held
at Daytona), he had mechanical problems and had to withdraw before the start of the final race.
In 1970, Devendorf won SCCA's E-Production Championship (held at Road Atlanta) in a Triumph GT6.
At the 2009 U.S. Vintage Grand Prix, held at Watkins Glen, Pat Ryan drove this Spitfire to victory
in the Group One feature race. His fastest lap was 2:20.683, at an average speed of 86.99mph.
His overall average speed for the six lap race was 84.55mph. His margin of victory was
0:19.448. The second place finisher was John McCue in an
MG Midget.
Mini Marcos driver Bob Polak
was awarded the Optima Battery Award for sportsmanship.
We asked Pat if he would fill us in on the Spitfire's various modifications. He just cited the
custom exhaust header and the Krantz transmission, and then wrote "Everything else is period stock."
We'll accept that as dry humor. The following specification list is based on our own observations.
Features and Specifications
| Engine: | nominally 1296cc Triumph four cylinder engine.
(Stock dimensions would be 2.90" bore by 2.99" stoke, but class rules allow a 0.047" overbore.
Internal engine parts are otherwise unregulated, including specifically roller rockers.)
Dual 1.25" SU carburetors on custom fabricated tubular steel intake manifolds.
MSD Pro Power HVC (high voltage / current) ignition coil.
Breakerless ignition module.
Taylor Spiro Pro 8mm silicone insulated spark plug wires.
Fram HP1 oil filter, remotely mounted. |
| Cooling: | custom aluminum crossflow radiator with integral oil-to-water heat exchanger.
Moroso coolant header tank. |
| Exhaust: | custom step-up headers. |
| Transmission: | Ron Krantz modified Triumph four speed transmission. |
| Rear End: | 3.27:1 rear axle ratio. Summers Brothers Racing axles. |
| Front Susp.: | Carrera coil-over shock absorbers.
Oversized tubular anti-sway bar, mounted on aluminum pillow blocks.
Steering rack reinstalled on aluminum pillow blocks. |
| Rear Susp.: | Carrera "Hypershock" gas charged 2" diameter steel tube telescoping shock absorbers.
Z-bar to reduce swing-axle jacking effect, mounted on aluminum pillow blocks.
Adjustable trailing links. |
| Brakes: | (master) dual Girling master cylinders with adjustable bias bar. (front) stock Triumph Spitfire calipers and 9" rotors. (rear) stock Triumph Spitfire 7" drums. |
| Wheels/Tires: | Panasport Racing 13x6 aluminum wheels with Hoosier Street T.D. (185/60D13) tires. |
| Electrical: | Nippondenso alternator with CV Products oversize pulley.
Gear reduction starter. |
| Instruments: | (left to right)
AutoMeter ProComp tachometer (0-9000rpm, plus shift light),
Daytona Sensors WEGO-II digital air/fuel ratio display,
Stewart Warner oil pressure (5-100psi),
Stewart Warner water temp (100-265F),
Stewart Warner oil temp (140-325F),
Stewart Warner fuel pressure (0-15psi). |
| Fuel System: | Holley fuel pressure regulator. |
| Safety Eqpmt: | Kirkey aluminum racing seat.
Simpson 5-point cam-lok safety harness.
Quick release steering wheel hub, on a Personal steering wheel.
SPA Design AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) centralized fire suppression system. |
| Weight: | 1452# mininum, per SVRA class rules. |
| Racing Class: | originally SCCA G-Production. Currently SVRA 1FP. |
Engine Installation
Nominally 1296cc Triumph four cylinder engine.
Everything in this picture is "period stock".
Dual Girling brake master cylinders with adjustable bias bar. Girling clutch master cylinder.
Custom aluminum radiator with integral oil-to-water heat exchanger.
Fram HP1 oil filter, remotely mounted.
Lucas distributor, updated with breakerless ignition module. (Notice that two leads enter at lower right.)
MSD Pro Power HVC (high voltage / current) ignition coil, model 8251.
Nippondenso alternator with CV Products oversize pulley.
Water pump pulley.
Steering rack reinstalled on aluminum pillow blocks (instead of on rubber mounts, as original.)
Aluminum ductwork keeps airflow from bypassing the radiator core.
SVRA class rules limit carburetor options. For a 1.3L Spitfire, dual 1.25" S.U. carburetors are specified.
Custom fabricated tubular steel intake manifolds.
Holley fuel pressure regulator.
Moroso aluminum coolant header tank.
Jaz Products one quart overflow catch tank with crankcase breather.
Hand-made custom headers, which increase in diameter (i.e. "step up") for improved performance.
Another view of the custom exhaust headers.
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Front Suspension
Carrera coil-over shock absorber.
Class rules require stock Triumph Spitfire brake calipers and 9" rotors.
Oversized tubular anti-sway bar, mounted on aluminum pillow blocks.
Coil-over shocks make it easy to set ride height. Once the car is lowered, it's necessary to check
and usually to correct bump steer (i.e. the tendency for the front wheels to toe-in or out on bumps.)
Rear Suspension
Carrera Hypershock shocks are gas charged. They're mounted "upside down" to reduce unsprung weight.
Incidentally, that's NOT an anti-sway bar mounted underneath the rear suspension. Notice that in plan
view it's Z-shaped instead of C-shaped. Swing axle rear suspensions as used on Spitfires, Corvairs,
many older Volkswagens can have a nasty habit of "jacking" and they tend to exhibit oversteer.
Unlike either suspension springs or anti-roll bars, Z-bars have no effect on roll stiffness! However, they
do increase the vertical stiffness of the rear suspension and reduce the swing-axle jacking effect.
Adjustable trailing links.
3.27: 1 gear ratio?
A bung in the tailpipe... and a view of the fuel cell box.
Interior
Engine turned aluminum dashboard.
A Daytona Sensors WEGO-II digital air/fuel ratio display is mounted just above the tachometer.
Molded low-profile plastic windscreen in lieu of the original windshield.
Kirkey aluminum racing seat.
It's an interesting rollcage. Note also how a "hood pin" is used to secure the door.
Simpson 5-point cam-lok safety harness.
Personal suede covered ergonomic steering wheel, mounted on a quick release hub.
Stewart Warner oil pressure (5-100psi), water temp (100-265F), oil temp (140-325F),
and fuel pressure (0-15psi) gauges.
Longacre remote ignition and starter switch box.
Pedal box. (This style of universal joint is more commonly used for shifter linkages.)
SPA Design AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) centralized fire suppression system.
This brick of lead ballast probably weighs fifty pounds. It was evidently required to bring Pat's Spitfire
up to the minimum weight requirement for Spitfire's in their racing class, which is 1432 pounds plus
an additional twenty pounds for any racer who chooses to omit their passenger seat.
Exterior
Notice the characteristic camber of the Spitfire's rear wheels.
Pat Ryan awaits the start of the Group One race of the U.S. Vintage Grand Prix of Watkins Glen.
The yellow decal says "Unfair Advantage Racing". (Pat also races an ex-Donohue Chevy Camaro.)
This emergency kill switch disconnects the battery and also grounds the alternator.
Panasport Racing 13x6 aluminum wheels.
Hoosier Street T.D. 185/60D13 tires. (Note the Summers Brothers Racing decal on the hub.)
All photos shown here are from September 2009 when we viewed the car at The US Vintage Grand
Prix at Watkins Glen. All photos by Curtis Jacobson and Don Moyer for BritishRaceCar.com, copyright 2010.
All rights reserved.
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