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Triumph Spitfire Tire Pressures

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To find tires for your Triumph Spitfire see our Triumph Spitfire Tires page.

• Tire pressure for a Triumph Spitfire ranges from 18-30 PSI depending on the year and specific model, the type of tires that you decide to fit, and pressure differences for front and rear tires.
• To find the ideal tire pressures for your car's year, model, and chosen tires follow the link to our Tire Pressure Guide.

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• The Triumph Spitfire originally fitted 5.20-13 Dunlop C41 crossply tires, this tire is not currently in production, we recommend the 145 R 13 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67. Later the Triumph Spitfire models moved onto 155 HR 13 Dunlop SP Sport Aquajet, but we would offer the 155 HR 13 Michelin XAS FF as the best available option.
• To find out more information on Triumph Spitfire tires follow the link to our Triumph Spitfire Tire Section.

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The Triumph Spitfire

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The Triumph Spitfire was a compact two-seater sports automobile produced between 1962 and 1980, based on designs by Giovanni Michelotti and intended to compete with the Austin-Healey Sprite. The Spitfire was produced in five different models over its lifetime: the Triumph Spitfire 4/Mark I (1962-1964), Spitfire 4/Mark II (1964-1967), Spitfire Mark III (1967-1970), Spitfire Mark IV (1970-1974), and Spitfire 1500 (1974-1980).

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Triumph Spitfire Tires

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The original Triumph Spitfires (MK1, MK11, and MK111) were equipped with 5.20-13 Dunlop C41 Crossply tires on 3.5" wheels. These original tires are no longer manufactured. At Longstone, we believe the best road tire for the MK1, MK2, and MK3 Spitfire is the 145 R 13 PIRELLI CINTURATO TM CA67.

In 1970, the MK1V (MK4) Spitfire switched to 4.5" wheels because the bigger rim was better suited to new radial tires. The early MK4 Spitfire came either 5.20-13 Crossply tires or the 145R13 Dunlop SP Sport Aquajet tires, both of which are sadly no longer available.

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Triumph Spitfire MKIV Tires

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We recommend the 145 R 13 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67 as the optimum tire for the early MK1V Spitty. The Michelin 13CG innertube is the best choice for this tire. The latter 1972 manufacturing of the MK1V Triumph Spitfire came standard with 155 HR 13 Dunlop SP Sport Aquajet tires. Michelin XAS in size 155HR13 is our recommended tire. It's a fantastic tire for light sports vehicles. With the greater torque of the 1500 Triumph Spitfire, the longer legs of a higher tire, such as the 155 HR 13 Michelin XAS FF, could be worn. These 155R13 tires are best paired with a Michelin 13D innertube.

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Triumph Spitfire Wider Tires

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With these little automobiles and the availability of inexpensive, current, and wide tires, people regularly use bigger rims. We do recommend wider rims, however, if you have bigger wheels, the ideal tire to use is 175/70 VR 13 PIRELLI CINTURATO CN36. It's worth noting that a wider, more contemporary tire carcass will magnify the impacts of this snap oversteer, making it considerably more likely to occur if you push your Spitfire when cornering. These tires are ideally suited to a Michelin 13E innertube.

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Michelin Innertubes

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At Longstone we know innertubes. From business experience selling innertubes, hearing from our customers, and our own experience driving classic and Vintage cars on track, road, and hill, we know what innertubes are the best. With the exception of a few unique tubes and sizes of tire, Michelin innertubes are always our first choice, offering the best performance and longevity, and do so at a competitive price.

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Triumph Spitfire Snap Oversteer

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The Spitfire's well-known handling characteristic was snap oversteer, which occurred when the Spitfire's swing axle rear suspension was completely extended during strong cornering, forcing the back wheels to fold in and lose traction abruptly. The easiest method to remedy this is to install the PIRELLI CINTURATO 145HR13 CA67 and significantly boost the tire pressures beyond the original 520-13 Dunlop C41 crossply prescribed tire pressures.

These images depict the Triumph Spitfire's snap oversteer phenomenon. Increased pressures and right size period tires with rounded shoulders can assist to mitigate this impact, however wider tires and more contemporary squarer shouldered current tires would actually amplify it!  We advise having the 145HR13 Pirelli Cinturato CA67, as its light steering and linear handling attributes will cause the tire to slowly drift before leaping up onto a rolled under-axle and causing an abrupt lack of grip.

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Triumph Spitfire History

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The Spitfire was created by Standard-Triumph to compete with the Austin-Healey Sprite in the small sports car market. The Sprite is powered by a lightweight drivetrain based on the Austin A30/A35. In the Spitfire, many of the same mechanical parts from the Herald saloon/sedan were used. The Herald used body-on-frame construction, as opposed to the monocoque architecture of the Austin A30 - a chassis Triumph was able to downsize, saving the expense of building an altogether new chassis-body combination.

The bodywork was created by Giovanni Michelotti, who had previously designed the Herald, and featured wind-up windows (as a contrast to the Sprite and Midget, which used side curtains) and a bonnet/hood/wings/fenders assembly that opened forward for engine access. Due to the company's financial issues in the early 1960s, the Spitfire's introduction was postponed, and it was subsequently unveiled shortly after Standard-Triumph was bought by Leyland Motors. When Leyland officials discovered Michelotti's prototype hidden behind a dust sheet in a factory area while inspecting their new acquisition, it was quickly certified for production.