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TR parts and Triumph parts, TR bits, Triumph Car Spares and accessories are available for TR2, TR3, TR3A, TR4, TR4A, TR5, TR6, TR7, TR8, Spitfire and Stag and other TR models are available from British car spares and parts company LBCarCo.

Triumph Spitfire - Cruising Speed

I have recently bought a non-overdrive 79, and findit sounds strained at 60-65mph. about 3800-4000rpm.
I assume, though, that this is a safe cruising speed; I am used to a TR4a with overdrive which is much more relaxed.
What do you think?
Simon.
Simon Rasmussen

My '79 has the overdrive. I'm not sure that our 4th gear ratios are the same, but I don't think I'd want to cruise for hours at 3800-4000 rpm. I doubt that it will hurt the engine, but I think the noise level would get annoying.

How is the Temperature when you run at that speed?
T. M. Brex

The temp. guage on my car is always steady at 3/4 up the scale, no matter what kind of driving I do. I have an oil pressure guage and it drops a few psi aftre a few minutes at 4000rpm, but climbs again if I slow to 3800.
In the old days Road and Track used to use 2500 feet per minute as a standard for maximum sustained cruising speed, on an engine with a stroke of 3.44 inches this would be 4360 rpm as the piston completes 2 strokes for each crank revolution, so I suppose this rpm is safe enough.
Anyway, thanks for your response!
Simon.
Simon Rasmussen

This thread was discussed between 25/08/2004 and 27/08/2004

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