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FPT 140S

1978 Triumph Spitfire

Red Petrol 1493cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Jul 2026
Tests17 (11 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate64.7%

Mileage

46,271 mi
Last recorded46,271 miles
Recorded on16 Jul 2025
Typical for 1978 Triumph Spitfire62,304 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Triumph
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationFPT 140S
MakeTriumph
ModelSpitfire
Year1978
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,493cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

11 pass 6 fail
Pass 16 Jul 2025 46,271 miles
Fail 9 Jul 2025 46,268 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Steering wheel has movement relative to the column indicating looseness (2.2.1 (a) (i))

Pass 17 Aug 2016 45,932 miles

Coolant leak ()

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

front engine mount split

fuel hoses and water hoses perished and cracking

Fail 15 Aug 2016 45,932 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

Steering wheel retaining device insecure (2.1.6)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

front engine mount split

Coolant leak ()

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

fuel hoses and water hoses perished and cracking

Pass 6 May 2015 45,819 miles
Fail 6 May 2015 45,819 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the left (1.8)

Offside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Fail 23 Apr 2015 45,813 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Passenger's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Offside front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Offside rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Oil leak

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 6 Feb 2014 45,526 miles
Fail 4 Feb 2014 45,526 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Nearside Front Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 16 Jun 2012 44,378 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2011 44,118 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2010 43,660 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2009 41,815 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2008 88,036 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2007 82,711 miles

Nearside Rear Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Fail 31 May 2006 81,659 miles

rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 31 May 2006 81,659 miles

How Reliable is the Triumph Spitfire?

Based on 69,541 MOT tests across 8,423 vehicles.

72.5%
Pass Rate
302
Miles/Year
63
Year Lifespan
8,423
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 4,320
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 2,718
brake binding 2,431
Stop lamp not working 2,126
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 1,894
Full Triumph Spitfire reliability report

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FPT 140S is a 1978 Triumph Spitfire in Red with a 1,493cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.7%.

Across all 1978 Triumph Spitfire models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.6% with a typical mileage of 62,304 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Triumph Spitfire fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 4,320 recorded failures. If you're considering buying FPT 140S, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Triumph Spitfire typically stays on UK roads for around 63 years. At 48 years old, this Triumph Spitfire is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of FPT 140S?

You can check the full history of FPT 140S by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FPT 140S registered?

FPT 140S is a 1978 Triumph Spitfire, first registered on 18 May 1978.

Is FPT 140S safe to buy?

The MOT history for FPT 140S shows 17 tests with a 64.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FPT 140S have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on FPT 140S. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.