Introduction

In 1969 , I purchased a 1964 Triumph Spitfire for myself as a college graduation present. The selection of the Spitfire was planned - I was going to make a V-8 powered Spitfire and would use the stock one for parts. I created a new frame, added a modified 1964 Corvette Stingray rear suspension, and upgraded the front suspension to hold the weight of the V-8 engine. The body of the 1964 Spitfire was placed on the rolling frame and the rest of the 1964 Spitfire was parted out. By 1970 the V-8 powered Spitfire was on the road. My son named it - The Beast . Since the Spitfire is of British origin, I dubbed it Ye Beast . Between 1970 and now, there have been three Chevy small block V-8 engine upgrades:

• a Corvette high performance 327cid, 350hp
• a Chevy 350cid, 360hp
• a Chevy 383cid, 470hp & 500 ft-lbs torque

The initial transmission, a Muncie 4-spd, was upgraded to the Tremec 3550 5-spd with a .68 fifth gear ratio - very smooth cruising at 100mph - 2760 rpm.

Ye Beast is a project of continual upgrades to new and current technologies, including:

Rear suspension upgrades to:

• inspect all components for wear and fatigue after 48+ years of service
• increase the rear track by 3 inches for improved handling
• add two more leaves to the transverse spring to increase the spring rate
• convert the rear Vette drum brakes to disc brakes
• increase the rear wheel size to 17 inch diameter and 10 inch wide rims to allow the selection of rear tires that match the front tire specifications

Front suspension upgrades to:

• inspect all components for wear and fatigue after 48+ years of service
• replace all bolts and connectors for safety
• convert the front Chevy Nova drum brakes to disc brakes

• employ LED headlight technology
• replace all running lights with LED technology