Our humble beginnings

We are all members of a huge global family of Spitfire and GT6 owners. My first was a ‘78 back in ‘84. Lots of you have had the pleasure of owning one (or 5!) longer than I have. And along with that experience you’ve noticed what the rest of us have; little things like door interior panels always warp, dashboards always have peeling/delaminating varnish, and high-speed aerodynamics offer no downforce. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Somehow, though, we have all accepted these little curiosities as part of British car charm. As a recently retired engineer, I decided to use my love of designing new products, fabrication skills, and the desire to develop products that would gain the interest of other Spitfire and GT6 owners.

I see these ’accepted’ quirks & issues as challenges to easily be improved & upgraded. I see an image of a better product to start drafting. The image soon becomes a first generation product, followed by the 2nd & 3rd generation as necessary improvements are made (Love Research & Development!).

I don’t release the product for photos or to be added to our lineup until I’m satisfied that it meets quality standards. Each new generation of every developed product teaches us something.

My very first patent was, as they say, the mother of invention: Necessity. My bonnet fell half way down once, nearly injuring a child before I caught it. My bonnet & boot lid were up at a car show and a young boy fiddled with the bonnet prop while I chatted with his dad. It seems like something I would have done at his age, always wondering what makes things tick and what roll certain parts play in the bigger picture.

Then it happened to me, personally, in my own garage when I accidentally bumped the prop rod. I was very lucky to escape injury, but I knew at that moment this was one of those important necessities that needed a safety product to prevent anyone else from injury or bonnet damage. And it does just that.

The number of hoops that one must jump through to gain a US patent becomes rather daunting. They don’t just hand patents out based on a product description, what problem it will solve, and a check written to them. But I prevailed with a patent on my Slide-Lock that installs on the bonnet prop. When you raise your bonnet, you simply slide it down where it envelops the hinge and positively locks it. I never really thought about it, but THE PROP ROD NEVER REALLY LOCKS. An oversight by Triumph engineers?

I posed a question to other forum members on all of the Spitfire and GT6 forums I am a member of. I asked if anybody else had experienced their bonnet suddenly falling without warning, and for them to please include how it happened.

I was very surprised at the large number of replies I got. By far the most common cause was an unintentional bump to their bonnet prop while they were tinkering under the bonnet. Only a few others mentioned that a sudden breeze caused their bonnet to lift just enough to over-centered the hinge of the rod, allowing the bonnet to come crashing down.

And then there were the descriptions of the various injuries people received. And some with graphic photos, including a rather nasty gash to the back of one gentleman’s arm from the inner wheel well acting as a knife while his arm was on the bulkhead. There were concussions and being pinned down until another shop tech lifted the bonnet off him.

The next patent was another bonnet prop locking device but was so radically different and better, it required a separate US patent. Enter the Magna-Lock. It requires no installation on the prop rod. You simply hold it close to either of the sides of the prop hinge and it instantly clicks into place with 3 strong neodymium magnets. I will load the 6-second video showing the Magna-Lock being placed at the hinge’s side and then force being applied to the prop. You, your family members and friends are safe under the bonnet with you as long as a Slide-Lock or Magna-Lock are on the prop.

I invit everyone to take a peek at what is being offered. A number of products are on sale already. I love feedback from you, with negative tones sometimes being better for us, as we can learn if there is a need for improvement.

We are all wanting to see this site go live and hope it happens soon. You might say the natives are restless to keep up with demand, and to continually improve. Thank you all. Each and every one of you are welcome back any time, and to contact me personally at spitfireupgrades@yahoo.com

John McGuire

Founder & Imagineering Lead