I had a 356 coming out of the Academy, loved that car with a passion,
nothing better, laughed at my classmate with the TR-3 that always needed
fixing, couldn't understand the whole British thing. Then I got sent to my
first ship in Seattle, was bored one day, saw an Austin Healey for sale in
the paper and thought I'd just go drive it. Got there, found this little
bitty car, almost turned away, but drove it anyway. Got hooked big time,
ended up buying it, couldn't figure out why the little Sprite was more fun
than my beloved Porsche. The years have gone by, and both of those cars bit
the dust with my first wife (if I'd have just shot the..., well, never
mind), and different British and German sports cars have come and gone, and
I keep a Midget for a fun car, and a front engine Porsche for commuting and
long distance driving. There is something magical about the Sprite/Midget,
the result is far greater than the sum of its parts.
Coastie Bob
'74 MG Midget
'90 944S2
-----Original Message-----
From Wm. Severin Thompson [mailto:wsthompson at thicko.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2002 9:36 AM
To: Kansa, Robert; 'Mueller, Robert CDR'; 'Rick & Carolyn'
Cc: SDOliner@aol.com; spridgets@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Handling, TR vs. Spridgets
I'm seconding this opinion strongly. I've owned my big Healey since 1974
(was I a cool high school senior or what?). When I got my first Sprite (the
Bishop) it was an amazing difference. I'v had many years of karting
experience, and a Sprite, especially a tweaked Sprite, just always (well...
almost always ;)... ) seems to go where I point it (eventually).
I had the pleasure of driving Tom Kovacs/Fourintune's 100S prototype NOJ
391 at Road America once... but it was right after race sessions in the Red
Rat Bastard. I felt disconnected from the track.
I've had a number of MGBs... and alway wanted to like them, but always found
them "buzzy"..(yet I never feel that way in a Sprite).
I've also had a few Triumphs... ('64 Spitfire was the first sportcar I
owned, right before I bought the big Healey... what a total shitbox), and a
restored TR6. The TR6 drove like a lumber wagon... made the big Healey feel
svelte.
The Lotus? Well, I've put a number of Europa's "on the trailer" at
autocrosses with a 948 Sprite.
The more expensive and exotic the car... the more its like being married to
a fabulous looking woman that cheats on you. Someday, it's gonna break your
heart (and your wallet...)
WST
----- Original Message -----
From "Kansa, Robert" <KansaR at diebold.com>
To: "'Mueller, Robert CDR'" <RMueller@grumobile.uscg.mil>; "'Rick &
Carolyn'" <walters@mail.softcom.net>
Cc: <SDOliner@aol.com>; <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2002 8:23 AM
Subject: RE: Handling, TR vs. Spridgets
> I tend to agree with this, in another way.
> I had a big healey for many years (still do) I thought it was a great car,
until I drove my sprite, now the big healey feels like my breadtruck
compared to the sprite.
> The big healey is a great cruising car. and I do admit it has a bit of
oomph. but if I would've driven my sprite first, I would've never even
considered a big healey ever. Now the ginetta G4 is a different animal. the
G4 marginally out handles the sprite but is more stable, bigger brakes. has
70 more HP and weighs 300 lbs less..
> but yeah, I love the sprite and to me it will be more of a car than the
big healey ever will be. And I believe with the properly tuned 1275 made to
equal a properly tuned big six, it will run circles around the big healey.
and that's having both to compare. Sure if I put mega bucks into the big
healey, I could probably get it to come close to the sprite. I had an MGB
and a TR$ also. same story. they were all ok, but nothing compares to the
sprite for bang for the buck. except maybe a lotus or ginetta
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