I haven't spent enough time in Spridgets to really comment on their comfort
factor.
Race wise though, the Spridget sure is a lot more popular then the Spitfire.
Those things are everywhere, kicking butt and taking names. A very crude
automobile (as if the Spitfire is high tech!), yet remarkably effective.
Spitfires are sexy, frogeye Sprites are darn cute.
Stock, Spitfires should out handle the Spridgets (I say should, not necessarily
will). Both are about equal when it comes to power. Modified, a Spitfire
should run away from a Spridget (again, I say should, not necessarily will).
But the Spridget is better supplied with performance equipment then the
Spitfire is, so it again has an advantage in being tricked out.
Both cars were dirt cheap barrels of fun when they were new, and still should
be. Though I've noticed that the Spitfires are treated more preciously by
their owners these days then Spridgets are. You see frog eyed Sprites with
goofy faces painted on them all the time, but you don't see that sort of thing
with Spitfires these days. Tatty Spridgets are driven with pride, tatty
Spitfires are hidden away or called "in progress" by their owners. The
Spitfire owners often seem to regard their cars as more worthy of the care and
respect a Jaguar normally gets. Spridget owners just don't seem to give a damn.
A Spitfire isn't inherently uncomfortable or harsh. Fix your seat. My seats
were dead. The hog rings would constantly pinch and bite you, and you'd be in
a cloud of foam dust going down the road. I got a set of only half dead seats
from a friend, and the car is much more comfortable. I don't sneeze as much,
and I don't need to wear goggles. Ahh! No more bite marks on the butt either.
The suspension isn't jarring by design. It gets that way from wear and
neglect. Trunions wear down, wheel bearings get loose, shocks fade away, etc,
and the car starts to slam over potholes. Then things get replaced with
excessively scaled up parts, like heavy duty shocks, too much air pressure in
the tires and such. Better for autocrossing maybe, but quite unpleasant on the
street, especially with worn suspension bits. With the suspension in good
order, the ride is quite acceptable.
>>> "R.D. Waid" <msp01091@isd.net> 06/15 7:13 PM >>>
I attended a car show on Saturday, driving the Spitfire 200 miles round trip.
After enjoying the hot cockpit, hard ride, uncomfortable (broken down with age)
seats in my car, I was wondering if any of you listers who have owned or
experienced both Midgets and Spitfires would care to comment on the relative
comfort/performance/dependability of the two cars. I don't want to start a war
here, I only want to satisfy some curiousity (I've never ridden in a Midget).
Bob Waid
71 Spitfire FK4081L
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