Joe:
I had a '74 Spit for a few years, and though it was badly neglected when I got
it, after the major problems were addressed, I could drive it anywhere. It
never left me stranded -- though it did so to my wife, who, despite her
otherwise numerous talents, did not quite grasp the significance of the glowing
alternator light. If you can watch over it yourself, or have a mechanic nearby
who can, you should have few reliability issues with a car that's sorted out.
Crash worthiness? This is a Spitfire we're talking about, right? Don't buy it
if that's a big concern. It's gonna lose the battle with just about any car,
with the possible exception of a Mini.
That's why I always look through intersections when I'm in my LBC's, even (or
especially) when I have the right of way.
--
Martin Secrest
GT6, TR6
Arlington, VA
"Garner, Joseph P." wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> I need some sensible (and perhaps sobering) advice.
>
> Here's my problem....
>
> In my search for a used car on a tight budget, I have happened upon a 1974
> spitfire 1500. Every sensible nerve in my body tells me not to be so silly
> and to go and put the money down on that tercel i saw earlier in the week,
> but this is the first car i have seen which I am really excited about.
> Perhaps it is because i am an englishman in california and it is a beautiful
> reminder of home, but at the moment i am sturggling with the urge to
> purchase with my heart and not my head.
>
> I have done as much research as i can (the TVR website was so helpful!), and
> have enlisted the help of a friend of mine who is a better mechanic than i
> am to go and give the car a first look the car over in the flesh. I would
> not buy it if there were any mechanical or body problems of note, and i
> would get a professional mechnic to check it over first. But my main worry
> is that if the car does turn out to be sound, then i have to decide where it
> really is appropriate.... in short, I hardly drive anywhere, living within
> cycling distance of work, my only major trip is a 2 and a half hour drive
> (sacramento to palo alto) that i make there and back maybe twice a month. Am
> I crazy to think of doing this in an (albeit) mechanically sound spitfire?
> Or in other words, am i crazy to consider buying a mechanically sound
> spitfire for the purpose of making that round-trip twice a month? My
> particular concerns are mechanical reliability, and crash-safety (which is
> why i said it was a head-versus-heart tug of war going on here!)
>
> All honest opinions would be very much appreciated!
>
> thank you all for your time
>
> cheers
>
> Joe
> ___________________________
>
> Dr. Joseph Garner
> University of California
> Department of Animal Science
> One Shields Avenue
> Davis
> CA 95616
> USA
>
> Phone: (530) 754 5291
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