My story started in the beginning of the Summer when I was 16. (1997) I live
in NJ, where the driving age is 17, and I had been bitten by the car bug
earlier that year, as the prospect of driving hit me. Previously, I had been
told by my parents that there was no chance of me ever getting a car. But it
also happened that summer that my dad took his 64 Jaguar Mark II out after
nearly 18 years of storage. We spent a good amount of time together getting it
back on the road that summer, and I suspect that my participation is in some
way connected to my parent's (dad's) decision that I could indeed own a car
when I turned 17. There were conditions to this agreement, of course. One was
that the car had to be cheap, and the other was that it had to be something
that needed work. Oh yeah, and that I would have to pay him back for it when I
sell it. The intended result was for me to 1)have a car and to 2)be educated
in how a car works and how to repair it. Naturally, I wanted something sporty
and relatively easy to work on. After searching the classifieds, I decided
that I wanted a TR6, a 240Z or a 64-68 Mustang. A wide range there. TR6s were
too expensive, a 240Z is not a convertible, and I just didn't find a cheap,
small block, manual tranny Mustang convertible requiring the right amount of
work. What happened was that I found an internet classified ad for a 74
Spitfire 1500 up in North Jersey going for $1500. I had never seen a Spit
before, but my dad said it was sporty, and we went to look at it. The PO had
purchased it as a restoration project with his nephew, but apparently he was a
lot more enthused about cars than his nephew, so it was up for sale. It needed
paint and a good amount of bodywork, but the frame was solid. The engine had
just been rebuilt, and it had a new clutch. The PO had a hardtop, a new
softtop, an interior kit, a lot of the trim pieces, and new rubber trim for
the car in boxes. It was pretty beat up looking, but it still looked great to
me. He threw all his parts in and said $2500. A little shocked, we showed him
the ad with the $1500 price on it, and he said he'd sell it to us for $1500.
Good deal, we thought, and we towed it home. After year which involved
rebuilding all the brakes, redoing the electrics and windshield wipers,
attempting our own body work, then taking it to a shop, painting it, strapping
all the lights and trim on, putting in the interior, installing the top,
replacing the tie rod ends, rebuilding the carb, putting new bumpers on, and
replacing the original engine which had been rebuilt incorrectly and self
destructed, we had a car. All this around high school, where I get straight
A's and play 3 sports a year. It now sports a french racing blue paint job, w/
two white racing stripes, and is in the process of being finished. The engine
was a drag, but the worst may have been that the PO's PO was some kind of
idiot savant electrical engineer, and had redone the wiring extensively, and
after a few frustrating nights upside down in the seats, we found his reason
to be a loose connection, which was easily fixed. This allowed us to put the
wiring back the right way. I'be had adventures where I've puked a brake pad
and only could use my rear brakes and wild downshifting for a week, had my
fuses vibrate loose resulting in all my lights repeatedly go out at night, the
ever so wonderful time when I found out the hard way that they had put my
engine back together the wrong way, and the time the screws vibrated off the
choke unit on my ZS carb, ruining the vacuum stuff, among other things. I
imagine it will never really be finished. I have put 1.3K on the car since
early September, when the car finally became roadworthy. My mom hates the car,
because she says it is unsafe, and too small, and too unreliable. Contrary to
what she says, only one day since I have owned it it has refused to start, and
any previous problems which I have had were related to the shoddy workmanship
on the original engine. I drive it every day to school and back, and drive it
wherever I go, at least in South Jersey. I would say that I really enjoy the
car, especially with the top down, and I can't wait for this summer. I think
however, that my next car will be something with a little more power, and
something that requires a little less work. Regardless, it is without a doubt
the coolest looking car in the school parking lot (as long as you ignore that
rich kid with the new Supra Turbo) and is a veritable babe magnet. And I have
learned a whole lot about cars and how they work. Next year, the Spit will
come with me to the University of Virginia, where I will be attending
engineering school. It'll be intresting doing all that work without my dad.
Sorry this was so long.
Kris Powell
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