Hello:
I'm new to the newsgroup and I wanted to kick in my two cents worth. Cost
is so subjective unless the car your purchasing has ultra low miles and has
only been driven by a little old lady on Sundays.
My car, a 73, has been through 4 owners but has had reasonable care and
doesn't show any body rust. It came with virtually all the service records
so the PO's were pretty thoughtful in their care of the car. There is some
corrosion on the frame here and there but everything is solid and in working
order. At $1600 I though it was a pretty good deal.
As you would expect, the seats, carpeting, and some other cosemstic items
needed attention. (I now have more invested in the seats than any other
upgrade!) The top was almost new. I have put a fair amount of time in
mechanical upgrades so the car runs, drive, and looks pretty good.
While I would like to perform a complete frame-off restoration I just can't
rationalize the cost and the down-time. I think I would prefer to buy a
non-running earlier model car for a complete resto project. I admire you
out there who have taken on such projects. Your results are impressive.
I guess that my point is; it's a hobby (abeit and expensive one, but so is
golf or boating). Spend what you can afford without taking food from you
families mouths! Have fun, and don't feel guilty.
Best regards,
Walt Fogle
Whi>From: "MICHAEL C ROSS" <MIKEROSS@prodigy.net>
>Reply-To: "MICHAEL C ROSS" <MIKEROSS@prodigy.net>
>To: "Huw Upshall" <hupshall@wolfenet.com>, "Mark Gardner"
><mrgrdnr@ix.netcom.com>, "Chris DeStaffany" <sjmeds@rockisland.com>
>CC: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
>Subject: Re: Found One!!
>Date: Mon, 28 Jun 1999 11:46:11 -0400
>
>I spent $4800 for a '68 Spit last Oct. The body is in great shape w/ no
>rust...that's the main reason I baught it. The chassis is in good shape w/
>no heavy rust. Engine runs good, starts every time w/ no effort. Exhaust
>is smokey, differential and engine leaks a lot of oil. Wiring harness
>under
>bonnert has several bare wires w/ numerous shorts....horn dosn't work, low
>beams on headlights not working. Interior good w/ new carpet. Sounds like
>it needs new wheel bearings. I know I spent too much, but every other Spit
>I saw was a rustbucket.
>
>Mike
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Huw Upshall <hupshall@wolfenet.com>
>To: Mark Gardner <mrgrdnr@ix.netcom.com>; Chris DeStaffany
><sjmeds@rockisland.com>
>Cc: spitfires@autox.team.net <spitfires@autox.team.net>
>Date: Monday, June 28, 1999 2:14 AM
>Subject: Re: Found One!!
>
>
> >
> >This brings up a very good question, How much is a spitfire worth? Ahh,
> >Well, I am almost finished with my restoration and should be able to
>drive
> >the sucker next week. BUT, on my way to get some fastners, I drove by a
> >'74 spitfire that was for sale on the side of the road and of course, I
>had
> >to stop and look :). Rust all around the windscreen, rust bubbles all
> >around on the body, bad corrosion where the break fluid had leaked out of
> >the master cylinder, very dirty engine compartment. Top was torn in a
>few
> >places, interior seats definitely needed recovering. Everything was
>there
> >but very well used. The guy was asking $3800 and I laughed all the way
> >back to my car. In my opinion, the blue book on LBC's is pretty much
> >becoming useless. Either people restore them and they have way more
>money
> >invested in the car than they could possibly get out of it, OR, they
>owner
> >has a highly inflated idea of what a well used LBC is worth.
> >
> >Comments? (as I duck)
> >
> >
> >At 09:33 AM 6/26/99 -0700, Mark Gardner wrote:
> >>
> >>Chris DeStaffany wrote:
> >>>
> >>> How much?
> >>More than I wanted to pay...$3700 (down from $4500 asking). When I
> >>started looking I was hoping to pay about 2. But 15 cars later I
> >>realized that at least in Southern California I'd probably be waiting a
> >>long time to find a car I wanted at $2K.
> >>
> >>Mark Gardner
> >>
> >>
> >---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>-
> > Huw Upshall Email:
> > @home: hupshall@wolfenet.com
> > @work: hupshall@microsoft.com
> > http:
> > @home: www.wolfenet.com/~hupshall
> >
> > 'Misspelled? Impossible! My modem is Error-Correcting!'
> >---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>-
>
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