Well, you certainly have come to the right place for unbiased, objective
advice.;-) All things considered, seriously, I would not get the Spitfire.
This is just my personal reaction to what I understand your situation to be.
Given a 2+ hour drive taken once or twice a month on a freeway with heavy
traffic, I would rather not drive that in a Spitfire. Now, I'm sure others
(Laura G.) who drive their Spit more frequently than I do, will argue that
point and if you asked me when I was 21, I would have said No Problem. The
only way I would do this is if the Spit was in first class condition. I
don't think you will have it in first class shape until after you buy it and
really get into it, and see all that is wrong with it. You should have, not
just a mechanic, but one who is familiar with the unique aspects of a Spit
that will require "love and attention" (and money). Another issue is
storage when you won't be driving it; is it in a safe location? What about
battery maintenance? Then what type of insurance would you purchase?
Classic car type or standard?
Tough situation, but I'm afraid you would end up not enjoying the Spit.
My two cents.
Terrence Banbury
Mk III
> ----------
> From: Garner, Joseph P.[SMTP:JPGarner@UCDavis.Edu]
> Reply To: Garner, Joseph P.
> Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 5:20 PM
> To: 'spitfires@autox.team.net'; 'triumphs@autox.team.net'
> Subject: Sensible advice please
>
>
> 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
>
>
|