One thing about driving the spit on the freeway, the visibility (with top
down) is fantastic!
I wish that we could use the car pool lane-like motorcycles do.
All in all, I feel a bit safer driving on the freeway than on city
streets-too many close calls! People speeding down a busy street and not
paying attention to traffic on cross streets and going in and out of
driveways. Then there's the poeple in SUVs and trucks who pull halfway into
the street-like they can't see to make that right hand turn. (There's a
women down the street from me who does this with her Pontiac-scary!) Stuff
like that.
I always make sure when I'm driving-freeway or town- that I have an escape
plan if anything goes wrong. (I think, "I can put down there...")
My last spit wasn't in first class condition, but I went everywhere-usually
up to L.A.-to Hollywood a couple of weekends a month to see my
sister-ahhh...Mulholland in a Spit! Glad to say, I never had to tow it home
from there!
I think a lot depends on ones sense of adventure and ability to deal with
set backs and break downs. I do pretty well. But, my ex would kill himself!
He doesn't take Spitfire stress well!
Laura
Vita brevis est: rapide agite, vigore strigate!
----- Original Message -----
From: Banbury, Terrence <Terrence.Banbury@dnr.state.oh.us>
To: 'Garner, Joseph P.' <JPGarner@UCDavis.Edu>
Cc: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2000 5:41 AM
Subject: RE: Sensible advice please
>
> 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
> >
> >
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