Bill,
I don't consider it a mistake not buying your Mk1. I wanted a Mk3 -- just
like the one I had when I was younger and that's what I got. In fact, I'd
already bought it before you mentioned yours to me at all!! I'm happy for
your successes, however. Your note here makes me all but certain I couldn't
have afforded your Mk1 anyway.
I almost bought a frame off restoration -- a '69 Mk3. The owner balked at
my offer of $4,750 last Winter. In fact, he said some pretty nasty things.
He wanted not a penny less than $5,500.
Lately, I've seen the same car advertised at $4,800 OBO. He should have
taken my cash.
Meanwhile, I found the exact year and model I wanted, paid $2,000 for it and
it's a daily driver if I wanted it to be. Plus, it's probably the only RHD
Mk3 in California. So no, with all due respect (and I mean that), I don't
believe I made any mistake by not entertaining a purchase of your car --
especially after I'd already purchased mine!!
Then again, I sure wish I could have found my car AFTER I'm done with it! I
would have paid upwards of $7k for it.
Like you, I'll probably have $7-10k into my project before all is said and
done. But I'll have exactly what I wanted -- with the 1296 high compression
engine to boot. And yes, I AM going to drive this thing! I didn't fit
those Konis on their for nothing! I've decided though that I need different
wheels and tires if I'm going to be punching into the corners like this,
though. Panasports or something similar with 175 SR 13's or something.
Best wishes,
Jeff in San Diego
'67 RHD Spitfire Mk3 aka "Mrs. Jones"
Jeff's Classic '67 Spitfire Mk3 site & Vintage Spitfire Webring
http://www.ohms.com/spitfire/spitfire.shtml
home of the NEW Totally Triumph Auction
"By Triumph enthusiasts, for Triumph enthusiasts"
http://www.ohms.com/cgi-bin/TRauction.cgi
and... The Triumph Autos/Parts Wanted Listings
http://www.ohms.com/cgi-bin/TRwanted.cgi
...plus a few other surprises!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
----- Original Message -----
From: BILL McDEVITT <wmmk1@informatics.net>
To: Spifires Autox Team <spitfires@autox.team.net>; Jeff McNeal
<jmcneal@ohms.com>
Sent: Monday, June 05, 2000 7:53 PM
Subject: Run it Hard!!
>
> Jeff, The only mistake you made was not buying my
> MK1, when in weak moment I offered it to you!! Run
> your Spit hard, that is what it was made for!! As long
> as you had every nut and bolt in your hand like I did
> and know it is going to support anything you may do
> with it, don't worry!! I replaced every nut, bolt and
> anything available in mine and abuse it all the time!!
> I've run the quarter mile drag strip at least 50 times,
> but only have one first place trophy, as I have to run
> against up to 1500cc's!! Have run nearly 80 trips on
> various Auto Cross races and have 6 first place trophies
> and one second place one.YUCK!! I finished this fine
> machine in 1993 and have never touched any adjustment
> or torn it apart since then!! Well, except for the differential
> , which was not made for this kind of abuse!! If you do it
> right, you have one of the best machines made!! If you
> purchase a 20 to 40 year old Rolls Royce or Lincoln,
> you will have all the same problems that the list
> encounters!! I dumped over 13 grand in this machine to
> make sure that I had a new machine and I did all the
> work, except the machine work and paint. I now have
> 41 trophies including two BEST OF SHOWS!! I think I was
> the first to recognize that the Spitfire was under valued!!
> You will see it in two national magazines in the near
> future!! Bill
>
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