Although I strongly prefer the '74 and earlier, A-series powered cars, I
wouldn't tell someone with a reasonable degree of mechanical ability to stay
away from the '75 and newer Midgets. While it's true that the Triumph
engine and gearbox can be a pain in the butt to live with and the handling
(at least, with original spec suspension) isn't going to allow you to keep
pace with a well-driven, earlier Midget/Sprite on a winding road, you CAN
make a post '74 Midget work pretty well.
If you find a truly SOLID, rust-free example of a post '74 Midget, for a
fair price, and you are willing to spend some time and money to
overcome/mitigate the car's built-in shortcomings, I say "go for it". Of
course, if you can wait for awhile and look around until you find "just the
right one", then, by all means, get yourself a pre'75 Spridget, of any
vintage and prepare for some great fun (if you can find a solid, unmolested,
'67 Sprite or Midget: you've found the ultimate!). You'll still need to do
a fair amount of mechanical/electrical maintenance/repair to get the kind of
reliability these cars were designed and built to provide and are quite
capable of giving.
Once you've found the one you want, and have it on the road, well...... I
also own a '62 Porsche Super 90 coupe. It's a very potent road car, but
demands the driver's undivided attention and quicker than normal reflexes,
when driven near "the limit". My '72 Midget, on the other hand, is RIOTOUS
fun to drive fast (heck, it's riotous fun just to DRIVE), and has such sweet
handling characteristics that it will "let you change your mind" in a turn,
instead of trying to get out from under you. No, it isn't in the same
league as the Porsche, but, I still prefer my Midget for attacking
unfamiliar, twisting, plunging, undulating, tree-lined, country roads.
There is not, nor has there ever been anything quite like a Spridget.
Bud Osbourne
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