I'll second everything that Andy Mace has to say and add a couple direct
Miata to Spitfire comparisons. One of my best friend's has a 94 Miata,
roughly the same number of miles on it as my Spit.. I have driven it quite
a bit. I will grant that my Spit has been extensively rebuilt, but I could
still buy two PERFECT Spits for what he paid for the Miata (used). The Spit
requires a little more "fiddling" but I have found mine to be extremely
reliable. It always starts, even in the coldest weather, though you can't
necessarily drive right off when it is 25 degrees out - you do have to let
those carbs warm up! The only electrical problems I have ever had are due
to corroded bulb holders - five minutes to fix.
The Spit is actually far roomier than the Miata, the trunk is easily twice
as large, there is a large storage area behind the seats, and there is far
more leg room. I am 6'2" and 280lb - I don't fit comfortably in a Miata in
either seat. I only have a problem in the Spit with the top up - long
torso. The Spit is narrower - you will rub elbows with your passenger -
that can be a plus, depending on who the passenger is!
The Miata has FAR better weather protection and heating - NO comparison. I
think the Spit rides better, though it does not corner quite as well. A/C
is not really an option in a Spit, though I suppose there must be at least
one with it somewhere.
My breathed-on Spit (dual carbs, Kent cam, high compression, header) will
just about keep up with a stock Miata in a straight line. With overdrive
the Spit is just as happy at highway speeds as the Miata, and not THAT much
noiser. And I think it is a nicer noise, but that is subjective. A stock
Miata will leave a stock Spit for dead.
When something does need doing on the Spit it is cheap and easy to fix -
NOTHING is cheap or easy to fix on a Miata, and you need tiny little hands
to even reach anything in the engine bay. At 80,000 miles, LOTS of things
are starting to go on my friend's car, and the bills are starting to add up....
You will attract 50 times as much attention and comments driving a Spit as
a Miata - people love them, even if most will tell you what a nice MG you
have. As a typical stand-offish Mainer, I found this disconcerting at
first, but now I like it!
For my purposes I would not use a Spit as my only car, but I couldn't live
with a Miata as my only car either. My friend does, but then again he seems
to borrow my Peugeot Wagon every time he needs to go to Home Depot. ;-) If
you use a Spit in the winter where there is salt on the roads you will need
to do a good deal of rust proofing, but that is true of the Miata as well.
A Spit heater is not really up to a Maine winter, but mine is OK down to
about 35 degrees and that was with a fairly poor sealing top - I have a new
top this year, I expect it to be a good bit better. I do drive mine in the
winter when the roads are clear and dry - I don't like just storing it.
So here is my advise - sell the Miata, get yourself a nice Spit - $4000
will buy you a REALLY nice one, and buy some cheap practical second car
with the rest. Get the workshop manuals, and some decent tools as you need
them. Stay on this list, it is a fantastic resource - someone has "been
there and done that" no matter what problem you are having. I would
recommend a Peugeot Wagon as a good cheap second car, but then again my
friends think I am a lunatic! ;-)
Cheers!
Kevin Rhodes
Portland, Maine
Freddy the Spitfire
A couple Peugeots and a Saab
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