Eric, I believe in the spirit of the car. I believe that the Spitfire was
a radically designed car that was forced to use anemic power plants due to
corporate corner cutting. This car was also a low cost entry sports
vehicle. As it turns out however the styling that good ol' Giovanni did
for us was outstanding, enough to influence many other car manufactures
(i.e. datsun, chevrolet, and others). I own my car because it has, IMHO,
the best lines and spirit of any car out there. 98 Corvettes do not get
the same look as I do driving my faded paint Spitfire down the street.
Unfortuneately, the car we all love just lacks enough strength to go head
to head against a Geo Metro (that's embarrassing). Not mention the fact
that everyone that pulls up next to you at a light suddenly wants to drag.
I own my car because I want it to be my sports car, Giovanni gave the body
to do it with, I just want to add a power plant that completes my picture
of what the car should be.
OK I'm done - stop throwing things.
At 10:55 AM 10/16/98 -0500, Eric A. Yates wrote:
>
>Hi folks,
>
>I have a question about engine conversions: why do people do it? I am
>curious as to why folks make changes to something as fundamental to a car's
>character as its engine.
>
>I am not a person who places a major priority on originality, but I would
>hesitate to make such a drastic change to my car. If I wanted a Triumph
>with more power than my Spitfire, I'd get a TR6 or GT6. Probably the TR
>since I love top-down driving, but then again, a GT would be a cool
>compliment to my Spit. Either way, I'd seek out a car that has the larger
>engine rather than wedge one into my current ride.
>
>I think a Spit-6 conversion is not a bad conversion, because for one thing,
>the cars are very similar. Secondly, it keeps it "in the family." In other
>words, it's a Triumph mill in a Triumph car. It makes sense.
>
>On the other hand, a conversion like sticking a Chevy V8 in a TR6 seems
>strange to me. I respect the amount of work and effort that goes into such
>a conversion, and it is impressive to see the final product, but I wonder
>why the builder didn't start with an American car in the first place to
>build his hot rod. That way, the final product retains a certain amount of
>the character of the original car.
>
>Let me stress once again that I am not snobby keep-it-original kind of guy
>(my Spitfire is far from stock and it's fine with me), so don't flame me if
>you've got a killer Ford V8-powered Austin Mini. :)
>
>I thought this would make a good discussion topic. What are your thoughts,
>folks?
>
>Eric.
>
>
>---------------------------------------
>Eric A. Yates * eyates@earth.nwu.edu
>1978 Spitfire 1500 * FM 71614 U
>Chicago, IL USA
>
Patrick Bowen
'79 Spitfire
Jacksonville FL
|