Another Spridgeteer without pinkies... (Sorry Chuck!)
<< question. what can i buy for $1000? will it run? how good will it run?
should i think about a sprite or stick with my first idea midgets? what
about
the engines? some make jokes about the engine called 1500. my wife saw the
pictures in whoreler that have the safety bumpers and she doesnt like them
but she wants safety. what do i do? what about rollbars? does
anyone have airbags? can they be ordered from moss? i know this is many
questiuons but i need answers. rex >>
Don't make fun of the 1500 owners! Besides, the rubber baby buggy bumpers
are too low to help much in a crash, unless you are hurtling into a brick
wall.
The only airbag in Moss is the inflatable car storage chamber. No british
sportscar is safe. In fact, they are unsafe at any speed, to coin a phrase.
Make sure that you keep a fire extinguisher in the car at all times, either
behind one of the seats or near the glovebox (or parcel shelf). As far as
the rollbar is concerned, hardly anyone islikely to ever need it in the
courseof normal driving. Mine comes in most handy when someone wants to
help me push start it!
I paid $1400 sight unseen for my '74 Midget, after looking for about 4-6
months. It ran reasonably well at the time, enough to make a 200 mile
journey home. I immediately spent $350 to replace the rear brake cylinders.
After that, I have averaged about $100 per month on parts and tune up
supplies. So far it has broken down three or four times, but always at
home, and nothing I couldn't fix myself (credit to helpful list advice!).
Not out of the woods yet though, I will soon need to do (by a bodyshop) a
replacement of the rear wheel well spring hanger. (Maybe $700 - $1000).
Also in the future will be floor repair on the passeger side and a new
bonnet. ($2000 - $3000) total.
What the hey... its fun now, and it takes the place of doing the NYT
crossword puzzle. But you can see why folks advise paying in the $3000 range
for a rust free running car.
Don''t even ask about my Sprite :o)
Regards,
Charles
'74 Midget
'68 Sprite
cdsorkin@ix.netcom.com
Bloomfield, NJ
"How about we duck inside for a Hen?"
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