>John Early writes:
>Hello! I've been reading here for just a few days and already I've learned
Welcome! May you be blessed with the ability to extract the gold from all
the fluff.
>Second question: I'm going to be looking at a '76 Spitfire this weekend, and
>in case I fall totally in love with it, what should I know so that there is
>some hope that I can talk myself out of buying it. The seller is asking $3700.
>I have no other meaningful info, other than that it is red.
Whoa! This Spit better be *really perfect*. Three or four years ago I
sold my '78 Spit for $3150; under 50,000 miles, it was in beautiful
condition: original paint in excellent shape, factory hardtop, soft top
perfect, no dings, drivetrain tight, new upholstery ($350 worth), and I had
just refinished the wood dash. Everything original except for the headers.
("So", you ask, "why the hell did you sell it?" -- Well, I later repented
and tried to buy it *back*, twice, but the new owner wouldn't part with his
treasure.) OK, maybe the market's different now, but before you part with
that much money for a Spitfire, take a good long look at what's available.
There are an awful lot of Spitfires still around, albeit most if them are
in pitiful shape. Then again, if your find is a condition 1 car ready for
showing, $3700 might be a reasonable price.
Remember that the first Spitfires (1963) sold for just over $2000. The
original ticket on my '78 was still only $6750. Tim Suddard has an ad in
the current issue of Grassroots Motorsports:
"Triumph Spitfire parts for sale, incl. a complete '74 car
in good condition - $1400. Tim (904)673-4148".
I see a lot of them for sale in the Houston and Dallas papers - check all
the major papers in your area. Hemmings always has several listed. Check
out "Deals on Wheels" or "Wheeler Dealer" at your local newsstand.
Lee M. Daniels - Laboratory for Molecular Structure and Bonding - Texas A&M
daniels@lmsbvx.tamu.edu | DANIELS@TAMLMSB.BITNET | (409) 845-3726
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"A cold, funny feeling came into the pit of my stomach, like the feeling you
get when you realize the woman you've been longing to kiss for months has
just pressed her lips to yours and opened them gently... Dammit, I'd built
myself a *RACE CAR*." -Scott Fisher
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