In a message dated 3/9/2002 1:48:32 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Robertten1@aol.com writes:
> FWIW, this looks to be a late Mk1 judging by the front grilles and the rear
> marker lights. The carpets did not come until the Mk2 model but not to say
>
> the owner(?) didn't install them. The door panels are late Mk1, pre-Mk2
> but,
> if you plan to make a racer out of such a rare car, who cares.
Actually, all looks to be fairly "correct" for an earlyish (FC11603L as
stated in the auction). Grilles are the early style, and all lamps are
correct for a North American-specification car (only the late "Mk1" Spitfires
had the larger, plastic lens front flasher lamp; either way, all front lamps
are white). Door panels and gearbox cover both seem to show that rare,
original "speckled" carpeting.
There are a number of detail differences between "home market" and US or
North American-spec Spitfires, and those differences aren't well documented
in the "originality" books.
The only other really original Spitfire 4 I've seen in "recent years" was at
the VTR Convention in IL in 1985. The car sticks in my mind a: because of its
extremely original appearance and b: because it had an incredibly fussy
starter drive that jammed SOLID a couple of times during the Convention.
> My opinion, the car should be purchased just for the plate ...FOT ... get
> it?
Yeah. That was the only reason I posted about the car to this list. :-)
--Andy Mace
"I may be crazy, but it keeps me from going insane." - Waylon Jennings
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