James "Bit Bad By Britcar Bug" B wrote ....
> Seriously, it depends on how you plan to use the car, and how big/small a car
> you can stand. A midget is _very_ well-named, if you even think you may want
> to take the car on a long trip, they can get claustrophobic (sp?) pretty
> quickly, not to mention you get to feel like a box of rocks going down the
> hiway.
I would disagree with this (I don' want to start a B vs Midget thread), Midgets
are small, but not cramped. I am well over 6ft and have no problems. If you
are looking for a car that is fun to drive - go for a Midget rather than a B,
the handling is better and they are much more 'chuckable' around corners.
Midgets are tiring for long distances because they are geared for town driving,
it is however a fairly simple matter to fit an overdrive or lower ratio diff.
I
drove just under 50,000 miles in a Midget last year including a long tour
around
France.
Before B owners flame me for this I should point out that I own both a B and a
Midget - also when Bs and Midgets are head to head on the track why do the
Midgets usually win?
To get to the original question, assuming the bodywork is OK, check the
following :
1. Engine oil pressure. Bottom end wear is a problem on the 1500, as the car
is a 79 is will have a oil warning light rather than the more desirable guage
but check that the light goes out within 2 seconds of the engine starting and
also listen for bottom end rattles.
2. Front suspension. This can be fairly expensive to sort out. Jack up the
front rock the wheel back and forth and look for movement.
3. Clutch problems - expensive to sort out as the engine often has to come
out.
Regards
Alan Tong
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