> Well, I sold my airplane 6 months ago, and am in sore need
>of a new toy. I have always admired- from a distance- LBCs, and have pictured
>myself motoring the backroads of the wine country here; wind in my hair,
>motor purring, girlfriend admiring my hardy profile, picnic basket in the
>boot- you get the idea. What I need now is some help deciding which one.
>
> What I want is a convertible, 2 seat, reasonable amount of power and
>handling, relatively easy to obtain parts, and pretty good mileage. This list
>would include MGBs, Spitfires and the like( I think). It would not include
>hardtops, saloons, etc. I would like to keep my initial purchase
>price < $2500, and save back maybe $1500 for paint, wheels and tires to dress
>it up. I have some dream images of autocross eventually, and I suppose that
>ought to affect my decision somehow. I'm 6' and 210# ( I don't know how many
>stone that is), so I imagine that leaves out Spridgets and similarly-sized
>carlets. I would like early enough years to avoid the most obnoxious smog junk.
>
> I am not afraid of a project, although I'd like to start with a running,
>street/smog legal car. The plane that I sold, I build over 6 years...
>
> I am soliciting inputs- types, desirable years, even people with cars for
>sale- although my timeframe is to purchase around the first of the year.
>I'll just bet that someone on this mailing list has something to say!
> Paul Stafford pauls@sr.hp.com ( 707) 577-4935 or 528-9045
> ex RV N84PS
Well, I'm 5'11" though a few pounds lighter than you and I can fit in
any Triumph, MG, etc. Bottom line is shop around and see what you like
and what fits best. At an initial purchase price of $2500, you shouldn't
have much trouble finding a good running car. Best bet is to NOT go
after a project car initially. Buy something you can immediately
drive (or drive with a minimal amount of repair work invested) and then
see how you like that particular car for 6 months or so. You may decide
to try a different model, perhaps you'll not want to do anything else
to the car except routine maintenance, or maybe you'll want to
do a full blown restoration. That's a decision that should be made
AFTER having the car for a period of time.
So, what do you get for $2500? A pretty decent Spitfire, GT-6,
TR-7 (especially coupes), MGs, and a variety of lesser marques.
Standard Disclaimer- Any opinions, etc. are mine and NOT my employer's.
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Bill Sohl (K2UNK) BELLCORE (Bell Communications Research, Inc.)
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