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Hints on buying Spitfire

To: british-cars@autox.team.net
Subject: Hints on buying Spitfire
From: Boris <clw3@ukc.ac.uk>
Date: Mon, 31 May 93 14:20:32 +0100
Hi. I've been recently considering buying a Spitfire ('75-'76 1500) and wonder
if anyone could help with some questions......?

1) Does the 1500 sound as good as the 1300 engine? (important stuff) I've heard
   some pretty neat sounding Mk 3s, and some pretty ropey sounding 1500s. But
   then I thought, hang on isn't the 1500 engine just a longer throw 1300? So
   shouldn't it sound the biz?

2) Is it worth buying a Mk.4 on the basis of how little power it puts out? 
   Apparently some of the Californian ones were down to 48bhp DIN at the end
   of the production run. Is there any way of getting a Mk.4 up to the same
   power rating as a Mk.3 (after all, it is the same engine). High lift camshaft
   Triumphtune 4-2-1 manifold, straight through exhaust, four carbs (erk).???

3) Is the rear suspension of the Mk.3s backwards really that bad? My dad used to
   (recently) have a Vitesse convertible and apparently it can do some VERY ny  
things if you forget that it's not a modern car.

4) How much can I expect to pay for a decent nick, able-to-drive-every-day, 
   shiny 1500? I reckon about 2500 sterling. Oh, and does anyone know any
   insurers who specialise in these things, bearing in mind that I'm 19 and thus
   can't get classic car insurance.

Cheers for any assistance you can give.

Michelotti lives.

--
  ____     ___    _ __   _   ___                                
 | __ \   / _ \  | '__) (_) / __)   "Three shall be the number thou shalt
 | __ <  ( (_) ) | |    | | \__ \    count, and the number of the counting 
 |____/   \___/  |_|    |_| (___/    shall be three."


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