I would have to agree with Nolan's sentiments
regarding "reliability". People have different
definitions of reliability (most people think a car
that you can drive for 200,000 miles with nothing more
than an oil change is reliable. Spitfires are
estimated to have a main bearing life of approximately
60k miles (though people drive them for much longer
before changing them though they tend to be much more
reserved in their driving style in my estimates), and
they have documented issues with dropping thrust
washers, oil consumption and oil leaks, spring sag,
and rust but all are items that can be addressed so
long as you know what to look for and expect.
Side benefits of spitfires are 1) good gas milage 2)
blast to drive on windy roads 3) chicks pull up next
to you and talk to you at stop lights.
But I would also like to note that you said that this
spitfire you're looking at has little or no rust. I
was told the same thing about my spitfire (no major
body work. Minor rust only!), until the bubbles
started to appear and approximately 15 lbs. of bondo I
chiseled out of the rockers, rear quarters, trunk and
bonnet this past winter. He did a good job of
"masking" the bondo under the paint, but he didn't do
any prep work on it, so when the rust continued the
bondo seperated from the body...everywhere at once.
The VTR.org website and I believe
www.triumphspitfire.com both have "buyer's guides"
with what too look for and where to look for things
like rust. TAKE A SCREWDRIVER WITH YOU TO POKE. If the
seller doesn't want you poking areas that are not
openly visible (under the carpets, the box frame,
trunk area) he/she's probably hiding something.
Obviously, don't poke at the finished outside of the
body, but you can use a magnet to check for "patches".
>From experience, I would rather have a rust free
spitfire without an engine than a rust bucket with a
recently rebuilt engine (unless I was looking for a
parts donor) just because I know what body work costs
compared to the ease of doing the mechanicals
yourself.
-Terry
'76 spitfire 1500
http://www.geocities.com/firespiter/index.html
Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices
http://auctions.yahoo.com/
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