Midget or Spitfire?
Discussion
Im looking at getting a classic runabout & have narrowed it down to one of these. Only thing is im 6ft3". Does this rule the midget out of the equation?.
Also which car is the most fun to drive? Comfortable? Tuning potential handling/power?
Love to hear from any owners or better still someone who has driven both.
Thanks
Also which car is the most fun to drive? Comfortable? Tuning potential handling/power?
Love to hear from any owners or better still someone who has driven both.
Thanks
Antracer said:
Im looking at getting a classic runabout & have narrowed it down to one of these. Only thing is im 6ft3". Does this rule the midget out of the equation?.
Also which car is the most fun to drive? Comfortable? Tuning potential handling/power?
Love to hear from any owners or better still someone who has driven both.
Thanks
Driven both - I prefer Spitfire but they are quite different so you may prefer midget.Also which car is the most fun to drive? Comfortable? Tuning potential handling/power?
Love to hear from any owners or better still someone who has driven both.
Thanks
Your height should be OK for either to be fair.
Later Spitfires do handle well despite those who say otherwise - but that relies on rear trunnions not being seized (ie maintenance is important).
A spitfire will never keep up with a well sorted/well driven Midget on the twisties but isn't far off. Maintenance on spitfire is easier due to the way better access
A series midget or 1300cc spitfire.
They all became a bit too rubbery after that.
I had a mk3, was wonderful, as long as you keep ontop of the little bits and bobs they throw up they will never break down or become a problem.
Both cars would be great fun and give you a huge community, nearly 100% of the parts are sold through rimmerbrothers at rather high prices, but they are a reliable source for both Mg and Triumph.
All down to personal preference on looks.
They all became a bit too rubbery after that.
I had a mk3, was wonderful, as long as you keep ontop of the little bits and bobs they throw up they will never break down or become a problem.
Both cars would be great fun and give you a huge community, nearly 100% of the parts are sold through rimmerbrothers at rather high prices, but they are a reliable source for both Mg and Triumph.
All down to personal preference on looks.
MrBrightSi said:
A series midget or 1300cc spitfire.
They all became a bit too rubbery after that.
Disagree. mk4 or 1500 Spitfire no more "rubbery" than a Mk3. Correct for Midget though.They all became a bit too rubbery after that.
The 1500 Spitfire with the swing spring and longer driveshafts is the one to go for if you want to drive it lots/daily IMO.
Love Mk3 Spitfires but I wouldn't recommend one over a 1500 to someone making the OP's choice.
Spitfire2 said:
Disagree. mk4 or 1500 Spitfire no more "rubbery" than a Mk3. Correct for Midget though.
The 1500 Spitfire with the swing spring and longer driveshafts is the one to go for if you want to drive it lots/daily IMO.
Love Mk3 Spitfires but I wouldn't recommend one over a 1500 to someone making the OP's choice.
Depends, as tuning potential of the 1300 motors in both midget and spit mk3 are in my eyes a lot easier and better.The 1500 Spitfire with the swing spring and longer driveshafts is the one to go for if you want to drive it lots/daily IMO.
Love Mk3 Spitfires but I wouldn't recommend one over a 1500 to someone making the OP's choice.
I'm 6' 4" and fit in my Spitfire 1500 pretty well - I've tried a midget, and whilst it wasn't awful, it was quite narrow!
Also Spitfires sound better:
http://youtu.be/q6YI6mHw7Pw
Also Spitfires sound better:
http://youtu.be/q6YI6mHw7Pw
I'm 6ft 3in too, I have had 2 mark III Spits and one midget, there is plenty of room in the Spit, the Midget has less room once in place but the issue for me was getting in through that little tiny door.
I'd say a Spit is a better proposition for someone our height.
MkIII with overdrive is lovely.
I'd say a Spit is a better proposition for someone our height.
MkIII with overdrive is lovely.
Later spitfires (Mk IV and the 1500) have slightly higher windscreens. I'm just over 6 foot and fitted in mine, but it did help that a lot of the stuffing had fallen out of the seat otherwise I'd have been looking straight at the header rail. There is a surprising amount of leg room in a spit. Never tried a midget, I just assumed I wouldn't fit. Later midgets have the same engine as the spit 1500. As I'm sure you know earlier ones used the A series engine, so loads of tuning parts for those. The most tunable spits are the Mk3 1300, the racers get 120+bhp and 8,000rpm or you can always fit a 2/2.5 Triumph straight 6 but if you are going to do that what you really want is a GT6 convertible to get the uprated suspension and stuff, rather then a spitfire6...if you see what I mean.
LuS1fer said:
I am not sure if you are being "speculative" but amd sure they never made a GT6 convertible.
Yeah, what I meant is there is two ways of doing it, put a GT6 engine in a spitfire to make a Spitfire 6 OR you put a spitfire body on a GT6 chassis/running gear to make a GT6 convertible (or gitfire as I like to call them). The second way is better as there are suspension/braking differences between the two.In practical terms there's little difference but I would be careful about just dumping a 6 cylinder engine in a spitfire, as others say it's a big old lump and probably requires other changes to the car.
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