Midget / Sprite / Spitfire Alternative

[arollingstone]

Morning all

can anyone think of a good alternative to a midget/sprite/spitfire? I've been trawling the classified adds and there doesn't seem to be as much as when I looked 3 months ago

The aim is for it to be a fast road / track car, and with the above cars there is always of option of making a sebring/ashley/lenham replica, so I'd like that sort of possibility.

I thought of a GT6 but as I'm still a young'un insurance has to be a consideration

thoughts anyone?

[Mr2Mike]

If you really want a convertible track car then something more modern would be a vastly better starting point (MX5 etc). You'd have to do a fair bit of work to a Midget or Spitfire just to get them to handle and stop in a reasonable manner before you think about tuning or engine swaps etc.

If you want something you could cover on classic insurance then how about a Lotus Elan M100?

[arollingstone]

pretty set on a classic if I'm honest. I know what it entails as I've had a fair amount of experience in that area, and I'm not shy about getting stuck in with the mechanics.
Should of probably said that the car has to be pre 70's, ideally pre 65

[occrj]

How about a '50s Special (eg Ashley, Rochdale, Falcon), maybe with A-Series rather than Ford 1172 Pop engine? They're still out there and not that pricey for a project, lightweight, and very tuneable.

RJ

[nicanary]

Your problem is probably the cost of the alternatives. I'm thinking Honda S800 or the Turner, which came with a range of available engines, but the hot one would be the Climax 1220cc. These cars would cost the earth to buy, unfortunately.

A bit leftfield, but had you thought about a Ford-powered special from the late 50s? Very tuneable, and parts would be cheap.

[LuS1fer]

Fiat Spiders (124 and the earlier rear-engined 850s) and X1/9s though most will have dissolved by now so amy be pricey by dint of rarity.

Later Alfa Romeo Spiders may also have fallen in price and there may be more about.

[arollingstone]

hmm some good suggestions, so thanks.
However, nothing seems quite so "modifiable" as my first three.

[varsas]

I assume you have considered and discounted a Lotus 7 type car? Costly for the age you want but pretty much the best basis for a classic track day car I can think of.

[arollingstone]

A 7 or dutton would be great if the car was only going to be used on track, but this (for a while at least) will have to be my daily runner.

[LuS1fer]

arollingstone said:

hmm some good suggestions, so thanks.
However, nothing seems quite so "modifiable" as my first three.

Only because they're leagues ahead to start with, surely? A 122hp Alfa twin cam isn't a bad end point never mind starting point.

[arollingstone]

LuS1fer said:

Only because they're leagues ahead to start with, surely? A 122hp Alfa twin cam isn't a bad end point never mind starting point.

haha touche!

[Oi U]

Imps, MGAs and early TRs spring to mind. I can't really see a Spit being suitable for track-work.

[arollingstone]

Oi U said:

I can't really see a Spit being suitable for track-work.

What about the Lenham GT spitfire? and what about the GT6? thats basically a spitfire underneath!

[LuS1fer]

http://www.mocgb.net/forums/showthread.php?50674-H...

Man possibly thinking of selling his spitfire?

[Mr2Mike]

arollingstone said:

What about the Lenham GT spitfire? and what about the GT6? thats basically a spitfire underneath!

The Lenham GT was just a body conversion wasn't it? Both the Spitfire and the GT6 have pretty crap rear suspension design as standard (much better than the earlier swing axle, but still crap).

[arollingstone]

Oh yes, no question, but uprated parts from someone like moss are pretty cheap

[Bobrick]

What about a Jensen Healey, cheap and underrated in my opinion?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jensen-Healey

[arollingstone]

That's very good shout!

[balls-out]

Bobrick said:

What about a Jensen Healey, cheap and underrated in my opinion?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jensen-Healey

I'm no expert on JHs, but I'd guess insurance will be loads mre. Parts (engine and body) will be much more difficult to source and cost more.

what is your budget? Late Alfa Spiders are avaiable. Spend some time removing all that plastic tat and you have a lovely twin cam with 5 speed.
Yes the engine is hugly tunable - but at a cost.

TVR S1 ?

[Yertis]

Mr2Mike said:

The Lenham GT was just a body conversion wasn't it? Both the Spitfire and the GT6 have pretty crap rear suspension design as standard (much better than the earlier swing axle, but still crap).

Early Spits and GT6 Mark 1 – swing axle = crap

GT6 Mark 2 and early GT6 Mark 3 – rear suspension now with lower wishbones and rotoflex drive couplings (not unlike Lotus Elan IIRC) = really quite good

Later Spits and very late GT6 Mark 3 – swing spring = not quite as good as the lower wishbone set up but certainly nowhere near as bad as the early set-up.