Help for a Newbie please?
Discussion
First of all, hope you all had a great Christmas!
Right, here goes:
I've loved small classic cars for years and always promised myself I'd get one, and finally I'm in a position to not only do so, but also enjoy playing with it.
I must admit to not being stuck on a particular manufacturer (forgive me!), but am particularly fond of Sprites/Mk3 Midgets/Mk3 Spitfires, and for the larger engines, TR4/5/6's.
So the question is this; what to get? Whatever it is, it'll end up being toyed with so I can use it for classic rallies/tours etc... and to go on the odd continental jaunt without worrying (too much, I know, I know) about reliability. So will I be able to get enough out of the A series engines, or will I have to revert to an engine transplant? Is the Triumph 1300 engine as tuneable as the 1275 A series? As reliable? Or am I looking at spending a lot more money and going down the TR4/6 route (can't afford a 5), and am I looking at a totally different set of problems with these.
Finally, I know I can do all kinds of suspension mods to the Spridgets to make them almost modern day cars, but what about the MK3 Spit and it's 'distinctive' handling? Any way of sorting that?
Hoping for some inspiration, and the benefit of all your expertise....
Many thanks.
p.s. Forgive me for the generic questions, but I've posted this on both the Triumph and MG forums.
Right, here goes:
I've loved small classic cars for years and always promised myself I'd get one, and finally I'm in a position to not only do so, but also enjoy playing with it.
I must admit to not being stuck on a particular manufacturer (forgive me!), but am particularly fond of Sprites/Mk3 Midgets/Mk3 Spitfires, and for the larger engines, TR4/5/6's.
So the question is this; what to get? Whatever it is, it'll end up being toyed with so I can use it for classic rallies/tours etc... and to go on the odd continental jaunt without worrying (too much, I know, I know) about reliability. So will I be able to get enough out of the A series engines, or will I have to revert to an engine transplant? Is the Triumph 1300 engine as tuneable as the 1275 A series? As reliable? Or am I looking at spending a lot more money and going down the TR4/6 route (can't afford a 5), and am I looking at a totally different set of problems with these.
Finally, I know I can do all kinds of suspension mods to the Spridgets to make them almost modern day cars, but what about the MK3 Spit and it's 'distinctive' handling? Any way of sorting that?
Hoping for some inspiration, and the benefit of all your expertise....
Many thanks.
p.s. Forgive me for the generic questions, but I've posted this on both the Triumph and MG forums.
I'm never too sure why people want to buy a classic and then want to tune the engine and modernise the suspension straight off - test drive as many very good examples as you can to see if these classics are really for you - if you want them tuned and modernised a lot then you probably want a modern car, get the MX-5 they are excellent
Buy the classic and enjoy it for 6-9 months and then see if you still want it tuned and modernised - if you do and you want it tuned and modernised a lot then sell it and buy a MX-5
You really need to drive a Spit or TR6/4 as the seperate chassis give them an almost opposite feel to a Spridget - I had a GT6 its feel, steering, handling and roadholding where nothing like my Spridgets
The Spit amd Spridgets can be compared to each other but the TR6/4 is a bigger car so perhaps better if you're going on lots of continental tours
But I've taken my Midget on tours abroad and this country without worry (just could have done with a 5 speed box for the motorways)
Best tuning for a classic is FULL and PROPER servicing, classics need more parts servicing and more frequntly servicing
Very regular use of any classic will keep it MUCH, MUCH more reliable
For reliability as well as regular FULL and PROPER servicing make sure you have:
a very good battery
asap electronic ignition
asap electronic petrol pump
asap a good (or better still uprated) alternator
a good (or better still uprated) stater motor
4-LIFE coolant
replace dissy cap, rotor arm and leads
clean all electrical connections
Tuning for me is as above plus K&N air filters, uprated igntion leads and spark plugs and when required uprated exhaust manifold and system
Of course the tuning above is only done after brakes, steering and suspension are all fully up to standard (or improved if you feel it's necessary)
Any significant extra power for thes classics is very expensive and needs to be balanced out with improvements to the rest of the car which can also be very expensive
Remanufactured Triumph parts I found to be of very poor quality - MG parts are very plentiful and the supporting clubs for MG I found to be much better than Triumph but some of the remunfactured MG parts can be poor quality
If you are thinking of a TR6/4 then you could eaisly afford the best Spridgets - pity you don't live nearer or I'd let you have a go in my Midget (hoping you'd let me have a go in your TR6 as I've always fancied one but have been put off by my GT6 experiences)
As I've already said test drive as many different very good quality examples of each car to make your comparisions and whatever you choose - you don't need a hard top, you casn't drop a hard top whenever you feel you can a soft top
Last tip buy the owners handbooks for each of these cars before even test driving them and you'll know a lot about them probably more than some owners who don't know the correct tyre pressures or how to properly stow the hood
Good luck
ETA: 1275 'A' series engines are very reliable and strong and I belive very tuneable but as Spridgets are very light cars they need less power anyway so tuning for me is as mention above
Buy the classic and enjoy it for 6-9 months and then see if you still want it tuned and modernised - if you do and you want it tuned and modernised a lot then sell it and buy a MX-5
You really need to drive a Spit or TR6/4 as the seperate chassis give them an almost opposite feel to a Spridget - I had a GT6 its feel, steering, handling and roadholding where nothing like my Spridgets
The Spit amd Spridgets can be compared to each other but the TR6/4 is a bigger car so perhaps better if you're going on lots of continental tours
But I've taken my Midget on tours abroad and this country without worry (just could have done with a 5 speed box for the motorways)
Best tuning for a classic is FULL and PROPER servicing, classics need more parts servicing and more frequntly servicing
Very regular use of any classic will keep it MUCH, MUCH more reliable
For reliability as well as regular FULL and PROPER servicing make sure you have:
a very good battery
asap electronic ignition
asap electronic petrol pump
asap a good (or better still uprated) alternator
a good (or better still uprated) stater motor
4-LIFE coolant
replace dissy cap, rotor arm and leads
clean all electrical connections
Tuning for me is as above plus K&N air filters, uprated igntion leads and spark plugs and when required uprated exhaust manifold and system
Of course the tuning above is only done after brakes, steering and suspension are all fully up to standard (or improved if you feel it's necessary)
Any significant extra power for thes classics is very expensive and needs to be balanced out with improvements to the rest of the car which can also be very expensive
Remanufactured Triumph parts I found to be of very poor quality - MG parts are very plentiful and the supporting clubs for MG I found to be much better than Triumph but some of the remunfactured MG parts can be poor quality
If you are thinking of a TR6/4 then you could eaisly afford the best Spridgets - pity you don't live nearer or I'd let you have a go in my Midget (hoping you'd let me have a go in your TR6 as I've always fancied one but have been put off by my GT6 experiences)
As I've already said test drive as many different very good quality examples of each car to make your comparisions and whatever you choose - you don't need a hard top, you casn't drop a hard top whenever you feel you can a soft top
Last tip buy the owners handbooks for each of these cars before even test driving them and you'll know a lot about them probably more than some owners who don't know the correct tyre pressures or how to properly stow the hood
Good luck
ETA: 1275 'A' series engines are very reliable and strong and I belive very tuneable but as Spridgets are very light cars they need less power anyway so tuning for me is as mention above
Edited by SB - Nigel on Sunday 4th January 15:45
Hello there just a quick note although I may come back and add to it later.
Both the Spit and Midget are good first classics (as is the B).
The 1300 Spit is easily tuneable by chucking the 1300 engine and fitting the 1500 engine and if needed overdrive.
The 1500 engine is a nice engine, hence why my preference of Midgets is a debumpered 1500 with a tweaked 1500 and overdrive box whenever I run one, never come across any Midget that can match it for every day practicality and driving pleasure, the only way you will touch a 1500 tweaked Midget (debumpered) with a 1275 is to go mad on tuning it, it will then be a hopeless car to drive regularly (been there done that) we have toured Europe in my Midget which has then the week after been entered in to sprints and autotests and placed highly or won.
Spit V Midge is always personal choice, the cars are very different. The spit feels like more of a "real car" where as the Midgets lightness comes from being very simply manufactured, however IMO the midget is the better drive, slightly less rust prone and more fun/cheaper to own.
You can get all parts for both Spits and Midgets, however be warned the Triumph bits are harder to get as there are less specialists, every area has several MG specialists though (I'm one for example) so you will always be able to find bits in a hurry (and cheaply).
Try to find original parts if you can, the remanufactured parts aren't that good in most cases.
If you get to the point of considering a Midget by all means give me a bell I always have at least one in stock and can get/build anything you like.
Oliver
Both the Spit and Midget are good first classics (as is the B).
The 1300 Spit is easily tuneable by chucking the 1300 engine and fitting the 1500 engine and if needed overdrive.
The 1500 engine is a nice engine, hence why my preference of Midgets is a debumpered 1500 with a tweaked 1500 and overdrive box whenever I run one, never come across any Midget that can match it for every day practicality and driving pleasure, the only way you will touch a 1500 tweaked Midget (debumpered) with a 1275 is to go mad on tuning it, it will then be a hopeless car to drive regularly (been there done that) we have toured Europe in my Midget which has then the week after been entered in to sprints and autotests and placed highly or won.
Spit V Midge is always personal choice, the cars are very different. The spit feels like more of a "real car" where as the Midgets lightness comes from being very simply manufactured, however IMO the midget is the better drive, slightly less rust prone and more fun/cheaper to own.
You can get all parts for both Spits and Midgets, however be warned the Triumph bits are harder to get as there are less specialists, every area has several MG specialists though (I'm one for example) so you will always be able to find bits in a hurry (and cheaply).
Try to find original parts if you can, the remanufactured parts aren't that good in most cases.
If you get to the point of considering a Midget by all means give me a bell I always have at least one in stock and can get/build anything you like.
Oliver
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