When we think of classic sports cars, our minds often picture Triumph TRs, MGBs, Big Healeys or maybe even Corvettes and Jaguars. But truth be told, many of us forget the more common, smaller sports cars from MG, Austin-Healey, Triumph and Fiat--beginner sports cars, some people call them.
These little and supposedly underpowered sports cars--windup sports cars, so to say--not …
'Wind up' cars? I know we're all sports car fans here, but such a derogatory title only goes to strengthen the argument of those who think 'bigger is better' and 'small cars are junk', both in terms of size and dsplacement. Don't feed the insecure knuckle draggers.
In reply to Coupefan :
If you can’t laugh at yourself then you’re taking life too seriously. And few things should be taken less seriously than sports cars. Their whole existence is for fun and laughs.
Sincerely,
a wind up sports car fan
My wife calls my street '69 MKIII Spitfire my clown car and I don't take it as a derogatory title nor do I feel it strengthens the argument of those who think 'bigger is better' and 'small cars are junk'. In fact, I love the fact that she calls it a clown car and that when people see it in parking lots next to modern cars they say things like what an incredibly small car that is. From my viewpoint I know the feeling of driving it and looking out over that long bonnet. I also love the turning radius and that I can basically perform a u-turn in an intersection and the tilt-up front bonnet screams sports car. I also own a '78 Fiat 124 spider and a '70 MGB. Hands down the Spitfire is the most race car feel of the three.
This reminds me of the old question: Which is more fun, driving a fast car slow, or driving a slow car fast?
My Tiger is a good example of one side of this. Rarely can I use it to its full potential without violating various laws, be they traffic or physics, not to mention my own capabilities. A Spit or a Frogeye, however, you can drive those at 10/10 much more frequently, all the while being passed by a soccer mom in her SUV...
Stu
For me, it is a 70 year old MG, driven by a 71 year old guy hitting 72 MPH at the Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival. I am in my own world, one with the car and the MG is one with the course.
The Spitfires made in 62 were not 63 models. They were 62 models as were all Triumphs made that year. It was not until 1967 when the US government made car manufacturers build to safety and emissions standards that Triumph started doing year-model specific cars. Before that, all cars were labeled according to the year they were manufacturered.
It might also be mentioned that because the cars were not built to a year model specification, it was easy for the factory to implement mid-production changes and there were many of them in the early cars.
In reply to russellsifers :
Small world. I worked the Dam Corner safety station last fall at the Lake Garnett GP. Almost certainly saw you there.
Having driven all of them in a variety of conditions (like going skiing in a Fiat 850 Spider with no ski rack. I'll wait while you picture it), each of these cars is good for grins any time. It doesn't even matter which one does what better. As long as you can fit in it, it's fun. Nothing else will induce your wife/girlfriend/whatever to laugh like a maniac in the passenger seat when you're doing less than 50. Whenever offered a drive in or the opportunity to repair these cars, I've always done so. Even repairing them is fun because, after all, it's your duty to ensure any car you worked on runs and drives properly, right?
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