I’d forgotten how much I love this car.
I had major chest surgery about 6 years ago and couldn’t steer it for a couple of years, and so in the garage it stayed.
Since then it’s been used sporadically, and had a couple of problems that basically came about from lack of use, and being too busy with work and other things to sort it properly.
This year I’ve thought sod it and took it to a local garage and had the niggles sorted, just got it back and it’s just brilliant.
It makes me smile, it’s a pleasure to go out in. Quick for a dolly, noisy, engaging, smelly, and has a stereo (with a cassette player and graphic equaliser) not an in car entertainment system.
I’m determined to use it over the summer much more than before, and get some confidence in it.
It coughs and splutters and is a bit rough when cold ( bit like me!) but once it has a warmed up runs smoothly and easily to the red line.
The engine was replaced about 10 years ago with a rebuilt one by jigsaw, has a DMS2 cam, bored to +20 with new pistons, a balanced bottom end and lightened flywheel, baffled sump and a matched inlet with 45s. It feels very strong and runs cool with a sprintparts?? (Australia) alloy rad. It’s probably only done 1000 miles, if that, in that time, but hopefully this summer I’ll add a lot more to that and most importantly make me smile every time I get in it.
I’ve been lucky that I’ve had some and still have cracking cars, but my sprint which has been with me now 16 years is the one that still gives me the most pleasure. I’ll never sell it.
Why? It’s basically the car I wanted when I was 20, but couldn’t afford it….
