For me the epitomy of british motoring were its sports cars. I always loved the Sprites, but a good Jaguar, or Aston Martin, Morgan or Lotus......you cant beat them. not that they were the fastest, or the best, just had a certain class about them.
My Sprite was a bucket of bits when I got it. An exracing machine. was mildly worked, but I reconditioned and balanced the engine. 1275cc bored out to about 1370 I think, huge over sized valves (like the old Coopers), double valve springs. 40mm SU carbs, 4 of them, flat pistons, and the stroker crank, a slightly worked camshaft, 4 bolt main bearings to hold the camshaft in place (why on earth did the brits only have 3 main bearings with just two studs per bearing. Straightened exhaust with extractors. I put different gear ratios in to the gearbox, they dsaid I should have put 5 speed gearbox in but I didnt. Reco power brakes system, sway bars front and back, slip diff. A fully reconditioned body and re- upholstered. She pured like a kitten (straight through twin exhaust 9fitted after the photosd). Could get to 0-60 in about 8 seconds from memory. Top speed was about 108mph, could sustain about 95). Would rev out to about 8500 rpm with very little valve bounce.
My best trip was from Canberra to Sydney (roughly a four hour trip, although we did it in two this night). Just outside of Canberra, nosed up against an Alpha Spyder. Thought this will be easy......took off from the light, and left him in my wake. In straight line speed , hillclimbing, and accelaration I had it all over this guy, but he could beat me in the corners....those things are on rails i tell you.
We battled it out for two hours , neither one could get the advantage....sometimes it was me, sometmes him. As we entered SAydney, he was slightly in front, but he slowed down, and we entered the city in line abreast. It was the best street episode I ever was stupid enough to get involved in.
If cars are a reflection of a nations democracy, I reckon this was the symbol of British freedom......completely impractical, a real pain in the a**** to maintain, but a joy to ride in
Now i drive a safe, practical Subaru........