I have been a 5er for only a few weeks now 4 in fact, Having grown tired of modern euro boxes that only required a modicum of effort do drive I found myself bored.
In 2010 I ditched my then Corsa for a 1968 Morris Minor (Jethro) and got a lot of the fun back that driving should produce, I had always wanted a classic car but my dream cars were always going to be out of reach to me (Austin Healey 3000, or the Frog eye Sprite). In april of 2011 I saw what would become my first open top 2 seater, a 1972 Mark IV Triumph Spitfire (Abby), and I was smitten with it. (I will ad at this point that I had been looking at several Mk1 5s but they were all pretty knackered.)
Everytime I got behind the wheel I ended up with face ach from the smiling
It drove fantastic, its loud :frantic:and sure gets attention everywhere I go in her. But I was using her as a daily drive, to work, shopping and various other duties. With an impending 1600 mile round trip looming I felt Abby just wouldn't be upto the job and as a 40 year old she wasn't really suited to daily use. So I had need of something that would be well able to cope with daily abuse and long trips, yet still maintain that "FUN" factor. This is very important to me now to enjoy my driving without being crippled at the end of it.
I had aready driven my friend George's Mk2, but felt thay were still a little new for me, I preferred the styling of the Mk1 with its front nose and pop up lights and so the search for ride commenced and a the end of January this year I aquired my little red 5. I was not dissapointed, the driving experience, although very modern to what I was used still able to deliver what I needed and then some, I can throw the 5 round the twisties and bends with ease and despite being 23 years old can out manouver even the most modern of "sporty" cars leaving them in my rear view mirror. The 5 still gains attention though not as much as the spitty.
My only regret is why the fek did I not get one last year.
In 2010 I ditched my then Corsa for a 1968 Morris Minor (Jethro) and got a lot of the fun back that driving should produce, I had always wanted a classic car but my dream cars were always going to be out of reach to me (Austin Healey 3000, or the Frog eye Sprite). In april of 2011 I saw what would become my first open top 2 seater, a 1972 Mark IV Triumph Spitfire (Abby), and I was smitten with it. (I will ad at this point that I had been looking at several Mk1 5s but they were all pretty knackered.)
Everytime I got behind the wheel I ended up with face ach from the smiling
It drove fantastic, its loud :frantic:and sure gets attention everywhere I go in her. But I was using her as a daily drive, to work, shopping and various other duties. With an impending 1600 mile round trip looming I felt Abby just wouldn't be upto the job and as a 40 year old she wasn't really suited to daily use. So I had need of something that would be well able to cope with daily abuse and long trips, yet still maintain that "FUN" factor. This is very important to me now to enjoy my driving without being crippled at the end of it.I had aready driven my friend George's Mk2, but felt thay were still a little new for me, I preferred the styling of the Mk1 with its front nose and pop up lights and so the search for ride commenced and a the end of January this year I aquired my little red 5. I was not dissapointed, the driving experience, although very modern to what I was used still able to deliver what I needed and then some, I can throw the 5 round the twisties and bends with ease and despite being 23 years old can out manouver even the most modern of "sporty" cars leaving them in my rear view mirror. The 5 still gains attention though not as much as the spitty.
My only regret is why the fek did I not get one last year.
