SUMMER 2009
Welcome to the Summer 2009 issue of Moss Motoring. Immerse yourself in a vast range of stories that range from personal profiles, to technical advice, and more. We promise it’s a ride worth your while. Browse the articles below.
Triumph Spitfire: Mark IV & 1500
Despite having a curvy Italian body, strong sales numbers and a class win at LeMans, the popular, gutsy Triumph Spitfire gets little respect in the sports car world. The first cars had a few quirks—most fans will admit that—but most were cured by 1971, making the Spitfire a fun run-around-town car. Modifications can transform the…
Tracy Drummond, President of the Austin Healey Club USA
Tracy Drummond fell in love with British cars at age eight while riding his bicycle. He came across a British car show in the Glenwood Springs, Colorado, high school parking lot and was mesmerized. “They were so different from American cars,” says Drummond. “They had a different sound and smell, wire wheels and tonneau covers…
Hot Blooded – Tips to Avoid Overheating
With the onset of the summer driving season, auto repair shops will start getting many calls about cars that overheat, or at least seem to. In an effort to get you thinking about all the things that can affect how the cooling system performs, we’ve compiled a list. It isn’t comprehensive, and some of these…
Getting a Handle on Handling
Despite their swoopy sheet metal and well-earned racing pedigree, a lot of our British classics aren’t super-advanced when it comes to suspension. There’s precious little suspension adjustment available up front, while the live axle often used in the back is about as basic as they come. Add in a few decades of use and component…
Farewell, New Jersey — Hello, Virginia
It was during the first light October snow fall when I backed a U-Haul into my new neighbor’s garden wall. The rear tires slipped on some wet melting snow and bam, a twenty-something kid from Moss in California crashed his way into the state of New Jersey—poor folks. If you have been injured in such…
Accessorize
By David Scott We have been personalizing our sports cars since the first ones rolled out of the factory, each owner adding their own little touches. Some of these add-ons made the cars quicker, while others added some practicality. Either way, they all made the cars as unique as the owners driving them. A slew…
A Sprite in My Life
By Ronald Hunt After searching for a car to restore, in 2002 I found a 1967 Austin-Healey Sprite in the Classic Auto Trader in Buckeye, Arizona, listed for $500. I thought it was a cute little car, and bought it for $450 plus a 16 oz. beer. The car had been sitting for 25 years….