MOTOR SPORT

SportsCars Under£700

THE £641 TRIUMPHSPITFIRE 4A 93-m.p.h. British Small Sports Ca rwith All-round Independent Suspen­sion, Disc Front Brakes and Wind-upGlass Windows, Taxi-beating TurningCircle and a s.s, ! -m il e in 19.5 seconds

STYLISH.-The Michelotti body lines of theTriumph Spitfire are unquestionably part of the

car's appeal.

IN vintage times, I,IOO-C.C. sports cars were decidedly popularamong the sportsmen who frequented Brooklands Track andAlms Hill, etc. They were of French origin-Salmson, Amilcar,

B.N.C., Rally, Lombard, Senechal, Vernon-Derby-and invari­ably had pointed tails , centre-lock wire wheels, high gear ratiosand sketchy weather protection, with fold-flat windscreen or" aero " or raked vee-screens.

How different is the Triumph Spitfire 4, a very welcomeaddition to the ranks of the long-neglected " 1100" sports cars.In vintage times it would have come just above the I,IOO-C.C.class but today, with an F.I.A. classification of 1,000-1,150 c.c.,it comes just within it. It has a useful lockable luggage-boot inlieu of a racing tail, it is, if anything, low-geared, and it hasextremely good protection from the elements, but the windscreenis fixed.

The attractively-styled Spitfire 4, which attracts a very fairshare of admiring glances, is built by Standard-Triumph, ofthe Leyland Group, from Triumph Herald components. Thusit inherits a fantastically small turning circle at the expense ofsevere tyre-scrub on the very full lock, transverse leaf-springswing-axle independent rear suspension, and 9-in. disc frontbrakes by Girling. The backbone chassis is retained, suitablymodified, and the Michelotti-styled body, flat and shapely, is notonly amongst the mos t pleasing of present-day small sports cars.but it has the luxury of wind-up glass windows instead of detach-able sidescreens and a good, rigid hood, which blends well withthe lines of the body.

" IIoo."-Small soorts cars ' of around 1,100 c.c. swept-volume ..

230 APRIL, 1963

The Spitfire 4 is purely a 2-seater, for the conventional shelfbehind the two bucket seats is too low to be used as a seat and inlater models is humped in the centre. But for extra luggage orthe dog it is essentially useful. Access to it is by lift ing eitherseat, to do which a catch at the base of the squab has to be relea ed-a bit " fumbly " but an insurance against an empty seat fl ingforward under heavy braking.

A snag having arisen when I went by appointment to Standard­Triumph's well-run depot on Western Avenue at Acton to collectthe test-car, I completed a considerable mileage in a Sp itfirewhich the makers deemed unsuitable for the " gentlemen of thePress." This does not imply that they issue specially-preparedvehicles for road-test; merely that this particular Triumph had aslight dent in the tail, its brakes needed adjustment, the tic k- overwas rather fast, and, after I had got it home, one of the tubelessDunlop C41 tyres subsided and refused to remain infla ted forany length of time after my efficient Dunlop foot-pump had beenapplied to it-and the spare was flat.

Those items, and a good many rattles, were the onl y short­comings of a car that I found most enjoyable to drive, qu ick andsure through traffic, and comfortable to occupy in the coldestweather, the heater being unobtrusive but entirely adequateand the windows in the doors much appreciated. The doorshave effective" keeps" and getting in or out, wi th the ho od up,should present no real difficulty to the reasonably agile .

Although the weather remained abnormally cold all the tim e Ihad the two Spitfires for test, their hoods remained up througho t,more on account of laziness than lack of handiness. The wea th erprotection is first-class, the hood providing ad equa te headroomand having three transparent rear panels that provide equallyadequate rearwards visibility. The plated ribs on top of the fron twings are excellent for " sighting " the car.

The little I,I47-c.c. Triumph is purely a sp orts car, lively, funto drive, making appropriate noises-a travelling mo tor-race­and sticking well to the road. While accelera ting the engine hasa quite loud, deep exhaust no te but I do no t think it wou ld giveQff~D~~ J9_9tlY9n.~~_ Jlj:_ Qtb_~rJjJ}1.eJi , t.b~ ~1].gi u.~j§ _Je~§,Q1].~bly qui et ,

Although the weather remained abnormally cold all the t im e Ihad the two Spitfires for test, their hoods rem ain ed up throughout>more on account of laziness than lack of handiness. The wea therprotection is first-class, the hood providing ad equate headroomand having three transparent rear panels that provide equai yadequate rearwards visibility. The plated ribs on top of the fron twings are excellent for" sighting " the car.

The little I,I47-C.C. Triumph is purely a sp orts car, Iively, funto drive, making appropriate noises-a trav elling mo tor-race­and sticking well to the road. While accelerating the engine hasa quite loud, deep exhaust note but I do not th ink it would giveoffence to anyone; at other t imes the engine is reasonably qu iet,save for some exhaust roar and the sucking of the S. U.s.

The instrument panel forms the cen tre of an otherwise veryshallow facia, cut away on each side for access to very usefu l>well -lipped deep shelves, the only disadvantage of which is thatwarm air is blown over them when the heater is in use, to thedetriment of Mr. Cadbury and others of his ilk. Instrumentationconsists of small matching Jaeger tachometer and speedometer,the former reading to 6,500 r.p.m. with an orange band from5,500 to 6,000 r.p.m. and red band from 6,000 to 6,500 r.p .m .,the latter to 110 m.p.h., flanked by a slow-recording fuel gauge(which shows no -level for miles before the supply dries up) anda temperature gauge, an oil-gauge being rather surpr isinglyabsent. Both tachometer and speedometer are finely and clearl y

'MOTO R SPORT

ACCESSIBILITY.-The forward-hinged bonnet of the TriumphSpitfire provides excellent access to engine and suspension components,

battery and electrical items, etc.

look after wipers, lamps, heater, choke and screen-washers, acentral flick-switch bringing in the heater-fan. There is a long,angled" struggling bar" in front of the passenger, and provisionfor a radio below the instrument panel. A lidded ash-tray isprovided in the facia sill.

The neat little remote gear-lever emerges from the transmissiontunnel, cranked back from a flexible anti-draught muff, and thecentral fly-off handbrake is man-sized and conventionally locatedon the tunnel. The single-spoke thin-rimmed steering wheel hasa horn-push on its hub and controls Alford and Alder rack­and-pinion gear. A slender stalk on the left of the column selectsthe full and dimmed headlamp beams after the lamps have beenswitched on, its positions indicated diagrammatically-it is neces­sary, however, to go through the full-beam position when selectingsidelamps from dipped beam. The stalk pulls inwards to givefull-beam daylight flashing. The horn but not the wipers isindependent of the ignition circuit. A r.h. stalk controls the self­cancelling flashers and a good point is that the rear lamps can beseen by glancing behind, even when the hood is up, although theirglasses look rather vulnerable.

The doors have no pockets, facia shelves and the space behindthe seats giving sufficient stowage. Their interior handles are setlow, out of the way, the window-winders call for 3t turns tofully open the windows and those who consider it a designer'sduty to make the exterior of a car as smooth as possible in deferenceto careless pedestrians may frown slightly at the forward-pointingexterior door handles. Safety-belts were fitted to both theSpitfires I drove.

The rear-view mirror is hung sensibly from the screen railbut the rake of the rail cuts off sideways vision rather sharply.The pedals enable" heel-and-toe " gear-changing to be indulgedin, there is parking space for the clutch foot, the driver's seat hasa very reasonable range of adjustment and the steering column canlYlen~a~'givffig lsaI7tbeWln~fU\V'c1g~:- iC'~ ?RWif&enur nancues an; setlow, out of the way, the window-winders call for 3t turns tofully open the windows and those who consider it a designer'sduty to make the exterior of a car as smooth as possible in deferenceto careless pedestrians may frown slightly at the forward-pointingexterior door handles. Safety-belts were fitted to both theSpitfires I drove.

The rear-view mirror is hung sensibly from the screen railbut the rake of the rail cuts off sideways vision rather sharply.The pedals enable " heel-and-toe " gear-changing to be indulgedin, there is parking space for the clutch foot, the driver's seat hasa very reasonable range of adjustment and the steering column canbe adjusted for length if a spanner is applied.

There are the usual warning lights and the speedometer incor­porates a total mileage recorder with decimals as well as a triprecorder. The facia sill is of resilient, non-dazzle material.

The hood sticks are stowed in the luggage boot when the caris used in open form, but although these, the tools and the sparewheel are accommodated ther-ein, luggage accommodation is notunduly impaired. The lid props and releases automatically.

The entire bonnet hinges from the front, after Herald-typeside catches have been released, to give complete freedom ofaccess to the 69.3 x 76 mm. (1,147 c.c.) 4-cylinder engine, with itstwin S.U. type HS2 carburetters and 9.0-tO-I c.r. The makersclaim an output of 63 net b.h.p. at 5,750 r.p.m. and maximumtnrflllP ~t ':2 ,()() r n m

232 APRIL, 1963

On the RoadThe Triumph Spitfire 4 behaves like a typical small sports car

and responds well to enthusiastic driving. The engine can bethrust well " into the red" without evidence of valve-bounceor other discomfort. Unfortunately the lower gears are too low, sot~at the maxima in rst and znd stop at 25 and 44 m.p.h ., respec­tively. In 3rd gear 70 m.p.h. is possible but the makers prefera few m.p.h, fewer. These are genuine speeds, after the normaloptimism of the speedometer has been corrected.

Give~ a reasonable run the absolute top speed is 93 m. p.h.but 90 IS a more commonplace road speed. The engine is turningover at just over 5,000 r.p.m. at a cruising speed of 80 m .p.h.,and it is docile to a degree at low speeds in top cog.

The suspension is fairly hard, so that bad roads produce a gooddeal of rattle and shake, some of which is transmitted to thesteer~l1:g. However, comfort is not greatly impaired under suc hconditions and poor surfaces need not call for drastic reductionof speed, while ground clearance is usually ample. The cornering.tendency is mild understeer which changes to oversteer as theswing-axle i.r .s. reaches positive wheel camber. Once the dr iverhas become accustomed to this handling characteristic he or sheshould have no alarms and excursions. Only in very sudden,tight changes of direction does the rear-end feel at all squidgy.

Clutch and brakes work so well they call for no comment,except that the latter need firm pressure; the steering is accurat e,a~solutely free from sponge or lost motion, light and" qu ick ,,.WIthout being outstandingly sensitive or smooth; gear ed 31­turns, lock-to-lock (which should be read in conjunction with theastonishing 23!-ft. turning circle) it catches tail slides and over­steer with alacrity.

The fuel range, inclusive ofperformance testing, was the useful oneof263 miles. The engine likes roo-octane fuel but only pinked mildlyon Esso Extra. Because of the uncertainty of when the Standard­Triumph Press Department would be able to let me have the correcttest-car my checks of petrol consumption were more curtailed th anusual, but came out at 33.7 rn.p.g. under adverse conditions. After700 miles no oil was required. Grease points are confined totwo ~eeding lubricant at 6,000 miles and four more requiringattention every 12,000 miles; no starting handle is provided.

For the first time since before the war I "vas able to takeacceleration figures on the peace and security of a banked track"somewhere in Surrey." Here the following figure s wererecorded without the engine overheating (the thermometer hasno figure calibration, but its needle remained just abo ve " N " )or causing us any anxiety. These times are against an accurateelectric speedometer, and are th~ average of several runs, two-up,dry surface, no WInd. The best times are in brackets, and it should

Continued on page 236

APRIL, 1963 233 MOTOR SPORT

THE I ,098 c.c,

M.G. MIDGET

A Sprightly Small Sports

Car now with Larger Engine

and Disc Front Brakes

REAR ASPECT of the latest M.G. Midget,showing the useful luggage boot, and large window

area in the hood.

TH E M .G. Midget has been 'one of Britain's most popularsmall sports cars from the end of the vintage era, when itmade its bow as the 850 c.c . M-type. Since the last London

Motor Show it has joined the newly resuscitated ranks of 1,100 C.C.

sports cars, for the 950 c.c. power unit of the post-war Midget hasbeen replaced, under B.M.C.'s engine standardisation scheme,by a Type 10 CG, 64.6 X 83.7 mm. (1,098 c.c.) engine which, intwin carburetter form with M.G. 1100 head and camshaft, pro­duces 55 b.h.p. at 5,500 r.p.m. and 61 lb.jft, torque at 2,500 r.p.m.In addition to this improvement, Girling 8:1in. disc brakes areused on the front wheels, there is bauIk-ring synchromesh on thethree upper gear ratios, znd gear is fractionally higher than before,a double-thickness gearbox plate cuts down tail-shaft whirl, theclutch is of increased diameter and detail improvements concernbetter crash-padding round the facia, a Smiths electric speedo­meter and a carpeted floor.

After the Triumph Spitfire the M.G. Midget at first gives theimpression of being a toy, very low, very small, rather difficultto see out of with the hood up, rough and noisy. After a day'smotoring in it I had considerably revised this opinion, and at theend of a lengthy test I was a firm Midget enthusiast, for this M.G.,no less than the better of its predecessors, feels "all in one piece,"is responsive, sprightly and very quick about the place, moderatelycomfortable, and essentially safe.

It is perhaps" less of a car" than the Spitfire, more difficult toget into and out of with the hood up. Its sliding Perspex sidewindows instead of wind-up glass windows and a hood thattends to drum and, in spite of ingenious telescopic sticks, is notparticularly easy to erect, are not altogether endearing. Casualminor controls, such as manually-cancelling indicators operatedby a facia flick-switch, whereas the Spitfire has a stalk and self­cancelling' mechanism, no means of daylight headlamp flashing,end ofa .lengthytes t I'wasa firm Midget'enthushlst~··Ior-lniS]~'l:-Ci.~n o less than the better of its predecessors, feels "all in one piece,"is responsive, sprightly and very quick about the place, moderatelycomfortable, and essentially safe.

It is perhaps" less of a car" than the Spitfire, more difficult toget into and out of with the hood up. Its sliding Perspex sidewindows instead of wind-up glass windows and a hood thattends to drum and, in spite of ingenious telescopic sticks, is notparticularly easy to erect, are not altogether endearing. Casualminor controls, such as manually-cancelling indicators operatedby a facia flick-switch, whereas the Spitfire has a staIk and self­cancelling' mechanism, no means of daylight headlamp flashing,facia-location of the lighting flick-switch, inaccurate instrumentsand doors that lack exterior handles, so that, if the sliding side­screens freeze up, entry to the M.G. poses a problem the solutionof which, to say the least, looks like burglary, make a price of £42below that charged for the Triumph seem disadvantageouslydisproportionate.

However, on longer acquaintance this latest of a long line ofM.G. Midgets comes over as a very likeable and attractive littlecar. Everything about it tends to be simple, yet adequate. The neatfacia lacks any form of oddments-stowage but as M. G. owners aremore likely to be laden with maps and torches than gloves andhandbags the big rigid pocket in each door is useful enough.The sidescreens, ap~~t from ~?e .1~~~r_~~~1~~_ ~~~._~~~:: "o~~~~~~:

turning its control knob a fan can be brought into action, while ifthe knob is pulled out the intake is closed and noxious fumesexcluded. Normally I found the amount of heat more thansufficient.

The screen is flat but, even so, the wiper blades leave dirty areas,and sideways visibility is not particularly good. However, thewipers are supplemented by very effective (pump-knob) washerswhich during a dirty day 's driving of 380 miles didn't run dry.The main instruments consist of a speedometer reading to 100m.p.h, and a tachometer calibrated to 7,000 r.p.m. in graduationsof 500 r.p.m., with the first warning band from 5,500 to 6,000 r.p.m.anything higher taking you " into the red." A trip with decimalsand total mileage recorder are incorporated in the speedometerdial; the figures are clear and needles steady.

These dials are supplemented by a small combined oil-pressure

MOTOR SPORT

gauge and water thermometer (oil pressure varies with r.p.rn.,bet~ee~ ~pproxim~tely 40/60 lb.jsq, in.; the heat is normally at170 F rising to 18o F under extreme conditions) and a fuel gaugethat registered full when only four to five gallons were in what isclaimed to be a six-gallon tank, but is suitably pessimistic at theother extreme.

The minor controls are a .series of old-fashioned lettered knobsand small unlabelled flick-switches, which between them lookaf~er choke .(or, more correctly, as the gas-works are S.U. HS2,mixture enrIch.men~), starter, heater, lights (foot-dipper), wipers,~asher~ and ~:hrect1<?n-fl.ashers. There are the expected warninglights, including a single rather large one for the turn-indicators,and facia lighting can be extinguished by a tiny switch underthe facia rail. The ignition key, separate from the boot-lid key,does not start the engine. The rear-view mirror is mountedsomewhat obstructively on the facia sill . The styling departmenthas overcome its love of octagons but the front badge naturallyIncorporates one, there is another in a facia motif before thepassenger, and a large ' one above the word " Midget" on theboot lid.

The rigid remote gear-lever is well placed, the driving positiongood, but the pull-up handbrake lies beside the passenger's seatcushion, in a position where it might trouble a modest girl-friend,if such still exist. It is sad that M.G., of all people, no longerprovide a fly-off handbrake. .

The bucket seats are good but not outstanding, the cushionmore comfortable than the squab on a long driving stint, but theyhold the driver firmly; the seat backs tilt forward to facilitateremoving luggage or enabling dogs to remove themselves from theback ledge. This, for some unaccountable reason, has a deepupholstered cushion, elaborately arranged to hinge up after press­buttons had been freed, presumably for access to the axle. As itis so high that no adult and not every canine would feel securewhen sitting on it, the purpose of this elaboration eluded me. Aplain shelf for luggage would be more sensible. Perhaps the strainof car-styling produces children with stumps in lieu of legs butthe wider public, outside such drawing offices, usually has activeoffspring with two equal-length legs and these cannot occupysports-car back seats of this oddly-dimensioned kind, so may wego back to pure z-seaters, please? Perhaps, however, someonethinks a Midget is a car for midgets ?

The boot lid locks, and, opened, has to be supported by a crudebent-wire prop that is difficult to stow. The boot-lid handle wasalso difficult to turn after closing the lid. The boot carries thespare wheel, horizontally on the floor, and hood sticks, tools, etc.,in a bag strapped to the forward wall. There is still plenty ofroom for the kind of luggage sports-car owners are likely to wantto take with them.

The bonnet lid also has to be propped open, after which thecarburetters with their separate Coopers air cleaners, the Cham­pion plugs, fillers, dip-stick and Lucas battery are all very access­ible. The Lucas sealed-beam headlamps are, of course, normallylocated, unlike those on earlier Sprites, and very effective, and thetest car had safety-belts (which I didn't use).

The interior of the car is somewhat cramped, as there is apropeller shaft tunnel between the seats, but the absence of wind­up windows provides ample elbow-room. The interior, press­down door handles are set well back, where they are unlikely tobe inadvertently operated and the hood has a big rear panel andsubsidiary transparent panels at the back.

In ActionIf this M.G. seems a bit skimped when one makes a critical

234 APRIL, 1963

THE M.G. MIDGET

Engine: 4 cylinders, 64.6 x 83.7 mm. (1,098 c.c.). Push­rod-operated overhead valves. 8.9 to I compression-ratio.55 b.h.p, (net) at 5,500 r.p.m.

Gear ratios: 1St, 13.50 to I; znd, 8.08 to I; 3rd, 5.73 to I;top, 4.22 to 1.

Tyres: 5.20 x 13 Dunlop Gold Seal C4I tubeless, on bolt-on steel disc wheels.

Weight: I3t cwt, (kerb weight).Steering ratio: 2-1- turns, lock-to-lock.Fuel capacity: 6 gallons (but see text). (Range approxi-

mately 163 miles.)Wheelbase:6 ft. 8! in.Track: Front, 3 ft. II! in.; rear, 3 ft. 9 in.Dimensions: r r ft, 6 in. x 4 ft. 6 in. x 3 ft. I 11- in. (hood up).Price: £495 (£598 13s. 7d. inclusive of purchase tax).Makers: M.G. Car Company Ltd., Abingdon-on-Thames,

Oxfordshire, England.

examination of it, the modest basic price of less than £495 (under£165 surely, by pre-war values?) must be taken into account.Once you start to drive it, and assuming you can appreciate asports car, the Midget is quickly taken at its face value and isgreat fun. .The.engin7 could be ca~led rough, and there is a gooddeal of noise, including gear whIne, although the latter is incharacter and less obtrusive than that from many vintage sportscars. The gear-lever rattles at about two-thirds up the rev. rangebut the engine goes up to 6,500 and even to 7,000 r.p.m, assumingthe tachometer had not been " tuned," as I experienced on onePress M.G. before the war. .

The performance is somewhat deceptive, because the speedo­meter flatters the driver to a considerable degree. It goes easilyand eagerly to 70 m.p.h, and on to 80 m.p.h, on long straights, butin fact the M.G. is then doing 63 and 72 m.p.h., respectively; at40 m.p.h, the reading is 4 m.p.h, fast, at 50, 5 m.p.h. fast, at 606 m.p.h, optimistic. The genuine maxima in the gears, pushingthe needle of the tachometer well" into the red," whereas peakpower is developed some 1,000 r.p.m. lower, are 32, 54 and 74m.p.h, At approximately 5,000 r.p.m, in top gear the true speedis 76! m.p.h. and a very long run is necessary to obtain the flat-outmaximum of 92 m.p.h.

Less important than recorded performance, however, is themanner in which this willing little sporting 2-seater gets about.It feels .safe and predictable, has good brakes and plenty ofacceleration,

.The gearbox is a delight, the lever going through well, if a shadestiffly, bottom gear reasonably easy to engage in spite of crash

Continued on page 236

located, unlike those on earlier Sprites, andvery effecfive~~·iin-dtlie·- ----"-------puwer---ls---uevelopeu-some- 1;000 r.p.mrioweryare 32 , 54 ana 721-test car had safety-belts (which I didn't use). ~.p.h. At approximately 5,000 r.p.m, in top gear the true speed

The interior of the car is somewhat cramped, as there is a 1S 76.!m.p.h, and a very long run is necessary to obtain the flat-outpropeller shaft tunnel between the seats, but the absence of wind- maximum of 92 m.p.h.up windows provides ample elbow-room. The interior, press- Less important than recorded performance, however, is thedown door handles are set well back, where they are unlikely to manner in which this willing little sporting 2-seater gets about.be inadvertently operated and the hood has a big rear panel and It feels safe and predictable, has good brakes and plenty ofsubsidiary transparent panels at the back. acceleration.

• .The gearbox is a delight, the lever going through well, if a shade. .In ~ctl0n . . stiffly, bottom gear reasonably easy to engage in spite of crash

If this M.G. seems a bit skimped when one makes a critical Continued on page 236

PRE-WAR AND POST-WARSPORTS CARS.-The modernM.G. photographed with a 1938l.h.d. 328 B .M.W. acquired recentlyby the Continental Correspondent.Although the B.M.W. normally hada vee-screen and proper bad-weathereauioment, on this occasion the

MOTOR SPORT

0 1'1 THE BANKING.-For the first-time since Brooklands closedover twenty y ears ago we have been able to test cars on a closed,banked circuit. The Triumph Spitfire was the first to use thesefac ilities, as this picture acknowledges. Appropriately, by this time

the car had turned it self into a single-seater!TRIUMPH SPITFIRE TEST-continued from page 232be emphasised that the mileometer showed only just over 1,000miles:

0-30 m.p.h. 4.85 sec. ( 4.8 sec.)0-40 m.p.h. 7.55 sec. ( 7.6 sec.)0-50 m.p.h. 11.20 sec. (11.1 sec.)0-60 m.p.h. 15.60 sec. (15.4 sec.)0-70 m.p.h. 21.70 sec. (21.6 sec.)s.s, i -mile 19.55 sec. (19.5 sec.)

It is nice .to discover that these figures equal or improve onthose claimed in the catalogue.

It only remains to add that the gear-change is extremelypleasant, with a "mechanical" as distinct from Porsche feel,the lever moving precisely and with short movements, especiallyacross the gate, the speed of change being limited only by stiffnesson the second car I drove, which was comparatively new. Theangular rather than straight action is no disadvantage, and reverseis easy to get in, up and right, beyond the rst-gear location.The lever is not spring-loaded, except to guard against inadvertentreverse gear engagement. There is good synchromesh on theupper three forward speeds; rst gear is normally as easy toengage as the others, even from rest-a feature few engineersare capable of contriving.

236 APRIL t 1963

THE TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 4

Engine: Four-cylinder, 69.3 x 76 mm. (1,147 c.c.), Push­rod-operated overhead valves. 9.0-to-I compression­ratio. 63 (net) b.h.p, at 5,750 r.p.m.

Gear ratios: rst, 15.40 to I; znd, 8.87 to I; 3rd, 5.73 to I;top, 4. I I to 1.

Tyres: 5.20 x 13 Dunlop C41 " Gold Seal" tubeless, onbolt-on steel disc wheels.

Weight: 14i cwt, (kerb weight).Steering ratio: 31 turns, lock-to-lock.Fuel capacity: 8 gallons. (Range approximately 263 miles.)Wheelbase: 6 ft. I I tin.Track: Front, 4 ft. Ii in.; rear, 4 ft. o! in.Dimensions: 12 ft. Ii in. x 4 ft. 10 in. x 3 ft. II! in. (hood­

up, unladen).Price: £530 (£640 19s. 7d. inclusive of purchase tax).

As tested: £654 5s. 5d.Makers: Standard-Triumph International, Ltd., Coventry,

Warwickshire, England.

I covered a total of 560 miles in the two Spitfires but as othersalso drove them, the combined total mileage was somewhatgreater. The only trouble experienced was breakage of a weldof the base framework of the passenger's seat on the second car,causing it to collapse and become unhabitable by animal or human,thus providing me with a single-seater Spitfire. Had this happenedto the driving seat the consequences could have been highlyinconvenient, even dangerous. These seats are, in any case,nothing special but I found them moderately comfortable and wellpadded; the pedals are slightly' out of line.

The Triumph Spitfire 4, with its handsome styling, advancedspecification, good performance and sensible weather equipmentand luggage accommodation, if it stands up to hard driving,should soon be a best-seller in the small sports-car class. It hasgood prospects of doing very well for Standard-Triumph Inter­national and British exports, particularly at the reasonable priceof £640 19s. 7d., purchase tax paid, or £654 5s. 5d. if your girl­friend makes you buy a heater.-W. B.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••THE M.G. MIDGET-continued from page 234 The unbracketed times are averages of two runs; the best timescogs on this ratio, reverse easy to find beyond top gear. are within brackets. The performance has to be related to -economy

The suspension is quite firm, as sudden shocks at the steering and here the Midget is very impressive. A fuel consumption checkwheel and momentary deflection from a straight course over severe over a big mileage, embracing almost every road and trafficbumps conveys, but it is notably comfortable for this type of car. condition, gave 39.2 m.p.g. The tank is said to hold 6 gallons butRoll is absent, cornering virtually neutral, tail slides can be checked takes less than five if the range, brimful to empty, of 163 miles isquickly with positive rack-and-pinion steering. This is geared any criterion. The filler cap is unsecured and not of quick-action2t-turns, lock-to-lock, and has useful, never fierce, castor-return type as on the Spitfire. Although the engine likes roo-octane fuelaction. The-brakes are light, powerful, and vice-free except for and I gave it Esso Golden and Super Shell and B.P. Super Plusvery occasional rubbing sounds from the pads. This is essentially when I could get it, there was very muffled protest on normal

_. - • • l' 1 1 . 1 - r - _ 1. - ~ . - TL ~- - L L .... ~ __~_;•• _ ..... "'+_,,1 "1::.. .,. 0.... n++o.... ~o. ...+"'........... nn,...a. +a.c>+;nn- +ha. ;n-.... ;t-;",.... ,...",.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••THE M.G. MIDGET-continued from page 234cogs on this ratio, reverse easy to find beyond top gear.

The suspension is quite firm, as sudden shocks at the steeringwheel and momentary deflection from a straight course over severebumps conveys, but it is notably comfortable for this type of car.Roll is absent, cornering virtually neutral, tail slides can be checkedquickly with positive rack-and-pinion steering. This is geared2t-turns, lock-to-lock, and has useful, never fierce, castor-returnaction. The- brakes are light, powerful, and vice-free except forvery occasional rubbing sounds from the pads. This is essentiallyalittle car to enjoy, in which to breathe fresh air. It is a taut car tofling through the curves when Mr. Eyles isn't looking-nor arethe Dunlop "Gold Seal" C4IS likely to attract attention bysquealing. The exhaust note shows spirit but is unlikely to proveoffensive if the driver uses normal discretion.

While this M.G. Midget is no racer, its acceleration, to correctedspeeds, two-up on a dry track, was timed as shown below:-

0-30 m.p.h, . . . . 4.85 sec. ( 4.8 sec.)0-40 m.p.h, 7.90 sec. ( 7.8 sec.)0-50 m.p.h. 11.25 sec. (11.0 sec.)0-60 m.p.h, 16.20 sec. (16.2 sec.)0-70 m.p.h, 23.00 sec. (22.8 sec.)S.S. i-mile 20.10 sec. (20.0 sec.)

The unbracketed times are averages of two runs; the best timesare within brackets. The performance has to be related to -economyand here the Midget is very impressive. A fuel consumption checkover a big mileage, embracing almost every road and trafficcondition, gave 39.2 m.p.g. The tank is said to hold 6 gallons buttakes less than five if the range, brimful to empty, of 163 miles isany criterion. The filler cap is unsecured and not of quick-actiontype as on the Spitfire. Although the engine likes roo-octane fueland I gave it Esso Golden and Super Shell and B.P. Super Pluswhen I could get it, there was very muffled protest on normalpremium petrol. Even after performance testing the ignition cutclean and starting was instantaneous after nights in the open,although the knob marked " C " "vas needed for a while before theengine would pull. No faults developed in a strenous test of 890miles and at the end half-a-pint of Castrol restored the sump level.

I am not too old to enjoy a sports car and this M.G. Midget, soinexpensive and so economical to run, and smart in its good redcellulose and durable-looking black p.v.c. upholstery, would bevery acceptable as a companion to the Editorial Morris 1100 fromthe same manufacturing source. At its inclusive price of £59813s. 7d. I can forgive a certain out-dated crudity in its minordetails. This is the best M.G. Midget yet, a small sports car atone with its driver and, I repeat, enormous fun. - W. B.

have thejobdoneproperly

SPARE

All Lucas dist r ibu to rco nt act sets have st ainlessst ee l spr ings sp eciallydes igned to give t hecorrect contact pressure.t\Jf 'i'& (' T...1t. r,~c...f '0'4,'3OQ....Also bo t h th e fixe d andmoving co ntacts ar e do medt o an exact rad ius to ens uremaxi mum efficiency an dlong life-just anot he rexam ple of LUCASt hro ughness and attent iont o det ail.

LUCAS

Always insist on gen uine Lucasrep lace me nt parts fo r lasti ng sati s­faction . By repl ac ing Lucas w ithLucas, you are su re , not only th atth ey fit , bu t the construction andmat erial s used are ide nti ca l. Dur ingmanufacture , all Lucas spares areinspect ed at every stage of produc­tion and the latest mod ificationsar e aut o mat ica lly inco r po rated.So have t he job don e properly .insist on a genuin e Lucas sp ar e.

FIT A GENUINE

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