How much have you used yours this year?

[cliff.b]

Don't think I will have an opportunity to take the Spitty out again this year so have drawn a line in the little notebook I keep in the car. It tells me I have covered 3050 miles over the last year and used just under 500 litres of fuel. So by my calculation about 32mpg average, which doesn't seem bad for a 1500 without overdrive.

I can also see my highest mileage in one day was 160 miles but on one of several weekends away, covered 250 miles over 2 days.

As for problems, nothing that stopped me going where I needed to go. Distributor & starter motor replaced last January as planned work and the only significant unexpected issue was replacing a drive shaft and bearings in June, but that didn't stop me getting home. Apart from that, just servicing and replacing oil in gearbox and diff as I didn't know what was in there.

Car tucked away in garage now but hopefully not for long and hope to use it at least as much next year.

 

[steveo]

My Herald has bee used quite a lot in recent months due to moving house, she has done dozens of trips to the recycling centre fully loaded with scrap metal, wood & plastic etc.

Only had it on the road from the summer but done 2 shows & 1 vintage car run, not sure of the miles done as only fixed the speedo a few months ago but it got to be getting on for 1000 now, she ain't no show pony & gets used for everything in all weathers, I have loved every mile driving her.

Probably one of the cheapest & tatty classics I have had but got used the most due to not having to worry about it, always brings a smile to other motorists !

Cheers, Steve. 

[Chris A]

Mine? Not enough. 'Must try harder' New year resolution

[Clive]

Spitfire has done about 7K tis year. Mainly clocked up in longer trips. Scotland, Le mans, 10CR. I think only 2 track days, and 1 nav rally. Must try harder on that front.

No idea on overall MPG, some will be single figure (trackdays) but did get high 30's on motorway sections on holidays. Highest speed reached 114mph, on a German autobahn after I took the wrong turnoff and had to catch the rest of our group. 

No real brakdowns to report. An exhaust hanger broke, used about 2L of oil all together, and my AFR controller had a hissy fit. Tyres all replaced this year too. 

Next year I ought to attend to a few rust bubbles that are growing on the front wings. And fit the new doorcards that have been sitting next to the fridge for 2 years.

[cliff.b]

22 minutes ago, steveo said:

My Herald has bee used quite a lot in recent months due to moving house, she has done dozens of trips to the recycling centre fully loaded with scrap metal, wood & plastic etc.

Only had it on the road from the summer but done 2 shows & 1 vintage car run, not sure of the miles done as only fixed the speedo a few months ago but it got to be getting on for 1000 now, she ain't no show pony & gets used for everything in all weathers, I have loved every mile driving her.

Probably one of the cheapest & tatty classics I have had but got used the most due to not having to worry about it, always brings a smile to other motorists !

Cheers, Steve. 

That's great. I have made a couple of trips to the recycling centre and always make it clear I'm not leaving the car there lol.

[cliff.b]

7 minutes ago, clive said:

Spitfire has done about 7K tis year. Mainly clocked up in longer trips. Scotland, Le mans, 10CR. I think only 2 track days, and 1 nav rally. Must try harder on that front.

No idea on overall MPG, some will be single figure (trackdays) but did get high 30's on motorway sections on holidays. Highest speed reached 114mph, on a German autobahn after I took the wrong turnoff and had to catch the rest of our group. 

No real brakdowns to report. An exhaust hanger broke, used about 2L of oil all together, and my AFR controller had a hissy fit. Tyres all replaced this year too. 

Next year I ought to attend to a few rust bubbles that are growing on the front wings. And fit the new doorcards that have been sitting next to the fridge for 2 years.

114mph in a Spitfire 😱

I assume the engine is not as it was when the car left the factory 🤔

[Steve P]

 

14 minutes ago, cliff.b said:

I assume the engine is not as it was when the car left the factory 🤔

Ford ST170 with Subaru diff and CV shafts iirc?.

S

[Clive]

11 minutes ago, cliff.b said:

114mph in a Spitfire 😱

I assume the engine is not as it was when the car left the factory 🤔

Nope. it has a ford engine, and that has been bulletproof since fitted. 

It will happily cruise at 110mph if you can afford the fuel (the gauge seems to visibly move) and the rest of the car has been built to match. However, it is very much a jack of all trades, master of none. So it handles pretty well, has fairly good gearing (longer would be good on trips, shorter on track) and so on. But I will never willingly part with it.

[Clive]

Just now, Steve P said:

 

Ford ST170 with Subaru diff and CV shafts iirc?.

S

Yep. Difficult to break. I have tried.

[Steve P]

Usage for me, i am ashamed to say not much. I seem to be working more now than 20 years ago in my 30`s.Loss of storage has meant not much opportunity to work on my 2 cars either.A house move may be on the cards to get more space.

Going to Brooklands on New Years day though. And my Vitesse will be a wedding car to the chapel in Windsor Great Park in June.

S

[cliff.b]

4 minutes ago, clive said:

Nope. it has a ford engine, and that has been bulletproof since fitted. 

It will happily cruise at 110mph if you can afford the fuel (the gauge seems to visibly move) and the rest of the car has been built to match. However, it is very much a jack of all trades, master of none. So it handles pretty well, has fairly good gearing (longer would be good on trips, shorter on track) and so on. But I will never willingly part with it.

I would imagine a Spitfire with that much power feels fairly brisk at times 👍

[cliff.b]

2 minutes ago, Steve P said:

Usage for me, i am ashamed to say not much. I seem to be working more now than 20 years ago in my 30`s.Loss of storage has meant not much opportunity to work on my 2 cars either.A house move may be on the cards to get more space.

Going to Brooklands on New Years day though. And my Vitesse will be a wedding car to the chapel in Windsor Great Park in June.

S

A shame you haven't been able to use it more but at least a goal to improve on that next year.

[Colin Lindsay]

I feel I used mine too much, too many miles. Our local tendency is towards 'social' outings ie a very long drive with a meal at the end, sometimes up to 200 miles and although we try to vary them in many cases it's the same small area and the same roads, nose to tail driving in a convoy for sometimes over three hours without a break that finishes miles from home, so a long drive back afterwards. At our AGM in December the members voted against attending static shows in favour of these marathons. I'll drive miles to a show, to park up and see other cars, or to a local workshop to work on cars or have work done, but I'm fed up with this endless switchback tour of little roads many of which members attend in their modern cars.

So: 2023, more shows for me, more autojumble or static events, but less miles.

[rogerguzzi]

Hello Cliff

                We covered 6421miles this year.

We went to Spain in June 1900miles

Spa 6 hours September 1200/1300 miles.

Plus out most Wednesdays with a small group of friends.

On the Spain trip we were averaging 48/49 MPG!!!!

But we had a lambda sensor fail and with the new one and having to remap the EFI we are only getting 40mpg? (I will sort it out in the spring!)

We do have overdrive and it is a 28% unit so good for cruising on motorways.

Plus we run EFI with ITB's so can tune it for better cruising!

Plus the engine is fully balanced and ported and has a Newman PH2 cam (Fast road) and the block is decked with piston pop up etc

Roger

[cliff.b]

1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

I feel I used mine too much, too many miles. Our local tendency is towards 'social' outings ie a very long drive with a meal at the end, sometimes up to 200 miles and although we try to vary them in many cases it's the same small area and the same roads, nose to tail driving in a convoy for sometimes over three hours without a break that finishes miles from home, so a long drive back afterwards. At our AGM in December the members voted against attending static shows in favour of these marathons. I'll drive miles to a show, to park up and see other cars, or to a local workshop to work on cars or have work done, but I'm fed up with this endless switchback tour of little roads many of which members attend in their modern cars.

So: 2023, more shows for me, more autojumble or static events, but less miles.

Yes, I have been on some of these long drives out, although the chap that organizes them works out a circular route which limits the distance you get from home. Also heads off on different directions with no duplication of routes so far. 

[cliff.b]

43 minutes ago, rogerguzzi said:

Hello Cliff

                We covered 6421miles this year.

We went to Spain in June 1900miles

Spa 6 hours September 1200/1300 miles.

Plus out most Wednesdays with a small group of friends.

On the Spain trip we were averaging 48/49 MPG!!!!

But we had a lambda sensor fail and with the new one and having to remap the EFI we are only getting 40mpg? (I will sort it out in the spring!)

We do have overdrive and it is a 28% unit so good for cruising on motorways.

Plus we run EFI with ITB's so can tune it for better cruising!

Plus the engine is fully balanced and ported and has a Newman PH2 cam (Fast road) and the block is decked with piston pop up etc

Roger

I would like an o/d but I'm sure I will get around to it eventually.

Interesting the difference in fuel economy with EFI. What do you use and did it take much playing with to set up optimally?

[NonMember]

I love the drives out and would far rather use my Triumphs than sit in a field for a static show. However, I didn't get to do as many this year as I would have liked. The only significant one was the C2C (Porthmadog to Dungeness, overnight) in the Spitfire. Last year had a holiday in Yorkshire, a trip to the peaks (I had to retire from that before the lakes and dales bit due to a failed gearbox mount) and the RBRR.

[cliff.b]

3 hours ago, NonMember said:

I love the drives out and would far rather use my Triumphs than sit in a field for a static show. However, I didn't get to do as many this year as I would have liked. The only significant one was the C2C (Porthmadog to Dungeness, overnight) in the Spitfire. Last year had a holiday in Yorkshire, a trip to the peaks (I had to retire from that before the lakes and dales bit due to a failed gearbox mount) and the RBRR.

Yes, I don't mind turning up to one of these meets where you stay for an hour or so and get to look at other people's cars, but generally, I prefer to drive it. 

I'm not really very interested in having to turn up somewhere early and commit to leaving the car there all day so the public can see it.