[kevinfourlegs]

Usual British efficient roads and motorways. Every road that we travelled home on had delays and hold ups. The gantry signs posted max speed limits of 40, 50 and 60 mph. Yeah right. More like 40, 50 or 60 kmh than mph. The eight hours doesn't include stopping off for a shed break and a quick exercise. I have to say that the Jeep's with the electric lumbar support are spot on and I am in no more pain than usual. I saw more Renegades in the opposite direction on the motorway than I did going the same way. I gave thumbs up and got a wave back. I think the driver was taken by surprise and wasn't expecting it. He had a red Longitude model.
I did see several vehicles there and back that were in need of recovery for whatever reason. These include a classic MG, Vauxhall Cascada, two Nissans, two Audis and a Bentley convertible on the back of an AA flatbed. The rear registration plate on the Bentley had three strips of red tape covering it, but it was still visible, 1 LHV. Someone won't be a happy bunny! I did clock a couple of Routemaster buses parked at Chievely services. I was hoping to see if I could match the 53.7 mpg peak on the return home. Unfortunately all the delays and sat not moving then crawling a few feet then stop then get to 30 mph then stop etc played havoc with that. Peaked at 50 mpg a couple of times and got back with 48 mpg, so considering the three hours of hold ups, I'm happy with that figure.

 

[Spitfire]

Major repaving job going on in my area right now--on the highway between our rural home and the town my wife works in. If I can, I go the other way (there's another town about the same distance).

Not complaining--road maintenance needs to happen--and I'm happier to be driving the Renegade (or my wife's Suzuki) through the construction zone than my Spitfire (which is parked this summer). The Spit is not designed for rough roads...

 

[kevinfourlegs]

We had a few weeks of renewing gas pipes near to where we live. Unfortunately it was the only road into and out of where we live. I get that roadworks are a necessity but there was no highway maintenance taking place. Traffic was just backing up. Perhaps the motorways need to be widened to take four lanes each way instead of the three? Now where would the money come from? The motorist already gets screwed by the government as it is. Here I go on a different tangent..............

The Spitfire is definitely a car for smooth blacktop. I have driven and worked on a couple and I didn't find them appealing. Now an Alfa Romeo Spider floats my boat.

 

[Spitfire]

The Spitfire is definitely a car for smooth blacktop. I have driven and worked on a couple and I didn't find them appealing. Now an Alfa Romeo Spider floats my boat.

To each their own. I love the Alpha Romeo Spyder, but the Spit has grown on me (I bought it from a friend who had to "clear out the garage" when his new wife got pregnant...).

One thing I like about the Spitfire is that it's like a tinkertoy--no electronic controls. Even though it's a '78, the engineering in it is early 60s, and quite simple. Completely the opposite of the Renegade, which has electronics out the yin-yang (and produces nearly 3x the power from a smaller displacement engine--my Spitfire is a 1500 that makes 60 hp). Hmmm...Abarth engine in the Spit? Hmmm...

 

[kevinfourlegs]

A V8 was dropped into an MG, so anything is possible. I do like a V8 engine.

The cars of today are more advanced than they were forty or fifty years ago. Half an hour and with a 1/2" spanner you could get the engine out of a Morris Minor. Take the Ford Cortina 1.6 for example. You need an engine. Down to the breakers yard and you could pull the same engine out of a Ford Escort or Capri. Sling the engine in the Cortina and you were on your way the same day. Now it is all electronic wizardry and if you don't have the software to programme the engine to the car, you're shafted. Bring back the good ol' days!

 

[Spitfire]

Now it is all electronic wizardry and if you don't have the software to programme the engine to the car, you're shafted. Bring back the good ol' days!

Yes, I certainly feel a bit left behind by all the electronics. But then again, without them we wouldn't have engines like the tiny Multi-Air with the ability to produce good torque and horsepower, and also great fuel economy; the magic depends on electronic controls.