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M. Jensen Member 
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Hi, I have been looking at these JH's for about a year now and I am already loving the look of them! I want to get one becuse I dont relly have a car. I have some questions about these uniuqe cars. Are the moderatly fast stock w/ the 907? Good gas mileage? Easy to work on? Fun to Drive? Do the tops keep rain out good, or are they mostly for when its cold? And about how much should I expect to pay for a good runnung one I could use as a daily driver? Im very interested in the cool cars and really want to own one! |
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Mark Rosenbaum Member 
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Hi, there. I can't answer all of your questions, but I can comment on some of them. "Are the[y] moderatly fast stock w/ the 907?" Top speed is maybe 120 mph which is not that fast. But sheer speed isn't what the car is for. A JH weighs less than 2200 pounds and its forte is the ability to change direction rapidly and precisely without any loss of control, at any speed the car can reach. "Good gas mileage?" Depends on what you call good. You can expect 20 to 28 miles per US gallon, which is actually very good for a car of the era. "Easy to work on?" Most things are pretty obvious and intuitive for the attentive home mechanic. However, the engine is the culmination of many years of British racing experience, and its design is rarely compromised by a need for serviceability. Nonetheless, you can still do a lot to it at home. And by sports car standards, parts are not very expensive. "Fun to Drive?" Oh, yes. Once you've become familiar with the car, you think, the car does. "And about how much should I expect to pay for a good runnung one I could use as a daily driver?" Probably about US $4k, depending on what's available when you're ready to buy. Prices are currently rising fairly rapidly. Were I looking for one, I'd budget US $6k in case one of the really good ones was on the market, or in case I found one in generally superior condition that needed a few expensive repairs. Yes, you could probably pick up an older Miata for less money, but Miatas, while nice cars, still lack the ambiance of a rare and exotic sports car. "Im very interested in the cool cars and really want to own one!" Buying a car just takes money. Owning one, and making it indisputably yours, a part of your life, will take time, and interest, and sweat, and blood. It's a commitment of sorts, and like most worthwhile things takes a long time to start paying off, but once it does, can pay off forever. Last edited on 11-21-2005 05:23 pm by Mark Rosenbaum |
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M. Jensen Member
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Wow, 20-28 MPG! That is great! And 120 I just aobout as fast as I wan to go. They look like they are simple to work on and I have been looking at a lot of the posts about people rebuilding and restoring them. But where would you sugjest looking for one? I see there is the marketplace on this site, but is that the only place or is there better? BTW I live near Sacramento, CA If that helps any. Thanks for the response! -matt |
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Mark Rosenbaum Member
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Matt, The JHPS marketplace is a very good place to start from. The car descriptions there are generally quite accurate and the prices fair to buyer and seller both. AFAIK the folks listing cars there are honest and reputable, and most or all would be JHPS members. In addition, JHs appear on eBay almost every week, sometimes for amazingly low prices, sometimes for absurdly high ones. You can also check newspaper advertisements, especially in the SF Bay Area. For these, however, caveat emptor ('buyer beware'). |
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M. Jensen Member
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Thanks for the help, I am going to try to get one asap! |
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