Coming back from the body shop, I was beside a Beck 550 Spyder on Andersen Blvd. Sounds like a great solution, given the smog laws in Cali.
If any of these cars can be considered practical, I think the Beck 550 or 356 would be the best pick.

I'd only take on a Sprite as a project, and with a budget that allows for a second car. That said, imagine a B16A2 transplant.. :rick:

 

I like old XKE's and Porsche 356's but other than that, old foreign cars (save Ferraris) bore me

 

those things are kinda ugly.

 

i cleaned and stripped it, but never had time after that.

 

I once had the pleasure of driving a TR3. I was refinishing a floor in a gated community and the owner didn't like driving it - it was her husbands until he passed away. Between coats she said I could drive it to help pass the drying time. It was about what I expected, anemic, uninspired handling, shifting took forever and felt like crap (did they have synchros back then?). The funny thing is the gated community "police" pulled me over, tried to tell me I was speeding even though she had no type of RADAR equipment when I asked to see proof. I know why i was pulled over. I was somewhat dirty looking from working - couple that with an unrecognizeable face to the island po-po and you get instantly profiled. It was an experience to say the least, but I think I will stick to something made after I was born.

 

Nuff said.

 

My mom owned an MG midget for a long time, she said it was the only sports car shes ever had the chance to experience.