wimpus

Pete, I did have a look yesterday. Bottom one is easy, top one not so.. But could be done (with much swearing I guess.. ). Seems the plates are 4mm thick. Will change it when my spare door is ready for fitting. But already will have a look for some metal etc

Hi, My Spit 1500 top driver side door hinge has an M10 bolt in it. Do want to change the plate inside the A-post. But can you get to it easy or not ? Regards, Wim

Yes, those are the right ones !

Hi, Does anyone got a good pair of bonnet latches/catches for a mkIV/1500 bonnet ? And also looking for a pair of bootlid hinges (my LH one has a lot of play). If anyone got something and want to ship to Belgium, give a shout

Started to poke again to find this.. Well both sides have rust in the seams. So to do it right and remove all the rust I will remove both gutters.

Really didnt want to do welding today.. but started to poke on a previous bodge repair Maybe 20 to 30 years ago one of the many previous owners welded in a repair panel in the wheelarch. But the rear deck edge was rotten to.. So they plated it from above... sadly moisture could enter from underneath and making it worse. Last pic, how I put some sort of waxoil (Restom CC 4010) between the fleshly welded panels that where spot/ plug welded. Tomorrow will seam seal the lot.

Started on a repair. Lower rear wing under the bumper. From 9 this morning until the evening been busy .. Remade the whole inner part. Rear valance edge isnt nice now, but rear valance would be changed fully soon. Used some wax to coat the inside and outside resprayed with green zink phosphate.

Interesting previous 'repairs'.. But its all pretty strong !

Rear wing. Other side seems 'better'.

Other repairs the last weeks.. Heelboard repair and floor. Other side was done 2 years ago.

Some problem area's.. Temporary repair to the sill.. I repeat... do not ever push on rust !

Hi, After 42 years and 311.000kms I really want to fix my car her body right and get rid of rust. The hardest part.... keeping her on the road, as shes my only and daily driver ! I have collected a few parts from stranded project or 2nd hand panels & bought a few panels new. The to do list... -putting on replacement ex-usa bonnet (Ive fitted 1 NOS wing (dated 1983) wing as existing was very dented. -putting on replacement door, bootlid. -repair rear wings (under bumper) + inner structure. -repair rear deck/wheel arch -replace rear valance (got nos 1980 panel)+bootfloor lip repair -replace rear light panel (got used panel ) (car had a hit at the rear once..) -replace sills + repair inner structure as originel (now bodged but strong) + front inner wing repairs as usual and front floor edge (already was fixed before) -and various other things.. Like stripping the underside, derust and repaint. So we got a big list ! Some pics ..

Bought a new Payen one for a 1500 in july (after 42 years/306.000kms it needed a head rebuild and new gasket). Now the car had done another +6000km with the new gasket and is fine.

Hi all, Could be that I need to replace one of the seatbelt mounts at the sills on my car, need to replace sills and floor edge around the mount isnt nice. Does anyone know what threads they are ? Can't find it anywhere. Want to make my own as all the plates you can buy have the hole /mounting in the center of the plate. On my Spitfire its more at the side of the plate, so want it to look original.

Hi all. Where can I best buy the right size seal for the windscreen for a spit 1500 ? When I rebuilded Fox (my daily Spit 1500) I had bought one from the usual suppliers, pain to fit and the seal isnt fitting good in the corners. Now it seems mine is leaking for a long time, the screen itself (original) has maybe 10 stonechips and moisture is getting between the laminated screen Regards, Wim

If its on a Spitfire.. are the rear brakes been build up right ? Seen a lot of spitfires with not much pedal pressure or deep padel travel with rear pads fitted wrong.

6 years ago I converted them with 4 pieces of 2 eurecents. 3 years ago the jet bearings etc where changed + a waxstat conversion. Been good since then !

Well she had done 117.000kms when I got her. Between 2000 and 2011 (when I bought her) she had only done 3000km and had 5 or 6 owners....and I think they al welded in a plate and didnt want to spend anything on her. Before that unknown.

Day 4.. Re-torqued the head, set valves up again. Started straight up ! Balanced the carbs and went for a drive on the parking lot... very amazed. Then air filter box etc all on, another testdrive and then it was time to drive her back home ! Since then drove around 100miles and she drives very good. Still smoky, but the rings need to bed in. All fluids are good from color and oil stays very clean now !

Day 3 ... Timing cover I took off the evening before. Tensioner had play (my fault), now fixed. Chain and gears (duplex setup) was changed 40.000kms ago. So left this. Then refitted head with a payen gasket, torqued it down, waterpumphousing (repainted) back on and rocker gear assembly etc etc Helper arrived for start up. Cranked it (coil disconnected)... no oil pressure.. Sump back off.. oil pump was fitted good.. Eventually (thanks Sam for the tip ! ) we took the oil filter off, primed the pump and all was good. Cranked her and started from the 3rd turn of the engine ! It sounded great ! 20200715_154747.mp4

3 of the 8 cam followers had pitting. Canshaft inspected and looked good. Also carbs degreased, new uprated throttle shafts installed + another inlet manifold with better waterpipes.

Then the pistons came out (had a helper to do this) The helper checked all the bores.. all still within standard spec !! So flexhoned the bores and needed to get new pistons as the pin had play in the conrod.. not much, but it was a little bit worn. Lucky the belgian supplier has 1500 std piston set in stock (strangly he had not any oversize sets in stock) The supplier would not believe me that I had done so many kms/miles 🤣 Main crank bearings and thrustwashers have been changed to. Day 2...

Hi, From sept 2019 I noticed more and more oil use of my engine in daily in use Spitfire 1500 (The Fox) that had done.... 306.000kms/190.000miles (!!) in 42years. And yes never rebuild, all original and standard sizes ! This week I opened her up.. I already bought a recon head as I was pretty sure it was going to be valve guides. As you can see.. cil 2 and for sure 3 was using oil. Must say.. waterpump housing bolts came loose very easy and not very rusty bolts. Head bolts again like new ! Getting the head of needed a lot of effort So monday, day 1...

The whole units used (mostly broken plastic cover) do pop up on ebay sometimes. I do know someone that has some of the original units for sale.. Been thinking of buying them, buying new covers and sell them on. Regards, Wim

One wire of the horn will be running into the shaft of the horn push/stalk and the other one will be wedged between stalk and plastic where the stalk is pushed in.. On a wiper switch.. easy fix. On that switch for indicators/high beam/horn... nightmare 😣