[My Spitfire]

I have now cut out the rot from my Spitfire the sills, sill strengtheners, floorpans, bulkheads. I have also removed the inner wheel arches to make way for the longer wheelbase.

So the body is now rigid for the first time in many years, it also doesn't fall to pieces in my fingers like before. I have one more floorpan to make, and the inner sills.. I am really glad i rescued this car.

[My Spitfire]

I'm looking forward to getting the body on the chassis, last weekend I ground out all the rot on the passenger side and replaced all the steel, I have a load of sheet steel coming this week, so i will make my floor panels. The only shop bought panels i am using are the 2 sills and sill ends, the rest I will make. 

So for now the body has some rigidity  Ive also cut the boot out and will cut out the rear arches, the rear wheel are 6" wider than a spitfire and 10" further back.. So a widened LWB spitfire

I'm thinking of using lotus Elise rear wings or even the whole rear clam shell, sould look quite nice.

[My Spitfire]

On 14/11/2019 at 13:23, Colin Lindsay said:

I know nothing about the technical side of things and am seriously impressed with the work you're doing, but surely that engine is to the rear rather than the middle? Or does the term cover a bigger range than I imagine?

Hi Colin

Thank you! As has been said, if the engine is in front of the differential, its mid engined. If the engine is behind the differential, its rear engine, i.e. Porsche 911, Beetle etc.

[My Spitfire]

My spitfire now has from suspension! The uprights are BMW from a 1 or 3 series. I have used shortened standard springs. These will be replaced for height adjustable shocks eventually.

Next is to start fitting the body tub, first it needs a floor and sills.. probably not in that order. The track rod ends will be relocated when the tub is fitted and I have some weight on the chassis.. Still not sure about ride height, for the moment this is at 150mm, but it seems quite high

[Size of letters stamped into chassis plate]

Hi Everyone

Can someone tell me how big the letters/number are that are stamped into the body/chassis plate? My one is missing so i want to replace it, and need to know what size metal stamps i need to buy.

Regards

Nick

[Major Petrol Head]

4 hours ago, Mjit said:

How does the engine height compare to the height of the standard petrol tank sat atop the diff?

It LOOKS like you'll have a huge boot buldge...but easy to forget how tall the petrol tank is with no bodywork on the car.

Or is that just an excuse to go for a GT6-like couple rear body...?

Hi

The height of the engine looks to be just right, it should sit just below the panel that has the fuel tank filler, the engine should tuck nicely in the original boot space. However unless I move the body tub forward, the engine will take up the “rear” seat space in the cockpit. No big deal just means no space behind the seats. 
Does anyone know where I can get a pair of floor panels that are sub £100?

Regards 

Nick

[Major Petrol Head]

13 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

What is it going to be called ???

Pete

A Spitfire!

[Major Petrol Head]

Hi Guys

Please let me introduce myself, I'm Nick and a major petrol head, I have had Spitfires on and off since the early 1980s. I did have a really nice 1971 Mk4 with a full race 1300; that little car's engine produced 120bhp and was great fun to drive.but I got rid of that when I bought my 1977 Ferrari Dino. The story of my old Spitfire is at http://www.nickt.net/Spitfire/index.htm. Its a rubbish website.

Over the past few years i also built from scratch a Zonda inspired car, started life with a twin turbo Jag V12 mounted in a spaceframe chassis, and ended up with a twin turbo Audi V8, was really fast, and got quite an online following, some even liked it

I sold that a year ago to ay for the Ferrari's engine to be professionally rebuilt... 

the latest project is a mid engines Mk4 Spitfire. I bought the chassis on Ebay, an AWT Audi 1.8T engine and transaxle and mounted the engine at the rear in a Audi Quattro rear subframe. Fitted really nicely. On the front I am using BMW 3 series hubs and uprights modified to fit the standard Spitfire suspension. The steering rack is a Spitfire standard with BMW track rod ends.. all went together so nicely.

Today I picked up the body tub from Spitbitz, when it dries out (if it ever stops raining) I'll start craving it up to fit the car. The body tub needs to move forward, the rear slightly extended and bonnet shortened so i get it as evenly balanced as possible.

The body is quite rotten; the floors, sills are all well gone, so should be an interesting journey...

 

[I need a Spitfire body tub]

On 20/08/2019 at 19:29, rlubikey said:

Nick, how about Spitbitz near Reading - just down the M4 from you. Norman seems to specialise in parts, but he may have a body he's stripped? Give him a ring, but if he has something make sure you see it before committing yourself. No connection, etc.

Cheers, Richard

Hi Richard

I just picked up my body tub from SpitBitz, so thank yo for the heads up. It is a very sad body with loads of holes, especially in the floor and sills. 

I will make new panels from 16g sheet steel. The rear driver's side wing is shot but as I will need to remodel the back of the car to suit the 12" longer wheelbase, that should not be an issue.

The body has been in their yard for ages, so will take a while to dry out.

As my car is going to be mid engined I had a rough measure up and it looks like the engine will fit nicely behind the rear seat. I still want to move the body tub forward 3" or so to shorten the front, and lengthen teh rear, otherwise there will be too much weight at the back.

Just need some sill panels and some dry weather now!

 

[I need a Spitfire body tub]

48 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

spitfire graveyard might help ??

http://www.spitfiregraveyard.com/

Thanks Pete 

I have messaged them, they are in Sheffield, so not sure how to get to Heathrow if they have anything.

[I need a Spitfire body tub]

Hi Guys

I live near Heathrow and i need a Spitfire body tub. I am not that worried about the condition, although that being said it needs some integrity.. Can anyone help?

Kind regards

Nick

[Ride height]

12 minutes ago, yorkshire_spam said:

Worth noting that I'm on 175/70 R13 on 5.5J "minilight" alloys.

Not much clearance at full-lock!

 

yes that is a bit tight.. Interestingly i seem to have more room! I guess that is because my front track is much wider

[Ride height]

38 minutes ago, yorkshire_spam said:

No problem Nick. I'd estimate I'd around 10mm lower at the rear and about 30mm lower at the front compared with standard. Just an estimate though. 

I found with standard ride height and springs the front got very very light about 80MPH on the autobahn.

I remember my MKIV i had years ago, always went light at the front at speed, i fitted a sheet of aluminium under the engine, this stopped air pushing the front up and making the front light. My Ferrari Dino, has the same, it also has a hole in the bonnet that air is forced through via the radiator, pushing the front down. I intend to do the same with the mid engined spitfire.

[Ride height]

21 minutes ago, yorkshire_spam said:

@NickTruman I managed to get some measurements at the front, but getting a measuring device under the back at a meaningful datum point is proving tricky.

 

Here's a chassis diagram that @JohnD posted on another forum, I've marked the datum points I measured at:

Here's Point A with about 120mm between the ground and the lower edge of the chassis

Here's point B, not quite as clear, round 8.5"/215mm at the join between the chassis rail and the front cross member.

If that's any use I'll try and get something similar for the rear. Cheers, Sam
 

Hi Sam

That is so low! and thank you for that chassis diagram :)

Thank you, i'll use that to set my ride height.

Kind regards

Nick

 

[Ride height]

By the way, I really need a body tub. If anyone knows of one going, condition isn’t that important, as long as it’s not totally rotten. 

I live near Heathrow if that helps

cheers

nick

[Ride height]

3 minutes ago, KevinR said:

Nick,

I don't think you will have enough clearance.  It's not just the static case you need to consider, but also the dynamic case where the steering is turned so the corner of the tyre is the closest point, AND compress the suspension. 

On a standard car, the dynamic clearance I've described above is minimal - I have marks on the bulkhead where the tyre has made contact.

Given what you are doing engine wise, I suspect you have some good fabrication and welding skills, and I would suggest that the best thing to do is to move the front suspension and steering forward by 50mm to maintain the clearance.

Thanks Kevin

i kind of guessed as much. I can’t move the steering forward, but I can remodel the bulkhead I guess.

there is a crumple zone at the front so I can’t move the suspension any further forward . I am using BMW 1 series suspension and brakes with a spitfire top a frame 

I did try the 1 series rack but it was too fat, and the steering column interfered with the suspension upright  

Moving the body tub forward is more cosmetic, as I like the idea of a long engine cover and short bonnet.. 

[Ride height]

Another view

[Ride height]

2 hours ago, Spitfire6 said:

Hi,

 If you have adjustable spring height front dampers; The front bottom wishbones should be parallel with the ground. How high the front sits is determined by the Coilover spring rate/length. Adjust the spring height on each side to give you the same corner weights & fit adjustable drop links if you want it perfect. If you want to decrease ground clearance, change tire diameter.

The rear can only be lowered from what it is with lowering blocks under rear spring. Tyre diameter will also affect it.

Cheers,

Iain.

PS the engine is in the back?

Yes Iain I have mounted an Audi 1.8t and transaxle where your differential sits

[Ride height]

9 minutes ago, yorkshire_spam said:

Ni Nick, My Spitfire 1500 sits just under standard height at the rear and slightly lowered at the front (to improve handling at speed)

For your "extreme custom" car/suspension I'd be happy to measure height above ground at a reference point for you if you want?

Cheers, Sam

While I’m here.. I need to move the body tub forward 50 mm, how much space is there between the front wheel and the bulkhead? I seem to remember there not being a lot!

[Ride height]

That would be awesome Sam! At the moment it’s so high it could be a great off roader 😀

[Ride height]

Hi there 

Does anyone know what the typical ride height if is a Spitfire?

i would like to know how high the front of the chassis is (by steering rack) and rear (by the dif mount) of a standard (if there is such a thing mkiv or 1500. I remember my 71 mkiv always looked too high at the front

Then I can set my ride height perfectly! As the engine is at the back of the car, I need to get the front dead right, or the front will be way too high!

thank you in advance 

Regards

Nick

[My Spitfire]

5 minutes ago, Graham C said:

Very interesting but what is the car next to it?

Sorry to ask the the question as the your project sounds very interesting and yes it will be a FUN car to drive

Anyway how do you intend to keep it on the ground?

Graham 

Hi Graham

the car next to it is my 1977 308 GT4 Dino 

being mid engined, keeping the spitfire grounded should be easy, I will also push air through the bonnet, radiator and intercooler to keep the front down. Like the Ferrari, there will be a floor that covers the entire underneath to stop air lifting the car. 

[My Spitfire]

Hi There!

here is my Spitfire, or it will be one day. So far I have a chassis FC233047 an Audi 1.8t mounted at the rear using A4 Quattro rear subframe and a bmw 1 series front suspension , early days but it should be a fun car.