Neil Clark

Yes, it does have some stretch. We found that starting at the bottom, working up a couple of inches at a time helped. It's time sensitive since we needed the adhesive to "tack" and hold while we worked the next area. We did it on a very hot day, in the sunshine outdoors. My wife is used to materials like this and thought of using a hair dryer but after starting the first corner realised there wasn't time to keep reaching for it, keeping what we had achieved neat and frankly the other person having the room to play with the hair dryer.

I'm away till Monday so can't take photos. But Josef that is very smart! Makes mine, in black, look sadly agricultural. As for the wheel arch material panels, we found that if we took it slowly we could draw most of the creases up into the area that is going to be concealed by the quarter panel once it is fitted place. Mine's not perfect but if I was later dissatisfied I could easily get more material and do it all again.

Yup, no fixings for that area with the kit. How are the three screws arranged?

Now done but not quite as expected - they fit flush against the rear deck edge concealing the rectangular cut outs are in the photo above, they don't tuck under the rim. The stainless screws and raised edge cup washers supplied by Newton use No 6 spire clips, which are not supplied but I had. There were 8 screws and washers supplied with the quarter panels. The qtr panels were not pre-drilled and needed a bradawl to start the very small screws. cThose rectangular cut outs in the metal make it easy to adjust the spire clip position. The rubber seal stapled around the wheel arch curve and is "fat" and makes it awkward to get the board to bend and fit right. The passenger side was not easy to fit because the bottom cut out was incorrect and I had to cut it out and shorten it a small amount. Fortunately the material peeled back easily and I simply trimmed and re-glued it with Bostik contact spray. But the rubber seal trim around the wheel arch curves is fat and on one side I had to take it off just to get the shape right, then re-apply it, which I did with super glue. They supply additional strips for the vertical on the door side of the hood frame. I masked the rest of the area and used Bostik spray again, then trimmed the excess and refitted the door seal. The bottom of the panel at the floor has nothing to secure it and will get bent in daily use, so I'll have to decide how best to trap it under the floor carpet or add a screw to hold it firmly. Also the pre-moulded carpet set I inherited for the rear "seat" area is a little too long once these quarter panels are in place. I didn't need to remove anything except the door seal but careful masking is needed to avoid adhesive spray in the wrong places! The existing back board fits too and the PO used hidden velcro strips along the rear deck rim.

All done as suggested and thanks.

Metal to metal now! And the column safety clamp responded to an overnight bath in WD40. Celebrated by fitting the seat belt shoulder strap securing plates but too hot to work outside now!

So I got the UJ and fitted it. It says to use 25Nm torque to secure it but i can't see how I can ever get a torque wrench near! I've made it as tight as I can. Incidentally, the Allen screw in the steering column clamp has decided to jam so I can't finish the job - I'm soaking it in WD40 overnight but this is the replacement I got because original had also jammed!

I've been sold two kinds of sealing strip for mine. One set came with the new tunnel from the club, fat rubber, impossible. The other is a peel-able foam strip which came with the fitting kit and which crushed and worked well. (The fitting kit hardware didn't really make life easier). The big problem I've encountered is the cross piece on the dashboard support frame hitting the oddments tray profile. And that was made worse with the moulded carpet set I've inherited. I had to file away the profile somewhat on the dash support frame to fit the curve around the club tunnel and be a bit brutal with the carpet where it fits round the oddments tray.

Thank you

And there is in fact loads of play. It's a UJ type. I clamped the column in mole grips and watched the joint. The moles moved the same number of degrees as the steering wheel does before the joint took up the slack. The bolts in the UJ are tight to the column and the rack so it is not slippage. Given my mechanic-ing skill set I'll replace it with another UJ type. But I'll also re-check the pinch bolt again Chris. I had replaced that with a new one when re-assembling the car and did follow the WSM instruction on tightness but it won't hurt to do it again. Thanks all.

Ah. Clive do you mean a new universal joint type that was terrible? I see Rimmers only list that joint type and call it "improved", Moss are back order and the Canley site is a bit vague with lots of FAM1718 but not much clarity as to why so many! I'll go and check mine.

I'm feeling a bit daft after all the advice and do now wonder about the flexible coupling on the steering column where it joins the rack. I see on the exploded parts diagrams that there are rubber bushes in the coupling. I'll try to get someone to help me observe the relative movement when the steering is turned but I'm not sure how to translate that into the coupling being being in spec or out of spec.

Thank you. Hopefully I'll get some time tomorrow.

Thanks Dan. I have these plates with captive nuts. I could put them behind the flatter part of the wheel arch, ahead of the trim. The current ones can be seen tucked beside the vertical.

It's been fitted just aft of the vertical bracket supporting the rear deck. It would be by far the easiest solution to just leave the mounts that do exist and fit new ones on the arches as suggested above. I've a sneaking feeling that I've got spare plates somewhere to go on the underside of the arch. I can't weld and I don't have access to a welder but if the plate is under the arch and the bolt holds it firmly to the belt fitting above do I need to weld the plate itself? It will be firm and will spread the belt load won't it?

When I got it my car it only had lap belts (which is legal for a 1964 car) but I am fitting shoulder straps. The threaded fixing mounting is there on the rear wheel arch and this means the shoulder part of the strap has to come through the board trim panel in the kit that I bought from Newton Commercial. Has anybody cut such a hole and can you give me any hints please?

Saw a lovely Mk1 or 2 white Spitfire with brown soft top going down the hill into Hungerford yesterday as I was driving out (in my modern car). It looked superb.

Chris - to paraphrase "The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy" this may require a specialist greater than I! I can do the unbolt, disassemble, re-assemble stuff as per Meccano but for closer tolerances and adjustments I am just a bit ham fisted. After the last two years plus work the car is now too good in terms of chassis, body and paint and I want to feel confident using it on longer journeys. I've got the names of a couple of specialists from entries elsewhere on the forum and from the club and I'm going to chat with them and then book it in.

Hmm. Lots to re-think.

I've had it tracked and have also fitted a reconditioned steering rack I was given that is far better than the old one that went through the accident. However the car is still feeling loose and wanders around the straight ahead. I've lowered the tyre pressures to 18psi front and 24 back and it is better but not right. The TRE's are new. The front camber looks visually wrong side to side - left looks to be positive camber, right side looks almost vertical. When I had it tracked the camber measured 2.05 degrees positive on the left and 1.38 degrees on the right. Any thoughts?

Yes, I'll have to experiment. Para 9 of the instructions (below) seems to suggest that the trim panel goes against the metal, rather than tucked under the lip. But it's a bit vague. It does say on the packaging that the kit is specific to Mk1 and Mk2 models. "Unbolt the seat belt attachment on the rear wheel arch. 6) Starting on passenger side initially, remove chrome finisher on top of the “B” post. Using the Phillips screwdriver, remove the screws holding the rear quarter panel. Note how vinyl material is glued to the “B” post and wheel arch. Peel these off. 7) The wheel arch cover will need to be adhered first at the base of the arch. Apply glue to the underside of material and metal wheel arch. Press firmly and allow drying for 30 minutes. Allow to go tacky. Press firmly and allow drying for 30 minutes. Coat the remainder of the vinyl and arch, and then, by pulling upwards and across, stretch the material over the arch to pull out any creases. Finally, cut away any excess material with the scissors leaving at least 1” around the edge of the arch. 😎 Apply glue to material to cover “B” post and the metal itself. Press firmly and trim off any excess. 9) On the reverse side of the wheel arch panel you will see holes already punched for the fixing screws. Starting at the “B” post end, screw the panel to the body. Bend the panel to follow the body contour and screw in place. 10) Repeat this whole operation on the driver’s side. 11) Cut away the vinyl around the seat boltholes in the wheel arch and replace the seat belt mounting bolts."

I'm about to fit the Newton Commercial rear cockpit trim panels. I can see how they should line up but the kit came with just very short self-tappers. The large oblong holes in the rear of the cockpit must be the attachment points but don't have an obvious way to attach. I probably need to use either huge spire clips or screws and washers. How have others done this please?

Similar problem here. 2012 diesel doesn't do it in the new London ULEZ zone so by mid 2023 forced to sell a perfectly good car I had intended to keep for ever.

"Hit it with a hammer". Using the old spark plug socket bound around with some insulation tape ensured that the new core plug stayed attached to the socket which is the "drift". It was easier to keep the whole thing square to the plug hole that way. You must avoid a lopsided fit. A drift is a length of steel bar (other materials are available) which is used to transfer the impact of a hammer to an otherwise difficult target. Ah yes! I was on a plane once waiting to take off and we were held up. The sound of banging echoed around but the captain re-assured us that one of the stewards was using British Airways patented "infinitely variable pressure adjustment tool for toilet doors". He said we'd be relieved to know that.

There are a few terms here that I need to work on Jimmer as a total novice to engine issues - "interference fit", "drifted", "standard percussive methods". I've a lot to learn! The only "drifting" I know of so far in the cars world is the sport and then only because my son competes!