hardhatharry

Found Canleys does the part I need as a special order, bargain at £7.50

Anyone got one of these they want to sell it or provide dimensions so I can knock it up on the lathe? Part no 22G1435 https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-22G1435

The bonnet has had new wings, nose panel and strengthener.

Door lines up great with the b post. Quarter valences mount points need alot of bending at they are a mess. Tubes look OK and the bonnet used to fit before I started the work.

Full drop already

76 spitfire 1500. Been prepping bodywork ready for paint for months now and struggling with bonnet /door alignment. The top of the wing/ door is tight and it gets wider as it travels down. If I press the bonnet down at the front the gaps go OK. Also the bumper will not go far back enough as it fouls the gusseted part of the bonnet hinge pipes which makes me suspect the hinge boxes are too high. I did replace the hinge boxes as the old ones were rotten. Any tips on how to line up the boxes correctly? As these hinge boxes were cut from another chassis I'm also concerned that some metal has already been lost and cutting again will loose some more, any tips on this too? I also have a time issue as my mate who is painting the car looses his garage in July so quick fixes appreciated. Thanks all

Did fit a bit of bling though

So while I find time to do the sills I decided to rebuild the gearbox and overdrive of unknown history I bought years ago and has been hanging around my workshop. Luckily (or unluckily) I was bought an plastic gearbox tunnel from Moss as an Xmas present which never turned up and after much negotiation money was refunded which I spent on a full gearbox rebuild kit from Paddocks. Tapping with hammer and brass drifts failed to release the main bearings so raiding my mates garage I found a bearing puller that should work, what could possibly go wrong.... After more jiggling and worry success (yes I know its a bit messy at the moment but you try storing a whole spitfire in a workshop). Success!! Paint!! Cleanup ( who is R.B?) Got a bit stuck with end float so I have posted stuff in help section

and I am back and still not painted the spit!!! I have problems stopping progress one is the swage line on the passenger side isn't lining up correctly. Lots of head scratching over a couple of weeks led me to grab a tape measure, mmm 13mm difference in the door aperture size between the driver and passenger side. More scratching of head but in a rather alarmed fashion. Time to get the big ram out and "make" the passenger side the same size as the drivers side and see ehat happens. Talk about stress as the pressure is ramped up and the car you have been working on for over 12 months of blood, sweat and quite alot of tear makes strange groaning and creaking noises. The result was the outer sill had a rather large hole which a previous owner had bogged over (quite convincingly). It also wouldn't surprise me if the inner strengthener was missing or rotted away so order 6000 went into paddocks for an outer sill, strengthener and end piece. Unfortunately it will be a couple of days work on the ramp so I will need to find a couple of days of work to do it.

Rebuilding this 1500 Single Rail FR O/D gearbox and trying to measure the end float. I was expecting bush, washer, bush and thrust washer arrangement but I seem to have bush, top hat bush and thrust washer. Is this because its a late gearbox or am I missing something? I dont think I can separate the tophat to be a washer and bush. Help!!

Anyone got one for sale in the north west? All the ebay ones seem miles away

I have heard folks saying they have bought windscreens and they haven't fitted correctly or they need the corresponding rubber seal to fit. Can the group recommend a windscreen and rubber seal combination that fits a 1500 spitfire and doesn't cost the earth in the UK?

As a break from the bodywork I dug out an engine from the scrap pile that is to be called superfast engine 01 Using a motorcycle hydraulic lift and a willing volunteer I got it onto my engine stand and stripped it down. Got a look at the bores and bore 4 is rather worn and just under 1mm over standard so will need to get a rebore and +40 pistons. I also have a fast road cam and big valve head to go in the engine once its been machined.

Back fettling..... Onto the engine mounts and although the rubber is perished the nuts do not want to let go even with liberal doses of penetrating fluid. Eventually out came the grinder which gave up too and broke the disk smacking into the oil filter....oops luckily there isn't a h&S book to fill in. New filter ordered..... Eventually though the mounts gave up the struggle and the new ones bolted on. Now the big day arrived, off to my mates paint room so onto his big trailer. Then a nervous 40 mins of me driving with a thumping big trailer down some narrow streets. Off the trailer and looking cool. and into the booth. It was this point where my mate got out his marker pen and circled all the dents his trained eye could see and my dumb eye couldn't, which was about a weeks labour for me to do. Rear wing...... Doors It was also when I was poking around I found a big blob of sealant hiding another couple of holes...... sigh. 3 days in on the weeks labour now so the colour is getting close.....

I have pulled out of the scrap pile the engine we will call superfast engine no 1 for the 1500 spitfire. Piston / bore is a bit worn so needs oversized pistons and a rebore. The largest bore is 74.62mm what oversized pistons should I buy for the minimum rebore I can get away with?