hardhatharry

I have a couple of spare 1500 FM engines and I am going to use one for this build. I would like to make some of the cheaper mods to develop a bit more horse power. I will be taking the head to have unleaded seat done but I have also heard that it is advisable to skim the head to increase the compression, can someone advise how much to skim? I have also heard fitting the Mk3 Cam into the 1500 is a good idea too, is this correct and is it documented anywhere? Is there any other cheap mods worth doing?

Doh it looks like someone but the wrong bush in the "support arms packet" they were slightly bigger than the rest. They weren't obvious until I put a vernier on them, found the right ones and all good now. On the plus side a new bolt set has arrived for the rear suspension so I'll swap the old rusty bolts for new ones and the paint has arrived too. I have even received my MG slave cylinder so I can get that back on the road too.

The other side went in with a small struggle but nothing like this. I can sort a press if needed but not seeing what a press would do any better than a vice. The poly distorts under high pressure, when the pressure is released they pop back out. The bushes are orange not red or blue.

Bit of a frustrating day today. Decided to tackle the small spots of rust on the drivers side wheel arch and titivate the rear control arm. The control arm didnt want to play ball, taking it off was easy enough but the rubber bushes refused to come out without some serious argy bargy. Once they were removed the arm cleaned of the rust including the bush housing and some new paint I attempted to fit the new poly bushes, nope they didn't want to know, tried brute force, vice press, screw press, swearing loudly, a hammer they didnt want to stay in. I will now stare at them to see if divine inspiration will take hold. Any advice gratefully received.

With work giving us a well being half day for work through the latest lockdown it was time to tackle the rot in the passenger side wheel arch. First cut away some of the wheel arch to see what the extent is. Clean up and remake the end of the crossmember Fit the new cover plate and paint. Next job for the weekend is to repair the wheel arch.......

Bolted the winch to the floor, nothing moving that. Some parts arrived from Rimmers which meant I could fit the bonnet so its looking more like a car. The winch stood up to dragging the Spit back in the garage so the welds were good ready for me to start deholeing the boot floor.

Garage winch has now got a 6mm base, some support struts and 10mm drilled holes ready for installation. Sorry for the crap welding my welder was either blowing holes in or poor penetration and I couldn't find a happy medium for the metal(even through it does have a switch marked medium).

Another busy weekend, to stop any rot on the bootlid I followed up the garnet blasting with a coat of Hydrate 8 on the underneath and when dry followed it up with a coat of primer. Sorted out some missing metal from the driver door surround. Before finally putting on the rear wing This was a momentous occasion as the last time the spit had a driver rear wing ws 1993. Also welded a 6mm plate to my rather large winch. which I will use to winch the Spit up my fairly steep driveway to my garage

Its my habit to shut the valve after every welding session during the day and I imagine I would hear it if it was leaking. Its all a bit weird.

Once the outer rear wing is on I will be preparing to take the body off and onto the rotisserie. Can someone tell me where people weld the door gaps and what thickness steel to use to stop the body flexing on the rotisserie?

Anyone used hobbyweld before? My local gas supplier (Argon mix) has recently stopped supplying their own and moved to HobyWeld. Usually my bottle lasts two years but this Hobby Weld one has lasted just over a month, not impressed especially as its more expensive too. Anyone one else found the same?

More taking stuff, putting stuff on, fettling to make stuff fit and repeat..... Looks like the Spit had a shunt at some point resulting in a wrinkled floor on the drivers side and making the rear wing be about 12mm out when the outer wing was offered up, out with the body hammers and dollies and that was sorted and glued the inner wing on. Nearly forgot to fit the outer wheel arch (doh!), that again resulted in much fitting and taking off the outer wing. This is where I found lots of filler round the door shuts (up to 5mm in places!!!) all ground back and also a bit of pushing and pulling where the wheel arch meets the inner wing and it now all fits. Glued on the wheel arch and painted but ran out of time to fit the outer wing.

Dunno what the letters are for they came on the inner wing

Haven't updated the gang on progress for a while, well the bonnet is done. I have put a new door skin and repaired the drivers side door. The new inner rear wing panel and outer rear wing is now in primer. I fitted the passenger door to line up the rear wing panels ready for welding. Checked the water had antifreeze in too in preparation for the winter.

Received a refund on the Fitchett wing and received a Paddock one which was a better fit. Got the new wing fitted and flipped the bonnet over. Then a bit of filler and checked the alignment. Ready to prep for etch primer...........

Returned the wing to TD Fitchetts for a refund and according to tracking it arrived on Friday so I will contact them on Monday for the Refund. Carried on with bonnet repairs today fitting the new nose repair panel and strengthener. Can't do much more without the other wing So moved to the driver door, removed the skin, added a repair panel in the bottom and painted it in etch primer, readying it for the new skin. I also unwrapped the new skin which was bought as nos had a ding it in through storage so hammered that out. Quite a successful day

The guy I bought the Spitfire from has a spare one hopefully at a decent price.

The door mech stuff its all labelled and in pots with pictures, probably wont help me but at least I tried

They are from 2 different suppliers, it was deep in Covid time when I ordered and only 1 seller had passenger panels available. I expected them to be right and cracked on with the job hence not comparing the two side by side.

Rang TD Fitchett today where I got the wing from and they said they need a bit of fettling to make them fit. Considering that they are more expensive than the steelcraft wing, if it goes wrong its in the bin and the shape is way out I'm sending it back for a refund.

Putting the standard imgur forum link text prompts a response "is this plain text" then just displays the link text. Selecting media from another site, putting in the url location of the image on imgur in the text box and submitting just changes the text in the text box to red possibly because the imgur url is https not http

Instead of curving in from the mid point of the panel it continues straight only starting to curve on the last 10 cm or so.

Cant pull pictures into my posts from Imgur any more

I'll have to pop back in the garage tomorrow to get a wider shot. Dunno what you mean by outer part of the wheel arch

Over onto the passenger side and disaster........ I dont know what press was used to produce this but it isnt a good one. I'll have to speak to TD Fitchetts on Monday