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Good afternoon to all! 

Just joined Forum as am planning to hunt up a decent Spitfire Mk1V - just possibly a '1500' - come the New Year.  Have so far in life owned a TR2, TR7  and two FWD models, but as the garage space is now limited it's either a Spitfire or a Midget, but I can't feel comfortable in the latter with my shoulder crammed up against the door!!!!

So plan to join the Club if I can find a car I can afford, and hope to meet Members at shows this coming year,. 

Regards, Richard (West Norfolk)

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Welcome Richard, you'll find the right car somewhere. It's nice to see you're doing it the right way round - join the club first THEN find a good car, rather than  appearing at your first meeting with one that invites lots of intakes of breath, headscratching and muttering... been there, done that.... :) 

Incidentally the first classic I ever drove was a Midget, which is the reason why the first classic I ever bought was a Spitfire....

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Welcome, Richard.

If not done already, make contact with your local area group (http://www.tssc.org.uk/tssc/areas_google.asp) who may know of cars for sale, and might come with you as expert witness to inspect one.    The Haynes manual on "Guide to Purchase" has a chapter on what to look for, with an estimate of the cost of repair, expressed in "tyres" so although my copy is thirty years old it's still relevant and helpful when bargaining.

And, you may know this has you have owned classics before, but don't buy the first you see!

JOhn

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  • 1 month later...

An 'Update' on the situation!! - Bought a 1973 Mk-IV with Overdrive  and having had all sorts of new bits and much rather lumpy welding of patches over the years, so thankfully now not much rust to be seen at all!. 

Had an MOT up to last Summer, but not actually running at the moment, and desperately needing a respray -  so am tempted to try a Coachpainting job at a (tiny) fraction of the cost of a respray in 2-pack!.. Have done a lot of machinery  and boat painting, and modern paints like Tekaloid - now an improved 'Alkyd' - or Rustoleum offer a chance at quite good levels of finish.  That will doubtless make some folks flinch at the idea, but saving easily well over a thousand or fifteen hundred which would leave lots of cash for any mechanical work, and maybe even a hardtop for Winter use if I can find one.    Seen several metal ones on ebay in poor nick, but for weight alone would only  go for a GRP one.

Roll on Spring!,  Richard

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Painted sons mini with brush small roller and japlac  it transormed a nappy yellow into a bright red and white roof

Lasted many years before the tin worm condemned it 

Took a day and a couple of tins    bit orange peely , maybe some thinners would have improved but quick and very presentable.

Certainly economic

And many a coach builder used brushes 

Pete

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2 hours ago, bartholomew10 said:

Had an MOT up to last Summer, but not actually running at the moment, and desperately needing a respray -  so am tempted to try a Coachpainting job at a (tiny) fraction of the cost of a respray in 2-pack!.. Have done a lot of machinery  and boat painting, and modern paints like Tekaloid - now an improved 'Alkyd' - or Rustoleum offer a chance at quite good levels of finish. 

Brushpainting can turn out very well, but use a good brush, not those horrible nylon thingies that B&Q sell that the paint runs off immediately. That's half the battle.

I used Rustoleum many years ago on a diff and it's still going strong, although red wasn't the best colour for a Herald diff... but the best results straight from the tin that I've ever seen are Japlac, they not only have Signal Red but a nice shade of Landrover Green, both of which brushed on and gave very good results straightaway.

Always remember however - when you're in the car enjoying the driving, you can't see the outside.

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Yes, it does 'look' quite  ok -  but the Seller was honest enough to say I would 'wince' when I first saw it close-up!!!  So no complaints, and am now even more looking forward to Spring and warmer weather so as to get stuck with the power sanding, and then careful brushing with my new Hamilton set!

Oh to be rich and have a heated garage, although even then that could still up the dust by convection!

First thing - apart from getting it actually running - is to work out how to get the plastic side (tilt) panel off the drivers seat side, (which is from a Mazda MX5).

I need to slide it back a bit further as I'm too close to the wheel and pedals, and it just  'fouls' the door frame. Even an inch or two would make a good difference'

Has anyone taken their hood frame off - if so is it an easy job?, as this one could do with a re-paint and I can do that inside at least.

Richard

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30 minutes ago, bartholomew10 said:

Has anyone taken their hood frame off - if so is it an easy job?, as this one could do with a re-paint and I can do that inside at least.

Richard - I haven't taken the the cover off - but I'm pretty sure it just unclips - I have taken off (Well put it on as it came "loose" with the car!) and its only a couple of bolts each side.

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