1500 Restoration Advice, Recommendations Required

[JonLow]

At last found and bought back my 1979 Spitfire 1500. It has been sitting in a garage for 11 years awaiting resurrecting! The body work condition is worse than I had hoped for, but not as bad as it could have been, still savable! Usual rot in all the usual places. I do not have unlimited funds and so hope that the engine/drive train will still be usable for now, so that I can concentrate on getting the rot cut out and repaired. I have been frightened to death by some off the figures quoted by the prominent restorers, but I realise that bodywork repairs are mainly labour charges which of course are don't come cheap for a good job. I am down in Kent, but can anyone advise of whom they have used anywhere in England, plus any observations they may have. I will only be able to do this once, so any advice on not getting things wrong would be most helpful.

[Nick Jones]

If you have some practical ability, had you considered investing in an angle grinder, MIG welder and some basic metal working tools and doing it yourself? Most panels and repair sections are available (some a bit pricey). There is lots of “how to” info out there on the web and  much satisfaction to be gained.

As regards finding someone to do it, word of mouth recommendation is king, though preferably from more than one trusted source. My own inclination would be to keep it fairly local so you can easily keep an eye on progress in person. Also important to agree staging points/milestones for payments. On that note it may also be worth getting things done in stages so that structural work like sills and floors is done first to get the car roadworthy with the more cosmetic stuff following on.

Some pics to help evaluate how far gone it is might help.

Nick

[Bordfunker]

Jon I was much like you in acquiring a rather rotten Triumph, but lacking any of the skills required to rebuild it, but without the funds to pay someone else to do it either.

Over the last two and a half years I have bought some tools, notably a Mig welder, air compressor and an angle grinder, which have probably cost me less than a day’s worth of garage fees and started to learn how to use them.

I’m still working on my car, but have enjoyed the learning experience, and I appreciate this approach isn’t for everyone, but as Nick points out, it can work considerably cheaper than paying someone else to do it, and it is immensely satisfying to sit back and think that ‘I did that’. And there are plenty of people in the club, and on the forum who can help, though my thread on the forum is best viewed as a how not to guide!

Karl

[JonLow]

Thanks for replies from Nick and Karl. I did have a professional welder to assist me over the decades, but unfortunately my best mate died a few years back. Now I do not have the time, or the enthusiasm, to start to learn bodywork skills. I have now retired but the clock is running down for time to enjoy my car, so a professional restorer will be needed to get things done asap. The bodyshell, surprise surprise, has rot in the usual place, especially where the rear tie rods attach to the bodytub. The heel boards are fairly rusted through there. So I guess it will require some plates fabricated to suite to repair there.

I know this is a fairly subjective opinion, but anybody willing to give me a heads-up as to how they have found dealing with the main parts suppliers, such as Rimmers/Moss Europe/Fidgets/Chic Doig and such like?

Also do I recall there are door opening struts to hold the bodytub straight while off the chassis? The panel gaps are wonderful at the moment, but concerned that gaps may go out when repair panels/sills get cut out and replaced.

Also opinions on what people think of chassis colour? My older Spits all had black chassis, but the 1500 has colour coordinated vermillion paint. Black or body colour looks best?

Thanks for any guidance.

Jon Low.

 

 

 

[Guest]

Hello John,

My first port of call is Canley Classics - decent & knowledgeable staff, decent quality items and prices are better than most out there; additionally any issues and they will resolve quickly.

As for chassis colour, most owners seem to go for black.

If that is the case something along the lines of POR-15 is excellent and can be painted over.

Of note I was looking at a new underbody / chassis product yesterday. Well, new to me at any rate. It is UPOL Raptor:  https://www.u-pol.com/uk/en-uk/products/raptor-bed-liner-protective-coating-uk#.XBKcJ_Z2uL8

I looked at a couple of classics that are being restored and the underbody has just been treated with it; what was interesting is that you can add your top coat colour to the solution and the finish is 99% matching. I understand it is not expensive and easily applied by gun, brush or aerosol - made by UPOL so you know it's an excellent product.

Regards.

Richard. 

[Clive]

Re the raptor, I thought about it for my spitfire underside, but at the time it was only available as a 5L kit.

It is sold as a truck bed liner/coating, so should be VERY tough. If I could get it in smaller quantities, I would be very happy to use it.