Will Spitfire doors fit?

[Paulfc]

Hi,

Can anyone please advise if Spitfire doors and GT6 Mk3 doors interchangeable? Given the GT6 has the quarter light frame I assume some mods may be required. Any help much appreciated.

thanks,

Paul

[Colin Lindsay]

Same model will fit so Spitfire MK4 / 5 will fit the GT6 MK3. I think you can use them straightoff as a quarterlight-less door as the Spitfire glass fits the same angle of screen pillar on both cars. If you want to add the quarterlight, it's a simple job.

[Clive]

The GT6 has a bridge section between the skin and shell under the 1/4 light, but the reality is it won't matter if it isn't there. That is the only difference AFAIK.

[rlubikey]

I think you'll find the door shells are the same across all Spit/GT6 models - just the exterior handle differs. (There may be some detail in the door catch, but I'm not familiar with this.)

But the door glass must be Mk4 or 1500 to fit the GT6 door opening.

Cheers, Richard

[Paulfc]

All,

Thanks.

Richard,

"But the door glass must be Mk4 or 1500 to fit the GT6 door opening."

Do you mean unless the quarterlight frame is in place? Or is it the internal channels that need changing?

Paul

[rlubikey]

Paul - no, you keep the Spitfire glass and door channels. The front edge of the glass against the windscreen isn't the problem. But the Mk4/1500 models have the angular profile at the top and back that fits the roof line/B post of the GT6. The earlier models have a rounded profile at the top and back and leave a big gap - it would be a bit draughty!

People fit GT6 doors to Mk4/1500 Spits - you get a Spit with quarter lights. The reverse is true - a GT6 with no quarter lights.

Cheers, Richard

[Paulfc]

Thanks! 

[NonMember]

48 minutes ago, rlubikey said:

I think you'll find the door shells are the same across all Spit/GT6 models -

Almost. The very early doors are different but as each design change was made they kept it backward-compatible, so that Mk3 door shells were used as service replacement for Mk1s. The big change was the addition of the pressings / extra holes for the quarter lights, when the GT6 was introduced.

[rlubikey]

Thanks NM.

I've got this nagging feeling the windscreeens were a different height (slightly taller) for the later cars (Mk4/1500 Spits and Mk3 GT6) compared to earlier models (Mk1/2/3 Spits & Mk1/2 GT6). Anyone care to comment?

Cheers, Richard

[NonMember]

Yes, the windscreen itself is a bit taller on the square-tails. This is achieved by having less metal around it (particularly below) because the frame became part of the bulkhead pressing rather than a separate bolt-on unit.

[Herald948]

The glass itself of the later windshield is taller, but the overall height of the windshield frame is pretty much the same. The difference is that the glass goes "deeper" into the bottom of the integral frame of the MkIV/1500 Spitfires and MkIII GT6, as I recall.