NickTruman Posted August 17, 2019 Report Share Posted August 17, 2019 Hi There! here is my Spitfire, or it will be one day. So far I have a chassis FC233047 an Audi 1.8t mounted at the rear using A4 Quattro rear subframe and a bmw 1 series front suspension , early days but it should be a fun car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted August 17, 2019 Report Share Posted August 17, 2019 Very interesting but what is the car next to it? Sorry to ask the the question as the your project sounds very interesting and yes it will be a FUN car to drive Anyway how do you intend to keep it on the ground? Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickTruman Posted August 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2019 5 minutes ago, Graham C said: Very interesting but what is the car next to it? Sorry to ask the the question as the your project sounds very interesting and yes it will be a FUN car to drive Anyway how do you intend to keep it on the ground? Graham Hi Graham the car next to it is my 1977 308 GT4 Dino being mid engined, keeping the spitfire grounded should be easy, I will also push air through the bonnet, radiator and intercooler to keep the front down. Like the Ferrari, there will be a floor that covers the entire underneath to stop air lifting the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickTruman Posted November 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2019 My spitfire now has from suspension! The uprights are BMW from a 1 or 3 series. I have used shortened standard springs. These will be replaced for height adjustable shocks eventually. Next is to start fitting the body tub, first it needs a floor and sills.. probably not in that order. The track rod ends will be relocated when the tub is fitted and I have some weight on the chassis.. Still not sure about ride height, for the moment this is at 150mm, but it seems quite high Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted November 14, 2019 Report Share Posted November 14, 2019 On 17/08/2019 at 20:53, NickTruman said: being mid engined, keeping the spitfire grounded should be easy I know nothing about the technical side of things and am seriously impressed with the work you're doing, but surely that engine is to the rear rather than the middle? Or does the term cover a bigger range than I imagine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted November 14, 2019 Report Share Posted November 14, 2019 I think technically its called mid engined if the engine is in front of the gearbox and diff (rear axle) as opposed to really hanging out of the back! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfg Posted November 14, 2019 Report Share Posted November 14, 2019 . Interesting project thanks for sharing, I'll enjoy following progress and its development. ..aside from which I sorta like the idea of a Spitfire built with German mechanicals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Clark Posted November 14, 2019 Report Share Posted November 14, 2019 Yes, interesting project. I'm looking forward to more progress updated please. On a similar theme, I saw an ME109 powered by a RR Merlin engine at Duxford a few years ago. The reverse of your project with a Spitfire engine in a German airframe! Nigel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigolf Posted November 14, 2019 Report Share Posted November 14, 2019 The Spanish licence built ME109 's after the war, indeed fitted with Merlin engines - a bit ironic ! If you watch the Battle of Britain Film closely, you'll see all the ME109's have two bumps on the top engine cowling. These are covering the Merlin cylinder heads and the exhaust stubs are at the top - the original German ME 109's Daimler Benz was fitted upside down. All the Heinkel 111's in the film were also fitted with Merlins. Gav 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickTruman Posted November 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2019 On 14/11/2019 at 13:23, Colin Lindsay said: I know nothing about the technical side of things and am seriously impressed with the work you're doing, but surely that engine is to the rear rather than the middle? Or does the term cover a bigger range than I imagine? Hi Colin Thank you! As has been said, if the engine is in front of the differential, its mid engined. If the engine is behind the differential, its rear engine, i.e. Porsche 911, Beetle etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickTruman Posted November 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2019 I'm looking forward to getting the body on the chassis, last weekend I ground out all the rot on the passenger side and replaced all the steel, I have a load of sheet steel coming this week, so i will make my floor panels. The only shop bought panels i am using are the 2 sills and sill ends, the rest I will make. So for now the body has some rigidity Ive also cut the boot out and will cut out the rear arches, the rear wheel are 6" wider than a spitfire and 10" further back.. So a widened LWB spitfire I'm thinking of using lotus Elise rear wings or even the whole rear clam shell, sould look quite nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickTruman Posted November 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 I have now cut out the rot from my Spitfire the sills, sill strengtheners, floorpans, bulkheads. I have also removed the inner wheel arches to make way for the longer wheelbase. So the body is now rigid for the first time in many years, it also doesn't fall to pieces in my fingers like before. I have one more floorpan to make, and the inner sills.. I am really glad i rescued this car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 yikes think you will need saving , keep at it , all will make smiles when you drive her for the first time after reborn. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickTruman Posted January 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2020 Hi Everyone The latest on my car. The car is welded up now, all rot has been removed and replaced with new metal. The rear arches have been fabricated and an inner frame has been welded into the rear section to give rigidity and add another mounting point to the chassis. There are a couple of small area still to be addressed but on the whole the major body work is complete. The front is also now at the correct ride height. The body is now off the car again and i am fitting the engine wiring, cooling pipes, gearbox linkages and brake pipe. After this i can finally attach the body for the very last time unfortunately i have had to strip the lower end off the engine as it looks like the previous owner had dropped the engine and the sump was cracked and was leaking oil I have bought some doors, they fit (just) i will need to open the door opening somehow, the car was without a chassis for so long the door gaps have shrunk. I have also bought a bonnet which i am picking up at the end of the month. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfg Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Wow ! I'm sure the IVA inspector will love this one. Credit to you sir ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Wow! Radical! Well done, Nick! I ws worried by the apparently unsupported brackets for the upper end of the dampers, but I see the frame you have around the rim of the boot supports it. But why no straight strut across between them? That would avoid the considerable leverage on the arrangment you have. Not criticism, interest! John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickTruman Posted January 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 8 minutes ago, JohnD said: Wow! Radical! Well done, Nick! I ws worried by the apparently unsupported brackets for the upper end of the dampers, but I see the frame you have around the rim of the boot supports it. But why no straight strut across between them? That would avoid the considerable leverage on the arrangment you have. Not criticism, interest! John Hi John I thought of that, however I need to put the exhaust somewhere, however if i can i will brace the dampers between the bolts making a removable strut (thats the plan anyway) Regards Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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