Louisw Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 Hi All, I posted in the new members thread but thought it would be a good idea to start a proper thread for my spitfire. I was a fairly long time and active member on club triumph however when the forum/website was updated it was much harder to post and keep upto date with everyones projects. Happy to see TSSC is still very active and glad to be part of this community as the forum is much easier to navigate through and see updates! I started this project when I was 16 way back in December 2012 after the car hadnt moved in over 30 years. It originally belonged to my mum who passed ownership to me in 2016. I'll try to keep this thread pretty brief but there was a fair bit of work very early on. For around 4 years uni and work has gotten in the way and the car has just been sat under a car-port. I'm planning on bringing the car to my new house near Halifax where I will continue the work and hopefully get it on the road! This car was the very first one I started working on and learning with. I had never welded or done any actual 'mechanic' work before so this was a huge learning curve with no-one helping me so please bear that in mind! Everything was learnt through reading other peoples project threads. This was done on a shoe-string budget too because of this and looking back some 'welds' make me cringe. The plan is to revisit all the areas as I'm certain I can improve on them now i've more experience, as although i've not been working on this I have a clio 182 that I modify/repair. Anyway, photos of where it all began - Thankfully I had a nearly mint interior with nearly solid floors. Engine mileage was also very low, but crazy considering the 'repairs' that had previously been carried out on rust which I will come on to! I stripped the carbs down rebuilding with new gaskets and seals and replenished all hoses for new. Although there had been only one PO, it was a Dreaded PO for sure! New patches had clearly been bodged in with underseal and filler. Pulled my fuel tank and tested out electrolysis with good results! Got a completely clean fuel tank within a few days, very chuffed with the results. Removed the bodged rear quarter, cut away the bad metal and welded in some new with a repair panel. Much better... Bare in mind this was the first thing I'd ever welded in my life! Everything off the bulkhead and that primered. Everything back on after cleaning up brackets and painting them. Also gave my MCS a rehaul whilst I was at it. Stripped my steering rack down repacking with grease completely with a new steering knuckle. I also carried out some repairs on my bootlid after finding replacements on eBay at ridiculous prices with the same rot in the same places as mine!Both sides needed repair. Cut it out the rust in the sills and welded in some sheet panels. Not the best welding. It was strong but not pretty. Other side wasn't any better. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisw Posted February 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 Painted my chassis black after the primer and also cleaned up the insides of the bonnet hinge boxes which as awkward even with the smallest wire brush on the drill. Picked up new fibreglass bonnet. Came with bonnet latches and lights for only £60 which was a complete bargain. Cut away more sill rust on the drivers side... Fillered and primered the doors, sills, rear quarters on both sides and then the rear deck. First time without the roof in a LONG LONG TIME!I also started painting the underside of my bonnet, and reinstalling the hinge location brackets into the bonnet hinge boxes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisw Posted February 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 More cleaning and engine work led to this Rebuilt the front suspension on the passenger side with new bushes, bolts, refurbed calipers, new hoses and grease caps. I have oiled my trunnions at the front, and checked my wheel bearings and everything seems to be OK. And that was everything upto date! Car has just been on axle stands for 5 years then on it's wheels for an extra year. Hopefully make some more progress when the car is at my new house! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 Errr... is it just me or are all your images just file names? Would love to see the actual pictures... 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 Hmm, yes, I wonder if the images were too big for the system? Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisw Posted February 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 Photos are working fine for me. Strange! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 I think the problem is that you've linked to externally hosted images and the external host is a closed group that requires a login. Since you are a member of ClioSport.net you have access and can see the photos. Those of us who aren't merely get the "ALT" text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 It is so easy to post pics here, Louis. Start with the pics on your own hard drive. So copy them from anywhere else you have them. Click on "Choose files" below in this window. Got to the folder with your pics. Click on the picture you want. Voila! If I may, you have ried to post a LOT of pics! No doubt, you are very proud of your work! But perhaps be more selective? You'll get more response from less material! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 yes cant open anything. follow johns lead and refine the list to few rather than the many we await some pics Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 14 hours ago, Louisw said: I started this project when I was 16 way back in December 2016. Hello Louis, and welcome - repost the pics as John says so we can all admire. 'Way back in 2016'... you've no idea how old that makes me feel... especially since I started one of my restorations way back in 1995... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisw Posted February 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 I'll update tonight thanks for the heads up. Was easier to copy across from the other forum but didnt realise it would give issues. 2016 was the wrong date, I started this in 2012 I believe maybe earlier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said: especially since I started one of my restorations way back in 1995... Pah, lightweight. I'm nearing the end of a Spitfire restoration that began in 1990 (car was off the road from late 1988). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 29 minutes ago, NonMember said: I'm nearing the end of a Spitfire restoration that began in 1990 And you call ME lightweight? I won't be the one coming to an end after only 30 years. I've got real staying power! Roll on the next decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisw Posted February 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 Just painstakingly gone through all the images and re-uploaded. Would have been easier to start over as I had to go through all the photos individually but got there in the end! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor L Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Looks like good progress. Bookmarked 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Photos coming through now... that's a lot of work. Love the colour-coded rocker box! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted February 16, 2020 Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 Very nice, look forward to your progress, the seal work all seam welded then dressed back? Often easier to replace a whole panel than cut in lots of patches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisw Posted February 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 4 hours ago, Mathew said: Very nice, look forward to your progress, the seal work all seam welded then dressed back? Often easier to replace a whole panel than cut in lots of patches. You have to remember the age I started this restoration at. I didn't have a job, was at school and using whatever birthday/christmas money on restoring the car. Sheet metal was cheaper than panels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted February 16, 2020 Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Louisw said: You have to remember the age I started this restoration at. I didn't have a job, was at school and using whatever birthday/christmas money on restoring the car. Sheet metal was cheaper than panels! Please don't take it as a critical comment, just an observation. Seals need to be structural on a spitfire and any patches on them must be seam welded to keep there strength. Trust me I know having a tight budget on cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisw Posted February 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2020 Not taken badly dont worry! All repairs were fully seam welded and ground back. Sills had been repaired previously on the offside and not seam welded on the b panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 19, 2020 Report Share Posted February 19, 2020 When I started rebuilding my Spitfire, we discovered that the existing outer sills were merely tack brazed at half a dozen spots top and bottom. They were fitted straight over the previous ones, but there wasn't much left of them to provide any strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 These were the sills on my first Spitfire. 'Fully restored' it was, too. Never mind the fact that they weren't even properly welded on, they weren't in the right place, either. The vendor sold me a tale of using a 'door-gap-adjusting-tool' to centralise the door and make sure it closed properly, and the windows would then go up fully, and as I'd already heard about this tool, I believed him. What he didn't tell me was that it had to be done BEFORE welding the sills. Thankfully in those days sills were about £30 each and it cost me £100 to get both sides replaced properly. I think I drove it about in primer for months until I got the paint sprayed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Really cool project, what sort of welding did you start with @Louisw? Stick or wire feed mig? I want to learn to weld, not sure whether to start with stick welding and see how it goes (also on a budget), or try regular mig. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 2 hours ago, jiggawhat2k said: Really cool project, what sort of welding did you start with @Louisw? Stick or wire feed mig? I want to learn to weld, not sure whether to start with stick welding and see how it goes (also on a budget), or try regular mig. Cheers! I would start with a mig of at least 130amp but 150 would be better. Get an automatic face shield and good gloves that let you move your fingers. Stick takes a lot of cleaning back. The main bit is to practice on scrap metal till your happy before you go near the car. Do keep the metal clean, much as possible rust and paint cleaned off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Mathew said: I would start with a mig of at least 130amp but 150 would be better. Get an automatic face shield and good gloves that let you move your fingers. Stick takes a lot of cleaning back. The main bit is to practice on scrap metal till your happy before you go near the car. Do keep the metal clean, much as possible rust and paint cleaned off. Cheers nice one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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