Neil Clark Posted March 1, 2020 Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 I'm about ready to swap my Spitfire Mk1 body over to the replacement chassis, which is way outside my knowledge zone. The engine and gearbox will be out, the door gaps reinforced and pretty much everything removed except the dashboard instruments, the boot lid and the doors. Given decent availability of people to lift by the sills and with a length of wood through the rear arches would I need to remove the doors? I know it's fairly straightforward to do that if I mark the hinge locations but the panel gaps are really good just now. I'm just not sure how much they weigh, complete with glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted March 1, 2020 Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 2 people can move a Bare Spitfire shell about fairly easily. 4 people should be a breeze even with doors on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted March 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 Thanks. Excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unkel Kunkel Posted March 2, 2020 Report Share Posted March 2, 2020 Please let us know when you have done it and how you got on. I removed the body from my Mk1V with slings and an engine crane some years and will probably replace it the same way (if I can remember how it came off). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted March 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 Hopefully this weekend. The bracing bars are going in this morning, the engine crane arrives on Thursday and the muscle has been invited for Saturday. Yesterday I gave the replacement chassis a coat of Hammerite with Waxoyl externally and Dinitrol spray internally. I need to check that all the mounting hole threads on the new one are clear as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68vitesse Posted March 3, 2020 Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 Never tell anyone you changed the chassis, it can lead to problems with identity. Regards Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted March 3, 2020 Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 55 minutes ago, 68vitesse said: Never tell anyone you changed the chassis, it can lead to problems with identity. The chassis is just about the only bit of my Spitfire that hasn't been replaced. Well, OK, the bulkhead and rear deck may be original, too. Should I worry? On the other hand, I do know that my Vitesse had a new chassis when it was restored. Should I worry about that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 3, 2020 Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 watch out for DVLA spies..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68vitesse Posted March 3, 2020 Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 3 hours ago, NonMember said: The chassis is just about the only bit of my Spitfire that hasn't been replaced. Well, OK, the bulkhead and rear deck may be original, too. Should I worry? On the other hand, I do know that my Vitesse had a new chassis when it was restored. Should I worry about that? No need to worry just keep quiet about it, there is no way of finding out if the chassis is original from recorded numbers and anyway any number on the chassis probably rusted away years ago. Regards Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted March 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 No don't worry. There are dozens of MGA's with new chassis, probably hundreds of MGBs and MGB GTs with approved Heritage shells. They retain the same engine, gearbox etc and body number, registration etc in the same way as my very original 1966 Mk1 B GT which has its original shell - one that has been very significantly repaired over 50 years. Purists rate the re-shelled cars lower but they don't have to buy them. The risk in the MG world is probably value rather than anything else. Everyone is upfront about it. The issue is if someone is practicing deception and I'm not, I'm having fun. The car is what it is as it stands, the DVLA has issued a new V5 recently including a comment on the car on the front page and if I ever sell it a new owner deserves to see what has been done to it. My view, and I include Renault Veteran cars where I have some experience, is that the clubs or experts will pipe up or have the first say if someone suspects deception. My Grandfathers 1909 Renault AX, owned since 1917, was sold by him in 1960 (yes I know but my parents didn't want it). It had a unique one-off body. An untaxed apparently identical car suddenly appeared a few years ago with a one digit change to the registration number but the owner had no documentation. The log book and other records and documentation had been lost by the authorities at the time of computerisation so there was no way of tying the chassis and engine build numbers to the "new" registration so it was not accepted by the Renault club which has amazing records. Nor would the DVLA re-issue the original registration to the frustration of the then owner as regards value. And me, because I wanted to buy the car back IF he could prove it wasn't a ringer - my beloved mother had burned all the paperwork in Grampa's files after his death so I had nothing that I could use to get comfortable with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted March 3, 2020 Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 And fitting a brand new chassis is fine, as it classes as a replaceable part. But only if brand new, so make sure you get a receipt. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted March 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 I even have the bank payment details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted March 3, 2020 Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 Just to be clear... I wasn't actually worried. The Vitesse chassis (new, from Chic Doig) was fitted in 1990, well before it might have mattered for identity. Even then, I believe the DVLA operate a "points" system so replacing the chassis isn't a problem if it's the only one of the significant components you change, as Neil said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted March 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2020 It went well! I've posted some photos in the Restoration topic. Thanks to all who have posted recently and earlier - just a fantastic resource. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now