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1976 Spitfire 1500


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Returned the wing to TD Fitchetts for a refund and according to tracking it arrived on Friday so I will contact them on Monday for the Refund.

Carried on with bonnet repairs today fitting the new nose repair panel and strengthener.

Can't do much more without the other wingMore spitfire - Imgur (1).jpg

 

So moved to the driver door, removed the skin, added a repair panel in the bottom and painted it in etch primer, readying it for the new skin.

I also unwrapped the new skin which was bought as nos had a ding it in through storage so hammered that out.

 

Quite a successful day

More spitfire - Imgur.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

Haven't updated the gang on progress for a while, well the bonnet is done. I have put a new door skin and repaired the drivers side door.

IMG_20201017_165648.thumb.jpg.7fe73c857c01ace454d6465aa245cdf4.jpg

The new inner rear wing panel and outer rear wing is now in primer. I fitted the passenger door to line up the rear wing panels ready for welding. IMG_20201017_162103.thumb.jpg.388d740c18b95fb1bdab8d25b9cfe6eb.jpgIMG_20201017_161406.thumb.jpg.3875866e79b4bda75437f19668a587fd.jpg

Checked the water had antifreeze in too in preparation for the winter.IMG_20201013_174911.thumb.jpg.0e7f63155eaee5efc72430a051d1c44d.jpgIMG_20201013_174902.thumb.jpg.dabf129570ab53f5d0c3d20a77e513b5.jpg

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More taking stuff, putting stuff on, fettling to make stuff fit and repeat.....

Looks like the Spit had a shunt at some point resulting in a wrinkled floor on the drivers side and making the rear wing be about 12mm out when the outer wing was offered up, out with the body hammers and dollies and that was sorted and glued the inner wing on. Nearly forgot to fit the outer wheel arch (doh!), that again resulted in much fitting and taking off the outer wing. This is where I found lots of filler round the door shuts (up to 5mm in places!!!) all ground back and also a bit of pushing and pulling where the wheel arch meets the inner wing and it now all fits. Glued on the wheel arch and painted but ran out of time to fit the outer wing.

IMG_20201018_125831.thumb.jpg.f8465490dcfb366848026f64e7187fd8.jpgIMG_20201018_162745.thumb.jpg.533358b164673656159b9200a7c2d207.jpgIMG_20201018_171159.thumb.jpg.862b053ffb57e401af00a3aecb56f711.jpgIMG_20201018_162640.thumb.jpg.682fd734401f1826470adfe9d2a9903f.jpg

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Anyone used hobbyweld before?

My local gas supplier (Argon mix) has recently stopped supplying their own and moved to HobyWeld. Usually my bottle lasts two years but this Hobby Weld one has lasted just over a month, not impressed especially as its more expensive too.

Anyone one else found the same?

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10 minutes ago, hardhatharry said:

Looks like the Spit had a shunt at some point resulting in a wrinkled floor on the drivers side and making the rear wing be about 12mm out when the outer wing was offered up, out with the body hammers and dollies and that was sorted and glued the inner wing on. 

Lol, reminds of me of my GT6 when first bought, it too had been in a shunt so to make the door fit a PO just hammered the B-post BACK about four inches, then filled it in. Believe it or not I only found out when I tried to adjust the bonnet...

For door gaps try an online search for 'triumph spitfire door brace', I found loads of photos which seem to show a brace between the top hinge and the door catch plate - there are a lot of good photos to give you some ideas.

20180307_125701.jpg.182811e5dace76f0c44447c7169bc263.jpg 

IMG_0646.JPG.7d1ab9f24633b0ba79433f7096707854.JPG

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4 minutes ago, hardhatharry said:

Anyone used hobbyweld before?

My local gas supplier (Argon mix) has recently stopped supplying their own and moved to HobyWeld. Usually my bottle lasts two years but this Hobby Weld one has lasted just over a month, not impressed especially as its more expensive too.

Anyone one else found the same?

Bizarrely enough, my welding gas ran out this afternoon, and it’s HobbyWeld, however unlike yours it has lasted over 2 years.

Does sound very odd yours running out after only a month. I’m assuming you shut the valve on the bottle after every welding session?

It has been known for solenoid valves to leak before now, wasting all that gas.

Karl

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I can get Argoshield but when I chAnged the cylinder recently ( rather sooner than expected) I used some soapy water to check the seal  where the pressure valve screws into The cylinder neck.   It took some time and some PTFE tape to get a seal.    Worth pursuing, if your cylinders run out quickly?

John

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Another busy weekend, to stop any rot on the bootlid I followed up the garnet blasting with a coat of Hydrate 8 on the underneath and when dry followed it up with a coat of primer.

IMG_20201024_113617.thumb.jpg.6be10441522b1696220258b9986f2817.jpg

Sorted out some missing metal from the driver door surround.

IMG_20201025_111251.thumb.jpg.c710965ecf17310ac400181a93f5a839.jpg

Before finally putting on the rear wing

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This was a momentous occasion as the last time the spit had a driver rear wing ws 1993.

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Also welded a 6mm plate to my rather large winch. which I will use to winch the Spit up my fairly steep driveway to my garage

IMG_20201024_135030.thumb.jpg.bd4df84db2589e7b395ace2a5917e9e9.jpg

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Garage winch has now got a 6mm base, some support struts and 10mm drilled holes ready for installation. Sorry for the crap welding my welder was either blowing holes in or poor penetration and I couldn't find a happy medium for the metal(even through it does have a switch marked medium).IMG_20201027_203535.thumb.jpg.ebd67051dc8ec16f5d7bb1abdb0d652c.jpg

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

With work giving us a well being half day for work through the latest lockdown it was time to tackle the rot in the passenger side wheel arch. First cut away some of the wheel arch to see what the extent is.

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Clean up and remake the end of the crossmember

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Fit the new cover plate and paint.

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Next job for the weekend is to repair the wheel arch.......

IMG_20201113_123406.jpg

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Bit of a frustrating day today. Decided to tackle the small spots of rust on the drivers side wheel arch and titivate the rear control arm. The control arm didnt want to play ball, taking it off was easy enough but the rubber bushes refused to come out without some serious argy bargy. Once they were removed the arm cleaned of the rust including the bush housing and some new paint I attempted to fit the new poly bushes, nope they didn't want to know, tried brute force, vice press, screw press, swearing loudly, a hammer they didnt want to stay in. I will now stare at them to see if divine inspiration will take hold. Any advice gratefully received.

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16 hours ago, hardhatharry said:

 The poly distorts under high pressure, when the pressure is released they pop back out. The bushes are orange not red or blue. 

It needs more pressure then! Seriously - that's why the TR7 blue versions needed a press (I broke a vice once trying that); they distorted considerably but in the end there was nowhere else for them to go. 

Orange bushes - are they from eBay? I'm using orange in anti-roll bars, steering rack and diff mounts and like them well enough - bought from a supplier on eBay. 

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