The Body is Back !

[Unkel Kunkel]

It’s been quite a  few years  - delayed by all manner of things- recently global things, which we all know about only too well , and everyday things that ..well, they just happen. 

-Anyway …..today, The  Big Event !  .. it finally  came:

-To try and fit the Spitfire  body shell back onto  the  chassis where I had fitted 2 new front outriggers, de-rusted , painted etc., etc., - so long ago I my memory of the disassembly is - quite  vague.

A

Lift off !

The “Heath Robinson” ( or maybe  “Fred Flintstone”) wheeled support “ thingy “ was un-bolted and pulled free.

An engine crane gives an element of fine control in a narrow garage.

Won’t need the “Flintstone”any more:

 

- With only  the traditional oaths, and much sweating, fettling and heaving..

…It fitted.

Such  a relief!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2021 by Unkel Kunkel

[Brooky]

Progress for you at last, hope you can complete it, good luck 👍🏻

[Paulfc]

That’s ingenious! Good luck with the rest of the restoration.

[Unkel Kunkel]

Thank you!
I realise  now I had  been been putting off “the moment” of reuniting body and chassis for a quite a long while   because there was this nagging question that I could not answer:

 ” What the …..    ….   do I do if nothing lines up, doors don’t fit, etc  …?”

[Unkel Kunkel]

3 hours ago, Mathew said:

Just like if you don't know how a pie will taste. You eat it and then it's too late. You will now have the fun of finding out! Usually the main bits are checked before welding up. As long as it was braced in the correct position and measurements kept correctly there will be no problem. We will soon see.

I think have been very lucky,Mathew.

The chassis bolts all lined up and threaded OK - there was just one that needed a minute or so of “wiggling”  to start the thread.

The removal of the door braces doesn’t appear to have  presented any problems.

Re-fitting of bits is  much more fun than dismantling (although reattaching the steering column  and its u j took more time and expletives than I expected)