1966 Mk2 Triumph Spitfire - retired to Malta

[Ether]

I say the diddy rims and tyres! How come you didn't go for the minilites? They looked kool!!

[RetroWarwicK]

diddy rims/tyres would be great but in the end it was cost. the new drive flanges with the mini stud pattern would have been about £220 plus machine shop costs to redrill the rear hubs.

also, the extra width of the rims plus the -7 offset mean they would stick out of the body too much. this would mean flared arches etc which is a whole heap of work and would spoil the lines. i would need a 6x13 mini rim to look dished enough but come level with the arches.

i needed the cash for my other RR project is a 16v mini, which is going to northampton motorsport next week for mapping and suspension set up.

[RetroWarwicK]

managed to get a kitchen pass for a few hours on the spitfire on boxing day, so tidied up the bulkhead. a PO had slapped on an oversill. was a mess as you can see. just tidied it as its ok to get through MOt but will be sorted properly at a later date. mechanicals and serious rot to do first

after a tickle with the wire cup:-



aarrgh:-



after:-

this will have another skim of filler then a smooth off. not perfect but looks better.

managed to get front bumper off and crusty valance so start de flaking the chassis front sectionP-



valance removed:-


new wheel close up:-

[bazzateer]

As you say, try the 185s first but I'd go for 175-70 rather than 175-50. again, this is all IMHO and not meant to belittle anything you do/like.

[RetroWarwicK]

i agree, as 70 section tyres are the optimum for the spit. but the 185/70's are a bit too big. when i got the car it had these on, and you could see where the front tyres were catching the arch (a major groove in the outer 1/4 of the tread).

ii'll try the new wheels with thre 185's first but will swap to the 175/50's on the front (only because i have a pair of new pirelli p5000's in the garage going spare).

[RetroWarwicK]

i've been slowly cleaning up and repainting the front chassis section, on the drivers side.

hopefully the work should speed up now the evenings are geting longer

managed to get a mk3 hardtop for £40, in good condition and a ratty bootlid for £30.


the bulkhead around the master cylinders was pretty tatty and had a small hole. nothing seriuos so a little filler to sort.





got the rad out to find a split on the lower tank. will get it brazed but got another one at the show yesterday. the rad frame was really flakey but will clean up ok. will also jubnk the horns for some lighter modern ones


bootlid and hardtop in place:-


drivers chassis rail and suspension arms back on:-

[MightyMork]

nice work, really coming on now.

[RetroWarwicK]

ordered thses SPA mirrors in back in jan, as they were doing free postage,,,lurrvly


cleaned painted up the front lower wishbone brackets - now ready to be bolted back on with some shims


this lot arrived yesterday from merlin motorsport. it -3 braided pipe and some 3/8 resuseable hose ends so i can make up some some hose from the clutrch master cyl to the slave cyl, and also the brake master cyl down to the 4 ways splitter


£35 worth of new nuts from speedshack for the alleycat rims


some cheap brand poly type bushes that i'll use on the rear arms and a new heater tap as the original corroded to powder


painted front bottom wishbones with new pukka superflex bushes courtesy of mrabody's groupbuy (ta )


here is the front upright painted and reassembled with a new type 14 caliper (got a new pair for about £80 IIRC, as the original type 12 ones were completely knackered.

i am looking inot a caterham conversion which gets rid of the crappy trunnions - and also the removes the risk of the upright snapping.


this is really crusty but just needs a bit of filler :-)

[leigh]

Oh man, I'm getting flashbacks of my GT6 rebuild. So many of the same bits needing sorted!! Its coming along nicely now for you though. I know of a MKIV fibreglass bonnet if you end up needing one by the way - my uncle bought a scrap one for an overdrive gearbox for his Herald and ended up getting a GT6 chassis with a spit body! There's some "leftovers" now!!

Personally, after a good bit of work on my car, i have to say the most dramatic improvement was the poly bushes - transformed the feel of the car. Wait til you get to drive it and finally enjoy your labours!!!

[willcolumbine]

This is all looking very familiar to me too! Thats a fair bit crustier than mine was but it looks like you're getting on and just plowing on through it! I shouldn't worry about the trunions too much. A lot of fuss is made about them but if you check your uprights over for corrosion at the threaded part and only use oil in them (not grease) you should be fine.

[Nathan]

Coming along really well now fella, If i was you I would cut this crust out, put some new steel in, saves you revisiting it later

[RetroWarwicK]

nothin a bit of wag can't fix

yes, will be keeping my eyes peeled for either a decent fibreglass bonnet or some replacement d plates and brace plates for this bonnet

[Nathan]

Actually what is that a picture of, the front drivers wheel arch?

[MightyMork]

looks like the inside of the O/S front wheel arch and front corner of bonnet.

[RetroWarwicK]

correct, the passenger isn't as bad. the whole area is a box so rots from the inside.

you can see here where is rotting through the front wing area below the headlamp. if i can get the inner panels, i'll chop the lot out and rebuild that area.

[MightyMork]

Thankfully the MKiv / 1500 isint too hard to clean that area out so doesn't rot as bad plus the headlamp cowles are seperate. Good luck mate, do James Paddock or TD Fitchets not have replacement plannels avaible??

[leigh]

Fibreglass bonnet is the way forward!!:



I know that's more of my engine than bonnet but its not rusting! (And its lighter!!)

[RetroWarwicK]

yes, i'm on the look out for a mk1,2,3 fibreglass bonnet. there are a couple of companies near worcester that make them. cost is around £230. but i have heard that the quality is poor - flexing etc.

the inner bonnet panels are available. the front wings are mega bucks and no repair sections available.

[RetroWarwicK]

just picked up a pair of these trunnionless uprights:-



the thought of the trunnion/upright snapping as the can do, leaves me cold. I also don't want to keep faffing about oiling the fecking trunnions up every few months.

these beauties are based in the caterham set up, but using a bespoke bearing carrier to allow fitment to the spitfire lower wishbone.

[RetroWarwicK]

managed to bolt up the gaz shocker and bolt on the refurbed bottom wishbone with new polybushes. then could offer up the new caterham upright. quick lick of paint too



cleaned up the radiator bracket and gave it red oxide and top coat of black, bolted back in