David is doing a wonderful job here and elsewhere. Elsewhere looking after folk like me.
Let me just make one comment about the shims in the front suspension. My car now has three sets of shims on the nearside and two sets on the offside.
I think that if you are in anyway concerned I would simply fit two shims either side for once you have got the car mobile you will probably be like me and want to have the steering set up on one of those modern computer controlled wheel alignment things that are in use now. It will certainly set up the correct toe in / toe out very quickly but I found the chappie who did my alignment very quickly picked up that I needed one extra shim on one side. I had spare shims with me and it was a relatively quick and easy operation to fit while the car was still up on his alignment hoist.
That third shim showing in your photograph looks, how shall I say it, very agricultural and far too thick. In looking at your car I rather suspect that when you stitch the whole front end of the car back together that its geometry will be very close to what it was like when it left the factory and that third shim may not be necessary.
I have been trying to see around the corner of that first photo you have above, to see whether your front suspension has the little extra support bracket which you can see in the photo I have placed here.
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20120107-2697Pw Sprint front suspension.jpg [ 195.29 KiB | Viewed 111662 times ]
I just cannot quite see it clearly in your photo but you will note on this photo, see that red arrow (carefully colour matched to your restoration!) that additional bracket? The corresponding number of small shims sit behind that bracket, as behind the main suspension support. I understand that the early cars did not have that extra bracket, so perhaps yours does not.
Your car and my car will almost be like sisters, for both sat for very long periods of time before their respective restorations were completed. Keep at it. I shall be keeping a very close eye on this restoration from now on willing you on and doing what ever I can to assist.
Robert