1970 Spitfire resurrection

[Howard81]

Most of the interior is now complete. I have recovered one of the rear quarter panels (still got the other one to do) - the vinyl was from the badly home-made rear cockpit panels, at least that home-made interior was good for something

Note the original rubber seal that is often missing on repro panels. I even riveted on the little stud for the hood cover. I'm proud of those little details



The cardboard boot panel that covers the petrol tank has been cleaned up and sprayed in "vinyl and rubber paint".



The glove boxes have had the original vinyl on the support bars stuck back down and fixed to my Stoneleigh bargain gloveboxes



To give you (another) example of the muppet who "restored" this car, this is his handiwork on the brand new rear quarter panels (compared here to an original).



The lower sections had been nastily hacked away. Why? Well, on the B-pillar, there should be a 1" vinyl strip fitted, then this panel. These panels had been fitted right up to the door seal, so these sections were hacked off to get them to fit. It looks stupid, as now the panel didn't follow the correct curvature of the inner wheelarch

To be honest, if they had been fitted properly, I would have kept them, speakers and all. Now they've been replaced, there's no way I can take a knife to them! Not sure where the speakers are going to go yet. Originally Triumph dealers fitted one in the passenger glovebox compartment, but that seems a rubbish idea.

[Howard81]

When a floorpan is a collander like this Ive had good mediun term bodge results by first of all wire brushing as much as possible and on both sides, then giving it a coat of bilt hamber hydrate 80 or somesuch then when dry covering the whole lot with P40...the stuff with fiberglass in it.

This gives quite a strong "ceramic" floor. It will last a couple of years at least...

You can get a full floorpan and stick it in when funds allow. Unless of course this is a seller soon then it ought really to be done properly.

Jonners

Funny you should say that Jonners, I've just come back from Halfords with some fibreglass matting

But don't worry, it will definitely get fixed in the near future.. I just want it to be watertight for now. I've roped in a friend to help me get the hardtop on tomorrow. It's green.. so on a red car it's going to look rather festive

[tinweevil]

Funny you should say that Jonners, I've just come back from Halfords with some fibreglass matting

Good plan, that floor pan is too far gone to be worth attempting a hot metal bodge. If it was just the big rectangle I'd have a crack at it, or rather help you to. Where better to practice after all?

Coming along well.

[Howard81]

It is mainly just the big section outlined in yellow. The green section along the sill is to show where someone has welded on an L-shaped section to create a new lip to weld the outer sill on. It seems solid, except in one small area shown (small yellow box).

I'm back in Poole now, so I might fire up the welder and have a practice on some scrap

Fitted the hardtop this morning.. As I was busying myself putting the hood down, it was about two seconds away from being nicked by a pikey with a truck full of scrap Not overly sure green suits it, but it will do for now

[Howard81]

Dug out my stash of classic radios today, and narrowed my choice down to a Radiomobile Model 80, or a Motorola Model 124. Any thoughts?





Or I have a Brand New 1969 Blaupunkt Hildesheim tucked away..

[Purplebargeken]

Motorola

[JPB]

Both sets are too new to be strictly correct in the Spitfire, break out that Bosch!

[Howard81]

My car was registered in March 1971, and was a demonstator in a Triumph dealer in Birmingham for a year. What years was the 80 produced? I can see a couple if components inside the Radiomobile dated November and December 1972, so it's not far off!

The Motorola has components dated 1976/1977, which explains why the circuitry inside is about half that of the Radiomobile!

Hmm.. I'll have to dig out the others I have..

What were the 'official' dealer-fit radios for Triumphs in 1971? Anyone got a 1971 accessory brochure?

[Howard81]

Managed to get the area around the tunnel rust treated, primed and topcoated. I'm only using red Hammerite Smooth, but as it's going to be hidden under the carpets I don't mind. With this done, I can put the tunnel cover back in!



Also has a poke around the floor.. Which doesn't look good.. Thankfully the other side seems ok, so will just get treated and painted.

[Purplebargeken]

All ready for tomorrow afternoon then H?

[Howard81]

Providing I don't fall through the floor on the way over

[Jon Tilson]

Hmmm...single rail non o/d box in there...

Overdrive would transform it. Nickable from a dolly 1500...

You need to be careful about the strength of the seat belt mounting and the support for the rear radius arm too. That floor is a delight.....

clear proof that spits need a garage or hard top in winter.

Jonners

[JPB]

.....What years was the 80 produced? I can see a couple if components inside the Radiomobile dated November and December 1972....

I might have this slightly off....
I was thinking that you were referring to the 80X, the X standing for silicon in the I/F stages, but the 80 was earlier. The 80X was made from around February, 1973 as far as I can gather.

I have seen an 80 (Ge I/F devices) with that cap dated as late as July, 1972, which would put the eventual build date of that example almost into 1973. Perhaps 80s and 80Xs were sold alongside each other for a while?

I recently restored an 80X for a member of a Practical forum for Classic car owners and that set had been bought new by the chap in April, 1973 yet that big orange electrolytic in the audio stage was dated August, 1972. Perhaps some 80 chassis were left hanging around and were fitted up with silicon in place of the earlier Germanium on an otherwise identical board?

Is your set an 80 or is there an X in the number? If it's the Germanium-equipped 80, then it could indeed be older. Me not reading the original post properly you see....

[Purplebargeken]

Saw Spitty today. That floor will be done soon enough Think Howard was quite taken with Flipper too.

[Howard81]

It's an 80. No X

Ken's 1300 is lovely! Lots of potential, and a great colour combo. Just wish he'd hurry up and get it bolted back together!

It does really need an overdrive, it's strained and very noisy on the motorway! Don't really want to cull another Dolly for the box though. It really need a 3-rail 'box as the speedo under-reads with the current one. The front wheel bearing kit arrived today (after being lost in the post for three weeks), so that's the next job. Easy, as Julian gave me his spare hubs, so I can do them in the comfort of my lovely warm kitchen!