1970 Spitfire resurrection

[Purplebargeken]

Glad you liked the 1300 Howard, yes, it will all be sorted at some point soon.

Did you get the vinyl paint from the shop? Forgot to ask.

[Jon Tilson]

Funny about the under reading speedo. My spit one started to under read as it got older. It now under reads about 10%...so I use the tacho when I need to. It muts be a spring thing cos it still counts the miles okay...

Do you have the 3.89 diff (original) still or did it get the 3.63 that goes with the 1500 engine in a spit. The box will have the speedo drive gear that went with the rear axle ratio it was made with. Being a 3 rail would make no difference. Its easy to change the drive gear if you need to.

The single rail gearchange works better with a Spit and its short lever. The 3 rail tends to need a remote change bush kit every 5 minutes and still flops about even when new.

Jonners

[Howard81]

The Spitfire has been standing unused for over two weeks, but she fired right up on the first turn of they key. Excellent!

Hopefully if the rain holds up I'll be able to get the passenger floor treated and painted. Wiper motor is still dead.

[Howard81]

Funny about the under reading speedo. My spit one started to under read as it got older. It now under reads about 10%...so I use the tacho when I need to. It muts be a spring thing cos it still counts the miles okay...

Do you have the 3.89 diff (original) still or did it get the 3.63 that goes with the 1500 engine in a spit. The box will have the speedo drive gear that went with the rear axle ratio it was made with. Being a 3 rail would make no difference. Its easy to change the drive gear if you need to.

The single rail gearchange works better with a Spit and its short lever. The 3 rail tends to need a remote change bush kit every 5 minutes and still flops about even when new.

Jonners

I have another spare MKIV speedo that I can test. I have a 3-rail 'box out of a Toledo if the ratio gear is what i need?

No idea on the rear diff, will try to get the number off it soon!

Also picked up an exhaust, secondhand but in excellent order. Manifold, downpipe and centre pipe - £1.20

[Purplebargeken]

£1.20?? Rip off!

[Jon Tilson]

A tolly would be 4.11 so lower than the Spit, which would make the speedo over read with a 3.89 or 3.63

Given that yours under reads, that could be what you want....

A GPS is a quick way to callibrate it.

Jonners

[Howard81]

Actually, the engine number is an early 1500 Midget, so the gearbox is possibly out of one too..

[Howard81]

Not much progress lately - it's been far too cold!

I did receive a tin of POR-15 through the post this morning. I've been eager to try this stuff for a while now, as it always seems to be highly regarded on the VW forums.

I wire-brushed the floor, then gave it a liberal coating. It paints on REALLY well, I only used about 10% of the can to do my whole passenger-side floor! I'll give it a couple of days to dry, then top-coat it in red Hammerite. Then at least I can put half the interior back in properly

[Purplebargeken]

Get any on your hands Howard? You slopped on that sill. Messy sod!

[Howard81]

Yes I wear gloves and somehow it managed to get inside, pesky stuff

I didn't realise that splodge on the sill until it was too late and now it's rock solid

Hammerited the floor today and it looks shite. But I do remember that the bit around the gearbox looked crap until I put on the second coat.

I used about 10% of a 250ml can of POR-15 on the floor, whereas I used a whole 250ml of Hammerite Smooth on the floor.. and it needs another coat So I'm now convinced POR-15 is worth the cost.

I'm undecided if I should continue using the red Hammerite, as I'm only doing it red for continuity.. It'll be covered up anyway! I wish they did red POR-15

[Howard81]

Went out to the car today only to find it has been attacked by some low-life

Passenger-side wing mirror has been kicked off and smashed, and two large sand bag has been thrown from some distance on to the roof.. my hard top now has two lovely big dents in the top, plus the paint has cracked and come off in places. Also a big dollop of gob on the window. Livid is not the word

The sand bags were from some road works from a year ago, but some bits got left behind and not collected for over a year.

Managed to re-attach the two parts of the wing mirror and bolt it back on the car, but the glass is broken.. Hard top now looks s##t

On the positive side, at least only a mirror and hard top got damaged.. both bolt-on, replaceable parts..

[Lord Tolly]

That's Awfull Howard....
Why do people do such things
If you ever catch up with em Id cut off thier Gentleman Vegitables with a rusty penknife.

On a plus side at least the damage isn't too bad

[Purplebargeken]

Stupid, pointless and mindless behaviour.

Howard, will the dents push out?

[Howard81]

Maybe, but they're right on the edge of that pressing. You'd have to remove the headlining, which I'd rather not as it's perfect and they never go back in as well!!

[JPB]

What absolute morons! Where's the satisfaction in doing things like that for Goodness' sake? I could understand, though obviously not condone, such activities if there were any pleasure to be had by doing these things.

It might be worth trying the hair dryer and freezer spray technique on the roof as it often works, even on dents that are quite tight against edges, there's nothing to lose apart from the cost of the aerosol, and an inverted can of compressed air works just as well as actual freezer spray.