Spitfire Question on restoring a 73 spitfire

[ScottFromNH]

Hi Everyone.



a month ago I purchased my first triumph spitfire that needs to be restored. I have posted in the past with some questions and everyone is so helpful I would like to get some opinions on how to hand the restore.

I have a lot of work to do on the car and trying to figure out where to start? Its kind of overwhelming if I try and think of everything that needs to be done.

so I was going to start at the front bumper and just work my way back and take things as they come up? Is that a good way or is their a better way of doing this?

Also all the floor pans need to be replace in the car and also the rocker panels, should I look at taking the body off the car to do this? Would it be easier to install the new pans off frame. Also pulling it off the frame would allow me better access to the brake lines and fuel lines that need to be replace and I could clean up the fame as well. I am just not sure if pulling the body off will cause more issues?

I do not have a ton of space. I have a 1 car garage and right now the car is in the driveway while I the hood is off and in the garage having some welding done to the fenders.

Any suggestions or feed back would be awesome.

 

[Rhodyspit75]

A body off the frame restoration will allow you better access to all the areas that need attention. It is something that can be handled by anyone with mechanical ability.
Space will be more of a problem. A car in pieces will require about 4 times the space as a car in one piece. You will need to do some juggling of parts while you work. If you have a basement most of the mechanical parts can be carried or handtrucked down stairs. I brought my motor and transmission down and rebuilt it over the winter in my boiler room. The frame can be stored outside while you work on the body. You get the idea?
Remember to bag and tag everything and keep a camera on hand at all times.
I'm sure someone here will discuss bracing the body before you lift it. Mine was in such good shape that I didn't need too.

 

[Tom_Lynch]

Hi Scott - you should consider replacing the pans and rockers while the car is on the frame still. That will get some strength back in the body shell before you pull it off (if in fact that is even need).

But before even doing that - what if your end goal? Driver? Show car? Long term ownership?

 

[rikiwho123]

Scott i've been working on a 71 spit for years it needed a complete rebuild except for one thing; it came rust free if you can find another body without rust i would cut my loss and buy it( RUST NEVER SLEEPS) good luck.

 

[71MKIV]

I second Riki. Spitfires are still relativly plentiful and relativly cheap. Snouse around and see if there is a body shell still in one piece out there. Floor pans and sill, while not difficult, are very fiddly, and very inportant in these cars. The strength of the firewall and windshield rests entirely on the sill in these cars, get that part wrong, and everything else won't fit.

Find a body shell and make the two into one decent.

I speak from experience, had I had this knowledge 5 years ago I would have had a lot less time and effort in my car.

 

[71MKIV]

Tada,

https://portland.craigslist.org/clk/pts/2465335137.html

One each tub.

PS, join the North American Spitfire Squadron, all Spitfire, all the time.

 

[ScottFromNH]

Hey everyone. Thanks for the advice.

Rhodyspit75 Yeah I have already figured out the camera is a very important part of a restoration. Pulling the body off is what I was thinking for getting into all the little hard to get area's of the car. That is good to know about it taking up about 4 times the space as the car together. The only thing I am thankful for is the engine seems in really good shape. I pulled the valve cover and oil pan off and for being 38 years old it didn't have hardly any slug so I am lucky about that. As for the tranny I am not sure yet as I have to rebuild the Clutch master and the clutch slave to see if that will start working.


Tom_Lynch, That is a good point about replacing them while the body is still on the frame for support I didn't think about that at all. I did notice factory replacement floor pans are not cheap at all. AS for what I want to do, I want a driver and wouldn't mind having it in a car show here and their but its driver and long term owner as it looks like it would be a fun car to drive

rikiwho123, 71MKIV that is a good point if I can find one cheaper then what it would cost me for new floor pans, rocker panels and trunk pan it would be in my best interest to look at swapping out body. 71MKIV thanks for the link I will have to see what is around my area to see if its worth while for me.

Is it hard to pull the body off the frame? From reading up on it their is only 12 bolts and 4 guys can lift it up?

 

[tdskip]

Once the interior is gutted the body shell is pretty light - but I've seen them crumple / kink without being braced so get some strength back in there before doing anything else.

Sorry to hear the floor pans are expensive but good panels are a LOT easier to install than poorly made ones.


Have you had her running etc? If not maybe a good idea before putting together a long term plan.

 

[This14u]

Scott,

I've been doing a frame-on resto on my 80 Spit for a few years now. This is my first restoration, I wanted to learn rust repair and how to paint, I can do the mechanical work. I'd caution against disassembling the entire car, especially if this is your first project of this type. I know many who have done this only to find they underestimated the time, money and tools required and overestimated their skills. End result is a project that sits around for years and is eventually sold for pennies on the dollar.

Being from the northeast, I know how difficult/impossible it is to find a truely rust-free car. If the car runs, I would work through ALL the mechanical systems, then tend to the body. Small victories keep morale up while allowing you to enjoy the car. Tackling everything at once is often overwhelming and a project killer.

My $.02

Bob

 

[ScottFromNH]

Hey Tdskip, thanks for the tips about getting some strength back into the car before the body is removed if I go that route. As for her running, I have only had the engine running in my driveway as that car had been sitting for 10 years prior to me buying it. So I need to change out all the brake lines and rebuild all the brakes and also need to rebuild the clutch and clutch slave, and get all the floor pans replaced before I can even get a temp plate on it.

Hey Bob, I have done the restoration before just nothing this major, I can do the body work and paint and even the mechanical depending on what it is (no tranny's yet) Its just I have never pulled a body off the frame before type of restoration.

I totally agree with you about doing small goals to keep the morals hight is the way to go. Like right now I am just finishing up on my hood that had a couple rust holes. Holes have been rewelded and now I am getting ready for filler and paint.

Did you have to redo your clutch and clutch slave on your system? That is my next goal after the hood. Also started to redo some of the upholstery in the car. I will work on that when I need a break from the car.

 

[This14u]

Did the clutch and ft brake hydraulics. Will be building the short block and installing that and trans in car soon.

Recently turned my attention to the back of the car. Removed the diff for seals/degrease/paint, spring for bead blasting/paint/bushings, teflon buttons & fasteners and halfshafts/trunnions/brakes for same.

What a nightmare! Bought the teflon buttons off Ebay and they take 11 days for delivery. Had to cut radius rod bolts out of brackets and trunnions due to rusted inner sleeves. Emergency brake hardware rusted fast. Multiple attempts with heat and PB to get brake lines out of cylinders. Decide to rebuild axles-order hub puller from Canley. Get puller, pop hub off and shaft is trashed where inner bearing self-destructed. Yada, yada, yada. Time & money.

Guess it builds character!

 

[JodyFKerr]

When it comes to a body off restoration I do things a bit backwards from a lot of folks, but I've found it to be a very easy to follow recipe and have used it on a number of cars.

Take everything off as systems (e.g. lighting, fuel, etc) and restore each as you go. Basically, once it's off the car it gets the full treatment and then packaged away safely. This way, the last bits you get to are the body/frame & engine, which are often the most difficult and/or the most expensive.

Also, since paint/engine build comes last, you've already got everything ready to go back on the vehicle, so reassembly goes A LOT faster which is good and exciting and also helps keep the paint from being accidentally scratched as it doesn't sit that way for long periods of time.

I've got a more detailed writeup of the process on my website if you want to read it. (see link below)

Jody