Getting it together

[mikecyc72usa]

Ok, so I am finally putting my 1978 Spit 1500 back together. It was never actually totally apart, but the interior was pulled, rebuilt the suspension, figured out the ignition issues, etc. So here's the rub:

I'm not going to repaint it. Overall, the paint is really nice. Except for a few spots where it crazed on top of the rear fenders, and a few spots a tarp rubbed down to the metal on the top of the doors. Plus some very minor surface rust on the bottom of the rear quarters by the seams. It's that "lovely" brown Triumph thought looked so fetching. My car does have very unique white pinstripes, though.

Am I off my rocker just sanding down the rust, spot priming, and matching some paint and masking and spraying to protect the body? I know I can't get it perfectly blended, and I'm ok with that. I want this car to be a driver. Underneath it's like new, the engine is strong, etc. I figure the cost and time of repainting it isn't toally worth it.

My thoughts are I can spend quite a bit more time and money before I enjoy my car, or get it on the road and use the money I'd have spent painting it and put it towards finding a good, solid TR4. Any thoughts?

Lastly, anyone have some interior door panels in tan or biscuit in decent/good condition they want to get rid of? Thanks.

 

[TR3driver]

IMO, it depends on how much you like the brown (or if you would keep it the same color). I did what you propose for many years with my TR3A, which was kind of a (non-original) burgundy red when it came to me. I don't especially care for red cars anyway; and the burgundy was a particularly nasty shade IMO. But the color mismatch between it and the rattle-can paint I found to touch up various damage spots never bothered me any, it made a fine "20 footer".

Then I finally got it painted (after some wonderful person backed into it in a parking lot and didn't even leave a note) a color that I liked; and was amazed at how much difference it made to me.

 

[Andrew Mace]

My thoughts are I can spend quite a bit more time and money before I enjoy my car, or get it on the road and use the money I'd have spent painting it and put it towards finding a good, solid TR4. Any thoughts?

I think you're making a lot of sense; go for it...and

 

[tdskip]

If you are cool with the car being a driver, then do it and get some miles in. Going to be prime driving season in TX soon (I hope for you guys anyway, been a hot summer it seems).

I bet the slight paint mismatch won't take <span style="font-style: italic">any</span> of the fun out of hammering through hill county!

 

[DougF]

Instead of doing small areas of the top of a panels, you could paint the entire section of the top of the door and fender down to a taped off line and when finished, run a pinstripe along that tape line to help break it up. It wouldn't be that much more work and would be a little less noticable.

 

[mikecyc72usa]

Painting the top of a panel is going to be tough because of those pinstripes. My avatar is actually my car the day I picked it up. I'm ok with the color, so no real rush to repaint. Considering it's the original paint and stripes, I kind of think that's neat. I also have door protector trim along the beltline of the car. It's what looks like the dotted white line in my avatar, actually is solid trim that looks to be a dealer installed option.

As for summer, we just hit our 63rd or 64th day over 100 degrees here in Austin since mid June. I'm a cyclist by profession, so driving a Spit in this heat would be cooler. Can't wait for fall....and to get my hands on a TR4...

 

[TR4nut]

Get the rattle can out and start painting. Use plenty of fine sandpaper and compound material and you'll be surprised how well you can get things to blend. Bad timing on the TR4, it looked like there was a pretty decent TR4 project in Waco that just sold cheap about a month ago via Craigslist. Sadly, I'm seeing it being parted out now on ebay.

Randy

 

[71MKIV]

Do it just as you said. use a body seam or pinstripe as a break and then drive it.

I got it all together once, then couldn't figure out what it was, or where I put it :blush:

 

[mikecyc72usa]

Here in Austin I have a lead on a solid TR4. Just getting schedules to coincide is the tough part. We also have 2 shops that will match paint and pack spray cans for you, so I just need to get a headlight surround off and they can scan it. Then it'll be time for some wet sanding and spraying, and after tires and inspection, I'll be on the road.

 

[Geo Hahn]

...Considering it's the original paint and stripes, I kind of think that's neat...

I agree -- they can be repainted as many times as you can stand (and afford) but they are only original once.

I have kept the original finish on my TR4 -- lots of touched-up chips and scratches (including having a fan blade launch itself up into the bonnet) but the paint still shines up nice and carries the history of the car in a way.

I am doomed to forever getting 'silver' in the Triumphest Funcours and no trophy at the local show cars -- so be it.

It did get a nice trophy at one regional Brit Car show where a guest from Germany awarded a special trophy for his favorite car at the event. Europeans seem to have more of a taste for the preservation concept and he was certainly complementary of the car.

 

[mikecyc72usa]

Well, I know we all like pictures, so here are a few of my car. I thought I had taken some much more recently, but I guess I'll go down to the garage in a little bit and get some. You can see the pinstripes I'm talking about in a few, plus the side trim which I guess was supposed to help prevent door dings.

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[Andrew Mace]

[My] TR4...did get a nice trophy at one regional Brit Car show where a guest from Germany awarded a special trophy for his favorite car at the event. Europeans seem to have more of a taste for the preservation concept and he was certainly complementary of the car.

Like they say:

Paint and materials: $$$
Labor to disassemble, repair, refinish and reassemble: $$$$$
"Patina" of an original car: Priceless! :wink:

 

[mikecyc72usa]

Andrew, if I get up to visit my brother in Kingston and sister in Amherst, and I have my Spitfire, mind if I drop by sometime? I'd love to see your herald. I've only seen one on the road in my life.