Spitfire Marrying a 73 & a 79 Spitfire Help

[TR_JOE250]

Hello all.
Here is the situation. About two years ago I purchased a 73 Spit. I put in a rblt motor, new clutch, dual SU's, header, free flow exhaust etc. Much to my dismay I found that I had not taken a very good look at the body. I found a compleatly rusted out drivers side floor pan as well as quite a bit of bondo. To top it off a few months back the drivers side door was backed into, destroyed. On the bright side I found a very solid 79 for about what a door was going to run me. I paid $400 for the whole complete car. I am going to use the 79 body and all the good stuf from the 73. Anyone out there who has any expierence or advise, I would geratly apreciate your input. Here is a partial list of what I am looking doing.

Rear end: witch one to use?
Stearing wheel, column, ignition switch: prefer the look and feel of the 73
Bumpers: have to use the chrome ones!
Radiator: looks like I'll have to use the 79 setup
Ignition: eliminate the 79's electronic?

Well that's a start. OK I'll admit it, I basicly want to turn the 79 into a 73.

Thanks,Joe

 

[roofman]

Can't you just switch bodies?

 

[trrdster2000]

Joe, change to the later tranny by just using the clutch plate from the '79 and the rear mount plate if it doesn't use the same mount as the '73.

Wayne

 

[Andrew Mace]

Rear end: witch one to use?

They're really both the same, although I have heard that the later diffs might be stronger internally. But gearing should be the same, and everything else is as well.

Stearing wheel, column, ignition switch: prefer the look and feel of the 73

Then go with that!

Bumpers: have to use the chrome ones!

Go with them as well. I'm assuming you'll just take the body tub from the '79 and drop it onto the '73's chassis, right?

Radiator: looks like I'll have to use the 79 setup

Not necessarily, especially if you go with the '73 chassis.

Ignition: eliminate the 79's electronic?

Up to you; no need to if you're keeping the engine you've already got going!

Again, a simple body swap would be the easiest here. The '79 will have the extra weight (and rust potential) of the additional rear extensions, and there's no need for them if you're not using the heavier bumpers. I can't think of anything else significantly different about the '79 body that precludes it easily bolting up to the '73 chassis.

Do remember to keep and reuse ALL the number plates from the '73, though, on the '79 body, including the commission number plate (door jamb), body number plate (LH side scuttle panel) and windshield pillar plate with commission number repeated.

Of course, this all begs the question: if the '79 body is so good, why not fix that car up as well and have two? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif Seriously, the problems you describe on the '73 don't sound that severe that they couldn't be fixed. Meanwhile, you might be parting out a perfectly good car simply because you got it cheap. Economically that makes sense, but you know what they say: They ain't makin' 'em no more....

 

[TR_JOE250]

Just curious, what is the benifit of using the 79's tranie? I don't believe it will mate with my brand new clutch plate. it might be the way to go though as the syncro on the 73's is not so good.

 

[TR_JOE250]

Andrew,
Thanks for the attention. Don't think I havent given consideration to fixing both cars, but my situation at the time unfortunatly doesn't allow for that. Also the 73 has chassis issues that have me tending to look at it as a parts car at this point. Any more input will be apreciated.
I'll keep postin as the project progresses.

 

[TR_JOE250]

Can I switch bodies with you? I have a 6 chassis I could put it on. Better yet I could just use the one it's sitting on.

 

[foxtrapper]

Everything is swapable. Use the components that strike your fancy.

I like the later tilted radiator & electric fan, but it's not a flawless system. Use whichever you prefer.

Same the ignition. The very late ones with the box on the firewall were a GM HEI ignition with the module hiding in that box. I like that, but the curve of the distributor itself stinks. Not sure that the other one is any better though.

 

[billspit]

If the 73 body and chassis are suspect, then I think the way to go is simply move the engine from the 73 to the 79. Change the bumpers to the 73 chrome ones. Poof!

I actually prefer the shifting feel of the three rail tanny over the single rail. I don't know if the single rail is supposed to be stronger.

I see you are in Cali. Don't know what that may mean as far as emissions testing if you go with the 79. Also don't know what swapping VIN tags means in Cali if you want to make it a 73 on title. In SC I'm pretty sure its a felony to alter any VIN.

Do you have title for the 79?

 

[Andrew Mace]

Don't think I havent given consideration to fixing both cars, but my situation at the time unfortunatly doesn't allow for that.

Understood!

Also the 73 has chassis issues that have me tending to look at it as a parts car at this point.

What sort of "issues" are you dealing with there? Granted, I live in the rust belt, but I've seen very few of the earlier chassis with terminal rust issues...and quite a few of the later chassis -- with those water-trapping rear extensions -- with very serious and often terminal rust issues. Do take a very close look at every part of the '79.

 

[TR_JOE250]

Thanks everyone. And might I add God bless th BCF for without you all, and the sage words of the likes of Andrew Mace I may have made a big mistake. Upon futher investigation, and after driving my 73 out of the area next to my TR-250 that I planed on working on these cars did I realize that I have two viable Spitfires. What was I thinking? Thank you Jamie for selling me the 79 for $400, and thank you Andrew. As you said "they aint makin' 'em no more."

 

[JKB1957]

Whatever you do make sure you end up with a 1973 Spitfire. California laws only exempt cars made in 1974 or older from emmissions testing. I live in Calif. and beleive me there is no legal way you could get your twin SU carb engine through a smog test.

Also depending on what town you live in in Calif. your Spitfires may have to forgo a marriage and settle for a commitment ceremony.