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docarhamilton
Freshman Member
Offline
Hello all, and thanks for allowing me to join. I first bought my 1972 Mk IV Triumph Spitfire in 1990. I'd always wanted one when I was a student, but could never afford one then, but after my own car was damaged in an accident (not our fault) I needed another vehicle to get me to work and this was advertised for very little money and I couldn't resist. It wasn't in great condition - there were holes in the floor and the seat was split, so to avoid getting my bum wet I would sit on a plastic bag.
I spent the first weekend refurbishing the brakes, reassuring myself that if I could get it going I could also stop it. Getting it going was a bit of a problem and, after a couple of mornings when wife and daughters would have to push start it in their dressing gowns and welly boots, I solved that problem with a new starter motor. Once my own car was fixed the Spitfire was laid up for a few years then, when I was working out in Germany with the British Forces, I trailered it out there and started a full, body off renovation. Stripping it down revealed a chassis in serious need of repair. It was covered in a variety of paints and powder coat, which required shotblasting at a shipyard in Bremen. It returned from there full of holes, but we had a Reginent of REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) where I was based and the guy I was told who was their "best welder" did a beautiful job of cutting out the damaged areas and welding in new metal. With the chassis and suspension refurbished and rebuilt I moved to Ramstein in Southwest Germany, moving the car to complete the work, though it wasn't quite finished before I moved back to UK.
Eventually complete we had great fun over several years, zooming round the UK and even had a trip to the 24 hours race at Le Mans in France. You wouldn't believe the stuff we managed to get in the car for that trip. On a Boot rack went our tent - not a little tent, but one with two bedrooms and an awning. In the boot we got a double blow up mattress, bedding Crockery, cutlery and kitchenware including pots and pans and a kettle and clothing. We had a two ring gas stove with grill and a gas bottle. We have a folding table with 4 chairs attached, taking up the space of a small briefcase. Behind the seats went our food and a small refrigerator.We had a great trip and, on the way back, we added a box of wine and cheese, which had to go on my wife's knees!
Moving overseas again saw the car laid up once more for 12 years, resulting in it rusting really badly. One of the braided brake lines broke, so there were no brakes (handbrake seized too) and we then had it trailered down to our new home in Wales when I retired. It's once more partially dismantled and it will be my task over the next year or two to do a second body off renovation with a view to getting it back to pristine condition.
Further reports to follow as I get to work!
Andrew.
I spent the first weekend refurbishing the brakes, reassuring myself that if I could get it going I could also stop it. Getting it going was a bit of a problem and, after a couple of mornings when wife and daughters would have to push start it in their dressing gowns and welly boots, I solved that problem with a new starter motor. Once my own car was fixed the Spitfire was laid up for a few years then, when I was working out in Germany with the British Forces, I trailered it out there and started a full, body off renovation. Stripping it down revealed a chassis in serious need of repair. It was covered in a variety of paints and powder coat, which required shotblasting at a shipyard in Bremen. It returned from there full of holes, but we had a Reginent of REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) where I was based and the guy I was told who was their "best welder" did a beautiful job of cutting out the damaged areas and welding in new metal. With the chassis and suspension refurbished and rebuilt I moved to Ramstein in Southwest Germany, moving the car to complete the work, though it wasn't quite finished before I moved back to UK.
Eventually complete we had great fun over several years, zooming round the UK and even had a trip to the 24 hours race at Le Mans in France. You wouldn't believe the stuff we managed to get in the car for that trip. On a Boot rack went our tent - not a little tent, but one with two bedrooms and an awning. In the boot we got a double blow up mattress, bedding Crockery, cutlery and kitchenware including pots and pans and a kettle and clothing. We had a two ring gas stove with grill and a gas bottle. We have a folding table with 4 chairs attached, taking up the space of a small briefcase. Behind the seats went our food and a small refrigerator.We had a great trip and, on the way back, we added a box of wine and cheese, which had to go on my wife's knees!
Moving overseas again saw the car laid up once more for 12 years, resulting in it rusting really badly. One of the braided brake lines broke, so there were no brakes (handbrake seized too) and we then had it trailered down to our new home in Wales when I retired. It's once more partially dismantled and it will be my task over the next year or two to do a second body off renovation with a view to getting it back to pristine condition.
Further reports to follow as I get to work!
Andrew.
