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Spitfire Spitfire question from bugeye owner

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paulsherman

Jedi Trainee
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I am rebuilding a 1960 Bugeye Sprite. I have a front tilt, fiberglass bonnet installed using Spitfire holddown latches that seem to be working well. But, because the side "skirts" (I will call them), below where the latches are installed, do not seem to line up with the body panels. That area of the bonnet is a little weak.

NOW MY QUESTION: Does the Spitfire have some sort of alignment pins installed in that area to align the bonnet? I was looking at the Moss catalog and it showed something, with no part reference. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you
 
Paul, The rear of the bonnet on each side has a rubber "V" shaped cone with adjustments in a bracket. Same make up as the TR4 and TR6 at the rear only more of a mechanical movement with the Spitfire. It's held on by 2 bolts but your bonnet may need that part welded in the proper place.

Wayne
 
As Wayne said, the top, rear of the Spitfire bonnet has rubber cones on threaded studs and mating sheet metal seats on the body for alignment. You could adapt the cones and mating seats onto the Bugeye if you wanted. The rubber pins do a good job of dampening panel vibration when properly adjusted but the ones available in today's market don't seem to last long. It's good to have some spares in your collection of parts. Don't forget to lube the rollers in the Spitfire latch assembly for easy use/operation. Then can be annoyingly difficult to latch if not lubricated.

See the link below to Spitbits.com.
https://spitbits.com/1500/1500body.htm
The cones are item #1, the hook for the latch is #7
Also at VB
https://www.victoriabritish.com/icatalog/sg/full.aspx?Page=24
items #12 and #23

I could not find a picture (or part number) for the sheet metal seat on either vendor's site. However, look up eBay item # 291141860616. That auction includes the sheet metal seats for the rubber cones and the hooks the bonnet latches engage.

EDIT: I found the part number for the sheet metal seat for the cone. It is 612617. Unfortunately, that won't help much. TRF says the part is not available, Moss and VB don't use original factory part numbers, and Spitbits shows no matches. Those eBay parts are looking better and better. The only place I found with the seats new was Rimmer Brothers in the U.K.
https://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-612617
 
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