MadaboutKitcars

Monday: - 'Real' work & domestic chores.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tuesday - Part 1: - Despite the mini heat wave outside, I spend most of the day stuck indoors with more real work to get through.

Still, at least I managed some car time in the late afternoon…

First job was to start the engine and check the side lights.



Really pleased to see that the problem was definitely the fuse box and everything is working OK now.

Then I left the engine running for a bit so I could test the heater.

Unfortunately, it was so hot on the driveway, the heater acted like a fan cooling my hand down.

It was only by turning the heating control switch from fully open to fully closed and back again, that you could notice the heat.

But at least it looks like that is another thing working the way it should.

Rather than follow a strict time line, here are the other jobs I tackled grouped together…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Battery Box Drain Hole:
This could actually make the Top 10 of most over-engineering solutions on the build.

Still, I fixed the hose in position.



Then zip tied it as close to the bulkhead as it would go.



Yet another blurred photo, but there is a "finger" sized gap between the tyre and hose on full steering lock.



Thankfully, you can barely notice the hose when the wheel is fully turned.



At this point, the hose was extending below the chassis.



So I can it a quick trim to tidy it up some more.



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gearbox Cover:
I wanted to test fit this, so I could check the best way of joining this to the hand brake panel.

Unfortunately, I quickly realised that the heater controls are in the way.



This is the gearbox cover from Michiel's Spyder #47, which inspired some modifications to my own cover.



End of Part 1…

Tuesday - Part 2:
My false access panel over the "coin tray" worked out pretty well.



So that was screwed into place.



But I made a bit of a mess when attempting the band across the outside surface.

The passenger side looks OK, even if the photo is blurred.



But even a blurred photo can't hide the fact the bend at the bottom on the driver's side came up short.



So this was removed with some very careful angle grinding.



But the real problem with the gearbox cover is that there is a gap between it and the bridge to the hand brake panel.



Originally, there was a special rubber seal between the two, that no one appears to sell anymore.

So I was planning to make a new join from aluminium sheet, a bit like this Sammio Spyder.



But today I had a small brain wave about an alternative approach using a section of left over rubber boot lid seal.

This could either be fitted to the original bracket like so.



Which would give me a seal like so.



The seal would still work, even if the cover went further over the join.
( It just doesn't look like there is a seal there in this position. )



It could also work if I put the seal on the edge of the cover itself.





I will make a final decision once I have finally got all the pieces in place.

But before that, I want to give the cover a coat of Tetroseal, so it blends in with the floors.

End of Part 2…

Tuesday - Part 3:

Chasing Oil Leaks:
Jacked the car up and propped it up on both sides.



Then spend ages checking / tightening any bolts I could reach around the gearbox/sump/clutch.

No photos, but this was hard work in a confined space on a hot day.

Note: I also cleaned any remaining leaked oil from the exhaust pipes and re-tighten the joins while I was under there.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Front Footwell to Lowered Floor Pan Join:
Whilst it is good news that I can re-use the original Spitfire gearbox cover to hand brake panel "join"…

The bad news is that there is now a gap on both sides between the footwells and floors.



I had deliberately left this gap until I knew what I was doing with the "join".

But now it needed to be sealed, so I covered everything up and sanded down the surfaces.





Before bridging the two gaps with fibreglass matting





- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Not sure how much time I will have available tomorrow, but I hope to get a bit more done.

So until next time, take care, Paul.

Wednesday Morning - Part 1:
I was back in "standby" mode for work again today, so, in between lots of domestic chores, I chipped away at the car…
( As before, I've grouped the activities rather than follow the strict timeline. )

Floor Gap:
Sanded down & cleaned up the fibreglass matting I applied last night.





Etch primed it.





Removed all the masking tape and some of the dust sheets.



Then covered the joins with Tetroseal.





Leaving the cockpit floors looking like this.



End of Part 1…

Wednesday Morning - Part 2:

Seats - Cleaning:
There is quite a bit of construction mess (filler, resin, etc.) on the seats.





I managed to clean most of it off, but have still been left with a rather "lived in" look.





- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gearbox Cover - Painting:
"Plan A" was to cover the whole thing with Tetroseal, including the false access panel.



But the bolts were looking shiny in the sunlight, so the panel was removed before the Tetroseal went on.



Then the panel went back on again.



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

That was it for the morning, but stay tuned for the afternoon session…

Wednesday Afternoon - Part 1:
It was absolutely boiling hot on the driveway when I finally got back outside.

Gearbox Cover - Fitting:
I removed the heater control panel from the dash.



Then I fitted all the clips for the self tapping screws.



Unfortunately, this is the start of another day full of blurred photos.



Initially, I fitted the seal to the gearbox cover like so.



Then I added some 'sealing compound' to all the edges where the gearbox tunnel would sit.
( Originally, I had a long rubber strip to seal this, but this should do a better job.







Then I spent literally hours, sweating like a pig and cursing like a trooper, trying to make everything fit.

Apologies again for the rubbish photos, but the 5 bolts on the vertical section of the bulkhead would not play ball at all.

There is one in the top middle.



Then two on each side.



Plus a further 5 self tapping screws on either side.



Once I finally managed to get the bolts through the holes, I had to rope my wife in to hold a spanner on each nut, while I tighten up the bolts.

End of Part 1…

Wednesday Afternoon - Part 2:
I then smoothed out the sealing compound around the edges, including the "join" piece.



By now I had to remove the rubber seal and hit the "join" with a hammer to get a better fit.

So, for the MOT, I have stuffed extra sealing compound into the gap like so.



But, at some point, I will add an aluminium panel across this area.

At this point I didn't have the strength to carry on, so I will re-fit the heater control panel another day.

Which means that this is where I finished off and I am very glad this job has been ticked off the list.





I can't believe what a HUGE difference it makes to the cockpit as a whole.
( And, obviously, it will look even better when I have finished. )

Until next time, take care, Paul.

PS
It is now absolutely lashing down outside.

Looking really goo Paul glad to see you've sorted out that fuse box I have the same problem on mine which I will have to sort out eventually??

Deggsy - Cheers.

I really should have decided to swap the fuse box out right from the start.

But I am still happy that it was the root cause of my electrical problems.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thursday:

Daytime
Spend most of the day doing real work.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Early Evening
Went out for a family "celebration" meal, as…

[Proud Dad]

My eldest daughter passed all 10 of her GCSEs.

[/Proud Dad]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Late Evening:
The sun was setting in the West by the time we got home.



But I was given permission to sneak outside anyway to get a little bit more done.

Yesterday, I spent far too long crawling around in the footwells when fitting the gearbox cover.

So, even if it seemed like a step backwards, I removed the centre section of the dash.



Mind you, even when I could see what I was doing, it was a fiddly job to get the two heat control panel bolts back in.



Eventually, the panel was secure.



And the centre dash section could be refitted.



Then I went around the underside of the joins around the gearbox cover to smooth out the sealing compound.

Now this was a messy job when I could see what I was doing, let alone crawling under the car in the dark.

Still, I managed to smooth out all the edges I could reach with my fingers.

I also collected any excess sealant that had been squeezed out when the cover was fitted.



I really hope that was the last job requiring me to be under the car before the MOT.

So I jacked the car up, removed the wooden blocks and the car is now back sitting on its wheels.



I've got some more real work to do tomorrow, but I hope to get the seats bolted in at some point.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Just returned from a family 'Celebration meal' with our son passing all his GCSE exams as well so know how proud you feel.
Only an Mot for you to get a pass with then Paul! (no pressure)

Froggyman - Well done to your lad too.

With a bit of luck, my car's big "exam" should be happening in the next few weeks.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Long Slow Friday - Part 1:
Started "working from home" just after 7am, so I would have some car time available in the afternoon…

First job was fitting the rubber gaiter for the gear lever opening.





At some point I will make a gaiter for the gear stick, but that is on the list of "Post MOT" jobs.

So for now, the front end of the cockpit is now complete.



Next the seat belts were fitted…

I started by laying one out, so I could make sure it went in the right way.



There is a small split pin that helps keep everything attached.





Passenger side went in first.



Quickly followed by the driver's side.



End of Part 1…

The Long Slow Friday - Part 2:
Then it was finally time to bolt the seats into position…

So I set up the spacers, thinner at the front…



And thicker at the rear.



With the same set up on both sides.



Although for some reason, one of the spacers needed to be filed out a bit so it would clear the bolt.



I spent ages struggling to fit the seats by myself and it was just not possible single handed.

So I roped in my wife to help me when she got back from work and it was still a struggle.

In the end, I removed the fibreglass spacer from the rear, in case this was causing the problem.

I also enlarged the holes in the floor slightly to give me a bit of wiggle room.

I didn't want to waste my wife's time, so I agreed to call it a day at 7.30pm, win, lose or draw.

By now I had abandoned the passenger seat to see if I would have more luck with the driver's one.

I'd got three bolts in eventually, but the last one juts wouldn't catch cleanly.

Typically, my final attempt before giving up for the night worked.

So I my wife could go back inside, while I tightened all four bolts up.



I used a normal allen key and my super sized one.



So 4 hours and 30 minutes after I started putting the spacers on the floor, I had finally managed to fit one seat.





Hopefully I will have the energy to do this all again tomorrow, when I attempt to fit the other one.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Epic Saturday - Part 1:
To be honest, I just couldn't face tackling the passenger seat, as yesterday's efforts really tested all of my resolve.

So I decided to start with some cleaning instead…

Found the old fuse box cover.



Once that was cleaner it was fitted over the redundant box attached to the bulkhead.



The front suspension and the engine bay were next.

Before:



After:





I also zip tied the oil pressure gauge wires out of the way.



Yesterday, I had jacked up the car to get better access for fitting the seats.

So I cleaned up the chassis and rear exhaust pipes.



The wheels & tyres were next.



As they had picked up a few marks along the way.



Unfortunately, I discovered some of the dirt was actually overspray of blue paint from the original donor car!

So I will come back to that another day.

Then the wheel centres could be fitted.



And I was surprised at the difference these make .



At this point, there were no more little cleaning jobs to do, so I had to face fitting the passenger seat…

End of Part 1…

Epic Saturday - Part 2:
As before, the bolts were taped into position from underneath.
( With the spacers and washers taped to each other to stop them moving around too. )



Then my wife helped me with the tricky job of trying to get the bolts to line up with the holes in the seat.

Thankfully, this time the job could be measured in minutes, rather than hours, as all 4 bolts went in.



Meaning the passenger seat was now secure.



Unfortunately, in true 'Ying & Yang' fashion, Mr Lucky was quickly replaced by Mr Clumbsy.

I decided to top up the petrol and managed to spill a load over the boot lid.

Which I then made worse by trying to rub it and therefore smudging/lifting the etch primer.



The next job on the list was to fit the steering wheel and I ran into two problems.

The first was that I finally worked out why this centre section never stays in.



There appears to be 3 small lugs that would provide a friction fit, but they are all broken.

So I need to order a replacement at some point, but I don't actually need this for the MOT.

The second problem was I didn't have a socket/spanner big enough for the nut itself.

I could get it tight enough with an adjustable spanner, so the steering wheel wouldn't come off by accident, but not fully fitted.

At this point, I suddenly realised that my MOT "To Do" list was actually complete.

Now the promised rain hadn't arrived, the MOT station was open, so what is a boy to do...

End of Part 2…

Epic Saturday - Part 3:
OK, I am being a bit of a tease now, as the first thing I needed to do was take some photos for the insurance company.

This was a condition of the policy when I finally got on the road and this included the engine bay photos you saw earlier.

So here she is...

Triumph Swordfish 1500















Now I figured if I didn't bring any tools then I would need something on the way,

So, logically, if I threw a load of tools in a bag, then the car would be fine.



I also wanted to follow Mister Towed's example of dressing appropriately for the occasion.

So I wore one of these for the first time today.



Then, with my MOT appointment booked in advance, I went for my first legal drive!

End of Part 3…

Epic Saturday - Part 4:
The MOT station was 4 miles away and I barely made it into 3rd gear and certainly not 4th.

The car clearly hasn't been driven any distance in over 10 years (it was an abandoned project when I bought it).

So it was a bit jerky in places and the route there is a pot-holed / speed bump invested mess.

I was being uber-careful, yet I still had to try very hard not to be grinning like a demented lunatic.

The rear view mirror is excellent, the driver's side mirror is OK & the passenger side mirror is shiny.

I quite like the way you have to man-handle the steering, it seems to add to the overall experience.

But I was very happy to arrive at my destination, safe & sound.



Which also came me my first car park photo.



I was given permission to watch/help with the test.
( E.g. Operating the brakes, as the tester worked the rollers. )



While it was on the ramp I managed to get a couple of photos too.





As for the test itself, there is good news and bad news.

Bad News
- It was a fail.

Good News
- It only failed on two items, which were exhaust emissions (which was to be expected I guess) and the anti-roll bar linkage was insecure (something I hadn't really looked at).
- I got to drive it home again and I will be able to drive it back when I book it in for them to set the carbs to pass the test.

Unfortunately, no sooner had I got back from the MOT, but it was a family trip to IKEA.

I was still building flat packs at 9.30pm, with more to be done tomorrow.

So I am a bit frazzled at the moment and will provide some more feedback another day.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Well done, nearly there!!!

Congratulations Paul, almost there!
Great job of "sticking to it".

Paul great news really well done. Surely emmisions are just visual? I fear the end of my daily read is fast approaching, what will I do for inspiration when you finish??? I look forward to that 1st drive - must feel like when you pass your driving test and go out alone.

Congratulations Paul
It looks great and the fails are small obstacles.

You've reached that point where its no longer a heap of parts you go and fight with and instead it becomes the thing that will put a smile on your face no matter how bad a day you've had.

Mike's right though.
Many of us have been with you from the beginning ( you even mentioned me being inspiration at the start of the build-so I am overjoyed that you have not only achieved your goal but you exceeded your expectations) So what will we do when this build thread is no longer updated?

Maybe a sequel or a series of "Swordfish tales" - including the trip to Norfolk.

Well done Paul, shame it failed but it's mostly only minor things (apart from the emissions...) and mine did the same. If you recall - I had a leaky rear wheel cylinder and a split steering gaiter.

Mike D, the visual smoke emissions test only applies to pre August 1975 (petrol) cars and Paul's is a '79, so it needs to pass the particulate test. Bummer. https://www.gov.uk/emissions-testing

Love the picture of your car parked outside the test station - it always makes me smile when the highest point on these cars sits below the door handles of a modern.

See you on the road real soon

Paul,

Well done ! Yes it did not get through first attempt but when you consider the journey you have gone through so far two items is absolutely stunning.

Loving the look of the swordfish too. Design aspects you have stuck with make it unique and bl@@dy attractive.

I cannot wait for the prepping for paint next installments

Dave

This is going to sound silly but in my eyes the fail is a pass as it's only on 2 minor items rather than a huge list that would have demoralised you ...just a retest and you are on the road woo hoo!!!!

Recently rebuilt my motorbike down to a bare frame and back up and took it to the Isle of man for TT.

The gear linkage came loose ..that's the only thing that went wrong ..I was expecting more niggles and issues

..so in my eyes you are a winner Paul....well done

I bet you had a huge grin whilst driving it

Good stuff Paul, give yourself a big pat on the back. That first drive after all that work will leave you buzzing for days. Enjoy.

Froggyman, Molleur, Mike D, Roadster, Mister Towed, Dave P & RedRatBike Thanks gentlemen.

It really was an epic day yesterday, so I will cover a bit more of it below, but just a couple of reply points first.

Mike D - Welcome to my build thread.

MOT Fail - I absolutely agree that the two points were minor and I am very happy everything else was OK.

Emissions - A 1980 donor makes mine one of the "youngest" Sammio builds, so there is a carbon monoxide limit.
( Thankfully, the garage will be able to fine tune the carbs until the car sits on the right side of that limit. )

Car Park - I am still amazed at just how small it is compared to everything else.

On The Road Thread - Should this start when the MOT is passed, or when the car is painted?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was all a bit of a blur…
To put Saturday into context, I have to go back to Friday first.

I didn't want to 'count my chickens', but I knew that once the seats were in, I would be very close for the MOT.

So as the hours ticked by and I still hadn't managed to get 4 bolts into one seat, I was losing the will to live.

Regular readers will know this has been a roller coaster of a build, yet Friday night was actually one of the lowest points.

Honestly, if I hadn't got the first seat in before packing up for the night, I would have needed a long break from the car to recover.

So when things went so much better on Saturday, I started to get my hopes up.

But I only had a small time window available, as I had promised my family the trip to IKEA.

So there was a lot of running around, packing things away and getting myself cleaned up and changed, so I would look presentable too.

Made the phone call to CarDoc and they took my details so the journey would be legal.

Then before I really knew what was happening, I was driving the car down the street.

There was so much to take in, it was almost sensory overload.

So here are a few more random thoughts / memories from the day:

- I usually climb in the car when it is sitting on my driveway.
When I climbed in from the kerb is was even easier to get in.

- The 3 point harness is a reassuringly snug fit and I can reach everything when buckled up.

- My elbow sits nicely on the side of the cockpit and the driving position is pretty good.
Which is a bit relief as there is no way to adjust the seat.

- At the end of my street there were people gathering for a wedding.
One of the guests was chatting and stepping backwards into the road without looking.
I was taking so much care to avoid hitting him, I "photo bombed" the bride around the corner.
Still, I got a "Nice car!" comment from the professional photographer.
( As I passed between him on one side of the road and the bride on the other. )

- I did see some people stop and stare and turn completely around as I went past.

- The indicator switch is on the opposite side to the cars I normally drive.
Plus I've removed the original indicator switch completely.
So the good news was I wasn't turning the wipers on, just grabbing for thin air.
I was also grabbing thin air when I reached for the gear lever.
( As that is miles further forward than what I am used to. )

- I was very conscious of trying to take in what the car felt like to drive.
Plus listening out for any noises that might indicate a problem.
So I had to keep reminding myself to watch out for traffic lights & speed cameras.

- I was initially nervous about revving the car, as I am used to a "lazy" diesel.
( Which sits below 2,000 revs at 70mph in 6th gear. )
But I think the engine would benefit from a decent run to clear it out a bit.

- Everyone at the MOT garage were very positive about the car and willing it to pass.
But I really wanted a strict review, as I'd like to take my wife & daughters for a spin.
They can't wait to fix it, so that I can enjoy it on the road.

- The oil leak is still there and if anything it has got worse.
So I will ask them to have a look for me as the ramp make access underneath so much easier.

- When I was looking underneath I realised that the original donor parts are a bit rough.
Obviously, they looked a lot better when I first bough the car, but that was 4 years ago.

- There were a few spots of rain on the way home.
Which gave me my first experience of the panic that comes with trying to beat the weather.
Who thought it would be a good idea to build a car with no roof in the UK?

Anyway, I am sure there was more to tell, but I really was bewildered by the end of the day.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Next Steps:
I will fit the headlight rims, as the beams were adjusted as part of the test.
Then I just need to co-ordinate the garage with my real work to drop the car in.
The re-test is free within two weeks and I'd like to get it done this week if possible.
But I am actually quite relaxed now, as I know it will be leaving the garage with a pass.
Then I just need to get it taxed (too young for tax free status) and I am good to go.

So until next time, take care, Paul.