MadaboutKitcars

Paul you can't compare a tribute or dna against your build.
Turning a spitfire chassis into a classic sportscar using a crappy body which almost needs a rebuild to get it straight is much more effort as sticking almost perfect panels on a ready to drive modern car(not as i think it is easy to build one of these)..............
I also have respect you did'nt give up,building it in your front garden/driveway for many years using basic tools,no expirience,lack of technical skills and still going for it...............sir,i take my hat(flatcap)off for you.............i would'nt chanche a tire on the street and you build your own 50s sportscar outdoors.........wow!

Roadster - Thanks for the offer, but securing the gazebo is only part of the problem.
( The sloping drive is another, but, more importantly, my wife doesn't like the idea. )

Anyway, I'll worry about how I am going to paint the car another day.

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Rene - Thanks for your kind words about my build efforts.

Sorry, I should have been clearer about the Tribute \ DNA comparisons…

What I meant was that I would recommend a novice like me builds an easier kit as a first project.

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Work & Weather
I've not had another chance to drive the car since Saturday due to a combination of bad weather and "real work".

But it still feels slightly weird not to feel any guilty about missing car building time, if that makes sense.

I'm actually going to start working from home in a minute, so might be able to go for a drive later today.
( If not, then hopefully tomorrow, which promises to be a scorcher. )

Take care, Paul.

Have a drive out and spray it yourself

http://www.thepaintshoppros.co.uk/static-spray-booth-hire/

First one I found to tell you the truth

Paul, really pleased for you. Truly inspirational and a fantastically useful thread to keep us all inspired

Marc

RedRatBike - Thanks for the link.

It did occur to me that it might be worth hiring a lock up garage to do the painting in.
( As I will be using a brush/roller rather than a compressor. )

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Marc - Cheers.

I look forward to seeing an update on your Miglia build.

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Work & Play:
A quick look confirmed the plastic sheet was really melted onto the exhaust.



So, once again, the car was jacked up and I was back crawling underneath it.



I had to literally scrape it off one small bit at a time.



This will do for now and I'll come back to this again when I finally wrap the exhaust.
( Which will be after I've sorted out the oil leak. )



Unfortunately, by now, it was 6.40pm, but I will still determined to head out for a short drive.

Racked up another 17 miles, so I've now done 111 since the MOT.

Obviously, I know the rules, so here you go…





I seriously like this next photo.



It was getting pretty dark by the time I got home, but still great fun.



Until next time, take care, Paul.

Quick Update

There was a kit car event at the Ace Cafe earlier today, but it was a complete wash out here, so I couldn't go.
( I knew I should have built a car with a roof. )

Still, I managed to send off my paperwork to get my V5C transferred to the "C" reg. plate I bought last year.

But in the classic "Catch 22" tradition, I can't order the new rear number plate until the V5C has been updated.
( By all accounts there is a bit of leeway given for everything to match. )

It is also the Goodwood Revival this weekend and I would love to attend the 2017 event.

In which case, I will set this as my deadline for having the car fully painted, complete with racing numbers and sponsors' stickers.

Ideally I will have this done long before then, but if today's weather is anything to go by, who knows?

Anyway, the forecast looks good for tomorrow, so I hope to sneak out for a spin.

Cheers, Paul.

I went down to the woods today…
As you may have already seen on Oxford build thread, I pushed a shakedown run as far as Oxford.

Which included a big section of the M40, which was definitely edge of the seat stuff.

But first I need to cover my choice of footwear…

I have wide feet and narrow pedals, so I have been wearing some "squash" trainers while driving.

I did look at original brown leather racing boots, but they are the thick end of £200 a pair.

So a trawl through ebay found these black hi-tops for just £15 + P&P which I think are a big improvement.



Although my daughters are now even more ashamed of me than ever, for wearing second hand teenager footwear.

Stopped off at a Sainsburys on route to pick up some biscuits & took this photo…

A mini, next to one of those cars that BMW make.



After a bit of a detour (where I headed South, instead of North), I finally made it to Oxford's workshop in the woods.



It was great to finally meet him and have a bit of a drive around and general chin wag.

Although, I really must remember to sit on the passenger side before I take any photos as my car always looks lopsided.





I'm a bit gutted this last photo came out blurred.



I got caught in some horrendous traffic on the way home, so was a bit late taking my family for a promised meal out.

But it was still a great day and I racked up around 150 miles, including all my detours.
( Forgot to check the trip reading before I put the covers back on. )

So until next time, take care, Paul.

great pics paul ...nice to see .....

EXCELLENT STUFF PAUL ....They become very addictive to drive don't they ?
Motorways not so enjoyable but side roads are fantastic fun ...

If you fancy driving it to Poole at some time in the future ...there's a spray oven attached to my new workshop that you would be very welcome to use to spray your car sometime ...

Phil - Cheers, my confidence in the car is building with each trip I make.

And my big target is a trip to see you guys in Norfolk before the year is out.

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Lancelot - Thanks for the offer of the spray booth, I appreciate it.

As for the driving experience, see more thoughts below…

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First 250 Miles…
I have now driven a mixture of roads in the Swordfish and some are definitely better than others.

Motorways (M1 & M40)
- Have always worn an open faced helmet and googles for these stretches.
- Yesterday, I also put a long sleeved jumper on for the first time & it was was very cosy.
( Every other journey has been in just a t-shirt, even the M1. )
- There is a bit of buffeting to the head with the helmet on & wind noise, so I am using ear plugs.
( A bit too late for me, as I'm already deaf from riding motorcycles without them. )
- The car is pretty stable, even when passing big lorries.
- I definitely need to sort out a plinth for the passenger mirror at some point.
- People pulling along cross beside you, so their passenger can to takes photos/videos, is very unnerving at 70mph.
- The over drive switch is definitely on the blink working sometimes, but not others.
- The bonnet lifts slightly/flaps about at time and is certainly testing my faith in the leather straps.
- This could be due to the air flow, or bumps in the road, or both.
- I still need to fix a full rubber seal when I do the final body work prep for paint.
- I could also fit some bonnet pins to secure the top edge, or add some vents to the bonnet, or both!

Twisty A & B Roads
- Without a doubt, this is where the car really belongs and you can't help singing/humming "On days like these."
- Unfortunately, I haven't spent enough time on these sorts of roads yet.
- But man handling it around corners/bends is a lot of fun.

London
- I fear that speed humps will be the death of my lovely twin tail pipes.
( So at some point I will remove the lowering block just to see what a difference that makes. )
- Apart from that, it has been real pleasure driving around due to the joy it spreads.
- You can see a lot of expensive cars while driving around town, but I've yet to come across anything like this.

Traffic Jams
- I have now been caught in traffic on all the road types listed above.
- Thankfully, the engine temperature has always behaved itself.
- It only nudged above the half way mark when it was stationary in 80 degree heat.
- The HUGE Cordite opening and mesh grill seem to be working well.
- But the real down side is the level of pollution, which you really notice/taste.

Petrol Stations
- It is definitely a conversion starter when you stop to fill up.
- As a very rough estimate, I think I managed almost 40mph going to Oxford & back.

Revs
- Whilst I've now pushed the revs passed 4,000, I still instinctively change up too early.
- I was reading up on expected fuel consumption earlier today to check my calculations above.
- Someone on line was complaining that the Spitfire 1500 didn't like to rev beyond 6,000!
- So I still have some way to go before I feel at ease revving it a bit harder than I am currently.

Confidence
- This my first classic car of any sort, so I am on a big learning curve.
- Which is why if was great to take Oxford130 out for a spin and get his feedback.
- I am also planning a drive to see JYClassics at some point to show them the car.
( As the car went on the back of a trailer to/from them last time. )
- At this point I am still a bit paranoid about every noise and squeak I hear.
( Most of which can be traced back to the bag of tools I have in the boot. )
- Which finally leads me to this car…

Triumph Dolomite 1850
- Back in 1986, two of my mates and I drove this car on an epic road trip to Poland and back.



- It was 13 years old at the time, but it got us there and back in one piece.
- It belonged to my best mate (the one who taught me to weld) and he has been in the Swordfish too.
- He quickly suggested there might be a problem with the overdrive due to the "gap" between 2nd & 3rd gears.
- But the main reason for posting the photo is to remind me that "basic" cars can be driven a very long way.

Anyway, that is more than enough words from me for one post.

So until next time, take care, Paul.

we await you in norfolk with open arms paul....:

Paul

Questi giorno quando viene, my wife being Italian and trips to Italy over the years with the kids always ended with the return journey going over the Grande San Bernadino Pass and the kids saying is he (dad) going to sing that song again!!!!

Would it not be great to take as many sammios over the pass and the C
Col De Turini some year?

Last time I drove it two years ago I ripped out both drive shafts in my Audi, still not the same as a classic, just have to mind the manic cyclists coming down the other way,

Phil - Really looking forward to finally meeting you guys.

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Charman.tech - I love the fact your children knew the tune was coming.

I'm currently trying to learn all the words, as my version has lots of humming in it.

Once I've managed to get as far as Norfolk, then I'll think about a trip overseas.

Although it would be good to arrange a Sammio/Ribble/Tribute run somewhere.

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Chore-mageddon!
Despite the mini heat wave we've had around here all week, it has been all work and no driving for me.

In addition to "real" work, I've had to weed the entire driveway.





Then continue the tidy up between the front wall and the road.





My "garage" wall needed to be trimmed.



I also added a load of slate along the bottom of these hedges.



But it was a big mistake to start scrapping the flaky paint off this wall.



In the end, we opted for the not perfect by any means, but better than when we started approach.



Although attempting to touch up the paint on the front wall of the house was a complete disaster.

Previously, it went on a bright red and then dried to the darker red.



This time, it was still the wrong kind of red after it had dried.
( The fact the paint is over 6 years old, and stunk when I opened it, might have something to do with it. )





So I've only repainted a section of the black to give the impression this is a work in progress.
( But I now face the prospect of having to repaint the whole thing with some fresh paint. )

In addition to the above, the garden furniture was oiled and the rear garden tidied up too.

So far this evening there was been thunder and lightening and rain bucketing down.

I really hope some nice weather returns soon.

Cheers, Paul.

Clearly faster at household tasks than car building.��

Barber - In fairness, I'm pretty much faster at everything else when compared to car building.

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New Cover:
It was late afternoon by the time the rain finally stopped and I could try out the new car cover that had arrived yesterday.



The old one was really falling apart.



But it was still able to do its main job, which was hold the heavy duty tarpaulin in place.
( Which is what actually keeps the water out. )



The next layer is my "back up" tarpaulin, which doesn't really serve any purpose.
( This wasn't really up to the job, which is why I ended up with the heavy duty version. )



Anyway, with the car finally revealed...



I checked the sky…



And took a chance to go for a very quick spin around the block.

I don't think the car likes the wet weather as it was initially popping & banging all over the place.

Eventually all 4 cylinders were firing properly, just in time for me to park up again.

At some point I need to modify my wooden tonneau covers again, as the steering wheel is now in the way.
( Whereas, previously, I was able to remove the wheel before putting the covers on. )



This is what the new cover looks like on.





If it does exactly what it says on the tin, then that will make my life much easier will just one cover instead of three.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Saturday - Brrrrrr-B-Q:
We had some friends and their children round for a BBQ and 'grown ups' braved the chill in the air to eat outside.



If you go back to Page #5 of this build, you will find this quote from 23rd Sept.2012.



How little did I know about the challenges that lay ahead at that point.

So this has been a running joke at our BBQs for 4 years now and it was great to be able to show them the car "on the road".

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Sunday - Plan B:
Plan A was to take the car into "town" for a bit of sight seeing / photo opportunities.

Unfortunately, my wife's car decided to pack up and would not start.

In the end, I had to tow it out of the driveway with my Mondeo and then it wouldn't jump start either.

Which meant that by the time I finally got going, if the traffic was bad, I'd never get there & back within my available time slot.

So half way there I switched to Plan B which was to swing past my mum's house.



I then took her to the shops (via a friend's house, so she could be seen in the car).



Not sure what the Sammio record for oldest passenger is, but I think 81 is a good effort.

My mum also got into the spirit of the car and was waving to pedestrians as we cruised through Shepherd's Bush Green.

Thankfully, I was back in plenty of time to head out with my wife to watch the All Ireland final in the local pub.

So my London Landmark photo shoot will have to wait for another day.

Cheers, Paul.

The car suits your mum Paul. You could sell it to her and make another ?

Dave

How on earth did you get your mum to climb over the side and slide down in there?
And more to the point how gracefully did you get her out.

All joking aside I love that you are getting the family into the spirit, after all the hard work now they can appreciate what you created and share the experience.

Dave - There are just a couple of problems with your "cunning plan"…

My mum doesn't actually drive and there is no way I will be allowed to build another car any time soon.
( As this one has taken me far too long, so it wouldn't be fair on the rest of my family. )

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Roadster - Getting in was easier, as I turned the car around so the passenger side was next to the kerb.

But you are right, there is no graceful exit option if you haven't got the strength to lift yourself out unaided.
( Thankfully, I used a taxi drop off area round the back of Westfield with no one else around to see me help her out. )

However, my teenage daughters are still refusing to go for a spin as I am apparently "Sooooo embarrassing!".

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Cheers, Paul.

Happy Shopper:
My wife took my car to work today (as her's is still broken) and I was working from home.

At lunchtime I realised that whilst I had stocked up on BBQ food for Saturday, I forgot to get "normal" stuff for the week.

Still, any excuse to take the Swordfish out for a spin.



Note: I think my latest 'build' camera is now on the blink (as the focus is off), so I really must stop dropping them!

Then with the passenger footwell loaded up…



It was a short trip back home.

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DVLA Letter:
Got home to find a DVLA letter had arrived and thought "Wow, my "C" reg. application has gone through very fast".

But instead it was a Last Chance reminder to tax my Mondeo or else!

Oh !

I was so busy sorting out the MOT & tax on the Swordfish that this slipped off my radar completely.

So my car tax has now been belatedly paid and I really need to spend some time catching up on my "admin".

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Until next time, take care, Paul.

Another Flying Visit:
I was working from home again today, but didn't actually have much to do.

There was a half decent weather forecast, so I made a 60 mile round trip to visit John & James @ JY Classics.



These guys have been very supportive of my build and have posted photos on their Facebook page.

I took the scenic A40 / A415 route to avoid using the M40 and it was great fun.

Although it was actually quite chilly in just a t-shirt on the way there, so I wore a jumper for the journey home.

Unfortunately, I shaved my head this morning and this seemed to reduce the grip on my flat cap.

So I was forced to wear the cap "reversed" in true gentleman racer / cad fashion when the speed picked up.
( Although I must confess I am not tempted to take the car above 70mph, which feels fast enough. )

One small bit of bad news was that I picked up a small stone chip in my passenger side aero screen at some point today.
( Not easy to get a decent photo, but it is the smudge in front of the dark green hedge on the right.)



I guess that adds to the "50 year-old race car that has been into the hay bales a few times in its life" look.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Triumph Swordfish 1500

Silly Grin:
John @ JY Classics send me this photo that he took on his phone yesterday.

Triumph Swordfish 1500

Swordfish Sight Seeing:
I really need to park the car down the street the night before if I want an early start that doesn't wake my immediate neighbours.

So it was about 9.50am when I finally got going and this was alway going to mean traffic jams heading into town.

It took me just over 1 hours to travel less than 13 miles to reach St.Pancras hotel, my favourite building in London.

The nice man on security at the entrance insisted that I parked right outside the front door.
( Turns out he thought I was checking in! )



I also didn't notice my "proper" camera was still set in black and white mode until I got home.



But here is St.Pancras taken with my normal "build" camera while stuck in traffic on the other side of the street.



The good news is that there are now literally hundreds of photos of me and my car next to great London landmarks.

The bad news is that they were all taken by tourists, as I just couldn't find anywhere to stop and get out.

As it was, I caused a major disturbance outside Westminster Abbey when I jumped out to take this photo.



As I tried to move back further to get a better photo, the car was engulfed by people taking photos of it.

So here is the one tourist photo I managed to take myself while I was stuck in traffic.



That was a nice view and the fact I was stuck behind a McLaren meant the soundtrack was outstanding too.
( A McLaren & Swordfish convoy is definitely a rare sight indeed. )



On the way home, I quickly parked up in Holland Park, just to make the car look more like a real classic.



Around the corner from this road I lost count of the Aston Martins parked in the street.
( But there was no where for me to park next to them. )

By the time I parked up I'd done just over 30 odd miles in a little over 3 hours, great fun.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Triumph Swordfish 1500

Sunday Cloud Watching:
I was very busy with work last week and had a family get together yesterday.

Thankfully, I was able to go out in the car for a short drive today, as my wife & daughters were going clothes shopping.

Unfortunately, it was almost 11.30am by the time I left, which meant lots of getting stuck in traffic.

However, before I cover that, here is a quick update on a few other things…

I've bought a drip tray.



So at some point I need to clean up the mess I've already made on the driveway.



My V5C has also just come back with my new 1965 "C" reg.

Now I can order a new rear number plate on Monday.
( As I've already got another "stick on" plate for the front. )

Anyway, back to my drive, it was definitely chilly enough for a jumper and the clouds overhead were making me nervous.

In the end, I was out for a little over 2 hours and racked up another 30+ miles, taking me past 400 miles since the MOT.

As a bit of a contrast to the beauty of last weeks trip to St.Pancaras, I drove into a local industrial estate today.









Plus a few more in black & white.







I think there will be a few more good locations for photos around here.

But at this point the sky was looking like this, so I decided to head home instead.



It actually felt like I was pushing my luck to nip into Sainsburys on the way home to grab a sandwich…



As I found myself in a bit of a rush trying to get the cover back on before the rain came lashing down.
( As, by now, it had got really dark. )

However, by the time I sat down indoors, the clouds disappeared and the sun started shining again.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Triumph Swordfish 1500

Another Short Sunday Drive:
Still very busy with "real" work, so my car time has been very limited.

My "70s style" rear number plate has been ordered (yellow plate with raised black plastic digits).

Took the car to a local country park, but struggled to find anywhere not littered with rubbish.





Then I swung past Sainsburys for a quick shop, but mainly to take some measurements of the rear end.
( As the car park is nice and flat compared to my driveway. )

Unfortunately, I forgot to remove the bag of tools sitting in the boot, on the driver's side.
( Although I am not sure what a difference this actually makes. )

The gap from the bottom of the silencers to the ground is around 10 cm.



Front the top point of the wheel arch opening to the ground is 62 cm on the passenger side.



It is a bit less, at 58 cm, on the driver's side.



Just remember I can't guarantee that these spots are in the same place relative to any horizontal datum line.

So I'm only taking these measurements to see what difference removing the lowering block makes.

Which will be may next job, whenever I get the chance to do it.

As for today, the sky was looking like this when I got back to the car.



However, I did get this photo opportunity before I left.



Then I headed home, parked up and put the cover on, which brings my mileage up to 428.

Until next time, take care, Paul.