MadaboutKitcars

Loving the size of your garage, it looks ideal for one of therse builds and i'm loving how the car is coming along.

Plus hiding things in the garden store and hoping noone notices until the spring strikes a cord!

Mike, Keith and Davecymr thanks for the support. Nothing much to update as I have been away for the new year in Ireland with limited internet and not back to Yorkshire till Monday.

But I have come up with a plan for the front grill whilst been away so will try and fit that on Monday.

Keith I could use the contact you have for wire wheels painting when you get chance please.

Davecymr the garden lockup I think I am safe till March I wasn’t brave enough to use the summer house lol, thank you for the garage comments still work in progress after 3 years but my first garage build and design.

Mike once the lights are in and working I think it will be time for a trip out in the alpha.

You'll be able to use that oft used female expression, "What, this? I've had it for ages."

cool

Cas Coatings Ecleshill, must be near you! Keith

As far as I am a were it will be No3 on-the-road.

Well after a long trip at work and a holiday I am back on the Alpha. After a catch-up on the forum that took a while it’s nearly 2 months since I last looked.

Keith thanks and yes cas coatings is the one I used.

Micky1mo time is getting short for the summer but I am determined to have the Alpha on the road this summer.

So I pushed the Alpha out to have a look in daylight.



I am still not happy with the front wheel arches for the clearance of the arch around the wheel. I know the car was originally made for 14” wheels and I had

fitted the bonnet slightly higher at the front. I decided I have to get this right. So back out with the foam tape rule marker and grinder.







The next few photos show me modify the front arches again.














The arches went much faster this time and not many plastic clothes pegs were harmed this time lol.

This just left me time to start adding filler to fibreglass.



So with a bit of luck or good time management I should get to fill both arches tomorrow and smooth off.

Fair play for going back and re-doing something you have already done once.

The good news is that by the time all these are finished and painted, no one will know.

Deep down, I know I should have redone sections of my own wheel arches.

But at the time, I just couldn't face do the same job twice.

Instead, I just take comfort from knowing that there are still miles better than when I started.

Hope the recent nice weather is a good incentive to keep plugging away.

Good luck, Paul.

Looking good!

Paul l I think my problem was changing the size of the wheels and fitting the bonnet different from what mike intended.

I have to say it went alot faster the second time.

I am just hoping its correct this time ray2:

Micky1mo

Thanks for your constant suport.

Looks like my photos have disapered of my Imgbb account has anyone else had this problem

Well I found out my internet supplier in the north sea had messed about with my imgbb acount. But all good now.

With the good weather I was hoping to get a good week in the garage. But the office had other ideas and I had to rush off to work.

I did manage a few hours in garage, but only managed these rushed photos on my phone.

A bit more filling on the passanger side. The drivers side I am now happier with maybe a a few small tweaks to get them perfetly round and gapped.

So on my return home I intend to get the front and rear arches finished.

A new year

Well it

Getting started

So first job was to get the garage tidy again,I need to add a suitable refreshment area to allow rest and innovative ideas.

3 years

So before I start on the Alpha a brief update.

So at four projects I decided with good help from my wife I needed to complete some of these projects. So my triumph spitfire was complete and as a project as a far as I was going to go with it. So that was sold which made room in the second garage for the Sammie spider to go in which it sat with my other spitfire that

Wheel s

So I have always wanted a 13” wheel set up for the Alpha however after trying various designs including some wires I borrowed, I decided to go for 14” wire wheels

Nice to see your back !
Since you have been gone another Alpha has been completed by a local guy.
Built using a SS1 as a donor.

Yorkshireman - 14" wires with high profile tyres will look much better than 13's, you won't regret making the switch.

Micky - that's a nice looking example in a great colour, I like it

Wire wheels

Thanks for the welcome back Micky the Alpha looks great is there any views of the rear and how the bonnet locks down they look like the original triumph spitfire ones.

Mister toad they will be more updates on the wire wheels front if I get some free time at work tonight.

Your right the bonnet locks are the original ones as used on the Spitfire.
A slot to suit is cut in the bonnet and the locks just bolted in place and the original internal hook is repositioned on the inside.








I found it easiest why to fit them is after fitting the lock mechanism to the bonnet, remove the front wheel and then you can look in and see to line up the internal catch.

Yorkshireman - Great to see your build back up and running - Good luck!

Micky1Mo - Love that Alpha with the blue 'Cobra' paint & white stripes look.

Although was it involved in a small accident, with fibreglass damage at the front?

Cheers, Paul.

Oops!! I did'nt notice that.
The owner hit a pallet on it's first day out !!

Thanks for the photos they will help a lot Micky I have found out all the parts I needed when home and that

Quick turn around home this time so due to some time waiting for ship I can update the progress of the Alpha. With the plan of going down the route of 14” wheels I needed to find them in othe other garage. I then took six wheels to the garage to fit new tires. The garage owner is my friend and insisted I removed the old tires prepared the rims fit the inner tubes and tires along with balancing them. This along with tiding the other garage took most of the day.

So with finding the wheels I needed new tires. My friend looked into sizes and came up with some cooper tires 14” 175/65. I was under the impression he would fit them but he showed me one and supervised me on the rest including the spares so my first time seeing inner tubes and taping up the end of the spokes on the inside of the rim. So it was a quick trip home to fit the wheels with the rear wheels were easy with the new hubs the fronts took a little longer as I hadn’t fitted the brake callipers. I only managed one before my wife returned home so that was end of play for the day.

Also I will up date when back in uk as internet is too slow to update photos and text at the moment.