MadaboutKitcars

Everyone,

Thanks very much for all the replies. Really didn’t expect this much help!

I think i’ve been convinced to go down the Spitfire/D-Type route. Definitely appreciate it’s a case of ‘least difficult’ rather than easiest, but it will (fingers crossed) give me the look i’m hoping for.

I suppose it’s time to find a Spitfire then. Thanks for the link Mick. Good to know how little Spitfire I actually need to start from!

The Herald (91”) would make a better choice due to it wheelbase being closer to the Jag’s 90”. The Spit is too short at 83”.

True, but I do believe that the Tribute D Type shell was narrowed about 4" to compensate for the lack of length and make the proportions look 'right' on the Spit wheelbase.

That ebay chassis looks very good indeed, even the outriggers and front crossmember appear sound. If it's as good as advertised then that would indeed be a very good place to start. I spent weeks repairing mine, which is Ok, but very tedious and costs can mount up. It also benefits from being the later swing spring, and probably the better diff.
From memory Spitfire graveyard were quoting £250.00 for a reasonable tub.
I guess just check it has a V5 with it and you're away.
Happy hunting
Steve.

I understand the A352 is narrowed, but I was referring the D-type body. I'm in the process of fitting a D-type body to a Factory Five Racing Cobra chassis. My rear axle width is around 59-60", which fits nicely inside the D body. The front is a little more challenging since the D's fenders come down around the front tires. I may need to narrow my front track to keep the "look" I'm shooting for.

What are people's thoughts on this?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Spitfire-1500-1977-Restoration-Project-Or-Spares/162918382035?hash=item25eeb139d3:g:B5gAAOSwvphaksyU

The other rolling chassis does look good, but I'm worried that that level of chassis up restoration prior to rebodying might be beyond me (this is my first kit car, never gone beyond light restoration (sanding/filling etc...), and the odd new panel before.

Looks a good start point.

Shopping, boring?

I had to consider for almost a nanosecond whether to zip to Asda in the Micra or the A352?





Good choice!

Regards, Mick

Worth investing in a baby seat. That way you can park in the mother & child spot which is wider so you don't get idiots opening their car door against it.

Nice car! That is all ...

Look's stunning Mick!

Very, very nice!
Hope mine looks half as good when it's finished.
Showed my wife these photo's as a 'here's one that someone prepared earlier', and to explain why I'm always in the garage.
She gets it now, and replied with 'stunning' - praise indeed!
Steve.

Blisteringly Good Weekend

My original plan for the May Bank Holiday weekend was Shelsley Walsh Saturday; Stoneleigh Sunday, and Castle Combe Monday. However, when squaring these with an old friend from my pre-lit Westfield days, he told me he was competing at Shelsley on the Sunday, so I decided to scratch Castle Combe and move the other visits forward a day.



I used to blast up the M5 to Worcester from here in Gloucester before the rural part of my regular Shelsley trips, but I decided to try the A38 through Tewkesbury, a route I used to take in my official capacity when I worked. Being a signatory of The Official Secrets Act, I can't name names, but I once presented a cheque for circa £250,000 for input to my employer's account at a bank there. The ever suspicious teller quibbled, and wouldn't accept it before 'phoning said employer. Banks not wanting money? Surely a first!

Anyway, the early drive in the A352 through the sun soaked countryside was amazing and I arrived slightly later than usual at 0815. Despite not having been a member of MAC for years, I was directed away from the public car parking area, and from the members' area, to the front row of the grid with the real classics. Result! An absolutely beautiful XK120 roadster was my neighbour and a little later an equally beautiful XK120 coupé in a non-standard, but nevertheless fabulous, colour joined the line. If you've never been there go, I can't rave about it enough.







I fielded the by now normal plethora of compliments and questions and, judging by the number of times she was photographed, the A352 would surely blush if she could.

An 0650 start yesterday with my #3 son riding shotgun saw us on the road to Stoneleigh. At the end of another glorious drive, this time up the largely deserted Fosseway, I was stunned to be the only car at the entrance. I've been going to this event on and off since '86 and fully expected to be in the midst of the usual mass of Cobras and Caterhams (used to be Duttons and Jagos) awaiting entry. We were the first of three on the Tribute stand and again fielded many compliments and enquiries.



The overall turnout was very low compared to many previous years, a bit of a disappointment really. This was leavened by visits to the Westfield stand where they not only had a thoroughly regimented display each side of their imaginatively dubbed 'Westfield Avenue', overseen by stewards in dedicated Westfield high-vis gilets, but also a printed instruction on each vehicle detailing at which time bonnets should be opened! I most definitely prefer our low-key approach. I had to resist the temptation to ask if, in infancy, they'd been told off for playing with their motions......

Car of the show for me was a Buckler of which I only took analogue photo's. I loved that it had three slim wood blocks holding the rear of the bonnet just clear of the scuttle for additional cooling. Abarth clips is the technical term, I believe.

On return, and having spent circa six hours in the cockpit over the two days, my face now felt a couple of sizes too small, but nothing that a few sherbets didn't anaesthetise .

A truly fab weekend.

Regards, Mick

p.s. Blue is the colour, it seems..........

Good to see you at Stoneleigh, Mick. The car looks great.
Strangely, Sunday was busier than Monday even though the weather was as good. That Westfield plot never filled up as in previous years and there were a few empty corners (and sides) in the halls.
Hopefully the good day on Sunday with crowds of people coming in from the public car park will guarantee the show's return next year.

Gracias Señor

You too, and thanks for the compliment .

The 275 has turned into a stunner.

The 3 cars are a credit to the builders, and indeed to Tribute. We had an unexpected visit from relatives from Denmark, so were on family duties over the holiday, otherwise I would have definitely come to Stoneleigh this year. Next year definitely. Seeing all the other cars and clubs is always a buzz.

Prescott Today

Today's sortie in the A352 was to Prescott Speed Hill Climb, which is only about eight miles from here in Gloucester. The event was The Cheltenham Cleeve Vale Rotary Club 'Classics Drive The Hill' charity event which is in its fifth year but is a new one for me. Entrance was a modest £15 for spectators. Every time I visit this venue I muse that it would be my absolute top favourite, were it not for Shelsley Walsh. I'm blessed having both within easy driving distance, as also is Castle Combe



Synchronicity was to the fore again, with the Buckler Club having half a dozen or so examples on display and a Fiat Quinquecento parked near me with Abarth Clips! Wierd.

An old four wheeled friend from last year was in the paddock but I didn't manage to catch the owner for a chat.



I took a stroll to the top of the hill early, no other spectators at all. Once again, as at my first meeting there last year, the bluebells were worth the entrance fee on their own. The 'Classics Drive The Hill' got under way whilst I was up there: a Lagonda and two genuine GT40s had been and gone before I got out the digi. camera, having been snapping analogue. On the way back down a Berkeley passed me in some distress, conked out, refused to start and was ignominiously pushed away by marshals .



This week's car of the show for me was this divine A110 Alpine with a slightly naff Irish reg. no. I'll forgive him.



My own car didn't enjoy the prestigious company it has had at recent events, but I had to field many compliments from other punters. A good day out all round



Regards, Mick

+1 from me on that Alpine. They are always the highlight of the show on my visits to Retromobile in Paris every February. Some are in full rally livery and some in everyday "civvy" finish.

Bang!

It was the spring Beaulieu Autojumble at the weekend, and, as usual, I drove down to Yate to crash at my friend's house. As the forecast was so good I went in the A352 and it was a fabulous drive through the Gloucestershire countryside. We left at 0530 Saturday in his Mercedes and had a really good day as other events had doubtless severely thinned the crowds.

On return to Yate, and a quick coffee, I began retracing my route, noticing that the level of transmission noise through my ally tunnel was higher than usual. As the trip is only some 30 miles I pressed on regardless enjoying the surges of acceleration out of the corners on the twisty first section of my route. A loud bang, followed by hideous graunching noises and a total loss of drive brought my reveries to an abrupt end. A puddle of hypoy under the diff. told its own story .

I 'phoned my friend and he nobly came out and towed me the 20 odd miles home - I was carrying my Machine Mart towing bar so this was a doddle behind his Mercedes. We pushed the A352 onto my front and I decided to not even look until the morning.

I had other tasks to perform so it wasn't until late morning that I got the beast up on axle stands with the back wheels off and investigated. The nose bearing has completely vanished so I'm guessing that the shaft which passes through it has sheared inside. I 'phoned my ever helpful Spitfire parts guy who not only has a good condition diff. but is coming up the M5 mid week! Result.

It's a fair bit of work as access to the transverse spring mounting bolts is severely hampered by my cockpit panelling. I hope that recourse to neither rivet drilling nor tin snipping will be necessary.

Regards, Mick

What a Diff-erence a Day Makes

I pitched in yesterday morning after a quick refresher course with my Haynes Manual. I'd taken the Spitfire diff. (as well as the engine, gearbox etc.) out of my Marlin Roadster to carry the frame from behind my house to the front before re-assembly, so the job wasn't completely new to me. The Haynes Manual neglected to mention the long bolt through the rear of the diff., an omission that didn't surprise me, as I'd taken issue with them a few years ago regarding a procedure 'detailed' in their BMW GS1100 manual, which, if followed, could easily have resulted in serious injury or death. I received a reply to the effect that, if reprinted, the error would be corrected!

As anticipated, the four studs through the spring into the diff. proved the only difficult part of the operation as the limited access required awkward contortions lying along the passenger side floor. Anyway, it all went fairly smoothly with a minimum of FFS's and skinned knuckles, the lump of oily scrap at last sitting on the ground.

Crap photo' alert.



And again.



If I'm extremely lucky, the replacement will be fitted by close of play on Friday, allowing me to arrive in style at the Lotus Day at Castle Combe on Saturday and the French/Italian day at Prescott on Sunday, weather permitting........

Regards, Mick

Sorry to hear about your breakdown. but glad to hear you will be back on the road soon.

Good luck, Paul.

Hi Mick,
Sorry to hear of your diff woes, but glad to hear you're well on the road to recovery!
When I was taking the Spitfire apart I remember questioning the parentage of the designers who seemed to have gone to great lengths on the drawing board to make each nut and bolt the most inaccessible they could for no apparent reason.
That long rear diff carrier bolt was the worst, as it had managed to corrode itself along the full length into the guide tube.
Just out of interest what diff have you used - I'm sure I read somewhere that the latest 1500 ones were strengthened??
Good luck with the rest of the fix.
Steve.

Thanks for good wishes, it's all fallen into place quite nicely so far, what with getting an instant tow home; everything coming apart easily; and 'Spitfire Steve', as I call him, not only having an FH diff. but coming more or less past the end of my road today!

As far as I know, the only weaker diff. was the 4.11 fitted to Heralds and perhaps early Spitfires. The one I'm getting is a straight swap - good news as changing the drive flanges, of which there are two sizes, would be an additional pain. I'll be sure to give the long bolt, and all the others, a good coat of copper grease during reassembly.

Regards, Mick

I have "Spitfire Steve" in my phone contacts. He is very useful. And, I recently moved to just a few miles from him.

I have him his details too ..he's very helpful ...I am pretty sure he has spoken about dealing with Mick previously ...