MadaboutKitcars

My pain and outright envy is somewhat eased by the thought that half an inch of fibreglass & bonding paste dust layered over all that lovely shiny paint will be a great leveller.

Everything looks pretty the same under a pile of dust!

Paul D.

My approach was a bit like Mr T. As you will see from early photos I thought I was in for an easy ride but after stripping it and finding it was truly a 'barn find' (I'm actually digging mud out of the carbs!) Things needed doing and it didn't seem a good idea putting a good bit onto a bad one so it got deeper and deeper. As a result I've busted my budget manifold but am happy with the result.
The Spitfire donor I have for Cordite, however, I hope to be a different story....

Floor question

I'm about to cut the floor panels and wondered if someone could give me a steer on dimensions.

I know the rear of the floor follows the rear outrigger and meets the joint between it and the side bar and that the front is somewhat further out than the chassis side but by how much? I could obviously cut it too much and trim down later but if I'm near the mark to begin with I'd be really happy.

Thanks in advance

From memory, I think that I left an over hang of around an inch and a half. Like most things on the build, its not exact science and so long as it doesnt stick out past the foot pans there will be no issues.

Thanks Gaz,

That sounds about what I was expecting. I haven't got my floor pans around at present as they are being blasted but I wanted to carry on moving the project along. Whilst you're on by the way, how far back did you fit the floor pans? As our pans are the same size in planform, a previously fitted reference would be useful.

Looking forward to seeing your project out of paint!

I cant make any exact measurements due to the car being at the paintshop but looking at these photos it seems that the pan is set back maybe 4" or so from the front

Have you tried fitting the floor pans into place yet? I didnt think that there was too much room to play with as they were a snug enough fit into the chassis so you cant go far wrong.

Thanks again Gaz, That's all I needed to get them in place. First floor is now cut in between 'work' jobs and I'll have a go at the pans soon.

Looking at your photo, I assume you don't have the angular seat belt mounting near the tunnel?

No problem Andy. No my donor didn't have the seatbelt mounting points.

Many thanks for the help Gaz ,

Though not bonded in yet, the floors and pans are fitted now and seem to be at the right level for my eye. Seats fit nicely in them with plenty of 'wriggle room' so I won't drill the pans until I have at least the frame and probably the body on it.

Hang on a minute, I recognise those seats...

I guess Dax will be taking on extra staff.

Basic Sammio

In reply to Paul D, I will be building a "down to earth Sammio", keeping the car to a budget build without spoiling the ship as they say. Have welded up the better chassis, primed and almost finished painting it (photos soon promise!!) for the princely sum of £18.00.

More from Mr. Scrimper soon! Hoping to get bulkhead repaired soon and get a frame to start drawing things together. Mind you still got all the bits and bobs like engine diff axles etc to sort. Mmmmmmmm.

Watch this space (or my original thread Another One on the go)

Nothing wrong with budget builds ......

Andyp , car is looking fantastic and maroon is one of my colour choices for this style of car.....top work

I am planning a budget build myself , hopefully.....

Well I am working on a pretty tight budget myself (in the scheme of things)....just about in credit still, having got my wheels, steering wheel and just about every serviceable part renewed and re-bushed....I think it is owing me the price of the body and frame at the moment....I am expecting that the seats, trim and paint and tyres will be the big spend, but all in not much over £2.5k

Last night I feel the project turned the important corner from restoring a Vitesse into building a Sammio.

The Frame arrived safely from Dorset and with that resting in place, the real Spyder work starts (That is, if this blasted rain gives up for a moment

I'm aiming for the floors, pans and frame to be fitted over the weekend with the remaining Hydraulics and wiring loom fitted soon after. I've still to go through the 'battle of the Frame' though but looking at it now, things don't look 'too' much out of place.

More when I can get some photos up

OK, I must be being a bit thick here so bear with me...

Once the frame is on, is there some mysterious 'chinese puzzle' method of getting the fuel tank to the back of its support beam?

As far as I can see (And I've only had a quick go at it this morning), it can't go in from the front, the leaf spring stops it going in from the side and the only place I can get it to look anywhere near the right place is hanging on the front of that beam after being slid in from the side forward of the upright beam.

Come to that, would it be ok on the front of the beam as all it seems to do is move the filler about an inch further forward?

The frame has to come off again soon anyway so it can always be fitted whilst it's off but that precludes any future maintenance (Not that I've ever had to take a tank off before)

Hi Andy
I took the fuel tank challenge and failed, if you want it behind the beam then its fitted when the frames off, I fitted mine forward of the beam.
Theres no difference as you say just a slightly further forward fuel filler and maybe a more central weight distribution with a full tank, ( thats all thats stopped me moving the tank further back ( behind the cage) I was worried the weight over the tail might have an adverse effect on cornering, but dont really know..
Pops

From what I have seen (bear in mind I modified mine to put the tank behind the spring), the easiest way is with the frame off. Mount the tank, then put it back on. If you ever need to take the tank out then it will need the spring removed first as far as I can tell.

Like you, in all my years I have never have to remove a tank, but I did coat mine in 5 coats of chassis black and it will get a good smothering of waxoyl in due course, when I have completed the build!

Andy
Your exhausts, They look further back than mine, have you managed to clear the rear axle with the back of the boxes? and therefore gained some clearance.
Mine looked they would fit in the axle arch but no and therefore hang with about 4 inches of clearance, any chance of a photo so show how yours sit under the car.
cheers Pops

I double checked how i fitted mine (i can't believe that I'm starting to forget bits of the build already!) and mine is in front of that beam.

I tried to find a decent photo of how mine is all plumbed in, in case it's of use, and this is the nearest i could find:



note: this was REALLY early on in my build pre-inspection and before i changed to my new "shouty" exhaust

No problem Pops.

Maybe the box length is different but I've got loads of room around the axles:


And under the diff where the pipe bifurcates:


Of course, i don't know how much they will stick out from the body until it gets to that stage?

Looks like I need to pull the straight section out from the down pipes that will give me the length to clear the axle, ( exhaust system looks the same both RIMMERS finest) but mine is a 4 cylinder. The stick out will be anything past the original exhaust hanger as that is where the body sits down in front of.
Cheers for the pics helps a lot..
Pops

Lengthening the main pipe has allowed me to clear the chassis and the boxes tuck up tight and look much better, however the result is a 7 inch exhaust pipe sticking out, not subtle....


What do you think...?

It's possibly an inch or so more than my pipes extend but who said we had to be Subtle with these cars

I once had extended pipes like that on an earlier car.....pain in the arse kept cracking the manifold joints when I reversed into walls.

At least you can used them as handles if the car ever breaks down. Simply grab them and wheel barrow the car down the road

;-)