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It's finally time to introduce myself to this forum.
After years of lurking and reading people's threads (end getting excited) I have bought myself a kit from Micky (original sammio Alpha design) and soon after I have found a suitable spitfire donor.
So here I am, my journey starts here and there. I hope to share some build progress with you guys as I feel I have learnt so much reading other people threads and hope to chip in my contribution. Also there isn't any other sammio build at the moment so hopefully it will give you something to look for in covid restricted world jokes aside, hello and soon I would post some photos...but first I have to learn how
Also big thank you to JohnMK for allowing me to re-register
Regards Kuba
This is what I am starting with. I am planning to modify spitfire in the same way as per alpha build. Bulkhead going to stay as well as floor pans and boot floor.
Thank you JG
Welcome to the forum, Kuba. It's nice to see another build start and it looks like you have a very solid donor. That's a great starting point and I hope it all comes together smoothly for you, with the odd challenge thrown in to keep it interesting.
Thank you Mister Towed.
If I could produce half as decent car as yours it would make me very happy.
My donor isn't bad but isn't great either. Driver side floor pan needs replacing along with few other bits and pieces before i even intend to bond a body. But it is running and that what
matters
I have spent around a week (on and off) on the car so far early in January in the freezing garage. I managed to strip it a bit as well as to play with angle grinder. I dry fit a bonnet and then played with angle grinder even more.
I would like to fit body so its seats in the lowest possible place on spitfire shell. Also I've decided that flip bonnet is a must so got angle grinder out again I also managed to cut out lights and opening for scoop or bulge and started modifications to dashboard panel and dashboard itself.
Hello.
So today I managed to squeeze few hours to further work on my dashboard. I wanted to add some depth to it so its a bit more interesting. So I came up with this.
If anyone likes that, this was a can I've used, it's an excellent fit and practically supports speedo and rev gauge by itself. I still covered entire tin in fibreglass as walls of a tin were a bit too thin
Then I painted entire dash just for fun. This will develop further in due course thanks Kuba
The build threads keep the forum going, good to see another starting ! You're obviously not afraid to get in there with the angle grinder, go for it !
Good luck with your build, check out my Formosa build project on the other page.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think there has been a previous build thread for this version of the Alpha.
Until you mentioned rust, I was going to say it looked like you picked up a nice donor car.
It certainly looks like you know what you are doing, based on the nice job you’ve done on the dash.
Where abouts (roughly) are you based?
I’m near Wembley and might be able to swing by and say hello at some point.
(After Covid restrictions are lifted and I’ve got my car back on the road. )
Good luck,
Paul.
PS “freezing garage”
[ Insert Variation of Four Yorkshireman sketch here ]
Thank you so much Paul for warm welcome.
Re knowing what I'm doing...I'm not so sure about that but i have lots of ideas, only time will tell if i can execute them correctly.
I have to mention that it was your build who got me eventually started. I have read through your build thread over Christmas period and I loved every minute of it. This brings me to your your other "garage" mention it was exactly what I thought when I've been reading your thread. I basically had no excuse not to start so I did.
I am in south west London near Croydon and you are welcome to visit when time allows.
Once again thanks and later i would be posting some updates as I couldn't resist to "pop in" to a garage today.
Kuba
Welcome Kuba, it will be great to have a thread to follow. After 10 yes 10 years I am at the other end of the build with MOT booked for next Friday. I had to cancel 2 previous appointments as it was raining and I had no inner wings - now rectified, so fingers crossed
Good luck and enjoy
MikeD
Hello MikeD,
Thank you. Best of luck with an MOT.
I will make sure to keep this thread alive to hopefully provide some entertainment.
Best of luck Kuba
Hello. Just a few update pictures.
I have managed today to add indicators opening, carb bulge although I'm not 100% sure about this shape so I might reshape it at the later stage. Also tried wheels with larger tyres as I think I'm going to run on 13". A little progress on dashboard too. All together good day in the office
Regards
13" wheels might look a little small imho. I'd seriously consider fitting wire wheel adaptors with MGB 4.5x14 wires wrapped in 175/80/14 tyres. If the Alpha shell has the same width as the original Sammio Spyder body they should fill the arches perfectly without fouling, you may just have to clearance the front bulkhead a little (I used a lump hammer...)
Some builders have fitted 15" wheels but they need low profile tyres so lose that classic tall sidewall look.
Having said that, I have 15" wheels with 165/65/15's on my Speedster project and the tyres do still look period correct, mainly because the original cars had such narrow tyres that the sidewalls weren't that tall in the first place.
I see your point with 14" wheels. I went through wheel threads few times as I know 14 would be a better option. However I have few sets of 13's and it would be a good idea to utilise at least one of them.
Tyre on the wheel in picture is 165/80/13 and it's slightly bigger then standard spitfire wheel.
Last year in excitement I have bought nice wire wheels but then found out that they would not fit spitfire (came off Jaguar) so they would be for next project if one arise
Some builders have fitted 15" wheels but they need low profile tyres so lose that classic tall sidewall look.
I fitted 15" TR6 wheels on Mike Satur hub adaptors with 80 section tyres to the A352, but I had to chop the bulkhead, weld in recessed panels and fit lock limiting hose clips to the rack. I thought all the extra work and expense involved was well worth the improvement to the retro look .
I loved the TR6 wheels on your A352, Mick, they really looked the part.
The issue with 15" wheels on the Sammio was actually clearance on the inner rear wheel arches - anything bigger than 175/80/14 with the added width of the wire adaptors would make the tyres foul the inside of the body on every bump. and widening the arches would ruin the look of the car (imho). That's not an issue on the A356 as the wheel areches are much wider to start with.
Kuba, I'm sure you can get adaptors to fit Jag wires to almost anything. Try Midland Wheel Services (MWS) -
So a little update from today.
I worked on my dash to give it it's final shape. A little more preps and it would be ready for paint. I still haven't decided what would be in the console on the left but most possibly some sort of switches and warning lights. Both console panels would be removable.
Also I managed to uncover more rust on the bulkhead but didn't take any photos. Till next time...
Regards
Kuba
I remember when you collected the body you bravely produced an angle grinder and set about cutting it down so it would fit into the back of your van!!!
I was a little worried at the time but wow, what an effort!!!
What you are building is a unique effort as never before has one of these been assembled and IMHO you are doing a fantastic job !!
Only 3 of these bodies have been moulded, your's, one that was used as the Alpha prototype and one is hanging from the ceiling in my workshop (awaiting inspiration).
jokes aside, hello and soon I would post some photos...but first I have to learn how
)
Thanks Kuba 
