Paulrobbo Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Hi all. Im looking for a front bumper for a MK2 Spitfire, I think they are the same on the MK1 but can I use one from a MK3 with some modifications? And being a bit cheeky, does anyone have a spare? Thanks. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efp Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Hi PaulAs no one else has answered, I'll jump in.Looking at the parts diagrams the mkI/II and III bumpers look the same overall shape but there are some fundamental differences, principally the chassis cutouts in the top of the early ones (which you could probably make, given that they'd be behind the over-riders), and the end support brackets which on the mkII are fixed by chromed coach bolts about 6 inches in, and on the mkIII by a captive nut assembly at the tip. Again you could probably drill and file the coachbolt hole (note it has flats) but of course in both cases you'd be breaking through the chroming and encouraging rust to start. And I cant vouch for the hole spacings matching up, not having a mkIII bumper to hand. Still my guess is that it's doable.I stress again this is all only guesswork on my part, if anyone better better informed than me wants to dive in, please do.Personally I'd bite the bullet and buy the one remaining MkII one Rimmers say they have have in stock, (806956) albeit at an eyewatering 450 quid. A lot cheaper on Paddocks site , but they are out of stock. Might be worth talking to them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 I really doubt a mk3 will ever look right. The positioning suggests similar shapes, but if an inch or so difference it will look naff. Besides, I thing the profiles are different, and that is before fixings.Next bad news is that all these bumpers are hens teeth now. I know of one person who bought a car for the bumper.....Good hunting, and if you consider the rimmers one check if it is old stock or repro.Or if you can locate him, try Ken Mumford. he rechromes bumpers and so on. not seen him about in a while though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyb Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 I've not seen Ken either. I noticed someone was selling his stock on ebay. They actualy said it was Kens stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyf Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 1684 wrote:I've not seen Ken either. I noticed someone was selling his stock on ebay. They actualy said it was Kens stuff.He was at the Triumfest show on Saturday morning selling his Chrome and other stuff, he had a stall near me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimboyfat Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 8018 wrote:Personally I'd bite the bullet and buy the one remaining MkII one Rimmers say they have have in stock, (806956) albeit at an eyewatering 450 quid. A lot cheaper on Paddocks site , but they are out of stock. Might be worth talking to them though.That's because we pressed the last of these over 18 months ago, and the final ones have only just filtered through the system (but long gone from here).No plans to make anymore as guy who runs our press shop is retiring, and no-one to follow him.We have a few here with slight defects, that we were keeping back to use on our own projects. I might be persuaded to let one go for the right money.It's not just early Spitfire bumpers that we are due to stop making either due to retirement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimboyfat Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Have just checked and we actually pressed the last 50 806956 bumpers nearly three years ago (dosn't time fly when you are having fun). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyb Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 What about the staimless steel one you see on ebay. Are they anygood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efp Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 I'm seeing mixed reviews on those Thai made s/s jobs Danny but the price is attractive. Some rave about them. Horses for courses, but I cant see s/s ever looking right among the other real chrome bits on an early Spit. I did wonder if they could be chromed but I gather that for some metallurgical reason that its impractical. As always, I'd be happy to be contradicted.My experience was being quoted 330 quid for a fix of my bent and rusty original by a certain well-known north London chrome shop and seeing what would seen to be one of the last , it now seems, repro units for about the same, so I got one of them. For reasons too boring to relate I haven't yet had a chance to compare old and new side-by-side but I get the impression the repro one is a little flimsier than the original (apologies to you mr Slimboy if I'm mistaken). The chrome shop really wanted a pattern to use to recreate the original profile on my original before working on it, and when time and funds permit I will compare them and decide whether or not to have the original redone at which point one of them will become surplus and up for offers. Please don't hold your breath, but you guys here will be the first to know when the time comes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimboyfat Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 8018 wrote: little flimsier than the original (apologies to you mr Slimboy if I'm mistaken). .You are.They were made of exactly the same grade (thickness) of steel as the original. We have both here, you are more than welcome to bring along a vernier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimboyfat Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 1684 wrote:What about the staimless steel one you see on ebay. Are they anygood?The ones I have seen are slightly thinner than the mild steel original (or the ones we have made for the last 20 years) , and the pressing doesn't seem to be as crisp, but 99% of punters probably wouldn't notice the differance.Most punters were not aware that Spitfire MKI/II front overriders were not the same as GT6 MKI. I regularly see the wrong ones on the wrong cars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efp Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Slimboyfat wrote:You are.They were made of exactly the same grade (thickness) of steel as the original. We have both here, you are more than welcome to bring along a vernier.Then I unreservedly retract my earlier statement, no offence intended :). As I said, I don't have them side by side. But my comments were perhaps coloured by Cliff's comments earlier re repro vs original pressings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efp Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 But I would argue with you re your use of the term Punters. Seems a tad disrespectful to your customers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulrobbo Posted August 8, 2014 Author Share Posted August 8, 2014 Thanks for all the replies. I did think they would be hard to come by. Slimboyfat, pm sent about your stock 😊.Suppose i knew really that the mk3 wouldn't fit but some people do strange things. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 I saw this last week... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimboyfat Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 8018 wrote:But I would argue with you re your use of the term Punters. Seems a tad disrespectful to your customers?Not at all. Perhaps in the twilight of my career, and having outlived most of my contempories (by retirement, or something more permanent) my seemingly outspoken views might be seen by some as disrespectful. Most if not all of the principal old gits that started this trade in the 70's, and 80's were quitely sidelined about 20 odd years ago, and disappeared from customer interaction, I'm still here (just). If you think calling punters, punters seems disrespectful then catching the wrong end of a bad day from any one of at least half a dozen retired, or deceased 'characters' from well known Triumph parts purveyors would curl your toes. Don't worry you won't have to put up with me much longer. Perhaps then I could spend some time writing my book about some of the daft things punters have done, or said over the last three decades. Some of them are hilarious, some of them make you wonder how they manage to do up their shoe laces in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efp Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Slimboyfat wrote:Perhaps then I could spend some time writing my book about some of the daft things punters have done, or said over the last three decades. Some of them are hilarious, some of them make you wonder how they manage to do up their shoe laces in the morning. I'd buy that book :)Actually as I think I've been one of your loyal dumb "punters" since about 1983 I'll probably be in it... :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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