John Bonnett Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I'm 70 next year and here I am stripping a bodyshell with goodness knows how many hours of toil ahead of me. What on earth was I thinking about taking this on. Have I got enough hours left I ask myself :PI suppose the answer is that I like a challenge and need to have at least one project on the go. I could have bought a nice GT6 probably for less than this will cost me to finish but for me the enjoyment is in the building as well as the driving. My target is to get the car to next year's Le Mans Classic. From time to time I'll post some pictures as and when progress is made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firebobby Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Good on you, what year is the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 firebobby wrote:Good on you, what year is the carThank you for that. The car is a very late MK3 registered in March 1974. I bought it to use as a pattern to build an aluminium body along the lines of a Spitfire Le Mans but with the GT6 MK3 styling which I like very much. I bought the car unseen from a Pistonheads advert and wasn't expecting much but sufficient for the purpose I had in mind. However it was miles better than I had anticipated and if the seller had put a bit more effort into it he could have sold it for twice the price I paid for it. He has done quite a bit of restoration work having replaced all the nearside panels. It's true that the driver's floor, sill and offside rear wing need replacing but these panels together with others were included in the sale; nearly £600 worth all told. The car is pretty sound, original and the engine and chassis numbers match the V5 so, this car has to go back on the road. My Spitfire project is now on the back burner and I am putting all my efforts into the dismantling and the sooner that is done and the body stripped I can get on with the creative work of rebuilding.I'm probably at the stage many on this forum will recognise; the feelings when all you can see are rust, corrosion and grime. It can only get better, can't it? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotoflex Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Three stages in a restoration:1. Ugly2. Real ugly3. BeautifulHang in, it's a fun, beautiful, & pretty simple car.It looks like a fairly intact car, which will make things easier: about the standard amount of rust on the scuttle, you've still got many orginal-ish things like the fuel pump, even down to the rubber flap for the air excluder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 It'll be worth it in the end, just don't get too disinchanted by the rust monster.RR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daxk Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Hang in thee, there is a 60 yo and an almost 60 yo acting like teenagers doing much the same to a 73 Mk3 in Galway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 I'd like to thank everyone who has replied for their help and encouragement and it is also good to see others who, like me, are refusing to accept old age. They say you can't take it with you so, I'm not going :PIn the knowledge that there was no latching clip on the wiper motor plug a bit of brute force and what goes with it won the day. I continiued on a roll and with a bit of heat applied I managed to undo the front inboard body to chassis screws without shearing them off so the day has got off to a very good start.John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6Craig Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Quote: I could have bought a nice GT6 probably for less than this will cost me to finish but for me the enjoyment is in the building as well as the driving.I agree!What's that saying "Happiness is a journey, not a destination" - it seems to sum it up quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plk21e Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 i am nearly 60 too and have got a mk3 spitfire all in bits and enjoy going in the garage doing a bit at a time,incidently have a 67 mgbgt that i did 2 years ago, 12 months mot and tax and hardly use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted June 17, 2011 Author Share Posted June 17, 2011 3769 wrote:i am nearly 60 too and have got a mk3 spitfire all in bits and enjoy going in the garage doing a bit at a time,incidently have a 67 mgbgt that i did 2 years ago, 12 months mot and tax and hardly use itIt's great isn't it to have the time to do the things you enjoy and things that you don't enjoy you just don't do them. I really feel for the youngsters who, particularly nowadays, are under so much pressure at work and perhaps with a family to consider, have little time for their hobbies and to enjoy themselves as we did in our youth. The fun seems to have gone out of work. Anyway enough of that, for me, the week has gone very well. All the body to chassis bolts are now looseened and all that remains to be done before the body comes off is to remove the dashboard and heater and of course release the handbrake cable. I'm going to lift the body using two block and tackles (or is it blocks and tackle?) and then take it over to the shot blasters to get it stripped down to bare metal. They will spray it with a coat of primer as a measure against our damp Dartmoor air. So quite an exciting stage. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6Craig Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 Quote: I really feel for the youngsters who, particularly nowadays, are under so much pressure at work and perhaps with a family to consider, have little time for their hobbies and to enjoy themselves as we did in our youth.Oh don't worry...car nuts are the same across all generations. We find the time ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aar0sc Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 184 wrote:Oh don't worry...car nuts are the same across all generations. We find the time ;)I managed to combine job and hobby! Ca-ching ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 I'd like to thank everyone for their encouragement on this project. I've managed to glean loads of useful information from this and the TSSC forum on restoration and rebuilds and I now have a plan :PWith the shell fully stripped, I'm going to have the repair panels fitted by a Triumph specialist. I've seen too many pictures of cars with ill fitting doors and poor panel gaps and realise what a minefield this can be. At least with this work done, I'll hopefully have a sound shell as a basis. I don't know how bad the chassis is but once the body is off I'll then know. It will also give easy access for the engine and gearbox removal. So, all is progressing well.John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 I'd just like to thank everyone for their encouragement right at the outset and real progress has been made. Thank youJohn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Nice work,what did you paint the chassis with? RR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6Craig Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Good work John, thanks for the updates. Almost forgot about this one - very nice to see your making good progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie55 Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Great progress, and all since June. Keep up the good work and keep us posted on how you get on with the bodywork. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotoflex Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Progress indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Can you slow down please otherwise it'll look like the rest of us are just lazy!.....good work though ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 Thank you everyone for your replies.I'm keeping a rolling record of the work that I'm doing on the chassis and the body restoration by the lads at Malmesbury. Links as follows;Car as bought:http://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/sets/72157627690784662/Body restorationhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/sets/72157627544568933/Chassis reassemblyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/sets/72157627545757403/I'm hoping to get the rolling chassis up to Malmesbury in the next couple of weeks for the body to be refitted. Fingers crossed.John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie55 Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Just seen your body resto pics, bloomin heck, your working at 200mph. Super, will be lovely when all finished. Roy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 429 wrote:Just seen your body resto pics, bloomin heck, your working at 200mph. Super, will be lovely when all finished. RoyRelax Roy, I'm only doing the chassis. The hard bit, the bodywork, is in the able hands of the boys in Makmesbury and their work is not only of the highest standard but also very quick. In fact if I'm not careful, I'll be holding them up.They've just sent me a couple of pics of the headlining that they have just fitted. It looks really nice. I'm absolutely delighted with how it is coming on.regardsJohn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie55 Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 3141 wrote:Relax Roy, I'm only doing the chassis. The hard bit, the bodywork, is in the able hands of the boys in Makmesbury and their work is not only of the highest standard but also very quick. In fact if I'm not careful, I'll be holding them up.They've just sent me a couple of pics of the headlining that they have just fitted. It looks really nice. I'm absolutely delighted with how it is coming on.regardsJohnWell that explains things. Still, good progress all round. On the road by Christmas should be dooable. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 I'm pretty much there with the chassis so it's just the engine and box to put in now before it can be married up with the body.Costwise I'm still on budget which is between £5000 and £6000 for the finished job; my estimate of the price the car might fetch if I found that I didn't like it and had to sell it.Updated pictures on Flickrhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/sets/72157627545757403/John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotoflex Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Excellent progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.jpeg.b15b81ef10abeea1c3039ae03c4a9f3a.jpeg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.