GT6 MK2 1969 restoration

[Longstrider]

:'( well the restoration started in earnest today with the removal of the rear near side wing.  However I am truly devastated that the previous restoration seems to have consisted of welding plates pretty much into every panel, from the inner wheel arches, to the boot floor and rear valance and not just the odd one. it adds new meaning to patchwork quilt. The welding is not the prettiest and it seems that following the welding nothing was primed to protect the bare metal.

I must say further investigations of the floor, sills and the lower A post is repeat of this pathetic patch work welding attempt at restoration. As solid as it all is, it just seems to be a complete and utter bodge. From the invoices the restoration was around 5k.  Well being as the only new panels were two new rear wings (which are shot) and a lower inner wing repair section, I fail to see where the money was spent, must have been on welding wire.

This leaves me in a dilemma as to how best to proceed and I have various thoughts flashing through my mind:

I want the car on the road as soon as possible.
I want it to be right.
I want the cost to be reasonable. Well ish.
I want to keep it.
I want to sell it
I need a new tub
I can restore this one.

As you can see I am at a complete loss as to what the right thing to do is.

To say that I am slightly disillusioned would be an understatement.  

[Longstrider]

Here is a picture of the GT6 with the rear wing removed

[Saltddirk]

cheer up,
It can only go better from now onwards!
If you are handy with a welder (or have a friend who is handy like I have 8) ) it is just time consuming and welding new panels. Most are available...
Easy for me to say as I just dumped the Spit with Shaun and picked it up a few months later.

Round tails are getting rare enough to warrant a second lease of Life.
If my garage was not Full and her indoors could be persuaded I would take her of your hands....

Dirk

[Longstrider]

Dirk,
My concern at the rear is the amount of panels, rear valance, rear floor, inner arches.  All are solid, but patched. The question is where do I start.. do i replace the inner arches and rear wings then the rear floor and valance? I know I can get the panels; or do I just replace the wings and live with the patchwork quilt;-)
Brett

[Longstrider]

Dirk,
Thanks for the support;-) don't really want to sell it, just having a mad moment of doubt.

[Sheepy]

If it was me (dirks personal welder  :P) I would replace them all, then you know it has been done correctly. But that's just me, sorry!
Just depends how quick you want it doing, the only problem if it's been patched/bodged, then the rust will just come back soon, just after you have fitted nice new wings.

It's is disheartening I know, but take a picture of a nice gt6 that you like, pin it to your garage wall, and when you think there is no end, just look at it and say that's what it will be like! And keep on plodding along! Slow progress is better than no progress!  ;)

[Richard B]

You should be able to buy whole inner (outer) wheel arches.

That will let you cut the wheel arch off of the inner wing and replace as a whole.

Remember measure three times, cut once.



tbh, doesn't look that bad.   ;)

[Sheepy]

Richard_B wrote:

tbh, doesn't look that bad.   ;)

That's what I thought looking at that picture, but it's what we can't see in the picture that is probably bad!
It's amazing what you find once you start removing panels.

Don't give up, repair it and enjoy it for many years!

[Gasman]

Get yourself a T6 tub from www.triumphspitfirelemans.com but read the current build by Chris in the specials section 1st as it's not a simple body off new body on fix. Results can be excellent if time, effort & skill applied to the project as can be seen in a few of the completed T6's.

It is disappointing being at the start of a project only to discover hidden horrors, others have & soldiered through to achieve a very well finished fully refurbished car but at twice or three times estimated cost & time to complete. Depends how committed you are to seeing a project of this magnitude through to the end. Know personally I'd want to farm out the fab work as welding is tedious & time consuming especially to get panels & gaps acceptable & even longer to get just right.

[Longstrider]

Thanks all.
I admit the pic makes it look good.  The outer wheel arch is okay, but he inner ones where the seat belts bolt are patched all over.

Shaun,
What sequence would you undertake the welding. Bearing in mind I would need to replace inner wheel arch, both sides,  rear floor, rear valance, floors, sills and A post lower.

Gasman,
I love the look of the T6, but 6k for the body shell is a lot of money. ;-)
Having said that the bull park from Pictons was £5k per side plus £800 for my bonnet and I have the two new front wings!! Not sure that included paint. But that was without looking at the car. Hence the decision to do the work myself. Mechanics I am fine, welding is a new world. But I will say all my triumphs to date and there have been lots have been rolling restorations with a small amount of body work. This is another world.

[WIMPUS]

This is the car from Dirk and the work from Shaun !  ;)

[Sorry, link no longer available]

[Sheepy]

Thanks Wim.

Brett, firstly make up some support braces to hold it all in place, and correct alignment, then do sections at a time, don't just cut everything out in one go.
For example, if replacing the floors, do one side at a time, brace the gap, then cut off the old rusty ones, and fit new, working from inside out (see my thread, the link above)
For the boot/rear wings, it's basically the same, take care to unpick everything as neatly as possible, then the inner wings first, then the boot floor and outer wings, rear panel etc attach to that.

We are all here to give you support, advice and to keep you going  ;)

Ask us anything, there is only one stupid question, that is the one you did not ask!

[Guppy916]

Go for it,, get A Rimmers catalogue and start spending, my GT6 Mk3 is just about to have the tub lifted off, when I started I found a right old can of worms, the welding is one of the best bits, I purchased some VACTAN RUST CONVERTER AND PRIMER  RUST TREATMENT, (you don't need to wash this off ), and have a good stock of cut off / grinding disc's, I evan use a wire brush on my 4" grinder much quicker than using your leccy drill,,,,
good luck

[Longstrider]

Wim, thx for the link, looks awesome and inspiring.

Shaun, dirk, great work.

The planned next steps are (please correct if wrong):
Remove near side rear wing (completed)
Brace with x fame inside and brace near side door frame.
Replace Rear Inner wheel arch  Inner Section Near side
Replace rear inner wheel arch outer section near side (unless current one is okay)
Replace B post outer panel if required
Replace rear outer wing
Replace near side front floor
Replace near side lower A post
Replace inner sill
Replace sill strengthener
replace outer sill
Replace A post filler panel

Repeat for offside
Replace rear floor
Replace rear valance

Then rebuild bonnet;-)
Tidy battery box

Remove body
Strip mechanicals
Restore chassis

Rebuild mechanicals

Paint and put back together ;-)

[Sheepy]

Looks like you have it in the good order!

And you have done right to leave it on the chassis while doing the body!

One thing you forgot to add to the list, "take lots of pictures and write a thread"  ;)

[Gasman]

Agree, you've already started resto so all you need to do now is work through it methodically until it's finished. Photos always appreciated of the various stages whether good, bad or down right spirit breaking as someone on forum will always post a few encouraging words to keep you on track.

Good luck.

[Longstrider]

Thanks to all for the words of support.

I do have a question relating to the rear inner wheel arch inner section, which relates to the mounting point for the shock ( it's a rotoflex set up). Do they come with this mounting point or do I need to cut this off the original and weld onto the new arch?

Thx brett

[Longstrider]

Further to my entry, is there a conversion/upgrade  i can install for the shock position, rather than weld in the mount bracket to the new inner arch and still keep the rotoflex couplings?

[JensH]

There were some frame extensions available years ago, mounted on top next to th original spitfire chock towers; don't know if they are still available.
OE Mount brackets for gt6 are still available though

[PhilD]

Hi,

Yes the conversion kits are still available, Moss do them (http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/shop/viewproducts.aspx?plateindexID=18546) and I think Jigsaw racing also offer them, when using the conversion bracket kit you use late MK3 shocks or uprated options.
I have used this kit (it came with the bits in the project I bought) I am told it improves over the standard roto setup.
Most replacement wheel arches do not come with the shock mount or the seat belt anchor point either

[JensH]

James Paddock sells the oe shock mount - but guess you will have to make the reinforcement panel sandwiched between yourself.
Not that difficult though.

[Longstrider]

I think the relocation brackets for the shock is the way to go for me;-) thanks for the feed back.

I did the calculations today on all the body panel parts, if I replaced everything that's patched and its just under £1500. Eek I get the feeling this is not going to be a bulk order. the rear wings are expensive whoever you get then from, but the rear inner wheel inner section at James paddock is £115, cheaper than Rimmer Bros.

[James]

Go for the original position of the shock — it's at a better angle and has more travel than those conversion brackets.

[Tim Bancroft]

Totally agree with James.

Original position is the best option. Longer travel will make for a better ride and more compliance therefore enabling the suspension to deal with surface irregularities.

As for the amount welding. What has been exposed does not look too bad. I'd have a go and see how you get on. Better to learn on the 'hidden' panels than exterior panel work.

Good GT6s are increasing in value, so unusually for small chassis'd Triumph cars, spending money is worth it.

I have had mine for 30 years at present, can't imagine life with out the car. Brilliant budget sportscar.

Good luck.

Some good knowledgeable Triumph people visit this forum, loads fo help and experience.

Where are you based?

[Longstrider]

I'm in cheshunt in Hertfordshire.  The inner panels are relatively solid, with a few small holes but unsightly due to the welding that took place in 1995, probably need a second opinion as in my mind I want it to be as new, but I realise this is not realistic and is probably overkill.