toolmaker Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 pics cont... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 last few pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 and here are my rebuilt brake calipers with new pistons and seals, ready to fit.next job move car over and fit and weld drivers sill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 It's been quite a journey Ian. You've done some amazing work within the confines of a single garage and I'm sure you must be delighted with everything you have achieved. The pictures provide and excellent reference for anyone embarking on a GT6 restoration. Hats off to you.John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepy Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 It's always great to see the work some do in such confined space.It's coming along well, good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncdude Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 I love it when i see home fabricated panel work and patches. Shows what people are capable of and gives me a bit of confidence to try some myself. Good work! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 thankyou for your kind comments, sometimes when i see some of the absolutely mint bodies going for paint i think how did they get that like that without spending mega bucks.i use bought panels only if i cant make them, so its a mix and match. end of the day it will be a very sound gt6.i take it bit by bit, after the body is finished then i will think what next, over the last 2.5 years i have i think collected everything i need and more to complete the car. as far as i know, i need 4 tyres, a headlining and electronic ignition although i intend to fire it up on points first.of course i am hoping the engine and box are ok, but i am not that far ahead yet. i have receipts for a new crank and shells 1000 miles ago so heres hoping. the box also has many wiring receipts for the overdrive so i am hoping mechanically ok. we will see.i intend to modernise where possible, ie. wiring upgraded to relays etc. peugeot 205 radiator and electric fans (in stock), and polybushes all round. need the polybushes also.as my seats are not great and i am 5`8" i am going to fit mx5 seats, also in stock.its all in the mind unfolding every day. but i`ll get there. thanks again for the comments.ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkuser Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 What a job!Hat's off to you, Mal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phwoar Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Kudos, that's some work for a self-taught welder and sheet-metal fettler! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotoflex Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 There's a lucky car! Very nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP72 Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Great job, Ian! Very impressive work! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegt6 Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 What a project......insane or mad...lol - Bravo..!! Keep up the tempo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 12, 2014 Author Share Posted April 12, 2014 hi, any of you had this trouble?when trial fitting my doors, the origonal hinge catch plates were stripped, now i made new ones from 6mm plate with the holes kept at 5/16 unf,(not pictured here) they were fine when using an empty shell door, but when i fitted the full gt6 door even when the bolts were tight the door would drop maybe about a mm with the weight. so i made these up which are 6mm plate with m10 nuts welded in, you have to chamfer the back so that the little tabs will fold round the slightly extra thickness, i just used cap head bolts and the difference is much stronger.i also found it much easier to tighten up the bolts with an allen key. they are heavy doors the gt6 door and i think this is a stronger set up.you could argue that the 6mm plate could just be drilled and tapped 10mm but the nuts give that extra length for the bolts.next week drivers sill commences.ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 hi, got the car on its rollers and shoved it over to the other side to put the drivers side sill on.at the minute i have had it set with clamps, took a fiddle to get it best as i could, tomorrow i will weld it on as now i am waiting for the inside paint to dry.first picture you can see the new door hinge captive plates in place, you dont even have to use all the bolts to clamp the door up, much stronger i think.the following pictures try to show the panel gaps achieved, i am pretty happy with them considering the car has a whole new floor and inner and outer sills, and rear wing repair panels, the doors i will be using are much better than the gt6 origonals, they are from different spitfires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 last 2 pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JensH Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Sure your sills has not been pressed too much up?New floor pans are repro panels, but far far better than those available in the 90'. They are good but certainly not perfedt reproductions of the originals, but the outer floor flange for the sill is not (always) as deep as the original, which makes the whole sill assembly try to sit higher than it wants to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JensH Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 This might explain better what I am trying to say: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 hi jens, i think the sills are ok, they are probably as your cross section sketch shows. the pics enclosed are of an origonal spitfire with perfect door gaps, i have hundreds of gt6 and spitfire pictures of more or less everything i use for reference. my passenger side was ok, the drivers side i did have to add 1/2" of steel to the bottom of the inner sill for the sill to weld to.this would kind of prove out your sketch if you get my meaning.i am pretty sure they are correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 Perfect panel gaps but so much rust; how sad is that?Glad to see work is progressing nicely Ian. You've managed to achieve a really good gap between the B post top and the door. having seen that I'll have to have another go at mine now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 thanks john,the door gaps for me was a worry with virtually all the bottom end being renewed. of course the repair panels are a god send, but not always a perfect fit. and this shows up most in the gaps achieved.i had to fiddle quite a bit with the drivers side but am very happy with it. passenger side, the b post rad round the door bottom was too big and i had to run a bead of weld round the rear wing repair panel and grind it to give the correct gap. the gap is good but the top 5" the gap widens out a couple of mm and i cant adjust the door to even it up. so i think another bead of weld may be necessary here.bar that the majority of the welding for the shell is complete and i can move on to the next phase.things will slow down again as wife and daughters are back from seeing her parents on the other side of the world tomorrow.better start cleaning the house up. ha ha . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 7235 wrote:thanks john,the door gaps for me was a worry with virtually all the bottom end being renewed. of course the repair panels are a god send, but not always a perfect fit. and this shows up most in the gaps achieved.i had to fiddle quite a bit with the drivers side but am very happy with it. passenger side, the b post rad round the door bottom was too big and i had to run a bead of weld round the rear wing repair panel and grind it to give the correct gap. the gap is good but the top 5" the gap widens out a couple of mm and i cant adjust the door to even it up. so i think another bead of weld may be necessary here.bar that the majority of the welding for the shell is complete and i can move on to the next phase.I may need to do the same to get my door gaps correct...I'll keep this method in mind. Thanks for the idea!Quote:things will slow down again as wife and daughters are back from seeing her parents on the other side of the world tomorrow.better start cleaning the house up. ha ha .I hear ya there. Slack off until she is just about home and then it is whirlwind clean up the house and do the dishes and pray she doesn't catch on!Reminds me of this song by Cledus T. Judd.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1pSkUanU10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 21, 2014 Author Share Posted April 21, 2014 hi byakko, ha ha , was it "the house that broke me" u.k you tube hadnt loaded it, but i searched the net and put 2+2 together, its not that bad, now does he do a song "the gt6 that broke me" maybe nearer the point. ha ha ha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 that's funny. I'm sitting staring at a parts order I plan on making, and comparing it to my bank account, thinking I need to squeeze in a paint job this year, which of my older kids am I going to sell, or should I just rent them out! ;D---well, at least I would like to be at the point of painting this year.Just discovered I need to rebuild my calipers, and I need to order some brake hoses so I gotta add those to the order. It'll have a brand new braking system from front to back by the time I'm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 21, 2014 Author Share Posted April 21, 2014 hi, i just done my calipers, are your pistons free? mine were solid, if yours are the same, keep the caliper together and heat them to get them out, i put mine in a vice, heated one side up and knocked the piston out with a screwdriver and hammer, one wouldnt budge and i got that one by splitting the caliper and welding a nut on the inside of the piston and removed it with a slide hammer. i split both calipers, cleaned them all up and lightly ground the mating faces to make sure they were flat, be carefull and keep the small sealing rubbers when you split the calipers.then paint and re assemble with new pistons, seals and white brake grease. when putting the calipers back together i used loctite on the bolts.saved just over £100. how much are kids these days i have two ha ha ha . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolmaker Posted April 21, 2014 Author Share Posted April 21, 2014 forgot the pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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