Spitfire MKIV Restoration Newbie.

[LouisW]

Hi guys/ girls,

I'm new to the forum, and after browsing through lots of different spitfire threads I thought it was time i took on the one which had been awaiting me for 16 years as it sat on the drive from the time i was born.  

It's a red MKIV Spitfire but it's seen better days. From first glance, the outersill has rusted towards the back of the car and the bonnet/ front wheelarches is also following suit.

The front wheelarches are rotten through and hanging off the bonnet which has been removed from it's hinges from my dad around 5 years ago.

I have purchased a disk grinder and have started to remove some of the surface rust from the bonnet on the front of the car and am thinking about fully removing the and priming/filling where necessary.

I've never done this sort of thing before so i'm looking for advice on just where to start and on what to do. At 16 it's not the easiest task to be undertaking but i've always wanted to do it and i love a challenge!

Any help would be greatly appreciated on tips/ ideas where to start. I know a welder will more than likely need to be used in the future but i just don't really have the skills for that or the funds to purchase one out right at all!!

I look forward to the replies and help for this project that i'm taking on!

Cheers,
Louis.

[Richard B]

Godd luck and welcome.

Sounds like you will need a welder or access to one. Might be worth you considering a fibreglass bonnet. I know of a couple of MkIV's with them and they fit quite well.

Keep an eye on eBay.

[junkuser]

Nice to see someone so young interested in restoring an old car.
You will be given every encouragement to keep going on this forum.
Every success Richard.

[WIMPUS]

hi !

i've got a Spit 1500 😉
You got a good taste of cars for your age ( I'm 22 so..) 😉

Please do post photo's
And also see my tread :  Sorry , link no longer available
kind regards wim

[Sheepy]

Hi and welcome.

You said it was sat on the drive for so many years, but are you working on it in a garage now or still outside?
If outside, any bare metal will rust in no time, and you will just get frustrated keep working on the same part.
Unfortunately you will defenately need to switch on a welder in the near future, I would suggest looking at some of the rebuild threads in this section by some of the others to see what you are up against, like mine and wim's for example, plus many others.
Just don't get down hearted, this happens so much when people begin these projects, sometimes it seems like its never going to end, trust me it will, we will be here to support you along the way 🙂
Don't rush things, keep calm, and if it's getting to you, just leave it alone for 5,10,15 minutes or whatever it takes!
And lastly (I have probably forgotten other things) don't forget to start a thread with your pictures! 😀

[LouisW]

Thanks for the advice so far, its comforting knowing I have people to fall back on when needs be. I will be sure to check out the threads as I enjoy reading them aswell as learning tons from them!! The car is currently outside and I found out bare metal does indeed rust very fast indeed! I am thinking I will need to work fast and give it a coat of primer to prevent rust after removing it. If this isn't a good way to do it please point me the right way!

I've ordered some primers but am also looking at some body fillers but I'm unsure on the best to choose. I ground a small area with aflap disc and noticed it was pitting in certain patches. Is this fixable without welding? I want to get the most done.as possible before welding is required :s

I will try to get some pictures of the old girl as it'll help me if I'm able to see progress. If you guys are able to let me know a good place to start it would really help!

Thanks again and I look forward to your replies

[junkuser]

Primer, itself, is not good enough to prevent further rusting as it does let in moisture.

Phosphoric acid may handle the rust in the pits . Lots about this in previous posts. Try the search facility.

[Richard B]

Bare primer absorbs water I'm afraid.  

[LouisW]

Ah, that's a bummer! I have two questions now, What would be the fastest way to remove all of the paint from the bonnet? I've tried a flat disc and it does the job but looks like it may take a while as the rust bungs up the disc pretty quickly. Would Nitromors do the job, and then i'd finish it up and remove some of the rust with the flap disc/ regular hand sanding?

Also, after removing the paint to bare metal would i be right in thinking i need to prime it and get the bonnet indoors in order to avoid moisture? Or would i be able to cover the spitfire entirely keeping moisture out of it whilst it stay outdoors? 🤔

This would definitely be easier as our garage is full to capacity so would need emptying before anything as big as a spitfire would get into it!

Thanks again, and i'll be sure to take some pictures at the weekend when it's abit brighter. By the time i get home from school each day the sun is setting so not perfect for images!! 😲

[thescrapman]

Quoted from LouisW

I thought it was time i took on the one which had been awaiting me for 16 years as it sat on the drive from the time i was born.  

Louis

It would appear your father got his priorities wrong 16 years ago...

The sooner you can get pictures up the sooner we can tell you what is and isn't worth repairing, and the best way to go about it.

Where abouts are you??

Cheers

Colin

p.s. get the crap out of the garage pronto and stick IT under a tarpaulin on the driveway, garages are for cars, not junk!

[LouisW]

Easier said than done! I'd love to clear out the garage but with the amount of stuff which is in there of my mums I just dont know where it would all go inside the house! Most is fit for the bin!

The front headlights as well as both front and back chrome bumpers have been stored in the garage so they're in pristine condition.

It had spent alot of it's years inside the garage but was taken out around 3 years ago. I know i need to get picture but the good ol' british darkness is stopping me doing so  

I'm down near York

[thescrapman]

Quoted from LouisW

I'm down near York

Surely that is UP near York 🙂

At least it spent 13 years in the garage, I have seen (and put back on teh road!) cars that have sat outside for many years.

Weld-a-thon does not sum it up......

3 years is probably about the maximum before major rot starts to eat away at it.

Anyway, you need to be firm with your mother, tell her priorities have changed, and teh valuable appreciating classic needs to go in the garage to prevent it loosing anymore value. Then light a bonfire and start prioritising.....

Cheers

Colin

[LouisW]

York is kind of centered so wasn't sure which way to go!

The exterior doesnt look that bad, and am I right in thinking it should be fired before bodywork takes place? It had been my mums  pride and joy until my dad drove it and broke the overdrive as it would never engage which was the initial reason for taking it off the road in the first place.

The engine looks very sorry for itself but I guess before you guys know what to say you need pics!!

[thebrookster]

Quoted from LouisW

York is kind of centered so wasn't sure which way to go!

The exterior doesnt look that bad, and am I right in thinking it should be fired before bodywork takes place? It had been my mums  pride and joy until my dad drove it and broke the overdrive as it would never engage which was the initial reason for taking it off the road in the first place.

The engine looks very sorry for itself but I guess before you guys know what to say you need pics!!

Obviously being a youngster, you may not yet be aware of the southerners veiw of North compared to everyone else!! Most of us Northerners would agree York is not far above centre, particularly if you include Scotland!!

However, a lot of southerners consider Birmingham to be North!! So you kinda have to take this into account when describing locations

And yes, for decent advice, we need pictures. Obviously the car in flesh is better, but most of us on here are experts at interpreting photo's Plenty of practice!

Phil (who truly lives in the North )

[LouisW]

Haha, I am never any good with saying up or down with locations but atleast i always know what i mean!! Do you have any ideas on a quick way to remove the paint from the bonnet? I'm thinking either stripping it with nitromors and then flap discing it, or flap discing it and finishing it by hand.

The cylinder rocker cover had been taken off and stored inside the car, but cylinders look very black and seized upwhich isn't good i wouldnt have thought?

Any ideas would be great! I'll be sure to get some pictures tomorrow

[thebrookster]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00.....ativeASIN=B000LFVY7W

I have heard good things about these discs (for an angle grinder), particularly coupled with a paint stripper.

Engine seized - could be anything. Seeing as it needs rebuilding, put some diesel into each cylinder and leave it over night (an inch or so, and make sure either the sump pan is still on or a bucket underneath!!) Next day see if the engine will turn over (spanner on crank pulley nut). Might need a longish bar initially.

Chances are, you will at least need the bores honed, and possibly bored out to the next oversize, but bit pointless worrying about that until you get the pistons to move!

[LouisW]

I forgot to mention that the spitfire had been under a carport since it came out of the garage so it's never been on full contact to teh elements.

I managed to get a few pictures, but i will try to get some more of the engine at the weekend.
She looks abit sorry for herself in the pictures, looks better in real life!!









Cheers,

Louis.

[thebrookster]

Some more shots of under the doors, the bottom of the wings just behind the doors but before the wheel, and inside the rear wheel arches, if you can Louis??

And before you take them, give em a good scraping or wirebrushing, these are the areas that can be most susceptible to rust, which may hide behind the paint work. Blistering paint is a good clue. Also, get a screw driver, and poke the same areas, not quite hard enough to dent but almost. You are looking for either movement or the screwdriver just going straight through the sill!!

Other possible problem areas are the floor pans, if you have any carpets get them out I reckon.

And unfortunately, exposure to the elements is not the biggest threat in the UK, it is the sheer humidity we have!!

Cheers,

Phil

[thebrookster]

And incidentally, napa1 makes a good suggestion in his gt6 thread, you can use a magnet to detect rust reasonably well. If it sticks, may not be too bad, but if it doesn't stick then rusty.

Not foolproof, but an easy guide without the need for butchering!!

[LouisW]

I'll be sure to take more pictures tomorrow and check out the rear wheel arches.

I had noticed before though, after feeling around with a body hammer that on the rear side of the sill (under near the rear wheelarch) there is a rotten hole. I managed to remove some rust from around there with my bare hands (which is never good) but im not sure whether its rust from inside the sill or whether just from around the edge that's fallen in. The sills in general seem OK.

I hope those initial pictures were alright, but ill have to take some with natural daylight!! 😀

Thanks for all of your help so far it's greatly appreciated . Are there any certain areas which you believe look like they need work?

Cheers,
Louis.

[junkuser]

The type of disk Philip suggested are very good for removing paint and filler.
Many brands and styles available now and much cheaper than the original 3M ones.
Last well and do a good job even used on a drill.

[LouisW]

I got some 40 grit flap discs from the local bootsale for £1 each which isn't bad at all considering they retail at around £3-4!!

They seem to last well but i dont really want to be using the angle grinder with flap discs on removing normal paint as it'll just wear them down quickly. I'm thinking of paint stripping it using nitromors (which i've heard isn't very strong anymore) and then finishing it with the flap discs on the rusty areas.

Thanks for the help, and i'll certainly look into investing one of those discs.

[NC]

This stuff is supposed to be very good or so they say on the mig welding forum, not tried it yet though.

http://www.artemisproducts.co.uk/boden-paint-and-glue-stripper-5-litres.html

[DaveKent]

Your spit doesn't look that bad!   have a look on the Dolomite thread about one of MadMarts projects. Plenty of pics on there, and paintstripping advice.  Sorry , link no longer available

[LouisW]

I managed to get even more pictures as asked from the brookster. Both sides are the same with a the screwdriver only going through towards the back portion of teh sills. Everywhere else seems pretty solid.

I found some filler on the rear wheelarch which has held up suprisingly well but would probably need removing. The car as a whole seems pretty solid however, just with alot of surface rust.

Here are some pictures as asked from by brookster -









I hope this amount of pictures is alright