DVD3500

Del Lines production?

I frequent a car podcast calls "Smith and Sniff" and they recently mused about our favorite car designer Michelotti. They mentioned a Triumph 2000 prototype with a Stag V8. Anyone ever heard of this? Does anyone know if it is still around?

Waiting for the body and chassis to be acid dipped, galvanized and primed so I went to the workshop and stripped the other things that need sandblasting like the heater box and top/hoop frame. I also found a specialist to mend my fiberglass hood/bonnet and get the documentation to make it road legal (German TÜV is a bit narky about that...)... Slowly progressing..

I believe it is on on 20 April.. I shall be checking it out!

Why wouldn't you? I have had multiple situations leaving my parking spot at 2 MPH and a kid whips around the corner on a bike and I slam on the brakes and everything not bolted down flies through the cockpit.... Seriously, even at 2 MPH you will kiss the steering wheel (well maybe you won't but your passengers will bite the dash...)

I will upload pictures if there is any interest but: All best offer: Rear axles aka driveshafts Spitfire MKIV Californian motor (`76) turns but no clue if it runs. I think I still have the air pump and other emissions peripherals. No clue if they work. OK Doors Spitfire MKIV/1500 Rest of the "tub" in very rough state. Chassis in good condition, little to no rust. Location: Near Hockenheim GERMANY but (!) see note below about US shipping It will all be taken to a recycler around 3 March 2023. I accept PayPal. Smaller items can be be sent to the US in May 2023: I have a courier that can take small items back to Michigan and then post within the US.

I visited "Bitter Lemon" on Sunday. The body shop had literally taken everything else apart(it was a rolling chassis with the body loosely attached when they picked it up). Was mildly miffed as I wanted to do some work but I live nearly an hour and half away in in that time they claim they had it taken apart! Next step is to have it dipped and coated and see about a repaint... We also determined to use most of the California ca (aka Bitter Lemon) and only the barest minimum of parts from "Blue Lightning". I am trying to find a place that will give me some cash for the metal... If I can think of saying something more interesting i might make a new thread...

I got a message from the body shop guy... He has fixed the rear fender/wing and has taken the hood/bonnet and trunk/boot lid off! He has also "divorced" the body from the chassis... I knew he wanted to get started but this kind of surprised me!!

I apologize.. it's called "l'expert automobile" https://www.bibliauto.fr/doc-technique-SPITFIRE-Triumph/3114-revue-technique-spitfire-1300.html

There is a French "Revue technique" for the Spitfire MkIV/1500 that looks and smells a lot like a translated version of the official repair manual: Same pictures (right-hand model etc.), same structure etc. and thanks to the pictures you can figure out what parts are what. Easily available from any online auction house for about 20-30 of your EU €s...

Not my mod but a housemate cut a hole in the hood/bonnet of his '67 Mustang. I think to make space for new, bigger motor. Somehow during this they must have weakened/damaged the front catch as the hood decided to flip up on the highway ... luckily thanks to the hole he could keep going!

If you are not a polyglot use google to see if there is a car club of the same or similar persuasion near where you will be. I would argue short of a catastrophic failure of a gearbox or motor most clubs have members who can fix you up in a matter of hours if not minutes. Heck, even a blown gearbox is an ordeal of only a few hours for the savvy... Recently the driveshaft slipped out of the diff coupling of a friend and through a friend of a friend a farmer was found that was able to machine the pin that had sheered and also offered to weld the darn thing on! It was down to a club member`s recommendation.... Just a thought...

Which car?

Oh dear... 😞

I can vouch for the German clubs: Your offer would be most welcome.

This happened to my wife with the US. We got around it because she could prove she had been in and out of some other countries in the meantime. Was not a problem. In my experience, being humble and kind and showing evidence like hotel bills and/or train/ferry tickets usually placates them...

For some reason all your posts are using your user name as the title and as such not really showing up well in the lists of threads... Not sure if you can change that or if you have to re-post

Yep.. rare MKI should be kept alive! Whereabouts in Germany (feel free to PM if you don't want to post here)? There is a very active Spitfire club here that might help you before you go back to ol' Blighty...

Portmadog is not far from Portmeirion where the Prisoner was filmed...

I have heard that a lot about the SUs. When I had my first Spitfire it was the single Zenith Stromberg and getting dual SUs in my part of the US (all pre-interweb) was tough plus I had little knowledge of them. I bought a down draft Weber kit and it was pretty straightforward and problem free. I reckon if someone had been around to help me and the parts had been available dual SUs would have been just as fine...

Most upgrades that make the car more of a daily driver are in the fuel and ignition dept.: Electronic ignition Better carburetion (dual SU or Weber side/down draft) Headers are a good option too The above can all be done with a little knowledge and reading up. They are all easily reversible. One BIG upgrade is adding a relay to the headlight circuit. Otherwise the headlight switch may burn out! You can fiddle with the suspension and brakes to make ride and stop differently (better) Stiffer/lower springs/shock absorbers etc. After that you start getting into tuning and tweaking purely cosmetic stuff. Knobbier camshafts and the like. There are two good books on the subject: Everyday Modifications for your Spitfire and the Competition Guide by Kas Kastner. Opinions will vary but that is my take.. 🙂

Black lab... 🙂 She's on the smallish side so should still fit behind the seats....

I know this is for the rear hatch but Spitfires have the same problem around the windshield. I used a special, clear windshield sealant and ran it all around the windshield both on the inside and outside (if you get what I mean). I then applied it in those corners on the outside, like 3-4 layers building it up. It really was only noticeable if you looked for it IMHO. I didn't keep the car long enough to check if it stopped rusting but I seldom saw water collect there.

I love tips like these!

It wasn't the wicker seats or the ferret in the cushions? 😄