Mercy help me, what have I done...
Discussion
Almost my first post on PH, although I've been lurking for a bit. Thought I may as well kick off with the start of my new project. An early 70's GT6 that a friend gave me. It's been sitting outside as a non runner for 5 years or so.
Bad points:- The body is FUBAR. With the exception of the rear outer wings, every single panel has huge holes in it. What looks solid isn't, and rest is holes... Because water was running in through the roof/windscreen surround, some of the interior is beyond repair too - the carpets are rotten, as is part of the dashboard.
The good points:- The chassis was blasted and painted before the project was last abandoned. It needs a quick clean up and re-painting. The suspension is all good, and amazingly the brakes still work although they'll be stripped and cleaned. The engine and box are good - the engine has had £400 spent on it recently. I do need to put the engine back together though. Fingers crossed I've been given all of the bits.
The plan:- The body isn't worth saving, so that'll go. I have access to a good Spit Mk3 body which will go on, and I'll then fit a fibreglass bonnet. I'd love to reshell the GT6, but funds, being away from home two nights a week, a uni distance learning course for my masters, and my first child on the way preclude expensive or time consuming car tinkering. If time and funds ever permit in the future, I'll source a half decent GT6 shell as a starting point and make it back into a GT car.![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/1Mgjq4qq.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/UjWA2s4x" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/UjWA2s4x.jpg)
Bad points:- The body is FUBAR. With the exception of the rear outer wings, every single panel has huge holes in it. What looks solid isn't, and rest is holes... Because water was running in through the roof/windscreen surround, some of the interior is beyond repair too - the carpets are rotten, as is part of the dashboard.
The good points:- The chassis was blasted and painted before the project was last abandoned. It needs a quick clean up and re-painting. The suspension is all good, and amazingly the brakes still work although they'll be stripped and cleaned. The engine and box are good - the engine has had £400 spent on it recently. I do need to put the engine back together though. Fingers crossed I've been given all of the bits.
The plan:- The body isn't worth saving, so that'll go. I have access to a good Spit Mk3 body which will go on, and I'll then fit a fibreglass bonnet. I'd love to reshell the GT6, but funds, being away from home two nights a week, a uni distance learning course for my masters, and my first child on the way preclude expensive or time consuming car tinkering. If time and funds ever permit in the future, I'll source a half decent GT6 shell as a starting point and make it back into a GT car.
Ref selling the bits, I'll try with some of them, but anything GT6 specific (rear quarter windows for example) which hasn't been eaten by the tin worm, I'm planning to keep on the basis that I do intend to put it back into FHC configuration at some point in the future.
The bonnet is one of those things that will go on 'the bay'. I don't have the time or the welding skill to be faffing around replacing the wings, so I'll be getting a fibreglass replacement. As a happy aside, the 'glass bonnet will help the handling. The GT6 tends to understeer anyway because it has a big heavy engine right at the front, and taking weight away from the rear of the car by turning it into a DHC tends to make it push even more. Fitting a composite bonnet and moving the battery into the boot will hopefully help to quell that tendency. I did briefly look at moving the engine and box back on the chassis, but then it suddenly went from being a quick and easy project to something quite a bit more involved - I'd have had to have reshaped the bulkhead and cut and re-welded the chassis, plus cut down the prop shaft. I decided it would be a lot easier to adopt a slow in fast out technique when cornering instead of messing about with the chassis.
The bonnet is one of those things that will go on 'the bay'. I don't have the time or the welding skill to be faffing around replacing the wings, so I'll be getting a fibreglass replacement. As a happy aside, the 'glass bonnet will help the handling. The GT6 tends to understeer anyway because it has a big heavy engine right at the front, and taking weight away from the rear of the car by turning it into a DHC tends to make it push even more. Fitting a composite bonnet and moving the battery into the boot will hopefully help to quell that tendency. I did briefly look at moving the engine and box back on the chassis, but then it suddenly went from being a quick and easy project to something quite a bit more involved - I'd have had to have reshaped the bulkhead and cut and re-welded the chassis, plus cut down the prop shaft. I decided it would be a lot easier to adopt a slow in fast out technique when cornering instead of messing about with the chassis.
uk66fastback said:
Make sure you keep us informed with pics/stories - plenty of people on here have done stuff like this and can offer loads of advice ...
Usually it's an engine swap INTO a Spitfire not t'other way round ...
I think I'd choose to do it the other way round (ie Spit body onto GT6 chassis) - a Mark II or early Mark III GT6 has a much better rear chassis than any Spitfire variant. Just lift off the GT6 body and drop on the Spitfire body - easy!Usually it's an engine swap INTO a Spitfire not t'other way round ...
Yertis said:
uk66fastback said:
Make sure you keep us informed with pics/stories - plenty of people on here have done stuff like this and can offer loads of advice ...
Usually it's an engine swap INTO a Spitfire not t'other way round ...
I think I'd choose to do it the other way round (ie Spit body onto GT6 chassis) - a Mark II or early Mark III GT6 has a much better rear chassis than any Spitfire variant. Just lift off the GT6 body and drop on the Spitfire body - easy!Usually it's an engine swap INTO a Spitfire not t'other way round ...
As for the weight distribution - don't worry about it, there are enjoyable drivers' cars with far worse and you soon won't even notice it (except in snow!).
Best of luck, John.
spoodler said:
Not quite as easy as is often made out but keep on with it as the finished item is well worth the effort, one of my favourites. Depending on the spec' you may have to fabricate a few brackets for the rear suspension, or you may find them for sale on the 'net. Also you'll have a few minor bits of fabricating for the handbrake cable guides, and you'll need plenty of Spitty bits like the fuel tank but it's all out there cheap if you look.
As for the weight distribution - don't worry about it, there are enjoyable drivers' cars with far worse and you soon won't even notice it (except in snow!).
Best of luck, John.
Aye,I'm aware that there will be a few hurdles. Already have a spitfire petrol tank (there's one in the tub already and a mate has a few spares anyway), and i was aware that the tub doesn't quite 'drop straight on'. In fact, it seems I may have a bit of a problem. I've just been told by a supposed expert that the Mk3 spit tub won't fit onto the Mk3 chassis (cos the front of the chassis is different apparently, meaning that I need a Mk 4 body instead...), and that even if it does, I'll need a Mk2 GT6 bonnet. Which is a bit of a faff as I already have access to the Mk3 spit tub. Obviously when I get the '6 body off, I'll be able to trial fit everything up, but if anyone has some direct experience of this in the meantime it would be good to know your views.As for the weight distribution - don't worry about it, there are enjoyable drivers' cars with far worse and you soon won't even notice it (except in snow!).
Best of luck, John.
I'll be spending the afternoon continuing with the strip down in the garage and the evening trawling through the triumph forums I think.
6fire said:
In fact, it seems I may have a bit of a problem. I've just been told by a supposed expert that the Mk3 spit tub won't fit onto the Mk3 chassis (cos the front of the chassis is different apparently, meaning that I need a Mk 4 body instead...), and that even if it does, I'll need a Mk2 GT6 bonnet.
Don't give up on your plans yet.The Mk3 bodytub (i.e. from the bulkhead back) will fit the chassis reasonably easily.
It is the Bonnet fitment which differs and here is where you might be better off with a MK4 or 1500 body. The way in which the bonnet mounts to the Chassis is different for the MK3 GT6 from the MK2.
MK3 GT6 Bonnet Fitment = same as MK4/1500 Spit.
MK2&MK1 GT6 Bonnet Fitment = same as MK3/2/1 Spit.
So if you don't want to modify the Chassis you need a MK3 GT6 Bonnet (NOT a MK2 as you mention above).
However I have seen Spitfires in the past with a MK4 body and a MK3 Bonnet (and bizarrely that one looked quite good).
I would expect a later bonnet and earlier body to look s
t though - which is why, after my ramblings, I reckon you should go with a MK4/1500 body.Get over to www.clubtriumph.org.uk too. There are a few people over there who have built "Gitfires"
There is a Mk1 body on ebay atm if you dont want to go down the spitfire route 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Complete-Triumph-GT6-Mk1...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Complete-Triumph-GT6-Mk1...
Aye, there have been a few GT 6 bodies on eBay recently. Unfortunately I promised my wife I wouldn't spend any money on 'the wreck'.
It seems the mk3 spit' body was going to cause me a few headaches. Looking on the bright side, I've phoned round all my mates and come up with a half decent mk4 shell.
The old GT 6 body strip down is almost complete, hopefully the body willl be off next weekend. I should have the chassis cleaned, re-painted and back on it's suspendibobs by the end of October with a bit of luck and a following wind.
It seems the mk3 spit' body was going to cause me a few headaches. Looking on the bright side, I've phoned round all my mates and come up with a half decent mk4 shell.
The old GT 6 body strip down is almost complete, hopefully the body willl be off next weekend. I should have the chassis cleaned, re-painted and back on it's suspendibobs by the end of October with a bit of luck and a following wind.
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