Restoration Of Original/Specimen Spitfire

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something wrong...cant upload pics.

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After getting rid of layers of bitumen/battery compound,was cleaned with wet paper to shiny metal.not a single trace of rust.

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Results....

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Another view...

do you remember that we made this part (quarter valence) right + left for our other spitfire (blue one) by hand using this one as a sample......

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outer side of fire wall was also coated with the same bitumen which was removed as well....

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Back to shiny metal .....outer side of right firewall...

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And left side....like brand new..

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Underside of bonnet including inner wheel arches were primed (left wheel arch)

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And left wheel arch primed......

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Left rear corner of bonnet primed...

NOTE new original bonnet rest rubber cone fitted which I sourced from UK...a very important part of spitfire..complete bonnet adjustment depends on this.

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And right rear corner of bonnet with new bonnet rest rubber cone.

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And a complete view of underside of bonnet primed.

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A small tragic story follows....

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So here it is.....

After complete priming the bonnet from outside and inside,I noticed a small stress crack at the lower mounting plate of bonnet,where fixing pipe attatches with the bonnet first. probably due to age and uneven lifting of bonnet because it is a huge one and lifting from one side can cause this type of stress cracks....

any how,,,,,

bolt of fixing bracket was removed to do some fine welding..

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I tried to capture that crack from this angle for your view but i think not very successful attempt :).

there was another crack on the other side..

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Welding on the way surrounded by wet clothes to protect primer from burning.....

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Another view.......

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And another...very difficult place to weld....

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Inspite of all the protection,and wet clothings etc.....this is what happened...burnt surrounding primer.

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Had to start all over again.....