Restoration story of my Spitfire convertible

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spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-19 05:17:15 +0500 #4481

And fitted.....
All the cards/panels will be removed later for covering/upholstery.....

ansarghani (Syed Ansar Ghani) 2010-10-19 06:34:17 +0500 #4482

Good job?
Rehman bhai what about the rims? have you sourced a set for it?

bali27 (bali27) 2010-10-19 07:56:43 +0500 #4483

AOA,

I really appreciate the dedication in your efforts. Wish you all the success !!
Brother, if it is not much of a trouble, please help me find one Alfa Romeo
"spitfire" 1964 model. I am looking for long without success.
rgds Babar 0333-4338042

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 06:00:16 +0500 #4484

@ansarghani....
Thanks Ansar bhai....,good question about rims...I was also thinking about the same...
welll we have 3 options so far...spitfires,like all other British classics uses 98 pcd Rims,which are hard to find here...fortunately I got hold of one set of the same pcd (brand new)which is lying with me...not bad but ideal alloys would be "MINILITES"..which I think we will have to import...
Second option is "WIRE wheel caps"...I got a set with me which I bought from UK....very good quality...
Third option is its stock setup...center cup with triumph logo in the middle and chrome ring....
So we have to choose from these three....
I will take pics of these three options and will post so you brothers may help me choosing the best one.
Regards.....

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 06:16:01 +0500 #4485

@Bali27....
Thank you so much for appreciation and your kind words.....
Babar Bhai,The car you are looking for does not exist in Pakistan,I think.....
Its next to impossible to find classics of your choice.....Reasons are ...awareness ,access to internet and supply of parts are far better than before.
So the people who have classics hardly sell them...No matter they restore them or just keep them in the same junk condition....but selling...a big NO..
Like I was looking for a mustang 65,66,67 convertible,found one....having a chat with the guy for a couple of years.....offered him 2 million few months back but he declined my offer....provided the car is not in pristine condition and a lot of work is required....
So its like this brother...Lets see if we come across the classic of your choice...
Best of luck for finding one...

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 06:18:21 +0500 #4486

I am thinking about what to take up next......

ansarghani (Syed Ansar Ghani) 2010-10-20 06:40:43 +0500 #4487

@Rehman Bhai
without seeing all three options i will suggest the WIRE cover option.. It will certainly augment the classic looks of the car. Anyway do post pictures of all the 3 options...

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 12:49:14 +0500 #4488

@ansarghani....
I agree with you brother....wire caps will look nice..Any how,I will post pics of all three options in a couple of days...

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 12:59:06 +0500 #4489

salamz Brothers....
Lets take dash top/fascia top now...
well it was quite simple when we first had a look at it but proved to be very difficult to refurbish as you will see in coming pics....
Here it is...as it came off the car and was stored for few years..

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:01:03 +0500 #4490

Inside view......

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:08:49 +0500 #4491

A closer look....
Its a padded top with vinyl covering on the foam...But after being abused for about 40 years in sun and rain...it was in bad shape as you can see...vinyl top was brittle and breaking....cracks/splits here and there ,deformation of foam and heavy rusting of under panel (steel) at left end...a part was eaten up by rust..:(.
So after looking at it in detail...could not decide how to refurbish it...

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:17:51 +0500 #4492

First of all...heated a distorted portion with heat gun (I used for electrical wiring)and pressed so it may take the desired shape permanently after cooling....
So Raees is pressing a portion down after heating it with heat gun..

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:21:26 +0500 #4493

This experiment was a success...this split was protruding out but after heating and pressing....better than before...quite leveled.....

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:27:50 +0500 #4494

But the story was different at other end...left side where foam under the vinyl was gone...I mean it was not there any more...disintegrated....
Now the challenge was to fill this place to its original shape....preferably not breaking the suspended vinyl ...as you can see....

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:30:35 +0500 #4495

Came back to right side...Some more application of heat.....

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:34:02 +0500 #4496

The whole area was heated because it was quite wavy...
By heating vinyl is softened ....

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:40:13 +0500 #4497

And pressing it with bricks on the piece of wood to focus pressure on the desired (heated ) area....
Do you like our desi Press....
Oh I forgot...applied some magic depoxy glue at the slit to fix it initially...

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:44:25 +0500 #4498

Now we came to the lower side metal piece...because I decided to fix it first...As I told before that it was eaten up by rust...
you can see...

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:50:24 +0500 #4499

Started making a steel piece to fit there (rusted portion)....
welding was out of question ...so decided to fit in place with the help of magic epoxy steel....
Raees initially started making it according to the farma I made and gave him......

spitfire (spitfire) 2010-10-20 13:56:39 +0500 #4500

Half way through...I felt that it was beyond the scope of Raees....