CHRIS211083 Posted June 23, 2011 Posted June 23, 2011 Hi all, well my wedding (just gone) has now been fully paid for and now my attention turns towards my Triumph Spitfire GT. I will be using a T6 Fabrications Fibreglass body shell. T6 Fabrications Ill be converting the current engine to EFI after the body is fitted and paid for. Then ill be building a fast road spec 1147 engine to give the car the engine she should be running with an 8 port SAH Head. However back to the body. What does a T6 body look like........It looks like this: Very sexy, very sleek and most importantly ROT FREE!!! Many thanks to the owner of this car for leaving it with Graham so I could ogle it. My Car is a mk2 spitfire. Here's a shot from a year ago when I started to rebuild her. It was in a sorry state having been stripped 14 years before i bought it and then the owner part assembled and then lost interest. Here is the point where I'm at. Car has new rebuilt engine, all mechanicals have been serviced and MADE SAFE!!!and reliable. I fitted many new parts and its my daily driver. I use to be a Vehicle Mechanic so doing the above was the easy bit. However I'm no panel beater. I originally wanted a GT6 but not the motor(straight 6) and I wanted to be able to use it through the winters etc without worry. Then in walks the T6 Body concept. It fills all my criteria. So over the next 6 months I hope to have more photo's of the body being prepared by Graham. I do not intend to build this car all on my own as my time is too short. However Graham is going to do all the little annoying bits that take to long for us NON Panel beaters to do. Fitting doors, windows etc. He will then come up to Scotland and drop the body on. I will then transfer all the bits over from my current tub to the new one. Job done just like that.........Maybe be not, but wish me luck. Chris.
Mother Teresa Posted June 23, 2011 Posted June 23, 2011 Best of luck Chris- i'm looking forward to seeing how this progresses
Hurricane1500 Posted June 23, 2011 Posted June 23, 2011 sounds familiar to me good luck with the build - I'll be reading with interest and dont do what I did which was have a baby mide way through the build
Millstone10 Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 That'll be a great looking car. From your previous posts I can see you are not a "fitter" type of car mechanic (Uh doesn't work, Ill put another one on out of a box...), much more of the "engineer" type (Why didn't/doesn't that work?). IMHO that is the major distinction of this forum over most others that I looked at when this one was down for a while. (no disrespect to anyone that posts elsewhere, there's lots of great stuff out there between the polishing) I'd also like to give a big thanks to the partners of many on this site that allow this sort of stuff! Mine allowed me to bring my toy half way around the world, but that was after we had been married for 5 years, not 5 minutes I'm looking forward to your engineering fixes Chris! Nigel
ots366 Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 Looking forward to seeing this built, I saw one of the T6 cars at a Kit car show, and the quality was very good
GT6Steve Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 Chris, that's an exciting project developing there. Are you going to be able to get in it? There's been discussions in the past about seating in race cars for our taller members, maybe you'll need to lower the pans and such?
CHRIS211083 Posted June 24, 2011 Author Posted June 24, 2011 Hi all thanks for the support. Fitting in isn't a problem I have standard seats and fit in the spit with hardtop fine. Having a baby wont happen as the wife is scared S*itless about child birth. The project is gonna take a wee while as I'm still paying for the body. Graham(top bloke) has actually finished the body, so we are just waiting for me to catch up with the payments. Then it will be painted, glass/and seals fitted, doors/and innards fitted, rear quarter windows fitted, all brackets swapped and powder coated, alloy fuel tank, roll over bar and front grille le mans style. Paint scheme will be Black with red style le mans front into a stripe going over the car and off the back. I will also have White number boards, not that ill ever race it. More just for the look. Another of my objectives for this build is that I want to use as fewer brackets from the donor car as possible. Some brackets/plates are needed from the donor car i.e. the bulkhead dash support panels, these are the triangular panels that go either side of the master cylinder. Also the triangle tyre plates that go either side of the battery. Bonnet cone locator brackets. So I'll either buy these brand new or remove from a scrapped spitfire that lives near by me. The reason behind this is that although my body isn't straight and far from perfect, it could be made perfect by the right individual. If I remove all these hard to get pieces then no one will give me cash for it and it can't help to save another car. The boot already has some ones name on it and I think chic doig wants the body. All this can then help to either finish the body or pay towards the next step of EFI. After efi its the 1147 engine rebuild stage and finally the rebuilt the spare chassis/galvanise etc. However just the T6 is planned for this year. Will let you know as and when it develops and give you what ever photo's Graham sends my way. Thanks again, Chris.
CHRIS211083 Posted June 26, 2011 Author Posted June 26, 2011 Ok a quick update, spoke with Graham today. I have the four Bulk head panels to send to him from Rimmers. This is the location of these panels: In between the master cylinders: In between the wiper motor and brake master cylinder: And the panels either side of the battery. These are the bulk head strengthening brackets. As said previously I don't want to brake the panels off my original shell as I would rather some one repair it. That way I'll be helping keep some one else's car on the road. Another two panels I will be getting from the scrap yard car will be the Bonnet cone locating brackets: And also the steering column support bracket which goes under the dash. Fingers crossed my finished car should look similar to this car the Jigsaw le mans car ADU 1B.# The colour will be black, not green and the bonnet will be of the SAH type. The front grill will probably be different too as will the inlet scoop on the bonnet. I'll be going for the standard flat grill(at the moment anyway). Graham has also finished the half roll over bar that sits behind the seats. This also has mounting points for either a four point harness(not my cup of tea) or three point inertia seat belts. These will be what I choose to fit. Will update again once i have some pictures from Graham. Cheers, Chris
Oli Posted June 27, 2011 Posted June 27, 2011 I saw my first T6 car the other week which was built by Neil (Uprills on here) and they look amazing, I bet you can't wait to get building! Oli
CHRIS211083 Posted June 28, 2011 Author Posted June 28, 2011 Think Ulpris has his for sale mate, that or he may have sold it. He only covered 4 miles in it apparently to MOT it. http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/137464 I hope he hasn't sold it but he says he was moving house??? He has spent a small fortune on that car. Who ever get that will be most pleased. Chris.
Upriis Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Think Ulpris has his for sale mate, that or he may have sold it. He only covered 4 miles in it apparently to MOT it. http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/137464 I hope he hasn't sold it but he says he was moving house??? He has spent a small fortune on that car. Who ever get that will be most pleased. Chris. Unfortunately it is gonna be gone later this week :-( I accepted the deposit on it last week and agreed to sell, then today my house purchase fell through!!! GGRRRRRRRR!!!!!! not the happiest bunny
CHRIS211083 Posted June 28, 2011 Author Posted June 28, 2011 Just say the engine blew up randomly and you couldn't possibly sell it now. Tell us more about it, how it drives etc???? Chris.
Upriis Posted June 29, 2011 Posted June 29, 2011 Just say the engine blew up randomly and you couldn't possibly sell it now. Tell us more about it, how it drives etc???? Chris. on the way to the MOT last year it was really lumpy, it was on SU carbs, but when they were opened fully the thing flew!!! I have changed to webbers, but they need setting up! it goes, but really needs nursing to higher revs then takes off the car is so much lighter and handles quite well but again the suspension needs setting up. the suspension does need to be adjustable as the T6 is NOT the same as a Spit or GT6.
CHRIS211083 Posted July 31, 2011 Author Posted July 31, 2011 Ok, I've decided to make a change to the original plan. I was always half hearted towards the original spitfire tail lamps and most T6 owners tend to go for the TR small tail lamps but these to me are way too small. There was a car on ebay recently which was not to most peoples tastes however the rear end/tail lights have really taken root in the way i wish my car to look. Here's the pic: I love the rear lights on this car. However the lights I would like to use are the Nissan skyline R34 rear lights mounted in a similar way. Here is a link. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skyline-R34-GTR-RB26DETT-Rear-Light-Passenger-Side-NS-/160559541701?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2562182dc5#ht_1987wt_905 These are very bright tail lights and I think they will look amazing and give the car a really different look. They also incorporate the indicators so will clean up the rear end nicely. I've been in touch with Graham at T6 as these would need mountings molded into the car and this would need to be done before final paint prep. I think it's very important to do this type of mod properly. I've seen many different rear end lighting setups before but all were on the later model spitfires and gt6's which have a flat panel to mount the lights to making it easier to get a professional finish. Unfortunately the early round tails don't have this and I think it would be easy to cok up. However Graham is a very skilled man and I think this will be fun and interesting for him to put my ideas into this project. This current idea is currently months away from being finished however I will update as and when things materialise. Chris.
smithy Posted July 31, 2011 Posted July 31, 2011 Interesting rear treatment Chris, reminiscent of the later Corvettes, to me. I'm amazed I didn't see that car on Ebay! That also surprises me 'cos I'm a real Ebay junky. I can't find it on completed listings either. Got any more pics of it, for my collection?
CHRIS211083 Posted July 31, 2011 Author Posted July 31, 2011 Hi Smithy, it was posted on this site: http://sideways-technologies.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic/5636-body-work-skills-exceed-taste/ Or Here is the link to ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Triumph-Restored-1964-Triumph-GT-6-Coupe-302-V8-Fuel-Injected-/300580014018?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item45fbf707c2 Really nice looking car, not a fan of the bonnet or the engine but the rest looks really nice. Chris.
smithy Posted July 31, 2011 Posted July 31, 2011 Ah, Chris, American Ebay (that explains it). I'll go along with that rear-end treatment (and I was right about Corvette, hmmm) looks good to me too. It's certainly going to look very modern on the back of a T6, but why not?! Yep, that bonnets a fugly mess.
James Posted July 31, 2011 Posted July 31, 2011 You think that will work on a T6? I think it'll look out of place— the T6 is quite modest in terms of styling. You have to think of the whole car.
GT6MK3 Posted July 31, 2011 Posted July 31, 2011 I'm most certainly no purist. But in a word, Yuck. C.
DaveNotSoSideways Posted July 31, 2011 Posted July 31, 2011 I think Michelotti knew best, I agree, that looks ****. The normal rear-end is by far the best idea
smithy Posted July 31, 2011 Posted July 31, 2011 Hey? Hang on a bit you innovators and visionaries! Here's what it might look like from the arse without that wa**ing wing on the back and without the wheelarches. It's good, no? As compared to:
GT6Steve Posted July 31, 2011 Posted July 31, 2011 Nah, sorry. Not gettin' it. Too large and out of place looking. To my mind there's charm in using the original look to advantage as opposed to modernizing for a boy racer effect. That said, there's improvements to be made on the original oversized tat. Like maybe a TR3 sized lens.... Years ago I played with the belt sander one night and cut down some stock lenses. Looked much cleaner to my eye but I never pursued it.... Hey? Hang on a bit you innovators and visionaries! Here's what it might look like from the arse without that wa**ing wing on the back and without the wheelarches. It's good, no?
Nick Jones Posted July 31, 2011 Posted July 31, 2011 Actually I rather like it frenched like that. Smithy has usefully got rid of that bloody horrible wing on the original pic which made the whole plot look hopeless and I think it looks ok. Controversially I actually prefer the squaretail look to original roundtail (burn the heretic ) so my taste is obviously suspect Nick
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