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You can finally believe it.

To: wheeltowheel@abingdon.eng.sun.com, hoosier!autox@cs,
Subject: You can finally believe it.
From: ssi!coventry!rmb@ames.arc.nasa.gov (But Money Doesn't Rust...)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 91 14:04:46 CST
        Well, I said I wouldn't believe it (as did several of you!) until the
car was in the garage. Well, last night, I rolled it off of the trailer and 
into 
the garage next to the TR-6. One neon lime green 1964 Spitfire of the G 
Production / 
D Prepared variety joins the 0.030 Over Motorsports stable 5 years and 16 days 
after the first my Triumph. There have been many threats, but I finally went and
took delivery on a Real Race Car(TM).

        As expected, there were several surprises, both good and bad. 

        Bad:
        Seat(s) (expected, Glen, you still have those seats?)
        Needs seat belts (expected)
        Front brakes need rebuild. (expected to need to do all 4, probably 
still will, 
                along with both masters & clutch slave)
        Needs mirrors.  
        Carbs need rebuild (expected)
        Hole in rocker cover from some previous kludge. (will weld shut)
        Throttle linkage gone altogether (expected)
        Header needs to be welded
        Fender flares (bad for vintage, necessary for SCCA)
        Some rust  in trunk (expected, easy)
        Slightly bent tub outrigger (also easy)
        Needs paint & bodywork (expected, but not this much)
        Padding on roll bar *glued on* (more of a pain than anything else)
        Blowout of one road tire 10 min after putting in garage.
        One set of tires is old enough to qualify for vintage. I've never
                seen Goodyear Blue Streak Sports Car Specials before. I doubt 
they'll
                hold air through the week, they're cracked so badly.
        Fool cell may need new foam. Need to check with Simpson, but when I 
                take the cap off, I can see gas....
        Needs a bulkhead added between fool cell and fool driver.


        Good:
        Decent engine work done. Needs to be checked. Includes 0.040+ pistons, 
                        race only cam, zero decking, 0.080 off head, Al 
flywheel, race rods,
                        uprated valve springs & retainers, and *documentation*. 
That it
                        was done is no surprise, that it was documented was.
        Decent oil pressure. (expected, but had not seen)
        Generator with attachment point for tach.
        Newer distributor, also with attachment point for tach.
        Scattershield installed.
        Oil cooler & spin on filter adaptor (big win)
        Locked diff (or limited slip, but I'll bet locked. Still nice to find)
        Koni's in front, ? in back (very pleasent surprise)
        Heavy duty road springs.
        2 sets of Goodyear slicks, one mounted on American Racing wheels, 
                one set unmounted.
        1 set road tires/wheels. (expected)
        All bushings nylon or bronze. (ah, well chris, I'll come up with some 
use for 
                                                                        nylon 
rod stock)
        Susp adjustment plates in front (nice but relatively unexciting)
        AutoPower roll bar (very good surprise, means autopower cage kit is a 
drop in)
        Logbook showing last raced in 1975.


        Other:
        *Positive Ground* (I should have expected this....)
        SU Carbs (also should have expected)
        Was originally *BRG* (colour code 25 and I found some buried in a 
corner)
                I hate Spits in BRG. Thinking Pimento or Royal Blue.

        
All in all it's not an overwhelming task, and is perfectly doable in a 
relativly short amount of time, depending on how motivated I get.
I'm debating the best way to go about the painting process, to take
the tub off of the frame and paint it, ot do leave it on. Currently,
I lean towards taking it off since it's so easy....Take off, run down 
the street, and sandblast the whole thing, prime it, paint, and return
to frame. Let's me turn it on it's side to weld the holes I find in
the bottm too.....Hmmmm.

Anyway, it's here, and I'll no doubt tell you much to much about it....

And for those who know/care, the pistons are on order for 'Lizbeth. She 
should be back together in a couple of weeks. Yeah!

iii
aka Bob "There go the credit cards" Bownes

PS: Just as I was about to send this, my sponsor called. The rebuild kits are 
on 
the way. I'll pick them up at his place on Friday! Gotta promise to bring
him pictures though! Speaking of which, anyone have VTR '91 pictures?


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