On Friday, a member wrote:
[snip]Am getting ready to begin my first complete frame-off restoration on a
70 Spitfire. There are a number of things I want to check out before I
beginto teardown, and am looking for any suggestions based on your
experiences. I have also already taken over 200 documentation photos of all
features of the car in it's current condition. Are there other things I
should check out before teardown?
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I am in the middle of a similar project and can offer a few thoughts.
1) Take photos AS you dismantle the car. Take LOTS of photos, from LOTS of
angles of the same parts, areas, etc. It does make a big difference on the
reassembly. It's cheap insurance.
2) One of the things I did for parts storage and tracking was to purchase
about 10 of the large plastic lidded storage boxes you can find at Home
Depot, Home Base, Orchard Supply, etc. They have double folding lids and
stack up on each other. All of the rear suspension parts, for example, went
in one box. All of the front suspension parts in another. All of the body
chrome trim and bits went into another. Gauges and interior bits in
another, etc. The boxes are clear so I can see what's inside. Works great.
3) The BEST thing I did was to by a jumbo box of big freezor lock baggies
and a jumbo box of the smaller sandwich size baggies. As I removed parts
from the car (such as the steering coupler or the door handles or the chrome
letters and retainer clips, or the body mounting bolts, etc.) I would put
them along with the appropriate fasteners that came with the parts into a
baggie and would use a big black felt tip permanent marker to write on the
bag exactly where the part came from and any other details (such as "Left
trunnion w/ bushing - 8 pieces"). Then I placed the baggies full of parts
into the boxes by catagory. This has made reassembly a breeze as I know
where everything is and where it goes, how many, etc.
4) Don't throw away ANYTHING until you have purchased and received the
replacement part and have confirmed it fits, works, etc. This is common
sense, but it bears repeating. The side effect, of course, is that you will
need LOTS of room for car parts until it is done.
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I am also still debating proper restoration sequence. For example,
should I do all bodywork and paint with body off? If so, won't some
joints/seams possibly open-up during handling and installation of the
body on frame? Here's my current plan... drain and remove fuel tank,
brace body and openings and replace all sills and floors, remove body
from frame, teardown completely, re-build engine and gearbox, repair
and restore frame/suspension/brakes, re-install engine and gearbox,
re-install body, do all bodywork and painting, and finally re-do all
interior. Any comments regarding this sequence?
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Sounds fine. I took my body off competely and am having it painted as I
write this (that's a whole story in itself). My Spit was so solid that
minimal bracing was needed. The only thing different is that you plan to
put the body back on before painting. Since I wanted to shoot every nook
and cranny in my Spit I opted for the body off job. If you have braced the
body I doubt you will see any seams or joints open up on reassembly. There
aren't that many to open really.
Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.
Ross D. Vincenti
64 Spitfire 4 (undergoing surgery)
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