I do not have any photographs this week, sorry.  Anyhow, I noticed some gear grease on the floor underneath the rear differential this weekend as I was checking under the car.  The front pinion seal needs to be replaced.  Damn!  Why didn’t I do this when the differential was out of the car?  Now it’s all installed with the propeller shaft bolted up to it..  Crap…  Anyhow, I ordered a new pinion seal and unbolted the propeller shaft, followed the instructions in the Bentley manual and replaced the seal.  It is not leaking anymore!  This week I also had the windscreen professionally installed by the local speedy auto glass place.  They did quite a good job!  Other little tidbits were done like the sun visors, side view and rear view mirrors.  Another exciting thing happened and that is I drove the car for the first time.  Oh, this is going to be a lot of fun when it’s finished :).  However, The gas tank that is installed currently (the second one I have put in I might add)  has a leak around the seam where the float sensor is installed.  I have taken my spare fuel tank down to a local business that also refurbished my radiator.  I hope I can get the refurbished tank next week so I can install it.  Other things planned for next week include getting new tires installed and having the front end aligned.

Man, it’s all the little things that take all of the time, let’s see if I can tell you what all happened this weekend.  I installed the hood, front headlights, headlight rims, side lights, hood support bar, wiper bezels, washer nozzles & associated hoses, handbrake console, knee pads, center support arch, radio, vented gas cap, rear vent line, aluminum valve cover (replaces the old orange metal one), brake and clutch rubber boots, handbrake grip, front foot carpets, tunnel cover carpet, recovered the metal glove box covers (w/ black vinyl).  From the top of my head, the following still needs to be done:

Front alignment, windscreen needs to be installed (it’s just sitting there right now), finish supporting the exhaust, grease two rear u-joints, install glove boxes, get the paint retouched where I’ve chipped it, install door glass, inner and outer glass scrapers, door panels, outer door handle, black trim, side and rear view mirrors, sun visors, glass handles, interior door handle bezel, and bleed the brakes.  Probably another weeks worth of work.  We’ll see.

Here are the photos, what do you think? Let me know!

Hood installed w/ headlights:

Steering wheel, handbrake cover, knee pads etc..:

Rear deck w/ seatbelts (and some speaker wires):

Radio installed:

Slowly but surely, the car is starting to take shape. This week saw the installation of the hand brake, most of the carpet, the rear and side interior panels, seatbelts, and seats. The doors (which were installed last week) are shown in the following photos, the door handles have not yet been returned from the painter so I will wait until all that is installed before putting in the door glass and the door panels.

Here are the photos, what do you think? Let me know!!

Front image w/ grille, spoiler, front lights:

Picture of the seats installed:

Front dashboard finished w/ border trim, you can also see the handbrake and choke cable:

Rear trunk lid installed:

Nothing really exciting happened this weekend and there are no photos. I managed to install the doors and the brake and clutch. I used DOT 5 Silicone fluid so when the fluid leaks (it’s a British car, it’s not a question of if, but when) the paint won’t be destroyed.

Working on the electrical system this week, I installed the dashboard and all connections including heater, tach, gauges, lights, hazard switch, tail lights, indicators. I built a new wiring harness for the overdrive transmission. The rebuilt unit I bought did not come with one and so I used my other overdrive as a guide. The control switch has also been installed on the shift lever. Special thanks to Sam Gentry who did the walnut veneer on the dashboard. It looks VERY nice.

Photos:

Dashboard & crash pad:

Another shot of the dash w/ overdrive switch visible:

Well, I have taken the pedals back out, I have decided to use DOT 5 silicone based fluid in the brake and clutch to prevent paint loss. However, for longevities sake, I will apply a rubber coating to the top shelf where the master cylinders are installed. This will prevent the paint from peeling if something ever does happen to the system. My goal for this memorial day weekend was to get the car running. This included installing the gas tank, fuel pump, hoses, carb, ignition system and all of that jazz. Things seemed to go rather well and I got the car running. Timing was next and the car really humms now!!!

Lesson Learned: VENT THE FUEL TANK!!! I imploded my fuel tank, had a spare though thank god….

Photos:

NAPA fuel filter & fuel pump installed in the rear trunk compartment. The yellow wire is +12 from the engine

Side shot w/ weber DGAV carb:

Side shot w/ ignition installed:

Front view of engine compartment, carb, hoses, ignition:

Slowly putting everything together, Right now, I expect to have the engine running next weekend and have the car semi-finished in about 4 weeks. This week, the following was accomplished:

Heater controls installed as well as the heater. Front & Rear bumpers, body rubber, brake & clutch pedals.

Photos:

In this photo you can see the heater controls, body rubber, steering column (w/ ignition):

This photo shows the wiper motor installed:

Hey, I finally installed the alternator:

Front photo, you can see the front bumper w/ licence plate holder & spoiler which is on the ground.

This has been an eventful week! The body was dropped of during the week and so I got right to putting everything together.

Photos:

Body being delivered:

Body placed ontop of chassis:

Another shot of the body on the chassis:

Body put up on ramps (to give me clearance to get underneath):

Rear lights and licence plate lamps all shined up with polish and installed w/ new gaskets:

Rear wiring harness installed::

I sandblasted the brake & clutch pedals, here is the brake pedal all painted up:

Front wiring harness all repaired

Front view of car up on ramps, front left valiance is installed:

I had to work this weekend so I didn’t get anything done. Have to have an entry though.

Installed Radiator Shroud, Radiator, rubber gators on the steering rack, brake lines, & rocker cover.
I also went to check on the body of the spitfire this weekend and have some photos of the body in primer

Photos:

Radiator Installed:

Radiator Fan & Installed Rocker cover:

Rear Brake lines installed:

Starter, See the blow valve installed where the mechanical fuel pump used to be? (I will install an electric pump)

Front of body:

Rear of body:

Interior of car: