new miglia builder
 

hi all
my name is ian, and I have been reading all your posts avidly for some time now. Think this site is really great, all your builds look first class, and the ideas you spread about are very helpfull and thought provoking.
I decided a few month ago to try and build a miglia speedster, think the car and idea are brilliant. I built a jc midge around 12 years ago, on a 2ltr vitesse chassis, and have restored numerous classics, a mg midget, a Morris's minor pick up, and a 1926 morris 8.
although the midge gave me the most satisfaction of the lot. So I have bought myself a 1964 1600 six vitesse, which I have started to recondition to a rolling chassis base, ready to attach a miglia body. I have no time scale as yet, but engine as been reckoned, and gear box back on. chassis members have been changed as required, but it is not painted yet, and running gear req,s refurb.
Not placed any deposit for kit yet as space is a premium, living in a three storey house with an integral garage ( and a misses who finds me plenty of other things to do) hope she,s not reading this. Any way I will keep you posted on progress , and hope to post some pics, nice to be able to join in, catch you all later, thanks.

hi ian welcome iam on the down hill bit hope to paint in 3/4 weeks rattler

yes I ,ve been following your thread, car looks great, wish I was that far in, I think the pleasure of building these type of cars is the fact that you can take your time, have a break, come back and change things etc, and when it goes wrong slam the garage door, and go to the pub.you will know yourself nothing seems to happen on the build as you tinker away, and then it seems to all come together rather quickly, and before you know your on the road.

Hi Ian floor pans will be with you in the next couple of weeks.

Welcome on board , any help needed just ask .

Kind Regards Mike

thanks mike, most helpful.true gent.

ian very true only prob here no pubs////////////

Welcome, Thank you I have just realised why I never got around to build the Ribble and why it has took me so long to sort Vitesse chassis for the Miglia:-
1. The Mrs finding me jobs to do
2. The pub (although this is a very good place to contemplate ideas, just don't go on eBay on your return home!!!!)

But just think how nice it will be to travel to the pub in the summer, have one pint and travel back. I personally can't wait. #

Good luck and luck forward to seeing your build.

Hi TF, sounds like you know your way around a classic so this should be a fairly straightforward build for you. Looking forward to seeing it progress. :)

hi nice to meet you mr towed, love your car!!!!!!!! I will be happy to have a finished car like yours. I will try and post some photos later today, if I can sort out loading pis on to forum.??????

Try this link, some good info for posting pictures, also are you using photobucket?

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...ead.php?t=3076

body off and sat in garage ready to start
 

[URL=http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/26ytcphotos/media/108894e6abfa8112e02694e7a43a6bed_zpsce3a4c0a.jpg.h tml]http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/...psce3a4c0a.jpg[/URL

[URL=http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/26ytcphotos/media/122c6c18d86f2528b14d663a61cffd75_zps7f5c00e2.jpg.h tml]http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7f5c00e2.jpg[/URL

Engine and Chassis looking good, was there many repairs to do, mine needed new rails (one was missing), outrigger (two fell off), plus rear extensions where completely rotten.

Hopefully get mine painted in the next few weeks then I can start to build. Have you got your bodywork yet?

had trouble loading photos but I think I have got there in the end, just to show you progress so far, next suspension and brakes, parts on bench waiting to be fitted, just got to make time to get in garage

no body work as yet , car was a so called restoration project that had been stood for a couple of years, but offside centre chassis member had been put in at an angle to the corresponding rail so I fitted a new one, just stripping down parts assessing condition, and changing as required. I am going to see if I can order the frame, and bulk head first. maybe put a deposit on the body, as I don't have a lot of storage space in garage or on drive as we have a car , works van, and a transit motorhome

Hi Thurcroft
Nice looking stright 6, did you have to do much refurb work to it. I have just stripped a straight 6 down and it needs a few new parts replacing along with some machine work which i have asked for a quote with a local engine machine shop.

I bought the vitesse as a so called older restoration project, and although some parts of the car have been refurbed I don't think they have been done to a good standard.Removed head to inspect engine, six new +20 thou pistons fitted, new timing chain sump gaskets etc, so looks like block was overhauled and then they just stuck the old head back on, with out cleaning up. same with suspension, looks like new bushes fitted, but wrong bolts have been fitted, so threads don't even go in to plastic part of nyloc nuts, going to have to strip check and replace as required, just for peace of mind.hopefully keep the cost down, I don't want to build a show car, more of an authentic 50's speedster, and keep the essence of the triumph mechanicals. to me that's what makes the cars different, I am not a hot hatch fan, more a wow the looks nice, and different what is it.

hi looking good rattler:peace:

is it just me having problems logging back on to this site or has something happened...????????

Not just you, we are experiencing an issue at the moment

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...2610#post52610

We have implemented a workaround to get round logging in etc but hoping for a permanent fix shortly.

Cheers, John

as anybody tried de-rating the rear transverse spring on the vitesse chassis by removing leaf springs. I did it years ago on my midge to take the camber out of the rear wheels, worked well, and handled great,I just can't remember exactly which leaf springs I removed, as I followed the build manual, although I remember it wasn't correct and I had to play around with it to find best position. wondered if someone can save me a bit time, with any guidance thanks

Thurcroft Flyer - Have you read Mister Towed's Sammio build thread?

He also starts removing extra leaf springs from Page 2 of his "On the road" thread.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...ead.php?t=4482

Hope that helps, Paul. :)

PS
Good luck with your build.

thanks for that info Paul I will have a look on his site

hi tt I changed to swing spring with 1 inch lowering block wheels look spot on but the suspension seems very stiff but will not know till I drive the car .just waiting for a slot in the spray shop .wont be long now I also cut 65 mm off front springs rattler

Rear leaf spring is very easy to 'adjust' by removing/adding leaves to alter the ride and ride height.

I started by taking out the top three 'loose' leaves and putting an 80mm lowering block between the spring and diff. I also cut down the top three springs and used them as shims under the spring to lower it even further -

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...vidpics234.jpg

I soon removed the three shims as it was obvious that it would be too low even before I fitted the body.

Once the car was on the road I found that, even though it looked great, the car was too low both front and rear and kept fouling the ground.

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps50baae16.jpg

It was also rock solid at the front and just too firm at the back for my liking, so I set about making some changes.

I replaced the 175/70/14 tyres with higher profile 175/80/14's and changed the 95mm cut down 220lb Vitesse front springs for 150lb Mk1 Spitfire fronts cut down by 25mm and a thicker arb, which raised and softened the front.

I then tried various combinations at the back - removing the next three leaves in the stack, switching the 80mm lowering block initially for a 50mm, then just the three shims (15mm) -

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps75ae0724.jpg

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps71ce348f.jpg

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3a8f652c.jpg

I eventually settled on replacing two of the last three removed leaves with no lowering block at all. This has made the ride and handling spot on, it's compliant with no discernible body roll, it's given me enough ground clearance and left the stance looking not too shabby either -

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...psccc96521.jpg

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...pseae88651.jpg

Good luck!

thanks lads for that info I will take it all on board, and thanks for the photos mr towed your car does look special sat parked with the run of the mill square boxes, it sits really well.

well after deliberation, and trial and error with rear spring, I decided to go with swing spring and 1 inch lowering block at rear, with 1 inch lowered front coil springs from canleys.