Another Cordite Is Born ...

[Paul L]

Mr T - Thanks for all your encouragement.

Originally Posted by AndyP57

Looking like good progress there Donny. Be sure to disconnect the handshake compensator from the underside of the shell too. How do I know? ......

D'Oh!

Andy - Thanks for the top tip, although is "Donny" the Northern equivalent of "Mate".

Which leads me to...

Body Shell - Part 4 and a bit:
Yes, clearly I had not done everything required to remove the body shell last time.
And to make matters worse, the final thing to remove was obviously the hardest to reach.
It was time to jack the car up again and take my chances with a sloping drive & axle stands.
Thankfully just needed to flatten a locating collar and undo one bolt and that was it.



DaveCymru - It gets worse than just some masking tape on bolts...
Obviously there is a note book and sandwich bags involved too!



However, if it makes you feel better, I have these standing by for the frame fitting...





Cheers, Paul.

[Paul L]

Holding Pattern:
This has been a week for the family, rather than Cordite building and that is OK.
We managed to get tickets for Olympic badminton & tennis on Mon. & Tues.
So just a couple of build related things to report...

Body Shell:
2 of my 4 potential buyers have bought other body shells due to my rain delays.
But one has offered to contact someone else on my behalf which was nice of him.
I will not be able to list it on Ebay until after our family holiday which is a further delay.
And I need the body shell out of the way before I can really start the build.

Engine Cooling Solutions:
I picked up some good tips on my 'Car Heater - Pros & Cons' thread here.
So I will probably connect my heater hoses to a Renault Megane type header tank.
I had also been thinking about using an alternative Honda radiator like Mister Towed.
But I have since found a Spitfire 'performance' radiator which is a straight swap.

However, I can't finalise these choices until I understand how the bonnet fits.
I know Spyder builders need to lower their radiators, but I don't know about Cordites.
So I needed to do a quick test fit...

Bonnet Hinges:
My wife helped me get the bonnet from the garden, through the house, to the drive.
One of my optional extras was to have bonnet hinges fabricated and bonded in place.



But I have just come across my first real Sammio building "challenge".
- The hinges are set around 74cm apart
- The outsides of the front chassis rails are approx. 76cm apart
- The insides of these rails are approx. 63cm apart
So my initial thoughts on how this is supposed to bolt on doesn't seem to work.

These front rails must be close to the grill for the wheels to fit in the bonnet's arches.
But if the passenger side hinge is close to the rail, the driver's side hits the rail.
Not easy to see in the following photos...







The only good news is that I checked before ordering a new radiator.
Does any one have any ideas, or better still, some photos with measurements?

Next Steps:
We have a family holiday coming up which will obviously take priority.
Then I hope to find some blocks of time to really kick start the build process.

Cheers, Paul.

[Mister Towed]

To me it looks like you need to get the rebody inspection out of the way without the bonnet fitted, then cut the front bumper hangers off, fabricate some bonnet brackets and weld them to the front of the chassis where the bumper hangers were.

[Paul L]

Mr T - Cheers, I knew bits "fell off" the Herald after inspection.
But I wasn't aware that things might need to fall off the Spitfire too.

May be I was misreading this post (I've added the red highlight)...

Originally Posted by lancelot link

...



We had to deviate from the photoshop rendition a little , she has more of a pout due to the front crossmember issues on a Spitfire chassis...

Unfortunately I've only seen Cordite pictures with the bonnet closed.

I know Gary & Andy are busy, so I'm trying not to hassle them if I can avoid it.

Cheers, Paul.

[AndyP57]

Hi Paul, Not too busy to do what I can to help...
Although, like you, I haven't any photos of this part of the Cordite and have yet to get to the bonnet hinges on the Demonstrator, It so happens that I have what appears to be the remains of the chassis that was used under Gary's demo that was at Stoneleigh. I've taken a couple of photos to show what he did for hinging and hope this helps (both of us). As you can see, it looks like the original brackets do come off and new hinge points welded to the front crossmember. (Full marks Mr T )

[Mister Towed]

Ahh, yes. That's pretty much how I'd pictured it using my 'fitters eye'.

It's worth mentioning that it's important to get the DVLA rebody inspection done before cutting the bits off the front cross-member to avoid the dreaded IVA though.

It's nice to see a cordite progressing and don't forget that you're paving the way so it's up to you how you do things. That's one of the nice things about building a Sammio - nobody can say "that's wrong" (Micha et al excepted of course) because there is no right and wrong, just how you think your car should be.

[Paul L]

Andy - Thanks for that photo, you are a star.

I really thought I was being very thick not being able to work it out.

So the project plan must have body inspection before bonnet fitting.

I don't suppose you know if the radiator needs to be lowered?

For now I will put the final decision about engine cooling on hold.

Mr T - So bits of Spitfire fall off after all.

I fully agree with the sharing of all building experience for the greater good.

I know there are many on here who can work it out for themselves.

But I hope to show that even a ham fisted amateur like me can build one of these.
( With quite a bit of help from this forum )

Thanks, Paul.

[Alpha]

tip on the radiator front: if the one from the spitfire fouls the bonnet and can't be moved to a position to avoid that, you can always swap it for one from a GT6: because of the longer 6 cyl engine, the radiator is narrower and drops down between the chassis rails to give more clearance!

Baz from Brussels

[Paul L]

This is just another post to highlight my remaining parts for sale to potential buyers.

Leather Seat Covers - Brand new, never been fitted, RRP @ Rimmer Bros. = £630.
Unfortunately the photos do not do these covers justice, they are first class.







Wiper Switch - Was working fine before I removed it.
But I did notice the circular clip at the back of the lever was missing.



Door Sill Covers - Etched with Triumph & Spitfire logos, brand new, still with protective film on.





Heater and various associated parts - Appeared to be working before I removed it.
Previous owner fitted their own hand made / chewed foam seal.
Note: One dash board nossle has been left with the body shell.











Rear Lights & Spare Lenses - Original assembly, but new lenses & gaskets fitted.
Whilst there are bulbs in all the lights, I wasn't able to test them all due to unfinished wiring.



Seat Rails - Look like original items which have been given a lick of paint.
This paint is already bubbling in places, so probably needs to be re-done / touched up.





Sealed headlights - 2 x original units, with main & low beam working on both.



Steering Wheel - Original item.



Dash Board - The previous owner said this was a hand made "one off" to original dimensions.
All the dials and switches fitted fine before I removed them.
Includes fog light switch, plus hand brake & seat belt warning light covers.







Various pieces of plastic trim.



My normal Cordite building thread continues on the post below this...

[Paul L]

Basic Project Plan:
The photo Andyp57 posted above has provided a clear sequence of events for Cordite Construction.
The re-body inspection must be completed at a much earlier stage than I originally expected.
I will be able to do some basic alignment work with the bonnet when the body is being fitted.
But the bonnet itself can not be fitted until after the inspection due to extra chassis brackets.

I have been building a "To Do" list on a spreadsheet (high tech pen & paper ) since I started.
But since I've seen that photo I've tried to convert all my thoughts into a proper project plan (of sorts).
I still have lots of questions & unknowns, plus I need to buy construction materials as well.
But before I knew it, my workload to re-body inspection list had stretched to 5 pages of A4!!

Given the unreliable weather, this isn't a traditional project plan with any dates in it.
I can't even allocate expected man hours to each task as I have no idea how long some things will take.
So far, some jobs have been miles easier than I expected, but I've also tripped up on "simple" jobs.

However, I get to learn from DonnySoutherner & I'm sure Andy's own build will be super quick.
So if I can follow their lead & keep working through my own list, I should get my Cordite on the road.

Selling my remaining Spitfire parts:
You can see the post above is more photos and descriptions of what I have left to sell.
This allows me to provide an easy link for potential buyers to look at.
If they don't want them, I will put them on Ebay when I get back from our family holiday.
Although I'd offer a good price as a job lot with the body shell for a quick sale of that.

"Inspire a generation"
Whilst this phrase is from the Olympics and about sport, it reminds me of a favourite quote.
Again, not strictly about Sammio building, but I think is counters some recent forum posts...

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles
or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is
actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives
valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort
without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions,
who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at best, knows, in the end, the triumph
of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring
greatly, so that is place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither
victory nor defeat."

All my original ideas about how long this project would take have gone out the window.
Not so much in hours taken, as it hasn't taken many hours to get this far.
But more the availability of my time and it lining up with dry weather.
Hence it has taken me months to spend a few days (in total) on the car.

However, I remain inspired by the "can do" attitude of the majority of this forum.
And I look forward to driving my Cordite with a gold medal winning sense of pride.

Until next time, cheers, Paul.

Replies:
Alpha - Thanks Baz, that is another good option to bear in mind.

[Paul L]

Quick Catch Up:
Nothing much to report as I've been away on a holiday with my family near Thetford Forest.
I did pack my wiring loom & a few tools into the back of the car along with the rest of our luggage.
But we had so much to do while away that I didn't get a chance to open the box,let alone work on it.
It also looks like I will need to put my body shell on Ebay after all, which will cause further delays.

However, I now fully accept that I need a far more philosophical approach to my project plan.
I bought a decent donor to avoid the need for a nut & bolt restoration of the rolling chassis.
But as I said last time, my "To Do" list is already 5 pages of A4 just to get as far as the re-body inspection!
So I will simply keep chipping away at the workload whenever I get the chance & see what happens.

Hopefully I will have some more progress and photos to post next time.

Until then, take care, Paul.

PS
Just taken some photos to post a message on Andy's Cordite Demonstrator thread.
I am sure all the work he does before the September show will be a big help to me.

[Mister Towed]

The key thing is not to lose heart. I've been chipping away at little jobs on mine now for over a year and it still isn't finished. I never actually wrote a 'to do' list, just went out each day I had some time and got on with something I felt like tackling. Although I'm really looking forward to having the finished car to drive whenever I want, I think I'm going to miss the challenge of actually building the thing. For me, this project has been more about exercising my creativity, dusting off old skills and learning new ones than ending up with a potentially valuable car. So, crack on with what you feel like doing when you feel like doing it and enjoy the journey!

Oh, and if you happen to visit Thetford Forest again do drop in for a cuppa - I'm less than twenty miles away, although this last couple of weeks I've been away myself in Menorca

[Paul L]

Ebay Update:
My Spitfire body shell is finally on Ebay with the auction due to end on Tuesday, 28th August.
I'll then give the buyer first choice on the last few parts I have before they go on Ebay too.
My my main concern is to get the body shell out of the way so I can get at the rolling chassis.

Wiring Loom - Part 1
I want to be able to restart my engine ASAP, so I'm keen to sort out the wiring early in the build.
The decision to build my Cordite without a heater makes more of the original loom redundant.
So I updated my wiring diagram & adding a dotted line to ensure a connect remained in place.



I laid the loom out in the dining room and started to cross check it back to the diagram.



This allowed me to add extra labels where some wires were not connected in my donor.
I was also able to trace the two "random" unattached wires to the oil warning light!
The previous owner has fitted some sort of pressure gauge in the engine bay.
So I need to do a bit of research to see if he removed all the original connections.

Then it was simply a case of carefully cutting and unwrapping the tape around the wires.
Then working my way slowly around the loom removing everything I didn't need.
I only made two mistakes (I blame the thunder, lightening & torrential rain outside ).
But the are an easy fix to correct and will be reconnected in Part 2 (see below).
Based on this photo, it doesn't look like I have much to show for many hours work...



So maybe this is a better way of highlighting what I managed to remove...



There is still a lot of work to do with the loom, but that can wait until "Part 2".
I need to fit connections to my new lights & the loom to ensure everything will join up.
But first I'll run the loom in the car to check which wires need shortening / lengthening.
Earthing to the frame instead of the original steel body locations will be part of that.
When all that is sorted out I will then wrap up the wires to tidy it all up.

Next Steps:
If I get half a chance to do some more Hammerite painting outside tomorrow I'll take it.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Replies:
Mister Towed - Thanks & I'll take you up on the cuppa offer one day.
This is why your build thread is a joy to follow as you just keep chipping away at it.
I know it has taken a long time, but you'll soon be driving a Sammio Spyder.
( No pressure! )

[Paul L]

Wiring Loom - Part 1 and a bit
Woke up in the middle of Saturday night as my mind was clearly still thinking about wiring.
It dawned on me that one of my "mistakes" from earlier that day was not wrong after all.
I'd cut a wire convinced I didn't need it & only then did I notice one end heading into the bulk head loom.
I was horrified to see the words "gear box" on the other end of the matching wire & panic set in.
I thought I'd cut the over drive connection and stopped before I did any more damage.

However, I should have actually marked the wires as "gearbox reversing light switch"!
So I was doing the right thing all along and can remove some more wiring from the loom.
But I'll pick that up along with all the other stuff I need to do in "Part 2".

Stop! ...

Hammerite Time! ...



There were some bits of the internal framework that still needed to be painted & other bits touched up.
Some dry weather on Sunday let me paint that & some of my other donor parts that will be re-used.





Parts of the frame look like they have been painted by a child and that's because they were!
But I'd rather keep the runs and blobs and have a family painted frame than a beautiful finish.

Mind you, even with a dodgy finish, things do look better with a fresh coat of paint.





I'd put a second coat on this morning, but shortly afterwards the rain came (again!).
So we have a large temporary garden ornament until I can move it all out of the way.



Body Shell Update:
Just over a day to go, no bids yet, but 34 watchers.
I also had 2 messages about a "Buy it now price", but no offers there either.
Hopefully this will be one of those sales that takes off in the last few minutes.

I took quick rubbing of the petrol filler cap hole while it was still here.
This is purely as a double check when it comes to drilling a hole in my Cordite body.



Cordite Bulk Head:
As I was painting both the frame and the tops of my pedals I thought I'd compare them.
- The brake pedal lines up with the six holes provided.
- The clutch pedal needs six holes, only 5 are pre-drilled and they do not line up.
- The gas pedal had two holes in the top of the Spitfire bulk head, but only one here.



Now I remembered that DonnySoutherner had some issues with his pedals.
But a quick revisit to his build thread has just highlighted another "challenge".

He posted this photo...



And then Andy posted this message...

Originally Posted by AndyP57

Now looking enviously at your Master Cylinder layout... Beware buying a late 1500 donor as it comes with a tandem brake system as a default. Just as well we don't have to IVA as I'm going to have to downgrade the system to a single cylinder to get it to fit

I couldn't remember what I had, but a quick look revealed...





Insert rude word of your choice as I didn't think I needed to touch my brakes at all.
( As they have already "passed" the MOT inspection my local garage gave them. )

But in the wise words of Mister Towed... "The key thing is not to lose heart."
There is not much I can do at the moment until the frame and body are in place.
At that point I'll have a better idea of what my options might be.
Perhaps I can simply fit a 'Wembley Scoop' to clear the master cylinder.

Also looking at Simon's photo again, it is clear his gas pedal is mounted using one bolt on top.
Plus there are another two bolts to go through the front of the fibreglass bulkhead.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

[donnysoutherner]

Gas pedal only mounted by the two bulkhead bolts. One on top is the frame mounting bolt as fitted by Gary. A bit surplus to requirements really as there are 12 bolts going thru for pedals anyway.

My clutch mounting had a hole missing and didn't line up either. Some filing required.

[Paul L]

Thanks for the explanation Simon, saves me trying to bolt the gas pedal to the wrong hole!

Cheers, Paul.

[Paul L]

Spitfire Body Shell
I suffered a minor set back when my body shell didn't actually sell on Ebay last week.
I had messages from two people asking for a "Buy it now" price, who then didn't bother to bid at all.
But after the auction ended, both turned up asking if they could make a lower offer instead.

Thankfully, I had another offer to buy it for more than the opening bid price, so a deal was done.
But my winning bidder disappeared into the mist when asked to arrange collection & payment.

However, earlier this evening I shook hands with another buyer who has left a deposit & the body is sold!
He can't collect it until next week, which is a bit of a pain, but I'll live with that to see the body finally gone.
The is the key part of the turning this into a Cordite construction project, so it is all good in the end.

Spitfire Graveyard
Ironically, even before my body shell was sold, I had ordered a 2nd hand body shell part.
I love how AndyP57 has reused the original Spitfire hand brake mount on his Cordite demonstrator.



It is a very simple solution to an area of the build that has caused a few problems on other Sammios.
So I've ordered one myself, along with a radiator expansion bottle & some headlight surrounds.

These last two items were missing from my donor and have been on my "To Do" list for a while.
You may recall that I actually ordered brand new headlight rims from Rimmer Bros. a while back.
However, I subsequently discovered I'd mixed up the part numbers & ordered inner rims in error.

But talking to Spitfire Graveyard made me realise I was mixing my headlight parts up completely.
My confusion stemmed from the fact my donor always had a piece missing from around the headlights.



I'd then seen photos of finished Sammios with either chrome, or painted, rim around the headlights.





Initially I tried to order a outer rim based on a Rimmer Bros. diagram of the headlight assembly.
If I'd done my research properly, I would have seen I already have this part attached to my lights.
What I was actually missing was the headlight cowl, which is no use as it looks like this on a 1500...



So what I needed was headlight cowls from earlier Spitfires (MkI - MkIII) which will do the job I want.
I plan to follow Lancelot Link's example of painting these cowls to match the body work color.

Top marks to Spitfire Graveyard for translating my ramblings into real parts & at a good price too.

Reversing Lights Switch:
I did have another look at my gearbox just to confirm the position of the reversing light switch.
If I have got this right, then my middle of the night "revelation" was correct & my overdrive is safe.

So I hope this is the Reversing Light Switch...



and this is part of the Overdrive electrics .



So at least one more wire can be removed from the loom before it is refitted.
Although there is a wire connecting both parts I need to double check before touching.

Cheers, Paul.

[WorldClassAccident]

In the Scimitar there was a wire between the reverse switch and the overdrive switch. This prevented you switching on the overdrive when in reverse which would trash the gear box.

The Scimi actually had a three way switch so nothing could be on in 1st and 2nd. Overdrive could be switched on in 3rd and 4th and overdrive couldn't be engaged when reverse was switched on.

[Mister Towed]

If you have a Haynes manual you can check the colour coding of the cables against the wiring diagram. Assuming nobody's modified the loom since it was built...

I'm surprised you had so much trouble selling your shell though, it looked like new. Someone bit my arm off for my somewhat rusty Vitesse tub and I didn't even advertise it - as soon as I listed the first few Vitesse parts I started to get messages asking what other bits I'd got. Still, it's technically gone now so you'll be able to get on with your build.

[davecymru]

Looking good matey!

I like the tunnel solution as the only bit that was an unknown for me was how to join my gearbox cover to the tunnel i had made, so it may be worth having a play and fabricating a basic solution while you've still got everything apart as when the body is on you end up doing some superb contortions when 'fettling' the interior

Coming into 'classic' cars for the first time in years i also found Spitfire Graveyard to be brilliant as they always made sure i had what i needed rather than what i asked for, explaining the what's and why-for's along the way!