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Gents,
If anyone has an A352 body on a Spitfire chassis, can you help me with a dimension please?
I'm looking for a chassis reference point, ie rear wheel hubs to the rearmost point of the Tribute body.
This to set out and bracket the exhaust before putting the original tub back on this weekend.
It's further complicated because the second hand exhaust system I bought for it is for a Vitesse which I think is a longer chassis.
All help appreciated thanks !!
Cheers
Steve.
Vitesse is definitely about 8'' longer ...I've shortened systems before , its pretty straight forward ...there is usually a nice straight single section in the middle ...
I can't help with the other dimension , sorry ...
Steve – Sorry I can’t help with the A352 measurements.
But I do have a couple of photos of my exhaust system within a Spitfire 1500 chassis.
This last photo above shows the biggest problem I had with the silencer boxes.
As the rear chassis cross member prevented the silencer boxes going ‘back’ any further.
So despite the fact the exhaust is fitted in the factory positions, the tail pipes stick out at the back.
( Due to the body shell being shorter than the Spitfire original. )
Looking back at the original A352 build thread I found this photo of the Spitfire boot floor within the bodyshell.
By comparison, this is what was left of my boot floor and the bolts for the exhaust are in the factory positions.
Not sure if any of the above is of any help, but good luck, Paul.
My A352 has a stainless steel TR6 system which has a transverse back box. On the LH end of this, where the pipe exits, I fabricated an angled bracket from a scrap piece of galvanised sheet, bolted to the box's existing bracket. It's secured to a large bobbin which is bolted through the GRP floor with a 50mm square ally spreader plate on the inside.
Here's a picture, which also highlights my minimalist approach to chassis frame preparation and general cleaning.
As the TR6 pipe is much fatter than the Spitfire one, I also fabricated a 'half way' transverse strap bolted onto an exhaust U clamp, the ends of which strap are bolted up through the floor. This was to ensure that it didn't bang on the frame as clearance is very tight. It was the tails of this clamp's U bolt, which I'd neglected to cut back, which caught in the floor track of my tester's sliding door channel when I proudly arrived, two up with my son, for my first MOT. I had to be towed ignominiously home, sans the ripped-off exhaust, without the beast having been tested .
I've covered over 1500 miles so far without a problem. Hope some of this is useful.
Just a quickie, Paul has posted whilst I was typing/grovelling on the ground with my camera. I'm deeply envious of his pristine underpinnings, obviously the result of a less cavalier approach than mine!
Many thanks for the responses, some really useful info on mounting and bracketing the exhausts.
Lancelot,
Yeah, I read the Vitesse was slightly longer hence the need to cut down the centre section, and I'd like to do it before the body goes on because the floors cold and I'm old.
Paul,
I actually like to see a longer length of tailpipe to the rear of the car, like the 60's Ferrari's, and that's the look I'll be going for with my build.
Mick,
I was a bit worried about stressing the GRP floor with a tailpipe fixing into it but yours looks fine and no stress cracks?
Can I ask one favour Mick, can you measure the A352 rearmost body point to some reference point, say the rear hub centres or body mounts in the boot ?? That would really help me out !!
I was a bit worried about stressing the GRP floor with a tailpipe fixing into it but yours looks fine and no stress cracks?
Can I ask one favour Mick, can you measure the A352 rearmost body point to some reference point, say the rear hub centres or body mounts in the boot ?? That would really help me out !!
Hi Steve
No stress cracks .
I measured from the bottom centre of the centre groove in the body beneath the fuel tank to the outer lip of the bottom of the boot aperture going straight back. 595mm.
.
