TRIBUTE A352 Project
 

A series of events and opportunities has lead to us putting together a "mock up" car (ie. non-running/unfinished) for the Exeter Kit Car Show. A D-Type shell and a slightly crispy Spitfire shell had found there way into the workshop and it seemed rude not do combine the two of them. No welding is being done on the Spitfire at the moment, so please forgive the ragged edges, although most of the rotten bits have been lost during the trimming process to leave a basic "tub" for the GRP shell to be bonded to.

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../basespit1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../basespit2.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../spitchop1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../spitchop2.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../spitchop3.jpg

Once the some trimming had been done it was time to offer up the new outer shell

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../trailfit1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../trailfit2.jpg

I don't like some of the design elements of the D-Type, the rear "wing" will be going...

More trimming of the Spifire

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...immingspit.jpg

Rear wing and head fairing deleted. Shell marked at centre line for cutting

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...t/markedup.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...ect/inhalf.jpg

Half shell trail fitted to establish how much narrowing is needed

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...alfshellon.jpg

4" was taken out of the shell before it was glassed back together

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...pedglassed.jpg

A much better fit :biggrin:

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...rowshellon.jpg

The boot/spare wheel opening is way too small to be practical

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...rsmallboot.jpg

New larger opening is far more usable

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...ootcutout1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...ootcutout2.jpg

The cut out panel and the original cover are bonded together

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...ootbackon1.jpg

The front end needed narrowing, of course, so was marked up and cut into pieces including a bonnet opening instead of a flip front.

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...netmarked2.jpg

Looking good :biggrin:

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...straighton.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...project/41.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../front3-42.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...t/a352side.jpg

An interesting project. You make all the cutting and shutting look so easy. Look forward to seeing it at 'The Exeter Show'.

Theres no stopping you!!!

Wow..cracking idea

I don't suppose you have a Renault Alpine shell lying around that you could try as well, have you? Always fancied one of those.

Looks good, but quite Sammio-ish. Not that, that is in any way a bad thing! :)

Its the G46 i always wanted - if this was on an MX5 it would be exactly as i intended the roadster to look.
The body would not need to be reduced in width but some of the length from the bonnet could be lost about 15" if i remember back to my cuts.

Good work Chris - i will have to live with my E type front but food for thought

Froggyman - We enjoy what we do, I think that helps to make it look easy! Sorry don't have a Renault Alpine laying around, but you never know what will turn up! See you at Exeter.

Nick - Again, we enjoy doing this, the more ideas we can turn into cars the better.

RedRat - Thank you, it just kind of happened!

Dave - Glad you like it.

Roadster - We did think about the MX5, wheelbase was almost the same (89.5 vs 90") as the shell, but the MX5 slab sides, cabin position and the fact that we couldn't remove the Mazda windscreen frame (without IVAing) killed the idea. We lost 7" off the back of the D-Type bonnet to make it work. We have a steel E-Type bonnet at the workshop that may get moulded to give a slightly different front end, later, maybe....

Returns added to boot opening, rain gutters will be added at re-moulding stage, the show deadline wont allow such luxuries at the moment

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...ootreturns.jpg

Steel tube "crash bar" added to Spitfire door opening to reinforce new higher door opening when shell is in place. It also gives somewhere to hinge the new doors

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...ct/doorbar.jpg

Hinge is mix of MX5 door and Spitfire boot hinge, they will need to be re-manufactured, but helped to work out the pivot point and clearance, and will suffice for the show

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../monohinge.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...t/a352door.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../a352door2.jpg

Change of plan on the scuttle area, more room required for hinges and helps with the proportions of the bonnet opening

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...bonnetmod2.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../bonnetmod.jpg

Made a start on internal paneling. Battery will need relocating from under the bonnet to the void behind the seats, or the boot.

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...rnalpanels.jpg

Scars left when removing the head fairing are now filled

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...filledrear.jpg

Well you certainly keep yourself busy... I feel guilty for not doing anything because of the rain.

It is great to see what happens when imagination & skill come together. :cool:

I'm using a Spitfire 1500 as the base of my Sammio Cordite on the forum "next door".

There is a lot to be said for leaving a large chunk of the donor car as you found it.

I look forward to seeing the finished car.

Will it be a "one off" or is this the basis of a new offering?

Good luck, Paul. :)

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your praise which should also go to Dan for all his help and ideas too.

I have seen your project, looking good :icon_smile:

As with the MX250 we like to keep the build process simple for the customer, so using the tub as it exists seems a logical thing for a quick build. With your donor car there wouldn't even have been any rust repair to do!

The car we are putting together will be taken apart after the show and the tub repaired before we get the drive chain sorted and get it driving/MOT'd. If we get interest at the Exeter Show we will be taking moulds off and offering it as a kit as well.

Talking of Jags, heres a C type we had in the workshop the other day. Its also an excuse for me to try and upload a pic to the forum, which more often than not does not work. However just updated my ohotobucket app which now has a new button, so here goes....[IMG]http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...et_154836_.jpg[/IMG]

awesome skills there on the bodywork, a true talent.
powered by an MX5 supercharged engine, and you will have a flying machine!

Nice Jag. Congrats on getting the Photobucket thing sorted, now you have no excuse to start your MX250 build tread :biggrin:

Thank you for your kind words Neemo. The MX5 engine should fit no problem, something to think about! :plane:

Starting to shape up nicely, a bit more filling and sanding before a coat of primer

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_1661.jpg

Boot lid now hung on proper hinges (chrome mini boot hinges) and starting to even up the shut lines

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_1663.jpg

Headlight / grille opening trimmed back and edges sanded. Return added to bonnet opening....

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_1664.jpg

....and to the bonnet itself.

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_1662.jpg

How do you fix a return, is it already an 'L' shape profile?