|
To begin this epic tale, I
must wind the clock back to the chilly, early, months of 1985, when yours truly was a
skinny but keen 14 year old (wow that feels like a long time ago!). Dad, also with the
fine name of Richard, had always hankered after an old sportscar to "quickly do
up" and have as a hobby car. Through the grapevine at work he heard that a friend had
sold his somewhat derelict though still roadworthy BLMC Triumph Spitfire (KED 453F) to
another mutual friend who worked for the same company, Ferranti Electronics, as was in
those days. This mutual friend evidently realised that what he had taken on should by
rights now be four cars up in the nearest breakers yard, and soon gave up on the project.
However he still had found time to reduce this testimony to Michelottis design skills to
its component parts, piled up in his shed, nuts and bolts all over the place, with nothing
labelled anywhere.
|
|
So in one of dad's rasher moments, he decided to take on this monument
to rust. Jumping in with an unusual relish, he set to, chopping both sides' sills and
floors out at the same time, reducing the bodily strength of the already challenged shell
to perilously low levels. It was at about this time that he gave up on the project, and
'kindly' passed it my way as some sort of incentive scheme to give my 'O' Level exams a
fair old crack. Taking a long hard look at the remains proved to be a disquietening
affair, even for one at that point so wet-behind-the-ears with the whys and wherefores of
old car ownership.
|
|
From memory, the 'needed' list went something like this .. doors, outer
sills, inner sills, floors (full), bonnet, screen frame, engine, gearbox, softtop,
hardtop, carpets, seats, front valance, rear valance, bumpers, wheels (the wires were worn
on their splines), wiring loom .. and so the list went on. In fact it would be easier to
list the bits that were reusable .. chassis (undamaged!), bulkhead/scuttle/rear section,
radiator, dashboard and small bits and pieces. Still, he only paid �25 for the lot so you
can't expect to get much. In fact as soon as a price had been agreed, it was soon strung
up behind dad's trusty Saab turbo and whipped back home to Cheadle (Cheshire) before the
vendor could change his mind.
|
|
The exact
course of the old girl's resurrection is somewhat foggy now, so I'll refer to my photos of
KED 453F as she was transformed from a desperate no-hoper to something that was fit for
late-teenage posing, and reasonably MOT-able. I think the first thing achieved was the
welding up of the floorpans and sills, performed by a friend of a friend over in Timperley
.. given that the shell was as rigid as a flacid lettuce leaf, plus there were no doors
either, he did a sterling job of lining things up prior to fitting in the new panelwork.
Such progress fired my insatiable desire to go topless, so once the shell was back home
things progressed apace (but not before an entertaining tow back to Cheadle of the
Spitfire with dad at the helm, perched on a spare wheel and Uncle acting as tow-er with
his Saab, much to the amusement of a parked traffic policeman). Fortunately said traffic
officer didn't spot the ensemble heading onto the M56 only half a mile further down the
road.
|
|
A fibreglass Mk1 GT6 bonnet was sourced from Chirk if I remember correctly, as was a
dashing fastback Ashley hardtop, which, due to it's tendencies to suck exhaust fumes back
into the cockpit, was used just once. At this point in time KED still wore it's natty
spoked wheels, but they weren't to stay long. They were sold on at some point to another
Spitfire-owning lad in Bramhall (a Mk1 or Mk2 I believe) who complained that they kept
coming loose when he drove it ... I don't think anyone had mentioned to him that they were
'handed'.
|
|
Shortly afterwards, a trip to Ashton in Manchester
provided a pair of serviceable Mk3 doors, and a wiring loom from a slightly later, c1970,
Mk3. The vendor also had a wild 2.5 GT6 with triple dellortos on it, but wouldn't sell it
as a 'going concern' due to the frightening condition of the shell, a less-than-neat strip
of weld running left to right across the centre of the roof...! Still, seeing (and
hearing!!) such a fearsome Triumph would influence some of my later Triumphing. Anyway, by
now the bonnet and doors were in place, and the body was a patchwork of different colours.
In the meantime we had sourced a 1300 engine from a Toledo, hardly an electrifying vehicle
in itself, but a suitable donor for my project. Soon the Spitty's twin SUs were in place,
and I found myself with a multi-coloured yet solid, RUNNING, early Spitfire. Though there
was still pllleeennnty to do before I'd be casting a shadow over the local MOT man's
ramps. The fact that both mum & dad live in a quiet cul-de-sac aided my development
programme no end, meaning that the occasional brake test would be performed, purely in the
name of progress of course. Sadly the Triumphtune sports exhaust often gave the game away,
though mercifully my neighbours were of an understanding nature .. thankyou residents of
Whitegates Road, Cheadle, SK8 1EA ;)
|
|
Progress over the few years the project took came in
fits and starts, dependant on both finances, time, and availability of good spares. Many a
happy hour on holiday in North Wales did I spend at Arch Motors in Llandudno, clambering
around rotten Heralds, securing such essentials as nice chrome boot hinges, inner door
handles, and other such trinkets. Even back then it was a good hunting ground for old
Triumphs and jalopies in general. I remember a really nice yellow & white Herald 948S
over there which when I first saw it was in great condition, but slowly and surely over
the years it's elderly owners just ran it and ran it, til it gave up forever. The place
used to be full of 2000 and 2500 saloons, but try finding one now. Ho hum.
|
|
Best find of
all in Arch Motors was a mint hardtop, under a pile of Mk2 Cortina doors and the like. I
spotted it early in the year (1988?) and enquired as to how much they wanted for it.
"�15" they said. For some reason I didn't take his arm off at the elbow,
electing to leave it for a bit (!). That same year, probably September, I spotted it
again. Asking once more I was told it would be �35. With a flash of inspiration I
countered this reply, advising that earlier in the year the price was �15 .. so �15 it
was, and I scurried off with a really nice hardtop.
|
|
Things jump along a bit in my file now, and my next
photo-recollection shows KED453F in a reddy yukk coloured primer coat, and a brown
softtop, which I think was only a temporary affair as I think it was off a MkIV/1500. Not
sure where I ended up selling that to, but it never made it to the tarmac with that in
place. Spring 1989 and she was more or less ready for the road. A healthy dose of BMC red
paint had her looking a pleasant orangey-red, set off to a tee with a rather tasty folding
Aleybar rollbar assembly, one that hinged out of the way to allow the softtop to be used.
The only change to form that I remember now was when I ditched the worn old wires for a
set of period 60s Magna alloys, fetchingly painted in black, very moody. The MOT was
passed in the autumn of that year, and the very next day carried me over to North Wales to
meet up with the rest of the Jones clan in the caravan. The chance to cruise around on
such splendid roads, as yet un-sullied by bl**dy Gatsos and men hiding behind
hedges with speed cameras, made the whole project worthwhile. By no means was KED a
concours stunner, just a solid and tidy fun runabout, which had more cred than any number
of similarly valued Capri IIs or MG Metros.
|
|
That's not to say that life was always easy with this
classic device. One day returning from Wales the whole thing started to shake about
violently on the A55. Sadly I hadn't realised that the alloys I'd bought required special
shouldered wheelnuts, so slowly but surely they'd worked away at the mounting holes until
they were so oval the nuts could no longer meet the challenge of holding the wheels in
place. Fortunately I wasn't going particularly quickly when 2 of the rear studs parted
company, leaving the wheel to wag about precariously.
|
|
But for the most part it was a fun
car to drive - certainly one that could be thrown around twisty lanes with abandon, once
you'd got used to the snap oversteer that such behaviour would cause .. I remember having
a thrilling dice with a 2.6 Alfa sports .. he had me on the straight bits, but I soon
caught him up when the bends arrived, so long as I made use of the Triumph's unusual
cornering angles.
|
|
|
I kept this car til late 1992 I think when other projects came onto the
scene (like my old Ford E83W, Volvo 121 and the first car I actually had on the road, a Mk1 Austin
A40). She went through a phase of blowing head gaskets in 1991/1992, and dumping oily/water mixes
outside pubs in Cheshire .. I think this must have coloured my thinking at the time,
probably leading to her sale, although thinking back, if I'd skimmed the head, I'd have probably sorted the problem. If I remember right she was sold over to Warrington
somewhere, to a father & son who wanted a running car to improve upon.
|
Whether it happened or not I don't know - do you, dear reader know where KED 453F is now?
[Update - a few years after putting this page live on the site, I did hear more of where KED went after I sold her, the story continues below..]
|
|
Spitfire pics
Below are some photographs showing the various stages of the Spitfire's resurrection, from a rusted-out rolling shell, to a car that would return to the road and still be around some 20+ years later. Click to see larger versions.
|
|
1985
|
|
|
Early days, the rotten bonnet has already been removed at this stage, as had the terminally-holey screen surround, to be replaced with a much sounder example. The car would stay on wire wheels throughout the refurbishment, only being replaced when the car finally returned to the road. Seen here dad and brother Phil, with me just out of sight (again).
|
|
1987
|
|
|
By 1987, the welding had been more or less completed. Full new floors and sills were now in place, having been welded by a contact of dad's who lived in Timperley. The white doors were also replacements, and the GRP GT6 Mk1 bonnet was now installed. The Spit engine had been junked and replaced with a 1300 saloon one by this time, but with the Spit's head and carbs.
|
|
1988
|
|
|
One year on, still looks more or less the same although now it was sporting a smart steel hardtop, sourced in a scrapyard for 15 pounds. Those were the days. Note the manual over-ride on the reverse lamps :)
|
|
|
Later in the year, not far from being given a lick of paint.
|
|
1989
|
|
|
Spring 1989 and the Spitty is looking red all over at last. Wire wheels still fitted, and now a folding roll-over bar too. It also
still has a Mk4 soft top fitted here, although that would be replaced shortly with a black Mk3 frame and top.
|
|
|
I think this was its first long run, a trip of 75 miles to North Wales. The Magna alloy wheels were now fitted, although they
wouldn't stay on long. By now the car was presentable, reliable and most importantly back on the road. Rewind to 1985 and the car
was really fit for scrap only, so that fact that it is still around even some 20 years later, still amazes me.
|
|
1990
|
|
|
Summer 1990, and the alloys had been replaced with a smart set of rare 5.5J steel rims.
|
|
I continued to run the Spitfire for a few years, with it finally being sold around 1992 I think.
|
|
|
|
