Spitfire EV Project - Ending the body restoration phase
With the weather getting a bit cooler, I’ve pushed forward and made a progress with the body work. Several layers of old paints scraped down to the bare metal, many hours of hammer and dolly work, and stud welder to pull out the nasty dents. Moving slowly and doing a good job here will pay off when I get to the final phase to lay down the color and protective coats.
Down to the bare metal and the hardware removed.
A few more spots to sand off.
Polished metal signify the end is near.
I think it is really important for the bare metal to get a good protective seal with the Epoxy Primer/Sealer. It seals the work that is performed between the job for the weekend warriors. As for me, it will serve as a nice protective layer while I work on the ‘electronics/internals’ of the car, allowing me to come back next spring/summer to work on it again and finish it off with the filler and final color paint.
Look. Finally the car is a single color…. Almost.
Many of hours of hammer and dolly paid off.
Spitfire is such a beauty. As I have only a few more spots left to finish, I am now moving to the second phase of the project. I can now shift my focus to the re-designing of the “Electrics” side of the vehicle. The real fun begins.
By the way, I have been slowly acquiring replacement parts which will be needed when I get to the final phase of the project. I think the secret to a successful restoration project is to go slow enough for you to learn things along the way and do many of the work yourself. Not only does it keep the project within budget, but the skills acquired can go a long way. Also, hunting for the original replacements parts are a major part of the fun.
I plan to install a digital screen for monitoring the ‘electric’ part of the car, but having these analog meters are just a look I can’t go without.
You won’t believe how much I paid for these rear lights. Finding these gems are definitely a part of the fun.
And up course, I had to have these original gear shift handles.
