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Now I have three cars in my shop! The latest addition is a 1965 Triumph Spitfire Mk2 needing restoration, but it's body is not as bad as the GT6. I have decided to get the Mk2 drivable before doing bodywork on the GT6. Someday I will bring it to our annual British Car Beach Bash at Pensacola Beach that my club hosts every April. [January 2002] |
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I was finally convinced to start replacing the leaf spring because the rear wheels were really sagging bad. So here is the wheel area with the spring removed. But I found a problem.....[March 2002] |
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When I received the new spring, I noticed that it did not come with the square cap or crown in the center of it like the old one has. Further the new spring does not have a space above the lower leaf for the swing plate like the old one does. Another Spitfire owner at a show told me he had to take part of the new spring apart and rebuild it with the plate and crown of the old spring. So that is what I am going to be working on.... [March 2002]
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I took the old and new springs apart and removed the cap and swing plate from the old spring. Then I opened a space above the bottom leaf on the new spring and inserted the swing plate from the old spring after cleaning it. Now the new spring is in place with the hub assemblies removed for new U-joints on the axleshafts.[March2002] |
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Here is a picture showing some improvements to engine compartment detailing: Lucas sport coil, yellow battery to match the paint, and shined the alternator. I also cleaned the radiator overflow bottle, shined it's cap, and painted it's bracket black after this picture was taken.[March 2002] |
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Sometimes work pays off. My wife and I went to the New Orleans British Car Day on March 23rd and received 3rd place in the Spitfire/GT6 class. A green 1500 in my club won 1st place and a 1968 Mk3 from Texas received 2nd place.(1st picture from BMCNO)[March 2002] |
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At my club's 10th Annual British Car Beach Bash 2002, my Spitfire 1500 received 3rd place. As club webmaster, I took a picture of every car entered in the show and my wife recorded their name and car type as they drove in. The weather was nice and we had a record of 119 cars arriving. I was not able to also bring my Spitfire Mk2 because I spent time replacing the leaf spring and u-joints on this Spitfire 1500.[April 2002] |
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My wife and I braved the rainy weather along with eight other Spitfires and GT6's at the 15th Annual British Car Gathering sponsored by the Blount British Cars Club in Townsend, TN. I did not place, but two other members of my club who attended won Best of Show (1949 Triumph 2000 Roadster) and 1st in class (1957 MGA). This was the largest number of Spitfires/GT6s I have seen at one event before. [May 2002] |
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Cherie takes a break during the show. The brake fluid was a door prize. For the trip up I had installed a used factory hardtop as best as I could having never seen how it is attached before. Since it is still green, I took it off during the show. Thanks to Jim Clark for showing me how it is supposed to be set and bolted to the car as he had one on his Spitfire. His GT6 has appeared on the cover of "Triumph Spitfire & GT6 Magazine". [May 2002] |
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I have re-arranged the cars and stuff in my 3 Triumph shop a bit. Having to parallel-park the yellow Spitfire to get it inside has been a pain, so this is the solution for now. These are two views of the new parking order in my shop. I may have to move the yellow Spitfire to work on certain things that require room between the cars, but I'll take care of that when it happens. After we returned from Townsend, I started stripping the rubber parts and glass from the green hardtop to have it sanded and painted (right of 2nd picture).[May 2002] |
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We attended the Lillian Volunteer Fire Department Car show on June 1st, 2002, at Lillian, Alabama. This was an all-car show with two British classes divided by 4-cyl. cars and 6-8-12 cyl. cars. Proceeds from the show help the local volunteer fire department with equipment and training in this small Alabama town just over the Perdido River from Pensacola, Florida.[June 2002] |
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A local show at Seville Square in downtown Pensacola was our next show sponsored by the West Florida Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). This was a judged show in which my car received a 2nd place. About twelve other members of my British car club also attended receving 1st and 2nd places.[August 2002] |
 | At the South Alabama British Car Club's 12th Annual show, many members of my club also belong to this club. It's nice to have another major British car show in another part of the year that's not far away. [November 2002] |
 | My local club had a "Poker Rally" of 14 cars that travelled through 70 miles of western Escambia County(FL) and eastern Baldwin County(AL). Another Spitfire owner joined us for the rally and decided to join our club. [November 2002] |
