Author Topic: Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0  (Read 2820 times)

kevin.shin

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Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0
« on: May 14, 2019, 04:18:25 AM »
Last Saturday night Spitfire finally came home.  Thanks to Jeff and his friend for going through all the trouble to bring the vehicle to me this weekend.  I puledl the car out of the garage on Sunday to do some scrubbing and test the batteries.  The vehicle was already converted to EV (DC motor, 6x 12v Lead Acid) back in 2010ish so this project will be Conversion Project 2.0












Let the sanding begin
« Last Edit: May 15, 2019, 12:58:21 AM by kevin.shin »

ted.lowe

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Re: Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2019, 01:41:02 PM »
Awesome Kevin!!!  i look forward to seeing your project develop.  If you would like some FVEAAer assistance, feel free to organize "work sessions" at your house and invite us.

We should do a "go fund me" for you to buy lithium batteries... that vehicle would be perfect for them!

kevin.shin

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Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0 - Body work (aka Restoration) phase
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2019, 03:38:01 PM »
As I start sanding out all the old paint from the car, one of the key task is to hammer out all the dents as best I can.  Upcourse, it is much easier said than done in execution.


Fixing a big dent at the bottom of the trunk



1/2 inch thick putty from the previous repair - all have to be scraped (aka chiseled) off!!



Lots of rust under the old putty work. Good thing I am scraping it down to the bare metal.



And more chisel work……



Since the trunk lid is doubled layered, and I am not able to get my dolly underneath and hammer it out as usual.
Time to get the stud welder out and “pull” out all the dents.

Just with everything in life, it pays off to spend the time and effort in the beginning to build a solid foundation.  Since this phase is identical to the normal “Classic Auto Restoration Project”, I can go slow, learning every inch of of the car and it’s history down to the “bare” metal… and fall in love with it.

Once I get done with the body work (removing all the dents; sanding off the paint down to the bare metal; welding on all the tiny cracks formed in the body/sheet metal over time), I can spray paint the exterior with the gray color Epoxy Sealer and interior frame with the black Epoxy Sealer to protect all the metal.  Once that is done (expect 1-2 months from now depending on how much time I can allocate for the project with the other competing projects), I can transition to installing batteries and working on the electronics. 

Slow and steady & Keep moving forward!
« Last Edit: June 21, 2019, 03:46:12 PM by kevin.shin »

mike.padberg

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Re: Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2019, 12:51:10 PM »
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Kevin! I love seeing an old project get new life.

robert.schwartz

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Re: Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2019, 02:54:41 AM »
Work days!!  Let me know if I can help.

kevin.shin

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Spitfire EV Project - Ending the body restoration phase
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2019, 05:00:57 AM »
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.







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.







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.





« Last Edit: October 09, 2019, 05:32:11 AM by kevin.shin »

simon.gibson

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Re: Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2019, 02:08:36 PM »
Wow!
Congratulations on the progress! I will see what resources I can dig up for you. As I probably told you I grew up on Triumphs! Maybe I can locate parts in UK, but they are probably available here anyways. Maybe cheaper in UK, especially as the US$ is strong against the £!
For the On-board charger and controls, ST electronic semiconductor people have some prototype kits. Dunno how custom you want to get!
Great job!
Simon

mike.padberg

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Re: Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2019, 09:33:36 PM »
Looking good!

jeffrey.miller

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Re: Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2019, 12:22:35 AM »
WOW!

It is certainly looking great.  You probably already know this but many bolts on that car are fine pitch thread instead of the usual coarse. 





simon.gibson

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Re: Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0
« Reply #9 on: October 10, 2019, 02:39:51 PM »
Many of those bolts are UNC or UNF (Unified National Fine). The Across Flats wrench (Spanner) are imperial as in 7/16", 1/2", 9/16", 5/8", etc... I have extra sockets or spanners if you need. The bolt threads will be 1/4" , 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" etc...
Simon

kevin.shin

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Re: Triumph Spitfire Conversion 2.0
« Reply #10 on: October 17, 2019, 12:13:58 AM »
Thank you everyone for your input.  I will make note of it.
 ;D