Michael wrote about the boot light-
> The mounting bracket is a vertical piece of steel directly forward (i.e.
> behind, as you examine it from the rear of the car) of a striker plate
> on the left-hand boot hinge. It is visible next to the hinge if you
> put your eyes level with the boot lip.
Thanks-I'm taking a break (well deserved after Sunday!) from the car today, but
I have a go at it tomorrow.
And about the black trim on wipers and such...
> >I touch mine up twice a year (well, I drive a lot!) with a flat, black
>engine
> >spray paint I get at the local auto supply store. I buy those cheap make up
> >brushes, spray a bit of paint into the cap and have a go! It must look ok,
> >because I've had neighbours ask me to touch up theirs!
>
> If you're ever in Bedford with a can of spray-paint...
Well, I always have a can in the boot for those emergency touch-ups!
Michael wrote about gear shift knobs
> You can't seriously mean that you *like* that nasty fake wood, can you?
> <g>
Yuck! Exactly! That's why I was so glad to find this reproduction of the gear
shift that was on my first Spit-Arthur, King of the Britons. Not only does it
look right-it *feels* right in the hand.
And then Michael waxed poetic on the subject of steering wheels:
> Yes, but the logo in the middle and the rims are different for UK cars.
> It went something like this (as far as I can gather):
Ahhh...
> I think this must have been for Federal spec cars only - the British
> Leyland badge seems not to have been very popular over here. I wonder
> why? <g>. (Just in case you don't know, BL was almost permanently on
> strike during the 70's, and had a reputation for building the worst cars
> in the world...).
>
> > Mine came off and was lost. Last
> >year when I decided I wasn't going to find the same wheel, and that I really
> >didn't like any of the new wheels (or the price tags on designs I didn't
>like!),
> >I had the spokes polished-under that ugly grey-ish paint are beautiful,
>shiny
> >metal spokes! In the center of the black plastic center disc, I couldn't
>find
> >another "BL" button, so I put one of those lapel buttons that the dealers
>used
> >to give out that's a rondel with "SPITFIRE" across it-it looks super!
>
> Sounds excellent.
It is-it matches the center cap stickers on the wheels! (And the embroidery on
my Spitfire jeans jacket! I'm well accessorized!)
> >The leather is shot-I had it filled and re-dyed, but it's 23+ year old
>leather,
> >so I'm going to take measurements and have Wheelskins make a leather cover
>for
> >it that I can stitch on.
>
> Wow. Nigel gets even more TLC than Carly!
Well, I don't have a spouse or a SO, or kids, or... ;-(
So, Nigel gets a lot of TLC!
And now on to the dash/fascia trim...
> >Oh-and the shiny spokes look great with the new chrome bezels on the gauges.
>And
> >the 4 screws on the fascia? I found almost exact replacements for them at
>Pep
> >Boys-and chromed-like to match the bezels and spokes!
>
> Interesting to note that the sales literature from December '78 shows
> these screws as satin black. Not a good move, in my opinion, but
> consistent with changing the wipers, mirrors and door-handle escutcheons
> to black.
Yes, the screws in there (what was left of them-even though the wood is in
quite good shape!) were black satin. But, because I stripped and cleaned the
wood, changed the bezels to chrome, and polished the wheel spokes, I think that
the 'chrome' screws really go well with all that. People had remarked to me,
before I did all this, that the exterior of the car was soooo nice-but the
interior, though quite good, wasn't up to the same level of flash. Now, when
one looks at the interior, it all comes a bit more together. And Dave approves.
> (You can tell I have spent far too much time poring over the various
> photographs of '70s Spitfires that I have managed to obtain, can't you?)
Haha! No more than I! And remember-I haven't familial duties to distract from
my 'study'! ;-)
Laura G.
tomorrow, the tail lenses are coming off for a good scrubbing! And we start the
prep for the Spitfire painting inside the bonnet!
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