Triumph-Less!

Well, its only temporary really, I started changing the front quarter panels on the Spitfire about 3 weeks ago for some second hand steel ones that I sourced from ebay in excellent condition, sprayed them up and dismantled the front end of the Spit to fit them. This is where the problems started - hadn't noticed the replacement ones had no capture nuts. This meant some devious fitting of them to the chassis using new nuts, bolts and gaffer tape to hold the nuts in place until I could tighten them up. Now have to fit the indicators, using 'modern' plastic screw inserts and the bumper etc.

One minor self inflicted injury - I dropped one of the driving lamps and broke the lens, as they only cost me £5 at Stoneleigh last year, I have decided not to fit them back on as they didn't seem to improve on the excellent halogen headlights anyway. - So that is where the Spitfire currently is - awaiting half a days fitting together hopefully this week.

The other tale regards the Stag - it was such a nice day yesterday that I decided to take it to Penshurst where I was officiating at a wedding - got mostly there when after rounding a particularly bumpy bend that was a loud knock from the o/s rear - this was followed by a regular knocking sound of metal against metal for the next mile or so until I got to Penshurst.

Didn't have time to investigate before the wedding - very impressive, bride landed by helicopter andt he guests were treated to a display by a real Spitfire over the grounds after the ceremony (TA 805 if anyones interested - one of the Duxford few I believe)

Limped home afterwards and after a cursory examination it appears the bottom part of the Shock absorber spindle has sheared off. So in this lovely weather I am Triumph-Less!!