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stafford1500
stafford1500 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
6/3/17 8:21 a.m.

After a mere 17 years of owning this car, it has finally moved under it own power.

The short description is:
1971 Spitfire that was purchased at a lien sale for $300 in California
It already had a Toyota 2TC engine that had bee turbocharged, but the turbo was missing and the engine would not hold time at the distributor
I cut it down the center and added 14" of width to cover the Lexus GS300/Supra rear end and axles
Since it was starting to get really square I added 10" to the wheelbase in front of the firewall
It has received a 4L Lexus V8 (1UZ) with a Richmond 6 speed gearbox and Megasuirt controlling it
The suspension is coil over (motorcycle dampers) and pushrod/rockers at all 4 corners
Exhaust is sidepipes because the car is very low and I like my feet not completely cooked

The only body panels not mangled so far are the door skins.

I will start to keep this thread updated as I go through the car and finish it up. That means disassembly for finish weld, paint and reassembly (plus whatever I find that I need to change/fix).

mazdeuce
mazdeuce MegaDork
6/3/17 8:25 a.m.

That is an epic first post, but we're going to need way way way more pictures.

759NRNG
759NRNG Reader
6/3/17 1:02 p.m.

Oh that's what's going on....I thought at first it was a fish eye lens. Can't wait.

Dusterbd13
Dusterbd13 UltimaDork
6/3/17 1:18 p.m.

I have heard much, but am glad to see this!!!

Freaking awesome Steve.

Ransom
Ransom GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
6/3/17 2:24 p.m.

Wow. Looking forward to hearing more!

NOHOME
NOHOME PowerDork
6/3/17 5:07 p.m.

OK, we are waiting.....

759NRNG
759NRNG Reader
6/3/17 5:44 p.m.

Is the civic assoc gona be up yur arse for a non conforming(ie..burnout attempts) driveway apron?

GSmith
GSmith HalfDork
6/4/17 7:58 a.m.

This thread needs....

MOAR PIKS

stafford1500
stafford1500 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
6/5/17 9:35 a.m.

It was a busy weekend, but I am putting alot of pictures up in a place where I can link them and try to put the 17 years into a shorter (readable) length summary. Don't worry there are lots of pictures of the process early on.

RossD
RossD UltimaDork
6/5/17 9:38 a.m.

Uh huh. I like that. You had me at 'had to widen the car to fit a different rear axle'.

NOHOME
NOHOME PowerDork
6/5/17 10:38 a.m.

I love how the crazy bar keeps getting higher and higher around here.Now get with the pictures cause we are not very patient around here.

Dusterbd13
Dusterbd13 UltimaDork
6/5/17 10:41 a.m.

Steve, after 17 years id expect and hope for an r63 length thrrad. Or at leadt amc....

Ransom
Ransom GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
8/8/18 6:45 p.m.

I've been driving back and forth across town a lot lately, and dug up the GRM podcasts. I listened to the one where JG interviewed Stafford1500... It was super interesting (boy, am I late to the party), and made me want to dig up what he'd been up to on the forum.

So... How's the Spitfire coming along? laugh And how 'bout those pictures!?

Indy-Guy
Indy-Guy UltraDork
1/4/19 12:33 p.m.

Bump.  I'd love some pics and perhaps an update?

stafford1500
stafford1500 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
1/4/19 12:46 p.m.

The car runs and moves under its own power. I need to get a windshield on it  and finish the rear bumper modifications before I spend some quality time with the North Carolina DMV. The car was bought through a lein sale from a tow lot back in California in 2000. I started paperwork out there, then moved across the country with a car that was not completely up to speed on paperwork.

Here is a picture from about two years ago whe I got it running for the first time.

My neighbors love the sidepipes when I fire it up...

Dusterbd13-michael
Dusterbd13-michael MegaDork
1/4/19 1:03 p.m.

I love this car so much.

Greg Smith
Greg Smith HalfDork
2/28/19 5:38 p.m.

Nice!

 

Indy - Guy
Indy - Guy UltimaDork
6/1/23 1:33 p.m.

In reply to stafford1500:

With the Corvette out of the garage now, it's time to get this thing finished and down to the Challenge for next year (so you can be faster than Monzora two years in a row!)

stafford1500
stafford1500 GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/1/23 1:38 p.m.

In reply to Indy - Guy :

That is the plan. I moved stuff around last night to get going on it again. Time to not be a shelf for other projects.

stafford1500
stafford1500 GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/1/23 8:34 p.m.

And a simple image of the cars state after the 2023 Challenge. Time to get back on this now that there is room...

Patrick
Patrick GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/2/23 8:49 a.m.

So since you added a foot in both directions does this former LBC deserve the title of BBC?

stafford1500
stafford1500 GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/2/23 10:06 a.m.

In reply to Patrick :

I was thinking about getting a US Navy designation, because the hood is starting to resemble an aircraft carrier from the driver's seat.

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter)
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/2/23 10:18 a.m.

VIII

stafford1500
stafford1500 GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/2/23 10:52 a.m.
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

VIII

Glad someone spotted the updated badge...

dherr (Forum Supporter)
dherr (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/2/23 2:28 p.m.

Being a Spitfire guy, I noticed that immediately, very cool!

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