We've been framed!
Part 3B of the "Enough to Make You Spit"
1976 Spitfire 1500 restoration series
March 1, 2003: Progress is being made. The "foundation" of the Sandy's Spitfire is back in Hampshire after having 25 years of grease, grime and rust removed by the trusty fella at Strip Rite Inc in Union Grove, Wisconsin (262/878-5342). The before and after pictures show what I delivered and what was received.
This "clean" state takes the guesswork out of what needs to be fixed on the frame before we apply the initial primer coat. The only real repair was in the trunk extension area of the frame. This is very typical of late model Spitfires. A repair patch was fabricated and welded into place. There were some other areas that required additional repair, but this was due to quality issues from the factory!
I picked up the frame on a Wednesday and had to get some paint on it on Saturday at the latest. The weather had changed and there was quite a bit of moisture in the air. While the frame received a rust inhibitor, this was very temporary. A base coat of a durable rust preventative primer was applied. Within the next couple of weeks, this will be followed by a primer sealer coat and finally a top coat of Carmine Red which will match the final body color. This will be covered in part Part 3C. Watch the costs escalate now.
Project Totals
Current Phase Totals to Date Hours: 7.5 21.0 Costs: $359 * $359 * Stripping $335, Rust preventative primer $24
By Joe "Stagmeister" Pawlak
Copyright © 2003 Illinois Sports Owners Association