Everyone,
I've been a lurker here since July, and inhaling all the advice, chat, etc. I
never needed any 'till now though....
Over the holiday my '68 Mark 3 Spitfire, which the wife uses as a daily driver,
was vandalized. The car is (was) in excellent shape, and reliable. It's in
pretty sad shape now. Here's the details:
-Apparantly they tried to steal it (it had been disabled by pulling the rotor
from the distributor), broke the drivers door glass (top was fine!) and had
ripped up the cardboard glove boxes on both sides, trying to jump start the
car.
Those glove boxes were a pain in the a** to find. Nix door glass, glove boxes,
door latch, and ignition switch.
-After unsuccessfully trying to jump start, they hacked through "the club"
(worthless) and tried to push start the car, which was in a parking garage,
well
lit and full I might add, and pushed it down the incline....right into the wall
at the bottom..... nix bumper, and bonnet is now jambed, unable to open.
-Since they are now little unhappy thieves...they decide to jump on the bonnet
and kick in the windshield, break the other glass on the passanger door, rip
off
antenna, wipers, kick in head and taillights, break the passanger seat, try to
rip off the badges, and kick in the side of the bonnet and driver's door. You
can nix all kinds a things here.
-And for their crowning achievement, one of them defacated on the driver's seat.
So, after being informed that such culprits will never be caught, I've had to
lose a day's work to get this thing towed to a body shop for an estimate.
Luckily the insurance has been very helpful. Now here's where I need help:
My wife has no interest in EVER using these seats again, no matter how clean
they get. I don't blame her, so I'm interested if MkIV/1500 seats would fit a
Mk3, and where would I get a good used pair (tan)? Glove boxes? The
headlights
were Lucas, part of a collection of used parts I had bought several years ago,
are these still obtainable? Also, I'm considering having the gas tank purged,
before starting the car....last thing I need is something interesting in the
gas
tank.
I think the bonnet can be saved, along with the door skins, and the motor
wasn't
touched (well I don't think so, but once I get it open, I'll have a better
idea). Pretty much everything I can get through TRF, VB, etc, except the door
latch (the one that hits the striker on the jamb), glove boxes, seats, and head
lights. So I'd appreciate any guidance.
Oh well....I was planning on getting a case of Bass this evening, now I have a
reason!
Paul
--
Paul Marcello Souza Internet : psouza@skyserv4.med.osd.mil
EDS-D/SIDDOMS Phone : 703-824-4167
Skyline 4, Suite 800
5113 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
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