Latest progress on the Gooster
 

here's the latest update on the saga. :)

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Site/Bu...ng_Lights.html

Polishing has left my fingers numb. Can't feel the keyboard! :D

Flippin 'eck you could eat your dinner off it! Mind you it would probably be a bit overcooked once it had been in the Marlin engine bay :lol:

I also had some - err - issues with the SVC torpedo indicators. The SVA version (they do two types) are pretty poorly made. Unusual for SVC as most of their stuff (like the headlights) is pretty good.

Robin

Yeah - the headlights Pauline bought me for my birthday are so nicely made. I was a bit disappointed when I saw the flaw in the chrome on the indicators, but I rang the chap and he was very pleasant and said he'd sort it all out.

Hi GOO. My first post on here. I've got a Cabrio that is just about to go for IVA - Nowhere near as smart as your as I've gone for a more functional look!

It just went through an MOT (though it might be a good plan!) and it failed on headlamp beam patterns. My lights were very similar to yours and had sealed beam units in them. I had to replace the lenses with quartz halogen units.
The other fail item was it ran out of fluid in the winscreen washer bottle.

Seems you can get an MOT against the chassis number.

So now it is insured and MOTed, and waiting for a IVA appointment.

That looks super shiny, very nice :madgrin: - and welcome Chris :)

Welcome aboard, Chris! :D

Any pics of your Cabrio?

Thanks for the warning on the headlights, although the lights I have aren't sealed beam - they take a normal H4 lamp inside the body.

Hello Chris - welcome on madabout........

There are a few of us building Cabrios who will be very interested to hear your experience under the new IVA - particularly the petrol tank.
Do you have any pictures you can post here?
I have a BT Flickr site, which is very easy to post to.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikes_bmw_marlin_cabrio/

Some pictures, Still got plastic covering on the Ally.

Welcome Chris, looks great.
Looking forward to hearing about your IVA experience! (Will be booking mine for July!)
Tim

Looking really nice :)

You may want to give SVC a call - I sent mine back, and had a call from them yesterday. They've gone through their entire stock looking for replacements for mine, and have rejected it all as substandard. They're getting new ones in (they're been cast at the moment, and will then need chroming) in a couple of weeks time.

Maybe yours came from the same bad batch?

Thanks for the info. I ended up with two that are reasonable - if not perfect. I will look at the again tonight and re-access them in light of this new information. Isn't the internet wonderful.....

Robin

Latest update here:

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Site/Bu...ubthumpin.html

You've been putting in some good hours to get all that done. It brings back many happy hours round at my lock up :lol: I lost count of how many times i fitted and re-fitted rear tub . Have you fitted your fuel filler hose because that'll be a few more hokey cokey's.

At least you got galvanised striker plates, mine were just plan old steel plate!

I didn't bother triming my rear tub around the wheel arch. Does it really foul the rear suspension?

Now on to the fun of cutting the bonnets....

It might have done at full travel, but I guess I'd be making sparks from the chassis rails if that happens. :laugh:

After watching Jense cruise home and Vettel get all grumpy, I managed to get this done this afternoon:

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...ermounted1.JPG

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...ermounted2.JPG

Still need to do the other side, but then it'll be time for BRUMMMMM! :)

I would say I'm tired and exhausted, but I fear I might have to get my coat afterwards... ;)

Looks really good! You've done well to make it fit - I had to have some 'help' with mine!
I notice your exhaust runs very close to the brake lines, as it does on mine. I'm planning to try and squeeze in a heat shield in between them, maybe using the top exhaust clamp to attach it.
Tim

:lol: looking really good :)

Yeah - I have some exhaust wrap to go round the 'U Bend' and straight section up to the cross link. I'm also toying with the idea of getting some of this stuff to go around the brake lines:

http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/velcro-te...ving-430-c.asp

Hey, that's looking really good.
Having hit a number of speed bumps during the London to Brighton run yesterday I sometimes wish I'd gone for side pipes.
Although the exhaust is good protection for the sump and fuel tank :lol:

indeed, I've thought about changing to side pipes - still same manifold just bring them out under the car.

Got the other side on tonight, and managed to fire her up.

BRUMMMMMM!

She sounds sweet. :eusa_dance:

Video of the exhaust:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGKvThxqTNc

OR

http://gallery.me.com/greatoldone#100006

:D

Time for a little trip up and down your drive? :madgrin:

Almost. :)

Sound good :D

Great feeling when it starts! Those Marlin exhausts look pretty complex - no wonder they cost......

Robin

I was so bloody chuffed how this turned out tonight:

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...sidepanel1.JPG

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...sidepanel2.JPG

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...sidepanel3.JPG

:D

very, very nice :D

:first: :drum:

I've made some plates up to cover the off-centre holes I cut in the tub. Stainless Steel, polished up:

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...doorplate1.JPG
http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...doorplate2.JPG

Cutting stainless sheet is a bitch. I managed to go through two jigsaw blades making these up. :)

Very Nice too. Soon as I've finished IVA farting about........

Haing fun with the Cabrio hood frame. Instructions saw for fitting the cant rail (.e. on the top of the windecreen) drill 2 7mm dia by 10 mm deep holes. Well the pegs that go into the hole are at least 8mm dia so thats a no-go.
Also the pegs are 25mm long. The instructions suggest that the hood and foam will be 6 mm thick, which means that with the depth of the holes the pegs should be 16 mm and not 25 mm.

So do I drill the hole deeper ot cut the pegs? Or both?

Dunno Chris - Peter has fitted a hood to his Sportster, so he'd be best placed to advise you.

I've updated my build blog - some of it you've seen already, but I've now wrapped the exhaust, and started on the bonnet hinge:

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Site/Bu...ting_Work.html

Great progress, I see you are putting in lots of hours this summer with a concerted effort to get the car finished this year. :smile:
For drilling the s/s hinge invest in a couple of brand new quality titanium coated bits and get yourself a can of cutting oil and the job will be a lot easier.
On the subject of hoods, I think Chris needs to speak to Simon who successfully installed the hood on his Cabrio..........
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlin_...7609854955136/

Oh, and don't forget GOO, get out there and do your rain dance for a brisk shower over Northampton this afternoon at 2pm. First 5 cars doing an off at the first bend should leave the field clear for another Jenson win :lol:

Already done the rain dance, considering I was woken up by the usual Silverstone helicopter traffic this morning.

Every year it's like something out of Apocalypse Now. All we need is a little 'Flight of the Valkyries' to complete the scene... :)

Funny that, we awoke to the sound of helicopters leaving Denham airfield........"we counted them all out.........." :lol:

And the prize for the most amount of bolts on a sportster bonnet goes to.... Me! :)

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...sbonneton1.JPG
http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...sbonneton2.JPG
http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...sbonneton3.JPG

I measured up and started to drill the holes, and by the time I realised that I should be skipping a hinge, it was too late. So I will have 39 cap heads on each side... Looks like I'll be going back down to Anglian Fasteners for some more!

Holy bonnets, Batman !

Indeed. :D

I finished off that side tonight, and it looks pretty damn fab if I do say so myself. Even the gaffer tape bonnet catches! :lol:

Started on the other side tonight. I bought some cutting fluid today, and used it on the hacksaw - it's astonishing how much easier it is!

You want more bolts? I've got more bolts! :lol:

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...oltsbonnet.JPG

How many of them are there? 39 on each side - so 78 in total... overkill yes, but it looks cool. Just imagine them all polished along with the hinge against nice dark BRG paint.
:thumb:

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...sbonneton1.JPG
http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/Sportst...sbonneton2.JPG

I just wish Marlin would hurry up and send my bonnet catches - I don't think the masking tape does the car justice. :)