Ready to go.
 

It's all gone quiet on the Sportster and Cabrio build area for a while so it must be time to do an update.

The car is finished apart from the paint job ( if "finished" is something you ever achieve with a kit car. :ohwell: ) and ready to go.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7341/9...67187139d3.jpg
Ready to go. by MarlinBuild, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3827/9...0f3508deea.jpg
Ready to go. by MarlinBuild, on Flickr

It's taxed from tomorrow and although I've done about 150miles already on trips to the IVA test station, that has all been on motorways, so I am looking forward to getting it out on some proper roads!!

I have built in some added comfort to cut down on the buffeting in the shape of a pair of wind deflectors on the sides of the windscreen and a clear view panel behind the headrests. I'm not convinced of just how much they will help but it's got to be better than nothing.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5336/9...e29d30e7c5.jpg
Added comfort. by MarlinBuild, on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/9...da62805d7d.jpg
Added comfort. by MarlinBuild, on Flickr

So it's on the road from tomorrow with a 250 mile round trip planned for next weekend, all being well.

I collected the kit from Marlin on 17th Sept 2010 so the build has taken just short of three years. It's a bit different to the Marina based Roadster that I built back in the late 80's which took around 10 months. (with no internet, no Madabout and a barely reliable mail order service) Thanks to everyone on here for all your help with the build. It makes things so much easier to be able to share problems and ideas and it's been so helpful, especially in the early days when I couldn't se the wood for the trees, to be able to post a question on here and to be deluged with a raft of suggestions. Many thanks to you all.

Wish me luck for my first week on the road and I'll give a "user" update after next weekend.

Nigel

Well done.
enjoy!

Look great. It's good to get a few miles "under the bonnet" before you get it painted - just in case. Now's also a good time to fit a tonneau rather the waiting till you have painted it.

You get used to the buffeting. Best solution I have found is a fleece hat pulled down to cover my right ear - which is what suffers the most....

Cheers, Robin

Congratulations Nigel, brilliant job.
The side screens definitely cut the buffeting down, if you wear a baseball type cap it is in danger of getting blown off, I attach a small cord to it and to some part of my clothing, or even round my neck, in case it gets blown off. That way you don,t lose the cap. A trick I learnt when sailing.
The rear screen looks to be a good idea.
I see you have cut slots into the sides of the fibreglass wings as presumably you have bigger than normal wheels, an idea I copied from Robin.
As Robin says get your tonneau cover and or hood fitted before painting.
Incidently what colour will it be ?

Fantastic :) finished never happens you always find something to tinker with!!