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.
) and ready to go.
Ready to go. by
MarlinBuild, on Flickr
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.
Added comfort. by
MarlinBuild, on Flickr
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