Marlin Roadster (Re)Build

[Lucky@LeMans]

Originally Posted by MartinClan

Not sure if I should keep posting on here as nobody seems to look anymore! So this could be my last post...
I will however keep posting on my build log on the Marlin Owners website and the occasional post of Facebook.

I have completed the rear of the exhaust by fitting an off the shelf 45 deg bend. Cutting the 45 deg slash on the end proved to be a challenge but in the end I found out how to make a template using Google.
exhaust_tip1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

I have bonded in the transmission tunnel and floor on one side. Everything is help in place with an industrial strength adhesive (Sikaflex) The mechanical fixings are really just to hold everything in place while the adhesive sets. And to persuade any future MOT tester everything is secure!
floor1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have directly trimmed the panels making up the transmission tunnel with an automotive vinyl. I am not a big fan of carpet in an open car :-)
A bit dissapointed with the vinyl though. It came from a well known supplier but I found it marks and nicks very easily. Too late to change it now though.
To make up for the lack of carpet I have used sound deadner mat on the inside of each panel.

While I was at it I added the floor level seatbelt mounts using some FIA approved spreader plates.
seatbelt_mount by Robin Martin, on Flickr

I still come on here but only once a month or so ! Gone are they days of daily postings and following others build threads. A bit of a shame really but it all started to fizzle out a few years ago. My current project has sat for some time without being touched. I've got plans for builds in the future but sometimes wonder if I'll ever, "get around to it" any time soon !

[deni]

[QUOTE=MartinClan;108654]My first attempt at coachpainting some of the fibreglass. it's not bad even if I do say so myself. This was coat number 5 - the first topcoat. 6th coat (2nd topcoat) looked better but forgot to take a picture. Still a long way from perfect but good enough. The red, by the way, is considerably darker in real life.
coach_painted1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

Hi Martin,

The paint job on the fibreglass grille surround looks great!

Just to check, did you use a brush to paint fibreglass too, and is the paint you used the same as the one you used on the chassis?

Also, which primer and undercoat paint have you used, please?

Cheers,Deni.

[MartinClan]

Yes I brush painted the fibreglass using the paint from Craftmaster. 2 coats of primer, 2 coats of undercoat and 2 topcoats. Just followed the Craftmaster instructions as I have never done it before.

[deni]

Thank you, I will check it out. Cheers, Deni

[MartinClan]

I have modified the reverse mechanism for use with my remote gearchange. Not my idea - I copied it from someone else that had already done it.
It involves fitting a spring to the reverse lockout plate so it can be pushed to one side instead of having to lift the gearstick to clear it. Seems to work! But only time will tell how good it is in practice.
gearbox_mod3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
gearbox_mod2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

And I have pretty much completed the transmission tunnel and floors now. The floors are bonded in using Sikaflex 522 for strength and waterproofing. Should easily outlive me!
And I trial fitted one of the seats. Err - it didn't fit - too wide. But a bit of attention with some ratchet staps has sorted that. And there is plenty of room between the seat base and the larger than normal steering wheel that I plan to use. My extra depth doors should allow relatively easy entry and exit - I hope...
seat_trial_fit by Robin Martin, on Flickr

[deni]

[QUOTE=MartinClan;108970]I have modified the reverse mechanism for use with my remote gearchange. Not my idea - I copied it from someone else that had already done it.
It involves fitting a spring to the reverse lockout plate so it can be pushed to one side instead of having to lift the gearstick to clear it. Seems to work! But only time will tell how good it is in practice.
gearbox_mod3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
gearbox_mod2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

Hi Martin,

This is something I might need to do as well. I was thinking about this for a while now, but some possible solutions I have in my mind are not as clever as this one 🙂

Where can I find some more information about this modification, please?

Thank you.

[MartinClan]

Originally Posted by deni

Hi Martin,

This is something I might need to do as well. I was thinking about this for a while now, but some possible solutions I have in my mind are not as clever as this one 🙂

Where can I find some more information about this modification, please?

Thank you.

What information do you need? There isn't much to it. I just replaced the bolt, fixing the reverse plate in place, with the spring arrangement. That's all there is to it really.

[MartinClan]

Hopefully some good progress now as I have stopped going on holiday for a while....
I have now fitted the seats on sliders from Car Builder.
runners by Robin Martin, on Flickr
The sliders are nice and robust if a little primative. The main problem is the adjustment mechanism projects above the face of the slider to which the seat mounts. They do supply some little spacers but I didn't fancy the whole weight of the seat and it's occupant being taken on just the 4 mounting points. So I made some spacers, that will support the whole length of the seat, from aluminium box section. This also allowed me to compensate for the fact that the seat mounting centres were at 300mm but the sliders could only accomodate 285mm.

Before I could fit the seats I had to - err - adjust them as they were about 1cm too wide.
seat1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

Now they are fitted you can see there is plenty of room between the seat and the steering wheel to get legs in. I might even fit some seat pads :-)
seat3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

The holes in the seat which provide strength (and look pretty) were a bit sharp on the edges. I ran a flap wheel arround them but for the seat belt holes I decided to fit some rubber U strip. This stuff is now available on Amazon and even includes an adhesive strip on the inside making fitting a doddle.
seat5 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

Next major job is to work out how to fit the front cycle wings....

[deni]

Ok, thank you.

Cheers, Deni.

Originally Posted by MartinClan

What information do you need? There isn't much to it. I just replaced the bolt, fixing the reverse plate in place, with the spring arrangement. That's all there is to it really.

[MartinClan]

I have made and fitted the front cycle wing mounts. The wings themselves were intended for the rear of a "fat boy" motorcycle and are made of steel. They look the part having a bit more style than trailer mudguards I have seen used.
cycle_wings1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I put a lot of effort into getting everything square and at the right height. I even temporarily disconnected the suspension torsion bar so I could move the suspension up and down to check clearance.
cycle_wings7 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
cycle_wings8 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
The wings stays are made from thick wall (2mm) tube. I wanted them to be weld free as this is where failures tend to occur. It's a pretty tough to bend. In the end I packed them with dry sand and heated them to cherry red at the bend points. The bends are pretty good with no sign of the tube wall collapsing.
cycle_wings3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
cycle_wings4 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
The wire you can see is for the indicators which I intend to mount on the wings - somewhere...
I fitted the wings themselves with some pretty substantial mounting plates both riveted and bonded in place.
cycle_wings5 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
Everything is pretty strong. You could (almost) sit on them!
Next job - headlight mounts.

[peterux]

Great work, Robin. They look the 'bee's knees' .
Excellent choice of mudguard and you did well to find them.

[MartinClan]

Next job is/was to make the brackets for the headlights. There is a lamp bar normally but because of the cycle wings I don't have this. Instead I reckoned the headlights could be supported by the top of the suspension towers. I struggle to visualise stuff in 3D and there are some angles involved so I made a prototype out of cardboard.
headlight_mount1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
Now to convert the cardboard into steel.
bracket2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have discovered the hard way that 3mm steel is pretty difficult to bend neatly so now I slit it half way through the thickness and with a bit of heat it bends perfectly.
bracket3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
bracket4 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
The bending produces a groove which I then weld up to return the full 3mm thickness. It works pretty well and i have used this technique several times now.
Test fit of the bracket in situ.
bracket5 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I was really lucky with these headlights. Bought from another Marliner who had purchased them several years ago and didn't use them. They turned out to be actual chromed brass unlike the ones available now which are polished stainless and don't look quite right IMHO.