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Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Build Area > Vintage and Classic Roadster Kit Car Builds

Vintage and Classic Roadster Kit Car Builds For Vintage and Classic era kit cars. Post your build reports, problems and progress here

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  #161  
Old 9th March 2024, 16:50
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MartinClan MartinClan is offline
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I thought it was about time to do a reality check and make sure the gearbox actually fitted in my new transmission tunnel. I had to take the hacksaw to one of the unused lugs on the gearbox casing but now it fits with about 1/2" clearance on either side which hope is enough for any movement. And the propshaft fits as well, always a bonus....
gearbox_fit1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
propshaft_check1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
From the front it looks like I may have to adjust the position of the fuel line but I'll wait untill the gearbox is finally fitted before I do that.
gearbox_fit2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And I have taken the advice of various sages and fixed the tunnel top using M5 screws and rivet nuts. I have put the ignition switch on the top of the tunnel, the idea being all of the wiring is then almost impossible to get at for any would be joy rider. The switch itself is an industrial tamper proof item. NOS from ebay for a bargain tenner.
transmission_tunnel by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And yes the gearbox is almost new! It looks like it had been recently fitted before I bought the car from the previous owner and builder.
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  #162  
Old 27th March 2024, 20:06
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I have just about completed the wiring loom now. All I need is the engine and a few lights to connect up!
I have confined a lot of the spaggetti to the dashboard.
dashboard5 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
The little button (temporarily) mounted on the steering wheel is actually a wireless horn button. The receiver is amongst the stuff on the rear of the dashboard. The plan is to bodge it around so that it sits behind the steering wheel central horn push.
dashboard4 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And a few more pictures of the rest of the wiring waiting to be connected up. All i need is the engine now!
loom2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have managed to keep the high current (starter motor) wiring nice and short. Not sure what route I am going to use yet to reach the rear of the car but it is all contained within one cable.
loom3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
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  #163  
Old 28th March 2024, 20:47
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peterux peterux is offline
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Great progress, Robin.
Love the dashboard, looks really period and unique.

cheers, Peter
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  #164  
Old 30th March 2024, 17:11
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Very tidy, looks excellent
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  #165  
Old 10th April 2024, 19:19
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I have been working on the heater install the last few weeks. I bought a (fairly expensive) heater from T7Design as the basis. I don't think it represented good value for money! When i took it to bits to modify slightly I found it just comprised a computer style fan, albeit a powerful one, and a heater matrix in a simple aly box. It would have been considerably cheaper to make it myself. Ho hum - you live and learn.
The heater has 4 outlets, I used 2 for the demister vents and the others for the footwells. I added a 5th, with a little flappy outlet thingy, that points directly into the interior. The heater is supposed to be 3.5kw (hmmm) so I hope it will keep things toasty.
I replaced the heater front panel with one of my one which also serves to mount it and carries the on off switch, the above mentioned 5th vent and will also act as a mount for a 12 volt socket and the choke cable.
At the moment the heater is just configured for re-circulation, but I have allowed enough space behind it to allow for some ducting to the outside world should it prove necessary. For the moment I considered this a complication too far.
I recently discovered the Car Builder Solutions catalog and this has provided the heater hoses with right angle bends. Very handy.

heater1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

heater2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

heater3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
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  #166  
Old 25th April 2024, 16:52
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As a prelude to making the bonnet side panels I have been playing with ideas to mount the spare wheel. The intention is to side mount it on the passenger side as the car will mainly be driven with just the driver and this will help to balance out the weight a bit. I purchased a rather agricutural looking trailer spare wheel mount from Amazon to use as a starting point. It now looks like this.
spare_wheel_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And (temporarily) mounted on the chassis rail.
spare_wheel_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
spare_wheel_3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have yet to decide on the final position as the exhaust will also exit on this side. But clamping it to the chassis showed is was good and sturdy - if still a bit agricultural lol.

I have also test mounted the radiator. I acquired a new old stock rad from another Marlin owner. It's from a Vauxhall Chevette (Viva?) I understand. Originally the car had a heavier duty looking rad from a Morris 1800. On comparison it has more fins but doesn't have any more waterways than the Vauxhall rad so I hope the Vauxhall rad is going to be OK. It will be getting as big an electric fan as I can fit in. The original design hangs the rad on some brackets from the join between the bonnet sides and cowl. Or in the case of this car just wedged between the chassis rails.... This means that taking the bonnet sides off for any reason in the future will be a real pain. so I have made a couple of L brackets to mount it directly to tha chassis. Seems to be a better solution although it does mean drilling the chassis for some rivet nuts.
radiator_new_old by Robin Martin, on Flickr
radiator_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
radiator_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
That's all for now. Bonnet sides next!
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  #167  
Old 5th May 2024, 18:33
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I have made the first of the two bonnet sides. A lot of carefull measuring involved as it is a big panel and didn't want to cock it up. The front and back edges are parallel but top and bottom are both set at an angle. the bottom to follow the chassis and the top to giving the bonnet a pleasing drop towards the front. The original panels were shot but useful as a double check.

The original bonnet side has a lot of folds at the edges not really necessary for strength. But it's actually a clever part of the design - the folded edges are what you actually see which means the 'orrible cut edges are hidden. Which is just as well as the originals seem to have been cut out with a jigsaw with the edges left rough. All done for speed of course. Anyway I made the replacement exactly the same way (I did clean up the edges), the only difference being I riveted the ally angle that strengthens the top rather than nut and bolting it in place as per the original.

It would be an understatement to say I am pleased with the result :-)
Just the other side and the bonnet tops now...

bonnet_side_making by Robin Martin, on Flickr

bonnet_side_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

bonnet_side_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
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  #168  
Old 13th May 2024, 13:07
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I have completed the other bonnet side. Took less than half the time of the first one!
The bad news though is that I trial fitted the old bonnet which I was going to use as a template to make the new one. It is an awful fit - in fact it doesn't really fit at all. So I am going to have to fettle that first before I can even consider using it as a template. Hmm
bonnet_side_3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

As a bit of an asside I have been doing some planning. I am considering using this steering wheel. It's an old Triumph (Herald?) steering wheel and is dished and has sprung spokes the idea being it does provide some protection in the event of a prang. What do people think?
alternative_steering_wheel by Robin Martin, on Flickr

And I have been thinking about the exhaust route. I was always going to have a side mounted silencer but I would like the actual output to be at the rear of the car - not by the passengers ear. It looks like I should be able to route it between the chassis and the rear nearside wheel. Again - what do people think?
exhaust_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
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  #169  
Old 24th May 2024, 09:35
Biggles Biggles is offline
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Steering wheel looks nice but perhaps a bit big? The rear exhaust would be fine but a decently sized silencer and angling the exhaust tip down a bit should make a side exit pipe ok for noise I would have thought and would help with packaging. Loving the build btw, plus sent you a pm re the Pembleton
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  #170  
Old 26th May 2024, 09:48
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Thanks for the suggestions :-)
If I am unable to make the rear exit exhaust work that's probably what I'll do.
But the other problem with a side exhaust is that when stationary the gas fumes tend to find there way into the cockpit and while us petrol heads like the smell of burnt petrol the passenger often doesn't!
Cheers Robin
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  #171  
Old 26th May 2024, 11:17
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A very good point! And something like a fishtail out the back would look suitably vintage, more so than the side option.
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  #172  
Old 28th May 2024, 19:54
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Default Bonnet Woes...

I had always planned to make new bonnet tops as the original ones were rather scarred to say the least. I thought it would be relatively simple to use the old ones as a template. However....

I trial fitted the old one last week having cut it in half as the new one is to be hinged in the middle. The fit is absolutely awful. In fact it's so bad I am beginning to wonder if it was for another variation of the car. It is particulary bad at the scuttle end where it is a complete missfit. So, first I am going to have to do some serious fettling fit before I can even consider using it as a template. You can see from the picture just how bad it is....
bonnet1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

And, in addition it is also too wide at the scuttle end. You can see the overlap of the two halves in the picture now I have sliced it in half. I will have to take about 10mm out of the width plus the width of the piano hinge. Strangly the other (radiator cowl) end it is the correct width.
bonnet2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
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  #173  
Old 14th June 2024, 18:32
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Whilst I think about how to best make the bonnet tops I have been working on a few other items.
The exposed section of the exhaust is pretty much complete now. As it passes pretty close to the inside of the rear wheel I decided to mount it close and rigidly to the chassis. My theory is to allow for engine movement by adding a flexible section, where it passes under the car, to meet up with the downpipe. That's the theory anyway... The silencer ended up in a pretty much perfect place following the chassis line but a few mm away, enough to get some heat shield in I hope. The tail end exits nicely under the rear wing. I will shorten that and add some sort of bend so that the exhaust gases don't end up fouling the chassis.
exhaust1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
exhaust3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
rear_lights1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
As you can see I have also mounted the rear lights. They are Lucas and are nearly a perfect fit. Actually about 2mm to wide but it doesn't really notice.
I have also fitted the doors with door cards so I could check the fit of the door seal I chose. Door also misses exhaust which I always planned but you never know....
door_card1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
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  #174  
Old 14th June 2024, 19:51
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Looking good and moving along nicely Robin!
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  #175  
Old 15th June 2024, 08:54
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Looking really smart, Robin. You have been busy in your shed !

cheers, Peter
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  #176  
Old 21st July 2024, 17:37
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Progress has been a bit slow recently with one thing and another. But I have made a prototype of a gearstick extension gizmo. By default the Marina gearlever is a bit of a stretch - even in the Marina. BL's attempt at fixing this was simply a longer gear lever that was cranked at the base. I think mine is better :-)

gear-lever1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

gear-lever3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

It's only at the protoype stage but it works fine. Notice the cr@p welding. I accidently nudged the amp control and discovered (afterwards) that I had been using far too many - amps that is.
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  #177  
Old 9th September 2024, 10:46
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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
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  #178  
Old 9th September 2024, 13:14
Mitchelkitman Mitchelkitman is offline
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It's good to enjoy seeing the posts from yourself and others - the more the merrier, and some of us don't use FB and other media (everything 'ruled' by the big players?). Here's an exhaust end which recently arrived from Amazon (MIJ Exhausts) 14.99 GBP (I remembered the pound glitch this time ) Superbly polished! A pity the clamp isn't also stainless. Any stainless clamps for sale seem to be 'mickey mouse' and at least this one will hold it on!
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  #179  
Old 9th September 2024, 15:28
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It's a pity I didn't see that before. Oh well.

BTW I mainly use Mikalor clamps to join bits of exhaust together. Sturdy, stainless and, lol, expensive.
Where I have had to use a clamp to mount the exhaust to the body, the only stainless ones I could find, of the correct size, were flimsy and not great value for money. I made my own in the end. Necessity being the mother of invention....
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  #180  
Old 10th September 2024, 12:00
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It would be a shame if fora such as this were to die! FB is all very well but it’s designed to make finding older posts very, very difficult, whereas a good build forum is a treasure trove of ideas. I’ve re-read your Pembleton build in its entirety and will do so again when I start my own build in due course. Couldn’t do that on FB!
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