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Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Build Area > Marlin Sportster, Cabrio, Berlinetta and Roadster builds

Marlin Sportster, Cabrio, Berlinetta and Roadster builds Enthused or Confused about your vintage Marlin build? Ask away here or show off your build.

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  #1  
Old 24th October 2005, 13:38
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Default FAO Patrick (or any other E30 builder): Donor Disection

Patrick,

When you stripped your E30, did you do it in any particular order, or did you just unbolt stuff with wild abandon?

I ask as I'm (hopefully) going to be getting my donor in the next couple of weeks, and would benifit from the sage advice of someone a lot further down the road than I.

Also, is the list of bits required from the donor as mentioned on the Marlin site exhaustive? Does the build manual mention anything above what's on the site? I don't want to go and throw something that I need away, but don't feel as if I can completely gut the Beemer due to storage issues...

Thanks in advance,

Jason (GOO)
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  #2  
Old 24th October 2005, 19:26
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I followed this order:

Interior
Engine / gear box and other bits in the engine bay
Rear sub frame / diff / prop shaft
front sub frame

You can sort of follow what I was doing here:

http://www.msportster.co.uk/detail.asp?cat=1&offset=0

I took a week off work to take the donor to bits with my brother. It really helps to have someone to help you.

You will need penetrant spray and a breaker bar and possibly a rubber mallet too. I needed an angel grinder to remove some bolts that just wouldn't budge. Dont cut the rubber clutch cable is costs £35 to replace!

Also get a copy of the Bently manual: http://www.motormec.co.uk/e30.html or a Haynes manual. The Bently is the better of the two but costs more (and is a little americanised). Haynes tends to leave a lot of steps out.

The build manual focuses on the ford donor vehicle - im sure Terry would send you a copy if you ask. All the BMW stuff is photo's on the CD.

The marlin site covers the bits you need.

I've got a box of bits left over and doors/bonnet round the side of the house. The interior is in the shed! I've been getting rid of bits on www.e30zone.co.uk. I decided to keep a lot of it in case I needed anything.
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  #3  
Old 24th October 2005, 20:29
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Thanks Patrick!

I've got both the Haynes & the Bently Manuals, and I've a friend who's going to help me with the donor striping. I'll give Terry a bell and see if she can sort me out with a copy of the Build guide.

BTW - I was showing your build to the wife last night, and all she could comment on was Max!
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  #4  
Old 24th October 2005, 20:58
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Max does get a lot of attention! He goes and sits inside the car all by himself. Even if I'm drilling holes in the chassis he stays put
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Old 24th October 2005, 23:03
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Hi Jason, welcome to the world of Sportster builders.
I started in the engine bay, removing everything I could before moving on the interior, engine, gearbox, differential and exterior parts. I kept a lot of parts like lights, etc which I won't be using but there is a lively market for second hand parts on eBay. (I've seen fog lights go for £70!)
Basically, keep removing parts but leave the steering, suspension and wheels to last. That way you can keep moving he car around by hand. Finally, I built this flat trolly from some old Dexion (angle shelving stuff with lots of holes) and some nylon 12" casters I picked up at a boot sale for £5. The trolly has proved invaluable because now I have my Sportster chassis sitting on it. I'm building my car in a single lockup garage so the trolly allows me to move it in and out and turn it around when required. The most useful tool I bought was a 24 inch breaker bar, absolutely the best £11 I spent at a Kit car show. The Bentley Manual is also invaluable and much more inforamtive than the Haynes manual that came in the boot of my donor.
I stripped everything back to the shell and only had one nut (a track rod end) that needed heat to remove. The best penetrating oil is called Plus Gas, which used to be very common. It seems to be rare now, so if you see some at a show, buy two cans! I have worked out a way dismmantling practically everything, including wheel bearings, so if you get stuck, let me know.

all the best with the dirty bits
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Old 2nd November 2005, 13:34
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Default Stripping the donor vehicle

Lots of good advice from the other guys. One thing I would add is make sure you label absolutely everything. Tie on labels are best - sticky ones tend to fall off. The electrics are particularly important to label.

I would also strip every nut, bolt fitting and bracket - its amazing what can come in useful later in the build.

Follow the link below for a few of my pictures of the stripped car...

BR

Robin
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/martinclan/pictures.htm
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Old 2nd November 2005, 21:38
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Hi Robin,
looks like you are making fantastic progress!

I absolutely agree about labelling stuff. At the time you dismmantle, you think you are bound to remember, but six months later you'll find you haven't a clue!

What's the story behind your new Steering column bulkhead?
I'm sure you've had a good reason to go to all that trouble?

best regards

Peter
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Old 8th November 2005, 13:25
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Default Steering column saga

When I first mounted the steering column it wouldn't line up with the bracket on the scuttle (seemed to be two long and offset to one side) I made up a small adapter plate - problem solved so I thought.

Then when I fitted the exhaust down pipe the steering lower column wanted to pass right thru' the middle of it! To solve this I "moved" the hole in the footwell through which the steering column passes. I made a bigger clsoing plate up to fill the hole (The marlin one was welded at the wrong angle anyway) Having moved the hole in the bulkhead the steering column now lines up with the bracket on the scuttle (well almost) and it misses the exhaust downpipe.

To be fair to Marlin I guess there is some variation in the downpipes - but it's a bit of a co-incidence...

BR

Robin
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Old 8th November 2005, 21:23
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Thanks Robin.

I found the fitting of the steering column a real pain but haven't fitted the engine yet, so I don't know if i'll have the same problem as you.

I wonder if the hole in the bulkhead is being cut in the wrong place?

This might explain why the column mounting doesn't line up with the bracket on the scuttle?

best regards and good luck with your build,

Peter
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  #10  
Old 8th November 2005, 23:10
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I have the same alignment issues on mine. My manifold seems to fit past ok, but I've not tried it with down pipes on yet.
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  #11  
Old 15th December 2005, 09:55
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Well, there's no going back now... I've just bought my donor

It's a C reg ('86) 325i saloon that's an MOT failure due to the large amount of crud left by the Iron Moths. It's got 130k on the clock and seems to be mechanically sound (I guess time will tell). I'm trailering back to mine on Saturday.

How much did this piece of German automotive excellence cost me? £100.
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  #12  
Old 15th December 2005, 09:58
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GreatOldOne
Well, there's no going back now... I've just bought my donor

It's a C reg ('86) 325i saloon that's an MOT failure due to the large amount of crud left by the Iron Moths. It's got 130k on the clock and seems to be mechanically sound (I guess time will tell). I'm trailering back to mine on Saturday.

How much did this piece of German automotive excellence cost me? £100.
excellent! Have fun taking it to bits! Nice price too!
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