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Peter, it's time to add my name to the list for real.
The Sportster order is placed. Delivery is promised for mid September. The garage is emptier and tidier than it's been for years and we're ready to go.
I've sorted out a donor. It's a 1994 (L Reg) Coupe E36 with the M50 engine and 140K on the clock. I was planning on an engine rebuild but this one sounds like a peach so I'm un-decided now.
Thanks for your help and comments over the last few weeks. I blame you all for not managing to dissaude me from this venture so the fun starts here.!!
Well done and welcome. I hope you make faster progress than me, although my delays are largely for personal reasons and not problems with the kit. As I recall, my kit was ready for collection before the promised date!
140k is nothing if it's been serviced regularly. Mine has done 170k and still goes like the clappers. I would recommend that you replace all the oil seals that you can though. Much easier when the engine is on the bench.
He tells me that he's got some new purpose made front struts which are common to both the Sportster and the 5exi and that the turnaround bar for the seat belts is now part of the chassis construction. (instead of being bolted in as previously)
And I also understand that there will shortly be a fold down hood which will be available as a retro fit to existing Sportsters.
Pictures and updates will start emeging soon. I probably use flickr. I'll struggle just to build the car. I don't want to have to learn to build a website as well.............!!
He tells me that he's got some new purpose made front struts which are common to both the Sportster and the 5exi and that the turnaround bar for the seat belts is now part of the chassis construction. (instead of being bolted in as previously)
And I also understand that there will shortly be a fold down hood which will be available as a retro fit to existing Sportsters.
Pictures and updates will start emeging soon. I probably use flickr. I'll struggle just to build the car. I don't want to have to learn to build a website as well.............!!
Should be interesting to see the new struts and fold down hood.
Here's a link to a current 5exi builder showing the front hub.I wonder if they will be like these?
I'd also like to see how they acomodate the different brake caliper mounting points - I don't think 5EXi's and Sportsters run the same size discs or calipers.
Bl--dy Hell. Never get a moment's piece when you join this forum............
Still catching my breath after the run back from Exeter.
Cheers Peter. Yes. It's all here and safely stored in the garage. What happened to all that room I in there made a couple of weeks ago. Pictures to be posted on Flickr shortly.
1st lesson learnt too late though. When dismantling the donor yourself and trying to undo the hub bolt from the front wheel assembly at least you've got resistance in the form of a ton of car. If you get Marlin to dismantle it and then try to remove the hub nut from the front wheel assembly on the bench, it's not so easy...............!!
The front uprights are still the standard E36 modified struts. The new solution that was mentioned is not compatible with BMW calipers and required aftermarket uprights - an extra £600 of costs with no obvious advantage. The rollbar has been modified though with a couple of brackets to bolt the seat belt turnaround bar to. Looks tidy. I just hope it's in the right place. Careful seat selection methinks...............
I think the e36 uprights are a good choice as you won't have any problems with the wing stays coming loose.
What a shame Mark didn't loosen those hub nuts for you before dismantling.
If you can't get the hub nuts undone I can recommend one of these.... http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/clarke-cew1000-electric-impact-wrench/path/impact-wrenches
I didn't have it when I dismantled my donor but we bought one about 6 months ago to fix something on my sons car and they work brilliantly. We haven't found anything yet it can't undo, hub nuts, drive shaft nuts, suspension nuts, crankshaft bolts, etc
Looking forward to your pictures...
regards
Peter
P.S. Just seen your pictures!! Looking at that rear end, I'd definately invest in the impact wrench! I think Timbo is our e36 expert on here....
So, a small evolution of the chassis, judging from those pics.
From what I can see, the differences from my chassis are:
The seatbelt bar (did you have to specify what height you wanted it set at? If not, you'll have choose your seats to ensure that the turning point is correct)
The steering column hole / reinforcement (Mine didn't have a hole cut, and I had a seperate bolt in 'collar'
the steering column upper mounting point (looks tubular now? Mine was a U shaped piece of flat bar)
the front suspension 'turrets' (They look more slender and 'curvy' than mine, but that could be down to the peculiarities of the e36 front uprights... Like the different pick up points for the rear swing arms are different to the e30 ones)
Apart from that, it all looks very familiar!
What have you bolted on first? Apart from the bar that is?
the front suspension 'turrets' (They look more slender and 'curvy' than mine, but that could be down to the peculiarities of the e36 front uprights...
Your right I hadn't noticed that! They seem to be higher and enclosed and all smoothed over. The headlight and shock mounting will look a lot better and neater with that chassis mod.
Nigel,
any more news from Mark of the new folding 'pram' style hood and any sign of the new Marlin demonstrator being built?
That impact wrench looks just the job. And contemplating that rear end assembly I think your right. It'll come in really handy.
No more news about the hood other than that it is happening. Mark tells me he is producing it for a complete build he is doing but I didn't see it in either of my visits.
Nothing else bolted on yet Jason. I thought I would start somewhere nice and easy and gently progress to the difficult bits.................... Not sure how Mark decided on the height of the seat belt bar mounting bracket but agree with your comment about seat selection. I think it's a pity the brackets are forward of the roll bar rather than behind. It's another sharp edge to cover up for IVA
The first job is the rear end clean up. I'm trying to decide just how far to strip it down, which of the bushes are replaceable (some of them seem to be bonded in), and how it fits back into the chassis. Marlin supplied a couple of diff mounting brackets but I haven't worked out how to use them yet. But then I haven't really investigated. That's something for this weekend and perhaps a visit to Tim and his E36 version sometime with a camera. Tim..................??
Hi Nigel
You're more than welcome to visit...however, at the moment the Sportster is in Caerphilly whilst someone is working out how to bypass the immobiliser. Which is quite handy in fact as the garage of my new house got burnt down a couple of weeks ago!! Will let you know as soon as its back in sunny Bristol.
Cheers
Tim
The first job is the rear end clean up. I'm trying to decide just how far to strip it down, which of the bushes are replaceable (some of them seem to be bonded in), and how it fits back into the chassis.
This is where the realoem.com website comes in handy.
