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....
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...58c8e6a6_c.jpggearbox_fit1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3431a7cb_c.jpgpropshaft_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.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...46698c88_c.jpggearbox_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.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bb55ef1e_c.jpgtransmission_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.

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.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3527baac_c.jpgdashboard5 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.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...36dd9ea5_c.jpgdashboard4 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!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1c0ed27a_c.jpgloom2 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.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5bbe65d0_c.jpgloom3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

Great progress, Robin.
Love the dashboard, looks really period and unique.

cheers, Peter

Very tidy, looks excellent :)

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.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fbb0e2a8_c.jpgheater1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bfd62769_c.jpgheater2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fdd08dd2_c.jpgheater3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

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.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...05ef13eb_c.jpgspare_wheel_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And (temporarily) mounted on the chassis rail.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...959c51ee_c.jpgspare_wheel_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...af48957c_c.jpgspare_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.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d8f069c8_c.jpgradiator_new_old by Robin Martin, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4e70a4b4_c.jpgradiator_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...be24a664_c.jpgradiator_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
That's all for now. Bonnet sides next!