Mike's Cabrio Build

[dbazdavies]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Engine number or cylinder capacity (cc)
You’ll need to provide either:

a receipt for the replacement engine
written evidence from the manufacturer
an inspection report provided for insurance purposes
written confirmation on headed paper from a garage (if the change took place before you bought the vehicle)

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

When I started this diary I determined I would record it just the way it is - the bad, as well as the good.

Right now I don't know whether I am happy, sad, disappointed, or feeling slightly humbled?

Having just spent the past 2 evenings putting one engine back into my E46 Coupe to replace the one I had removed, (to make a decent car to sell), I was delighted when it started up at the first turn of the switch - that was the Happy.
Its a great feeling when you start a transferred engine for the first time.

But, and it is a big BUT - the engine sounded awful.

I ran it for just 20 seconds, before switching it off to determine the problem. A brief look around the fan blades and belts and pulleys suggested they were ok. Whilst I still had it over the inspection pit I thought a quick look underneath would do no harm, not really believing I would find the problem there. I was certainly not prepared for what I found.............
oil seeping from one of the loosely fitted front exhaust joints.

Very quickly the euphoria of the engine starting gave way to a gut wrenching realisation that this engine was completely cream crackered.

It is strange how a sixth sense tells you something is not right - I had thought the guy was genuine when I bought it as an engine on a pallet - but a niggling doubt must have been telling me I should not fit it in my Cabrio: and so I guess this is why I sought out a second engine.

Part way through removing my E46's engine I asked myself "why are you doing this - swapping a good engine for one that might be just as good? This is a waste of time".

Well at least now, I have the satisfaction of knowing the effort to remove my E46's good engine has proven justified; though my ability to judge character has taken a dent.

So, am I happy, sad, or humbled?

Tonight I am all of them.

Sometimes building a kit car leaves you in a strange mood...................and that's just the way it is.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

all stitches in life's rich tapestry Mike! On the bright side you could have taken it out for a run and found out it was broken later - miles away from anywhere. Plus it makes a great read for the forum
Will a BMW easily fit in a Berli?

A BMW straight 6 has been fitted into a Berly, without any bulges!
There is a blog on the net somewhere of a guy who has installed an M20 2.5 engine and gearbox
- the M50 is a better engine!!

Here it is:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.315164638538257.76641.121170471271009&type=1

berlinetta with BMW M20 engine.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yiUCT3MIJE

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Hope he remembered to connect up the oil outlet/inlet [the 2 ports you can see above the steering shaft] before firing it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

.......... the engine sounded awful. I was certainly not prepared for what I found.............oil seeping from one of the loosely fitted front exhaust joints.

Very quickly the euphoria of the engine starting gave way to a gut wrenching realisation that this engine was completely cream crackered.

Or maybe not?

Extensive internet research suggests M54s are prone to the Crank Case Ventilation system failing, and/or, getting bunged up with oil/condensation gunge, which can then lead to oil being sucked out of the sump into the inlet manifold.

If this is the cause of the oil in my E46 exhaust, I may be lucky.............?

[westy]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Hi Mike
thanks for the very kind offer of the bmw engine etc. but I have set my heart on a v6 jaguar diesel, it might not happen - like a lot of ideas - but that is the plan.
And watch this space if it does!
Hope to see you in the new year when I come up to get my hood fitted

All the best Steve

Hi Steve

This is something I have looked into, and David (Copperleaves) has said, I believe all that is required is to notify DVLA and change the V5. The only bit I am unsure about is the emission rating. I very deliberately chose my M50 engine as a pre August 96 engine as this avoided the higher emissions requirements.
My M54 engine is Yr2000, so will need to meet more stingent emission regulations - ie it will require the CATs fitted.

Other than that I am reasonably confident it will be straight forward.

Would you like a very good BMW M50 2.5 litre straight 6 and 5 speed gearbox and propshaft by any chance? It had covered less than 70k miles when I bought it, and I saw the car and engine running before I bought it.
- its a reasonably straight forward plug and play engine swap.

Mike

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Hi Mike
.............. I have set my heart on a v6 jaguar diesel, it might not happen - like a lot of ideas - but that is the plan.
And watch this space if it does!

Steve

Ooooooh, that sounds interesting. I hope you do go for it - I'll look forward to the photos and write up on that.

A while back I had an Audi diesel V6 and often thought about swapping it into my Cabrio as they make ideal slow revving cruisers.

Has anyone put a Jaguar engine in a Marlin?

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Happy New Year Marliners.......................I hope it proves to be enjoyable for everyone. I am currently reading Chris Evans "Bring On The Midlife" biography (a Christmas present) and very readable it is too: it comes across just the way he talks -- fast and furious! He reckons the New year begins on January 2nd, as January 1st is inextricably linked with the old year ie the hangover you have belongs to last year's celebrations, so the next day is the first proper day of the new Year where you start to enact your resolutions - rather like , as he puts it, getting married: there is the wedding day itself, but then the next day is the first real day of being married.

So, 2016 and I have decided I will paint my Cabrio and go to Stoneleigh with it "Officially finished".

There, I've said it.

I hope my wife believes me!

Taking on board some of Chris Evans enthusiasm for life, and some of his sage advice - like him or loathe him, he is one VERY smart cookie - I will have to focus on what is required, and make myself stick to it!!

I have long known my interest in building a kit car is just that - BUILDING a kit car: it is also very mechanically biased - I have not "finished" my Cabrio beacause I just keep wanting to make improvements along the way - whether required, or just because I can. I make no apology for seeing good ideas on this forum, and others, and flying off at a tangent to copy (or usually to add my interpretation on an idea)..........and when they are not around I make up some new ones!
I am already well into the next complete drive train change - I have an M54 3.0 engine all cleaned up and starting to be refurbished with modified engine harness (to run outside a BMW E46 Chassis), water pump, DISA air intake flap, cam sensors, oil filter, plugs, and flywheel/clutch waiting to attach to a BMW Getrag 6 speed gearbox, and a new Sierra 3.36 diff.

But, and this is where my "New Years Resolution" truly has to be one, I will have to focus on completing the body work on my Cabrio.
For me there are three - no four, - no five, things I must do in order to be able to drive to Stoneleigh on May the whatever, and park up with my car "Officially Complete":

1. Cut the fuel filler recess out, re glass fibre it flat, fit a new fuel tank filler and finish it off with an Aston Martin filler cap
2. Remove the Sierra door handles, weld in aluminium fillers, and fit proper 1930's style door handles
3. Paint the body and re-fit
4. Make and fit two arm rest covers
5. Fit my new VDO Water temperature guage

Until I read Chris Evan's book the plan was to prepare the body work i.e. 1 & 2 above, then whilst it was at the painter's, I could (should/) fit the new engine/gearbox/diff. But being honest with myself, I know the new Engine will take more work than I think/realise, despite kidding myself it is a straight swap now that the wiring has been modified to be "plug and play". Even if it is, the exhaust will be different, and the water pipes too. And the air intake. And the drive by wire accelerator pedal, and, and and....!

So, it has to be a simple, 1, 2, 3 + 4 & 5.

1. Remove the filler recess

Fuel Filler Re-worked (7).JPG

- I can tick that one off.

Now to glass fibre in an in-fill.......

[Peterx]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Happy New Year, Mike!

I like the plan but Step 'zero' is choosing a colour which can take as long as all the other steps......hehe

[David]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Take a leaf out of Evan's 'book' and just copy someone else's idea (colour)...

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Happy New Year, Mike!

I like the plan but Step 'zero' is choosing a colour which can take as long as all the other steps......hehe

Happy New Year Peter

You are so right about the colour - I have still not settled on what it will be.................

[westy]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Have researched lots and found a couple of jag v6's put into 'lotus 7' style cars but not much help there, so I borrowed a year2000 s type and measured everything, then compared this to my marlin and, well, it should all fit, BUT. There is always a but, in this case I wont really know until I get the project started, there are too many variables. This will mean buying a jag, stripping the engines out of both cars and well I'm sure you know the rest. However my mechanic brother-in-law recons it could take us 2-3 months in part time bits (he works shifts) and I would like to use it this summer so we plan to start Sept. or Oct. and I will certainly be documenting the build.
Hope to see you when I come your way for my hood and at shows in the year

ATB Steve

Ooooooh, that sounds interesting. I hope you do go for it - I'll look forward to the photos and write up on that.

A while back I had an Audi diesel V6 and often thought about swapping it into my Cabrio as they make ideal slow revving cruisers.

Has anyone put a Jaguar engine in a Marlin?

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Aston Fuel Filler Cap Fitted

Whilst it does not look much, it is another big step towards being ready to paint my Cabrio - I have fitted my Aston Fuel Filler Cap and neck: only the door handle to go - whooohooo!.

Fuel filler recess cut out

Copy of Fuel Filler Re-worked (1).JPG

I cut the recess off horizontally below the tub surface with just an hacksaw blade (as opposed to vertically through the surface) to ensure a perfectly round hole, and ground the raw cut edge flat with a small angle grinder from below.


Then I cut a piece of 4mm GRP sheet to the same diameter, and located it in the hole and held it up in place with several strips of paper tape, making sure to completely cover the disc.
By using a little wooden roller I pushed the resin through the gap around the perimeter edge, and then squashed the glass sheets onto it, applying more resin with each sheet.
The finished in-fill is around 7-8mm thick, and very rigid.

The inner black ring is the size of the hole to be made for the filler neck.

Copy of IMG_8408.JPG


The hardest part was cutting out the hole with a coping saw - or actually with just a coping saw blade. The side nearest the boot was reachable with the saw, but the far side was not - hence I had to use just the blade - and hence the smear of my blood detectable in the photo!! Those blades are bendy, and sharp!!
But it was worth it.


Copy of IMG_8415.JPG

The 1930s Aston Fuel cap looks much more in keeping with the style of the Marlin than the Sierra cap in its recess.

I will have to apply a little body filler to make a nice smooth finish to the surface visible around the flange, and that will be the penultimate step towards having my Cabrio ready for painting!!

Bring on the door handles......................!

[greyV8pete]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Does it have a lock inside? If not someone sells a lockable plug that fits inside out of sight. Peter.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Does it have a lock inside? If not someone sells a lockable plug that fits inside out of sight. Peter.

Hi Peter

Yes, I chose the lockable filler neck, giving myself the option in the future, but how prevalent is petrol syphoning these days?

Mike