Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Here We Go Again!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Here We Go Again!

    I am now the proud owner of another Marlin...

    A Berlinetta this time, I collected the loose parts and two engines and two gearboxes a few weeks ago but yesterday I collected the rolling chassis and body. A 466 Mile round trip of 17 hours in temperatures up to 33ºC, I found it a bit gruelling to say the least.

    Today I unloaded the car and returned the borrowed trailer, then this afternoon with my little helpers, Michael and Christopher, I assessed what we had collected. My original intention was to do a minimal job just to get it through the test and on the road ASAP, however... Having got up close in daylight, I now feel I will have to go the whole hog.

    The wiring is a mess, so many badly made joints, no grommets where the wires pass through the panels, house wiring used to connect components, continental fuses, and a host of other issues.

    The steering is a mess, three UJ's, worn bushes and badly designed support. The steering wheel is way too close to the dash, the rack pinion bearings are shot.

    The front tie rod bushes have become a powdery yellow dust, so I feel I had better properly investigate the suspension bushes and joints. The diff pinion shaft oil seal is leaking, so that needs attention.

    It seems to have adjustable dampers, so that may be a plus...

    The engine mountings are very badly made, the modifications to the bulkhead are terrible, badly fitting patched aluminium sheets pop riveted (or not), with bits of foam stuffed into the gaps presumably to stop the draughts?

    I need to make a proper back seat with seat belts for occasional back seat passengers.

    I need to fit the engine properly and more securely, so the water pump doesn't try to drill through the radiator when the brakes are applied.

    Speaking of brakes... I have no idea what they are like, except there is (was?) a good pedal. The servo has been moved closer to the side of the car very badly. I need to check if that is really necessary and if it is, then re-do the mod properly.

    I believe the car originally had a Ford engine but at some stage this was replaced with a Rover 3500 V8 engine and auto transmission (slush box?) from an SD1.

    The car has stood since (last licensed) 1992, so there is obvious age related deterioration but from what I have seen so far nothing that is a show stopper.

    I can build one half decent engine from the two, only really needing rings, bearings, cam followers and gaskets to get it purring. I am hoping ONE of the BW type 65 gearboxes will do the business, if not I will be looking for a Ford type 9 box I suppose.

    Being realistic I guess this will set my intended MOT back a little... Was hoping for September, that may slip a little.

    I have some history of the car, it was in Scotland, then Stockport, until about a year ago when it was bought by the PO near Northampton who simply has too may commitments to undertake the task of returning the car to the road.

    A break at Charnock Richard Services.

    Screen Shot 2013-07-15 at 00.29.22.jpg

    The front bulkhead and pedal box.

    Screen Shot 2013-07-15 at 00.30.32.jpg

  • #2
    Re: Here We Go Again!

    Hi Robert

    I hope you will be posting lots of pics in the Build Diary section?
    It will be interesting to compare with Scott's Sierra based Berlinetta.

    Mike

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Here We Go Again!

      That's the plan Mike, it's another adventure I'm keen to share. I will need lots of guidance my knowledge of Ford cars stops at the Zodiac Mk3 and 105E !!! LOL

      I have been reading an interesting datasheet PDF on the Atlas axles. Have hear of them but never met one before.



      Seems it's up to the task of being driven by the Rover V8.

      I think my biggest challenges will be in the area of the bulkhead, dealing with the 'mods' made when the Rover engine was fitted. The original build seemed pretty good but the V8 installation less so.

      I have mocked one of the engines up with no internals so I can place it in the chassis with a gearbox and get a feel for how to rectify the problems and get a good result.

      Screen Shot 2013-07-15 at 12.53.16.jpg

      The 'mods' to the pedal box, presumably to create more space for the V8 motor.

      Screen Shot 2013-07-15 at 12.54.01.jpg

      Screen Shot 2013-07-15 at 12.51.58.jpg

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Here We Go Again!

        Crikey Robert - havent you got a telly The things you do to keep yourself amused.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Here We Go Again!

          Telly?

          Nope, don't have one!

          Not that hot on electronics, I do pull my computers to bits occasionally and I have been known to strip and re-assemble Nikon DSLR's, but not tellys. <wink>

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Here We Go Again!

            Been very busy today...

            Screen Shot 2013-07-16 at 22.35.52.jpg

            Completely stripped the chassis.

            A little interest, it has Spax adjustable Dampers all round, although I don't see how you can adjust the front ones.

            Screen Shot 2013-07-16 at 23.11.23.jpg

            The final drive is 3.44:1. I don't know if that is good or not yet with the Rover V8. Although it does have 205-80 X 15" tyres so that will up the gearing I guess. I am thinking of building a 5.1:1 axle using a Transit diff if I can find one, just in case I end up having to use the Berlinetta for trialling.

            The chassis feels very little heavier than the Roadster chassis despite being much bigger. probably because the 'A' posts are much lighter and it doesn't have the solid steel windscreen frame/roll over hoop, so it should have a lower centre of gravity.

            Screen Shot 2013-07-16 at 22.33.40.jpg

            The lower axle links have nylon/plastic inserts, although I am not too impressed with them. The upper links have standard Ford rubber bushes. The reason I am not too impressed with the plastic bushes is they are very tight on the bolts and appear to be rotating the bolts. If the bolts are tight, they clamp the mounting brackets tightly to the side flanges of the bushes, causing the two to rub hard together. I found two of the bolts very loose and the other two very tight, suggesting to me the direct contact between the bolts and the bushes is causing the bolts to be loosened, or tightened depending on the rotation direction. Also one of the bolts has started to wear the mounting holes because it was not tight. My simplistic mind was expecting a solid sleeve inside the bush which would be slightly wider than the the plastic and would be clamped up on allowing the bush to rotate freely yet have the bolts tight and not in contact with the bushes. My other concern is that unlike the rubber bushes, which allow for torsional deflection, the plastic bushes are solid and force the steel links to take up the torsional deflection, for which they may not be ideally suited? Some sort of rose joint would be ideal.

            I am aching to get the mock engine into position so I can see what I need to do to make a comfortable fit.

            This renovation is starting to look very promising.
            Last edited by Robert in Cumbria; 16-07-13, 10:14 PM.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Here We Go Again!

              Another busy day. I have fitted the mock engine and weighed up what needs to happen, I am moving it back and raising it. That should allow me to have a two UJ steering shaft, clear the radiator by a decent margin and actually bolt the radiator in. It would appear it has been sitting on the two straps which bolt the front suspension on and not held by any thing but the radiator hoses. The Water pump has been making regular contact with the cores and the tubes would appear to have been repaired more than once.

              Pic showing the lack of clearance for the water pump shaft.

              Screen Shot 2013-07-18 at 23.48.30.jpg

              I have positioned the engine and gearbox where I want them now and all looks good, so tomorrow I will be fabricating the new engine mountings.

              Bed!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Here We Go Again!

                When I built my V8 Berlinetta I had the same clearance problems with the water pump. Part of my solution was to remove the cone shaped boss shown in your pic and replace it with one from an SD1 engine which is pressed steel, the excess shaft was then removed. See pic below.

                160.jpg

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Here We Go Again!

                  and wasnt the older P6 water pump shorter in the nose too? Still not much room though!
                  have you read this...

                  Last edited by cameronfurnival; 19-07-13, 07:41 AM. Reason: found pic

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Here We Go Again!

                    Thanks Scott, that is interesting, I had considered shortening the water pump but one of my engines is an SD1, they both have the same water pump, so I didn't realise the SD1 pump was different. I't may of course have the wrong water pump, The SD1 engine may have been fitted to a P6 before is found it's way into the Marlin. I am content about moving the engine backwards, The bulkhead is in such a bad way it will have to be completely re-constructed so I may as well put the engine where it fits best, then build the bulkhead around it. I want the engine as far back as possible anyway just in case I decide to trial it.

                    Your photograph is interesting, the front construction is very different from mine. I have the Cortina front cross member/subframe bolted to the front of the chassis. The radiator uprights are single folded angle rather than the Z section which your photo shows.

                    Do you have any other photographs of the installation? Particularly around the pedal box area, although any pix would be welcome. That goes for anybody please, if you have any photographs of the Rover V8 fitment they would be much appreciated.

                    A wider area image of the radiator showing the mounts.

                    Screen Shot 2013-07-19 at 08.17.17.jpg

                    Screen Shot 2013-07-19 at 08.25.14.jpg

                    An example of the craftsmanship employed creating the gearbox cover .

                    Screen Shot 2013-07-19 at 08.26.36.jpg

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Here We Go Again!

                      Yesterday I fabricated the engine mountings, when I let the weight of the engine onto them the engine was slightly tilted to the drivers side, so I had to re-drill the bracket at the n/s to lower that side about 10mm, it's spot on now. The exhaust manifold nicely clears the n/s engine bay side, the carbs have about 15mm clearance to the bonnet and the alternator now fits and has a full range of adjustment. I can't be sure the steering will clear the o/s manifold but it looks good.

                      My next task is to create a new rear crossmember to support the gearbox. I have self imposed a ban on angle grinder use over the weekend because the weather means most people have their doors and windows wide open, the sound of merry angle grinding for hours on end can be harsh on the ears for my neighbours, so I though quiteter activities might be kinder, just for the weekend...

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Here We Go Again!

                        My progress with the Berlinetta has been rather impeded by a Corsa clutch. Slightly OT but there is a moral to the story at the end...

                        My ex wife has a little 1.2, 2003 Corsa, she was taking Christopher to the dentists, as she joined the M6 from the slip road the clutch pedal went to the floor as she was about to change up into 5th.

                        Not to worry, the insurance has a recovery element. So eventually several hours later they were 'recovered' Sharon had been expecting to be taken home with the car, so she could call me and get me to repair it, only a couple of miles but no, the car has to be taken back past her home, to the recovery companies depot for assessment and quote for repairs. Later she received a call to tell her the clutch has gone and it will cost £575 to replace it.

                        My diagnosis (over the 'phone) was it needs a new clutch cable at about a tenner... I didn't realise the newer Corsa's have hydraulic clutches.

                        In fact the clutch/brake fluid level was very slightly low and the clutch had gulped some air. £4.98 for brake fluid saw her back on the road with a makeshift repair. I then made up a pressure bleeder to back bleed the clutch properly. When I back bled the clutch which only took a few seconds, loads of air came out. To date it seems I have cracked it. A saving of £570.02.

                        It seems these 'recovery' contracts with insurance companies are 'free' BUT expect inflated estimates for the repairs ON THEIR TERMS. I had been enthusiastic about the prospect of my Marlin insurance having 'recovery' includes for a mere £20 but I won't be taking that option when I get the Berlinetta on the road. Oh, and by the way, if her clutch happens to go again, guess what? Because she didn't avail herself of the inflated, rip off new clutch they offered her, NO RECOVERY.


                        If something seems to good to be true, it usually is.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Here We Go Again!

                          Have been constructing the gearbox tail mountings today. I have made a beautiful job of them, though I say it myself and shouldn't. Just one slight snag... The propshaft is about 40mm too high. Dratt, I will have to alter it tomorrow. I have a plan though.

                          It's a bit complicated because the removable centre section is reinforced inside... Dratt!

                          Screen Shot 2013-07-29 at 22.33.07.jpg


                          # 347
                          Last edited by Robert in Cumbria; 29-07-13, 09:46 PM.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Here We Go Again!

                            I spent most of the day rectifying my blunder of yesterday...

                            I have lowered the tail of the gearbox 38mm. That gets me where I need to be. It isn't quite as neat as it was but it will only be enthusiasts like me who spend more time looking at the undersides of cars rather than the shiny side, who will notice, if they even do! LOL

                            A little more adjustment and buffing up and it will be fine once it's painted. Fine tuning in the morning... For the bunny lovers among us, I WILL fit shorter bolts before the car goes on the road.



                            Last edited by Robert in Cumbria; 30-07-13, 11:55 PM.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Here We Go Again!

                              Hi Robert

                              I have watched with interest your build of the Roadster but it seems that it got done and then we heard nothing.

                              Did it pass?


                              Do you use it for the purpose you built it for ?

                              Now to the new one, have you done any more since this post?

                              ETC, ETC.

                              Adrian
                              Last edited by listerjp2; 21-10-13, 12:05 PM.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X