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  • Rebuilding a Roadster

    Hello everyone,
    Newbie here and this is my first post.
    Back in the early 90s a mate of mine built the roadster based on the Marina, ever since then I have wanted to build my own but over the years other things have taken priority.
    I have now just purchased a 90s roadster that is basically a barn find and I am in the process of stripping it down for a complete rebuild. Unfortunately it has never been for its IVA or SVA and any advice for this would be greatly appreciated. I plan to get a registered v5 and hope I will be able to transfer the registration plates over.
    It is an Ital based 1.3 and I believe pretty much all the donor parts came from the Ital.
    Anyway the strip down is going well and everything is coming apart with ease, nothing seized yet, and the chassis is surprisingly sound.
    My first question of probably many is planning for the eventual SVA, does the chassis need any modification or anything else?
    Has anyone got a build manual electronically or the current SVA regulations.
    Other than eBay are there any recommended sources online for parts.
    I live in St. Austell, Cornwall and would be interested if anyone in the owners club is local to me.
    Thanks in advance,

  • #2
    Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

    The SVA is superceded by the IVA. You won't get a valid V5 without an IVA pass.
    Initial advice will be to expect to have a very empty wallet.

    I don't think an unregistered Roadster has ever been through an IVA, so much of the advice will be a shot on the dark.
    There are other posts on the forum that discuss the possible pitfalls so I won't try to reiterate them again.
    So far as chassis mods go my reading of the regs suggest that the seat and seatbelt mountings will be critical, as will cockpit surround height, double lock doors and you will also need a collapsible steering column etc. The list goes on.

    My advice is therefore to read all you can in my archive with reference to the IVA, then read it again, and then once more until you can quote it verbatim.
    Several of the regulations interleave, the radius of various protrusions both on the running gear, bodywork and cockpit, all have to be considered individually.

    Nothing is insurmountable, given the resources of money, engineering skill, knowledge and time, but getting a car that was never designed to pass an SVA or an IVA test, on the road will be a real technical engineering challenge.
    Finally if you are going to all that effort, consider the options of engine swaps before you have a bare chassis.

    Someone on this forum spent a lot of time and money on an unregistered Marlin Berlinetta. It failed the IVA test on a fundamental design flaw, and ultimately became an expensive garden ornament, and a collection of second hand parts, only usable if trailered to a track day event.

    Keep us posted on your thoughts and progress.
    MOC member since 05/97
    1984 Marlin Roadster SWB.
    1800TC, Unleaded ported head, stage 2 cam. Ford Type 9 gearbox, Dolomite Sprint rear axle fitted with MGF disc brakes.
    Three core radiator, Renault Clio vented front discs.
    The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

    Loads of Marlin Reference can be found documents here or there.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

      Thanks for the reply, The IVA sounds like it is going to be a nightmare. Got a feeling that my roadster will never be on the road.
      I have a lot of paper work with the roadster from receipts to the original build manual, how can I find further details about the car with the chassis number?
      Thinking about my options.
      The car although it has been in a barn for years, it has lasted very well, the chassis is near on perfect. As I have owned Marinas and Itals many years ago the mechanicals are familiar to me and takes me back to the old school mechanics that we know and love.
      Due to the condition of the chassis, I am thinking one option is find a registered 'basket case' and do a chassis swap, swapping the v5 over at the same time, would this still require sva? Does anyone know of a possible 'basket case'
      Another option which I don't want to think about at the moment is sell it on or break for spare parts.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

        Even if you succeed in getting the car through a BIVA it will be allocated a Q reg so the reg you want to transfer is lost. AFAIK there is no way of getting a reg from a donor transferred to another vehicle if the components have been used to build a kit car unless the donor has been on the road (MOT'd tax) within a recent period. Seeing the donor will have been off the road for 20 years that obviously isn't the case.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

          If you want to find out more details from your chassis number the best place to start is the Morris Matina Owners Club and the strangely named fastmarinamagazine.co.uk forum they have a member who is very knowledgeable on Marina /Ital history.
          As Compo says, identifying the original donor may not be sufficient in the eyes of the Licencing Agency, the current regs are a points system, based on the source of various elements, chassis, engine, transmission, etc and after such a long time, proof would be difficult. You still need an IVA test pass, time is against you to retain the old reg, but it can be done.

          I cannot condone a chassis swap, but it has been done before, making one car from two, is possible but.......

          It would be great to see a Roadster achieve an IVA, but like the French guy converting a Roadster to what is essentially an MX5 special, the task is massive, and the end result will probably look like a completely different car.
          MOC member since 05/97
          1984 Marlin Roadster SWB.
          1800TC, Unleaded ported head, stage 2 cam. Ford Type 9 gearbox, Dolomite Sprint rear axle fitted with MGF disc brakes.
          Three core radiator, Renault Clio vented front discs.
          The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

          Loads of Marlin Reference can be found documents here or there.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

            Thanks guys, interesting reading.
            I knew that this was going to be a challenge for me but not to this extent.
            I have no details of the donor car that was used but I do know that all components that could be used from the donor are in there.
            I have the chassis number from the roadster and was wondering if there is any way to find out if it was registered in the past but documents were mislaid over the years. (A long shot I know)
            If I found a uk registered roadster that is a basket case then swap the chassis using mine as spare parts etc. would this still require an sva or be considered the same uk registered car.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

              It truly is a long shot. Only if the previous owner(s) passed on details to the club would it then be possible to track down. But the MOC database is less than complete.
              MOC member since 05/97
              1984 Marlin Roadster SWB.
              1800TC, Unleaded ported head, stage 2 cam. Ford Type 9 gearbox, Dolomite Sprint rear axle fitted with MGF disc brakes.
              Three core radiator, Renault Clio vented front discs.
              The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

              Loads of Marlin Reference can be found documents here or there.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

                I would not condone a chassis swap as it would be fraud. But here is my recent experience with the DVLA. I am currently rebuilding my Berlinetta which has been off the road and SORN since year 2000. I have changed the engine from a V8 to a 4cyl and I also will change the colour from red to blue. It is all documented in my build diary. I sent the V5 to DVLA stating the changes and was at least expecting to need an inspection of some kind. However the V5 was returned, all be it after a wait of 3 months, with the new engine number and colour correct. For all they know it could have been a chassis swap.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

                  Originally posted by stevejgreen View Post
                  It truly is a long shot. Only if the previous owner(s) passed on details to the club would it then be possible to track down. But the MOC database is less than complete.
                  Indeed it is but if you PM me the chassis number or post it here I will see what info we have, if any.
                  Marlin Roadster, LWB...1860 B Series + Ford Type 9
                  Renault Espace 54mm front calipers, vented discs, cycle wings and adjustable tie-bars.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

                    Was the roadster ever completed and used on the road before 1998 when the original SVA system was introduced. Do you have a V5 with the car or reg number with the car.

                    It would need some proof that the car was in use as a Marlin.
                    Ben Caswell probably not the last word on anything here!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

                      I don't think it has ever been on the road. I have no v5 for the marlin and no registration plates. There is a stainless backplate fitted ready for a front plate but no evidence of a plate being fitted to the rear.
                      I have seen a few threads on other classic car forums in the past where the car has had a chassis swap due to being rotted out with no fraud issues but I can understand the possible issues.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

                        Thanks Lil_red_roadster. I have sent you a message with my chassis number and look forward to see if you can find anything. Cheers,

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

                          I have pm'd you, give me a bell.

                          Adrian

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                          • #14
                            Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

                            Wheeler Dealers have swapped chassis on a TV REVIEWS and a Morgan without any problems I can't see it being any worse than a restoration.
                            Mk2 SWB Marina Roadster with a 2.0L Pinto built in 1986

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Rebuilding a Roadster

                              There is no problem changing the chassis. The problem comes when you only use the chassis number from a basket case which has a V5. Then say it belongs to your recently built Marlin which cannot pass the current test.

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