MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

[Waterscumbietoo]

My car: SWB Marina based Marlin. Reg Q557 RGF, chassis number 2348. Built from scratch and on the road on 19th March 1991. Then a 'short intermission' till Feb 2014.... Long story, but working on a happy ending.

My mission:

1. To transplant engine & gearbox, exhaust, fuel system, all necessary electrics and instruments from an MX5 (1600 cc, pop up headlight model) into my car.

2. Come up with a proper folding roof to replace the slot-together (in the pouring rain) Paul Moorehouse version.

3. Get a replacement hinged bonnet - might have solved this, fingers crossed.

4. Have a 'Chitty - Chitty - Bang - Bang' moment sometime in the future, with a little help from the Marlin Owners Club members.

So let's begin;

Day1 - 24th Feb 18: Got what's left of my Marlin up on wheeled stands. An excellent product by the way, can shuffle the car around my limited garage space. Got mine from vidaxl.com, but just saw same thing cheaper from toolstoday.com. Oh well.....

https://www.toolstoday.co.uk/sealey-...CABEgJtZPD_BwE

Rs,
avid - Winter 2018

[meverett]

Hi Dave, I will sort a price out for courier on the bonnet for you today. Sorry I have been busy yesterday replacing my intercooler on my T5 van.
Sounds like a great project you have lined up. Keep everyone posted on progress with pictures.
Cheers, Martin.

[jon_wilkinson]

David, if you're not going to be using the slot together frame and body sockets I would interested in taking them off your hands. PM me with a price if you are selling.

[philcoyle]

Hi Dave,my apologies for inadvertently hijacking your thread, a word of caution! If you have marina front suspension at the moment, think about where the steering rack will go. Marina racks sit behind the axle and cannot be used in front of it. Check where your steering arms will be ,front of the axle or the rear.
If you swop the uprights from side to side you will have problems with king pin inclination and self centring . This titbit will save you some research time: Ford Escort mk2 is an almost perfect fit in front of the axle, and can be adjusted by steering rack extensions, simple internal threaded tube.

[Waterscumbietoo]

Hi Dave,my apologies for inadvertently hijacking your thread, a word of caution! If you have marina front suspension at the moment, think about where the steering rack will go. Marina racks sit behind the axle and cannot be used in front of it. Check where your steering arms will be ,front of the axle or the rear.
If you swop the uprights from side to side you will have problems with king pin inclination and self centring . This titbit will save you some research time: Ford Escort mk2 is an almost perfect fit in front of the axle, and can be adjusted by steering rack extensions, simple internal threaded tube.

No problem, and thanks Phil!!

See folk? Phil's suggestion is exactly the sort of advice I was expecting to see coming through on this thread.

Rs,

avid.

[Waterscumbietoo]

David, if you're not going to be using the slot together frame and body sockets I would interested in taking them off your hands. PM me with a price if you are selling.

Hi Jon, once I have got the pattern for the folding hoop design, you have first refusal. For the moment, I want to hold onto it just in case I need to reference them for accurate and tight fitting of the existing hood against the new folding one.

Will PM you.

Rs,

avid.

[philcoyle]

I was thinking along the lines of those lovely hydraulic cabinet door lifters, they come in all pressures and lengths and are only about 16mm in diameter.The pressure is constant and they cost a couple of pounds

[Waterscumbietoo]

I was thinking along the lines of those lovely hydraulic cabinet door lifters, they come in all pressures and lengths and are only about 16mm in diameter.The pressure is constant and they cost a couple of pounds

I like shiny bits (also have a Yamaha 1600cc V Twin 'Tractor', known as a 'Wildstar'). What were you suggesting I use the hydraulic lifters for?

avid

[Waterscumbietoo]

Brought across to this thread:

[Phil.coyle] "Lambretta series 1 and 2 front disc brake alloy air scoop. Covers the hole where the Marina steering rack arms came through the bonnet sides. Choice was new sides or air scoops, and shiny polished alloy Lambretta parts won.
Send me your details, address ,postcode etc to my notifications at top of page. I have a slight problem, I live in Press that inn, and my 40ft container is in Evesham about 150 miles away.I go there every few weeks to collect furniture and stuff but I'll make it worth your wait,promise. Phil.
Buggerbuggerbuggerbugger, sorry if I offend anyone's sensibility.[/QUOTE]

LOL!!

Was thinking of keeping the Marina steering rack, but if you are saying it will not work where it is with the MX5 engine installed, and I will need to get the Escort one, then yes am interested in your shiny polished alloy Lambretta bits. But no rush as am a long way from attempting the engine install. Next step is to remove Marlin wings, engine side panels, floor pan and drive tunell.

avid.

[philcoyle]

This is just one snag. If you move the rack forward of the centre line of the hubs it alters the way the steering arms move. Draw a simple soap box cart steering cut it out and play with it, or if you have grand/children buy them all ice lollies but keep the sticks, do anything as long as you get the idea. We can talk about Ackerman angles later, say about 2020.

Good news folks, there could be a Marina steering rack up for sale in the future. No please don't thank me lol
I saw a hood on a marlin and it had springs on the outside to tension the hood, then I thought why not use the miniature hydraulic cylinder version of the tailgate lifters, there's squillions of them on eBay for a couple of quid.
I'm here if you want to chase ideas, at least you have a nearly live manual to work from some of the research has been done, but you can improve on it before my brain fizzles ooouuut.......