roadster or berlinetta ?

[Ollie]

Any help,advice or direction would be greatly apreciated... I have a obtained merlin kit; chassis and related aluminium and fiberglass pannels only, which I am currently trying to decipher, with a view to building and if totaly unpractical maybe reselling, it has a chassis number 1318-mm-0 , I believe it to be an early roadster however I cannot be certain. does anyone know how I can Check? Furthermore some idea of a parts inventory to see if I have all the necessary bits and pieces, if possible some ideas on where to start with assembly and donors, a moris marina i believe of possibly an early ford??? as currently all I have is a big pile of bits ... ! many thanks for any help or ideas anyone has... ;-) Kit cars... WE must all be mad !!!

[CosworthCabrioLee]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Hi Ollie send me some pictures to [email protected] and I will tell you straight away
Cheers lee

[listerjp2]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Hi Ollie

Welcome.

I hope you meant Marlin rather than Merlin.

A quick check on the Cars Section on this Website will give you an idea of the shape differences etc.

If it is an early Roadster then the wing top and inner wings would be one piece, on the later models the top of the wing and the inner wing came as separate parts, usually attached via bolts.

Do you have torsion bars for the front suspension, if so then that would be Marina based.

Do you have a single transverse leaf spring, this would denote a Triumph Rear Suspension and would normally be a Mk1

Do you have doors, if you don't then this could point to an early MK1

Lastly there is a link for both the MK1 and MK2 build manuals on the web site, i will try and dig it out for you.

Maybe someone would be quicker at letting Ollie know this.

You will know doubt be inundated with replies.

Keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

Adrian

[listerjp2]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

If you can pop them up on the website, I am sure we would all be interested.

Adrian

[b_caswell]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Hi Ollie
Chassis 1318 mm-O should be a Mk2 Roadster Marina/Ital based kit designed to take the "O" series Ital engine.
Best you do some reading first look up VOSA_IVA requirements as your kit was produced in 1988 before new regulations were introduced.
Build manual here:-
marlin_roadster_mk2_info.pdf
marlin_roadster_mk2_manual.pdf

Best of luck.

[Ollie]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

hi Listerjp2

my apologies to yourself and everyone else... not a good start.. of course "Marlin" and not merlin of all things wizard'ry !!!! I believe the wings and inners are seperate,



Many thanks for the links b.caswell,

however I could not get them to open, just the o'l "not found" message ? ahh yes the old IVA, as I have only the pannels and chassis with no runnig gear in my current pile... i was considering some more up to date components any ideas on this would also be much apreciated.

hope this has worked.... see below for a pic of what I have... not a lot however they all start like this !

IMG_1737.jpg

CosworthCabrioLee your pic's are on the way... cosworth ay ? now that sounds interesting..."would need some big brakes!!!"

[b_caswell]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Hi Ollie



Dont know why the links didnt go but if you type that into your browser you should be able to find Tyen Miller's file. Yep thats a Marina/Ital base Mk2 kit and those 6 inchextensions in the wings indicates it is a LWB. The inner wings go on the opposite sides.
The more you get away from the original concept the more complicated it gets. Although the Zetec and type 9 box would seem the most attractive.

[Ollie]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Many thanks Ben, as you can see I have much head scratching coming up !

[listerjp2]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Hiya Ollie

Nah get yourself an O series marina and do a proper build.

As Ben says it is a later MK2 built by Marlin just before the Roadster was sold to Yorkshire Kit Cars (YKC).

You will need a few things like seats, floor boards, dash, wiring loom, rear lights, mini front lights, grill, hood, tonau maybe, escort fuel tank (van or estate), windscreen, Radiator, Steering gear covers and a few other bits.

Where are you based?

You could come and have a look at my build to see whats required although mine is a SWB model.

I say mini lights because the pods you have were supplied by Marlin for that purpose.

Yes you can get them through the IVA but will require a bit of work, again if you can come round we can chat about that to.

This is exactly how I started so we have the same starting point.

Let me know, it would be good to see another Marlin on the road.

Just a quick mention the build manual is the one I supplied.

Adrian

[listerjp2]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Hi ollie

yours would look a bit like this externally when finshed.

New Image8.jpg

This is a LWB MK2 Marina based model.

Adrian

[listerjp2]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

One last thing before I go to bed, have a word with Robert in Cumbria, he has a lot of bits which you could do with.

Goodnight, early start.

Adrian

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Good point Adrian... And good night!

I probably have most of the front suspension parts you need and maybe an Axle too, 3.6:1.

Also door catches and handles, an instrument panel, quite a bit of stuff but my hood won't fit because yours is the LWB.

PM me when you are ready.

[CosworthCabrioLee]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Hi ollie thanks for the update, yes as the guys confirmed it is a lwb kit, from the late 80s looking at the chassis. How did you get hold of that in such good order ?
Yes a cossie powered cabrio and big brakes to match wink wink

[Ollie]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Hi Lee, yeh it's in fantastic condition... It was a friend of my fathers, he has had it stored in the back of a garage for 25 years just gathering dust, I think he always had intentions of building it however age has caught up with him and he knew I was into this sort of thing so decided to let it go...! Now I have to decide what's going to happen to her, so she doesn't sit for another 25... Thanks for the help, yours sounds like a beast ;-))))

[CosworthCabrioLee]

Re: roadster or berlinetta ?

Hi Ollie, yes 220 tesco horse burgers make it entertaing and a bit fun,