Mike's Cabrio Build

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

T minus 8


Not particularly exciting photos but they mark a very significant step:



I have now made the last part of my car to be fitted before IVA

IMG_5260.jpg

Although they do not look much, I am really pleased with the way they have turned out, and the cabin now has a continous style and finish to it.

IMG_5263.jpg


IMG_5262.jpg


For a day's work it doesn't look much, but as well as finishing off the quarter panels, I managed to go through 200 pages (out of 299) of the IVA manual (it took me 4 hours!), marking off and noting items that were a definite fail, or a possible marginal fail, or in some cases ambiguous/down to interpretation fail.

One of the latter ones is the instrument panel lower edge has to have a 19mm radius, or have a soft 5mm radius. It is down to interpretation as to what is the "lower edge" - in a Cabrio is it the lower edge of the wooden dash, or the recess below it? I had planned to promote my cause for it to be considered the lower recess, which I have padded, but I bottled out, and have glued some horrible rubber along the bottom edge. This along with the template over the dial bezels should mean my dash will pass without issue.

IMG_5264.jpg

I only found one (almost) certain fail. Subject to interpretation there appears to be a distinction between Manufacturer's plate and the Chassis VIN plate.
The manufacturer's plate must show the Manufacturers name, and the VIN number, in a prescribed manner (we know mine does), and be "securely attached to a part that will not be replaced through normal use". I feel my new VIN plate meets the requirement.
However, the manual also talks about a VIN number being stamped in the chassis, so they may be looking for both. Also it says if this chassis number is stamped into a separate plate (as opposed to directly on the chassis) then it must be fully seam welded around its full circumference: stitch or spot welding will NOT be considered sufficient.
So, I will have to weld my Chassis number on. Period.

My remaining jobs then are to re-fit the dash, then the steering column, then finally the drivers door. The reason for the delay is I am still waiting for Caerbont Automotive to come back to me and let me know when my new Smiths Classic VDO Water temp guage (a special) will be ready - I'd rather it was fitted before the IVA test, but if its not here by Friday 1st then the old 10V guage will have to go back in which I know reads too low when installed in the car, despite calibrating it in the kitchen!

After that the weekend will be set aside for trying to get some degree of "self centring", and no boubt a couple of sleepless nights wondering what I have forgotten.

It is still scary to think my car is still not finished with only one week to go!

[listerjp2]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Hi Mike A very good friend of mine (unfortunately not with us now) use to drag race a top fuel machine. When he became to big for the cars his wife took over and he became the mechanic. His name is Dave Prior and his wife (who's in the Dragster Hall of Fame) is called Roz Prior. Look them both up on Google. You will see that they eventually built a Jet Powered dragster that was sold to a gent who let Richard Hammond drive it on top gear which resulted in Hammonds Accident. My mate Dave always said that the chasis wasn't built to go that fast.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Hi Scott

No, that one has passed me by, but I'll look ut up after yesterday's experience..

The highlights of yesterday were the Jet engined dragster:

IMG_5255.jpg

This was noisey, but nothing compared to the two Top Fuel dragsters:

Maz & I had never seen these before, so when then made their way to the start line they just seemed like noisey V8s .......until they launched off the line!!!!!!!

Both Maz & I literally re-coiled in shock !

- the commentator reckons the pysical vibration you feel through your body as these things quite literally explode into life measures level 2 on the Richter scale. I didn't get any photos of them launching as we were too busy covering our ears even though we had plugs in!

IMG_5218.jpg

Those guys are absolutely nuts!!! Strapped into a fuel injected supercharged methanol bomb producing 9,000BHP
- yes 9,000BHP - quite Mad!!!!!!!!!!



For those who like their cars understated, and remember the Capri with affection..........

IMG_5198.jpg

or may have once driven a car like the Ford Prefect

IMG_5196.jpg

or the Anglia

IMG_5197.jpg

..............and for those of you who move in higher circles, how about this?

IMG_5212.jpg

Those guys were all nuts - but good fun................!

[scott h]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Hi Mike, love the pics. Have you heard of BangShift? It's about american drag racing / land speed record cars. Scott.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Test day minus 10 today..............

.................so what did I do?

I went to Santa Pod racing all day!



Sometimes I question why I am building a kit car -though never why a Marlin? The answer I come back to is always the same : its because I've wanted to build a car since I was little, and I love the shape of the Marlin.

Like this:

Archive Photos 1035.jpg

.......or this:

Archive Photos 1258.jpg

...........or this

Archive Photos 1295.jpg

I like Marlins, and these are very nicely finished examples.

I can understand why others (though I have no wish to) choose to build dragsters like these:

IMG_5193.jpg

IMG_5200.jpg

and I particularly liked this Escort for it's totally understated exterior, yet it was insanely quick!

IMG_5195.jpg

.......and because I am competitive, I can understand someone ending up building one of these fire breathing, earth shatteringly noisey monsters to be faster than anyone else
(this one is actually a taxi - note the second seat for fare paying passengers)

IMG_5215.jpg


But what motivates anyone to build insane vehicles like these?

IMG_5244.jpg

The sheer fun of it ..................!

............and do you know what? - Postman Pat was bloody quick!

If you've ever thought of going to Santa Pod I have two pieces of advice:

1. Do it
2. Make sure its going to be a dry day before you set off.

They do not run if there is a drop of any liquid on the track - so a slight drizzle for 5 minutes stops the hole show for 2 hours. It was an interesting day, but very frustrating as several showers meant we saw probably 2 hours of running cars over an 8 hour day - and 6 hours of a John deere tractor trying to brush water off the track.
You have been warned.

T-10
Still 11 items and 31 hours on my list

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Just out of interest Mike where are you going for test?

Hi Alan

I've sent you a PM.

Mike

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Just out of interest Mike where are you going for test?

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

For IVA you may have to cover the nuts on your adjustable TCAs. It depends on if the examiner can get his 100mm dome to contact them.


Good

Good point Chris....another job to do!

I have been trawling through past IVA fails on the net - not a good idea - I just keep adding more jobs and time to my list!!!


11 Items and 31 hours on my list now!
I may have to start prioritising which ones get done and which do not.

[chris_cussen]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

For IVA you may have to cover the nuts on your adjustable TCAs. It depends on if the examiner can get his 100mm dome to contact them.

[listerjp2]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

I we don't speak before, good luck. I will be thinking of you.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

I've fitted the adjustable Track Control Arms - they have made adjusting the camber and caster so much easier. I adjusted the camber and toe by eyesight, and then downloaded an inclinometer app to check the camber and found both wheels were 1 degree positive camber (not bad by eyesight alone!).

IMG_5188.jpg

IMG_5183.jpg

I found a really useful set of wheel geometry videos on Youtube by a young student:

Steering axis inclination

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUcZ63unEyU

Toe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83_GTZeuF6M

Camber

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSFmUmVWBp0

Caster

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh7gWJAvOvs

From these videos its clear that positive castor, with a small degree of toe in will help self centreing which is all I am concerned about for the IVA test. Once through it I'll change my wheels back to my new ones,which will affect the geometry in several ways, so I'll take it to a garage to get it set up properly.

I've also done some research on castor, and found a method which measures inclination at 20 degrees steering angle in both diorections and then uses a formula to provide the answer.

When I understand it I'll post mine!!!!!!!!!!

Edit:
Caster degrees
= (180/3.1415) x [ (Camber angle 1 - Camber angle 2) / turnangle 1 - turnangle 2)]

My first stab at calculating this (I was guessing 20 degree turn angles each way) suggests:

Camber angle 1 = 93 degrees
Camber angle 2 = 87 degrees

Using the above formula I then calculate 8.6 degrees, which is high, but looking at the wheel seems credible. I do have 10mm of shims behind the top front wish bone bracket, which is likely to be far too much now that I can reduce the length of the bottom TCA.

I've allowed myself 8 hours to play around setting the suspension up at the front to achieve self centreing, so I'll experiment more later on.


Then for fun I've dealt with the handbrake button!

First you saw it:



Now you don't.................


IMG_5180.jpg

...............and don't say you can't see the difference!!!!!!!!!!
It's taken me an hour to file and polish the radius off the shroud too.

7 Items and 24 hours on my list.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Hi Cameron

This is my current spreadsheet - but the items on it keep changing - I knock some items off, but then find others to add to it!

	IVA - Work To Do Before Entering Test
									Hours
1		Fit Dash for final time - (awaiting replacement water temp gauge)							2
2		Fit steering column, and wheel (Cameron's)							2
3		Rear quarter panels, leather & fit							5
4		Re-fit A panels, side panels, re-hang door							3
5		Front suspension set up							8
6		Front wheel wobble - finish fitting adjustable TCAs							1
7		Re-fit track rod ends							1
8		Boot lid strap							1
		Total hours remaining							23

I also have a concern that my seat load spreader plates will not be accepted (IVA manual suggests they should be 100 x 100mm), but mine are 60 x 50. However 100 x 100mm is only advisory as it depends on what they are attached to: my recessed floors are made from 2.5mm steel plate, not the usual Marlin thin gauge galvanised sheet, therefore 60 x 40mm is fine from an engineering calculation, but a "jobsworth" on the day could decide to follow the manual literally. Its a real ball ache to get at my seat fixings, so I may make some plates and take them along with me, and if necessary replace them on the day.

Looking at the photo the hand brake button shroud has a radius that would fail if an examiner were to test it - so another hours work fettling! It really is never ending!!!!!!!

2 more jobs to add to the list!

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

What are the other 8 items now Mike? Everything looks fab by the way!

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

It's come to something when you spend an hour filing and then polishing the radius off the handbrake button just to try and get through the IVA test! :

IMG_5176.jpg

Couple of other jobs done, buit two more found too.

Less than 2 weeks to go:

8 Items and 23 hours on my list.

[b_caswell]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

To cover the positive terminal on the battery is definitely good practice. I can remember leaning across an engine bay with my hand on top of the battery wearing a wrist watch with a metal expandable strap. The strap shorted between the + terminal and the battery clamp and got very hot in the process!! OUCH