Mike's Cabrio Build

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Stripping the threads off the lower Track Control Arm swivel joint was a major self inflicted blow, but you have to look for what is good, and turn adversity into advantage. Instead of buying another standard TCA, I decided to push the boat out, and ordered a set of adjustable TCAs:

IMG_5174.jpg

I ordered them from Compbrakemotorsport on Sunday afternoon, and they arrived this morning (Tuesday) - what fantastic service: and their price is very good too, not much more than a standard pair compared to some suppliers.

With only 2 weeks to go to IVA I do not have time to experiment with shims to set up my suspension to achieve self centering. With these it should be so much quicker - well that's how I have justified it to myself!

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

One step forward...........two steps back!

John at Kit-fit has been an absolute star. Despite me buying my refurbished front hubs from him 7 years ago, he has replaced them free of charge - he would not even accept a contribution...........and better still the hubs he has given me are brand new! He bought a job lot of new hubs from the company that supplied TVR, who were left with 750 pairs when TVR went bust.

John is one of life's 100% genuine characters. I would recommend him/Kit-Fit to anyone who needs Ford mechanical spares (especially Cortina & Sierra) as someone who really knows his stuff, and is a rock solid gentleman. He doesn't charge the earth either.

These are my new hubs:

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One of the positives from having to replace my hubs is that I have gone back to address a quirky (sometimes) IVA fail item. The top swivel joint is held in place by a pinch bolt, but unlike the McPherson strut which it replaces, Marlin do not fit the safety tab which helps to ensure it can not work its way out if the pinch bolt works loose. Technically this is a fail item, and there have been Sierra based kits fail at IVA on this point.
So, because my suspension had to be stripped down I have added the tabs:

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The tab must be thin enough to ensure it does not prevent the pinch bolt from tightening - when fully tightened there should still be a gap.

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As you go through a build like this other builders experiences keep throwing up little questions - GOO (Jason Cundall) discovered that he had very little steering rack thread in his track rod ends following his spin on diesel, and I had begun to wonder what mine were like - so I took the opportunity to measure it:


IMG_5168.jpg


- there is 35mm, so they are fine.

The two steps backwards ?

In my eagerness to discover and eliminate the cause of my wheel wobble I had tightened every nut and bolt I could - a little too zealously, and without a torque wrench......... ........when I came to fit my new hubs I found I had stripped not only the threads off the near side track rod end - (not the end of the world) - but also the threads on the lower swivel joint in the Track Control Arm - Oh b*gg*r - a fairly major set back with only 15 Days to go!

10 Items, and 26 hours on my list

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Had a bit of a wobble this weekend......................
I'd had to go to Barcelona for work during the week, so lost a couple of nights I could work on my car. Saturday was the MOC committee meeting so Sunday was the only day I was going to get to do anything; then on Friday a client called a meeting in Frankfurt which will cost me two more evenings this week, so my time to work on my car is being squeezed.
To make matters worse I have now proven that the "new" front hubs I bought at the beginning of my build have play in them that would not pass an MOT, so they have been stripped off, and I'm hoping my friendly supplier will replace them fairly quickly.

When you see my car looking like this just 3 weeks before its IVA test I'm having a wobble about whether I can get it finished in time?:

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To put the VIN plate/Chassis issue to bed I have removed the Marlin chassis tag from the nearside, and transferred it to the off side:

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There are several small details required by IVA:

There must be a label referring to which brake fluid must be used - I've just glued a cap from a car I found with one on in a scrap yard which cost nothing.

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Then I find myself chasing the unknown small details required by the IVA:
Just for comfort I've protected the new B+ post - it probably (?) was not necessary for the IVA test, but it is arguably good practice to cover it up - the sparks that flew when I caught the spanner on the exspansion tank as I tightened it up certainly suggested it was!


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........and here's one I never gave a thought to, but has been pointed out by one of our members as a previous fail item......can you guess what it is?


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The button on the end of the handbrake will fail the 2.5mm radius test! I will have to add some rubber trim around its edge. This is where one can start to chase shadows...........! Maybe its not a bad thing that I've only got three weeks to go?

8 Items & 31 hours left on my list.

Should be possible in 3 weeks?

The big one is still self centering, and without either hub fitted, I'm a long way from being ready..................scary times!!

[philcoyle]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Good luck with getting your suspension back together before the test date. Not one mention of the fact that the obviously brand new exhaust now exited from the side and not the rear of my car, just "what model is it".
I had left the mountings in place in case it had to be restored, it's a funny old world.
Do you think there will come a time when we can sit back and have a damned good laugh about all this?.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

It was only last year that I was asked for the weight of the car, it was needed according to the tester for brake reading purposes, fair comment.
Could it be that the various departments work on a continuous upgrade of any rule, or law, or do they have a Monday morning meeting to discuss "What shall we do to 'em this week". I thought I would cover everything when I made my vin plate, just as well!.
Every year there seems to be little niggly changes to whatever takes their fancy.
Back in the days of the dinosaurs when I was a HGV mechanic I got to know a few of the testers quite well at the Calne testing station, and they would show me the latest league table of faults that they should be failing vehicles on, a sort of target they had to achieve to show that "they were doing their job".
It became obvious to the mechanics that no matter how thorough we were, if they wanted to find something wrong then they will.
I defy any MOT tester to deny otherwise.

The IVA application form requires the axle weight information, which I guess is tested, approved and the information added to the V5 Registartion document, so it will be available to the MOT tester that way. I asked Marlin what their cabrio design weight is, but have not had a response, so submitted the same figures as for the lightest Sierra, on the basis the suspension is the same as the donor car.

I'd like to think the IVA testers take a pragmatic view to each car presented, but I'm sutre you are right that they could find a reason to fail almost every car submitted if they had a mind to.
The best advice I have received is try to do your very best to show you have read the manual, and covered off all the obvious things, in order to help bring them on side. If there are then any small items they can be dealt with on the day.

The one alarming aspect of the test appears to be that individual testers have their own pet interests, making a point about something others are either not interested in, or are prepared to let through on the basis they are not important. The VIN plate being one very obvious one. Nigel beats went though his IVA with a VIN which my local station told me thery would not accept as it did not meet the letter of the IVA manual.

I'll just have to do my best and see what happens on the day?

..............assuming I get my front suspension all put back together in time!

[philcoyle]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

It was only last year that I was asked for the weight of the car, it was needed according to the tester for brake reading purposes, fair comment.
Could it be that the various departments work on a continuous upgrade of any rule, or law, or do they have a Monday morning meeting to discuss "What shall we do to 'em this week". I thought I would cover everything when I made my vin plate, just as well!.
Every year there seems to be little niggly changes to whatever takes their fancy.
Back in the days of the dinosaurs when I was a HGV mechanic I got to know a few of the testers quite well at the Calne testing station, and they would show me the latest league table of faults that they should be failing vehicles on, a sort of target they had to achieve to show that "they were doing their job".
It became obvious to the mechanics that no matter how thorough we were, if they wanted to find something wrong then they will.
I defy any MOT tester to deny otherwise.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Took my roadster for MOT today, it passed, but for the first time ever I was asked what model was it. The computer listed Marlins and the models, and the chap doing the testing wanted to know the model as the computer was asking for this info. Luckily I had stamped all the info on to my homemade vin plate, make, model, build date, original chassis number, and weight, I don't know if you will be asked for the model, and I see that it is not mentioned on your vin plate.
I don't want to worry you unduly as you have more than enough problems at the moment, but you did say to mention anything you may have forgot, what does IVA say about vin plate info.

Hi Phil

Thank you for the feedback - please keep it coming.

I have fun and games with the VIN for IVA. I approached my local examiner to see what he wanted, and he seems to be a "by the book" type, and very literal about his interpretation of the rules.

IVA sys states only 3 things:
Make - MARLIN (must be in capitals 3.5mm high)
VIN - Must be one continuous line of characters (3.5mm high)
This information must be in a separate box on its own.

I volunteered a design showing MARLIN CABRIO as the make, and he advised removing CABRIO. He stated the only information required by VOSA is as per the IVA manual, so that is why my VIN has turned out like it is!

If you look to the left though I added Cabrio, so it is on my VIN. If the DVLA then want axle weights etc I will have to add a second "Load Plate" I guess.

It just seems crazy that these two Govt. depts. can not get their act together and ask for the same information, and have it all approved at one test at one time.

Its good to hear that Marlins obviously have official recognition if your MOT man not only asked about the make, but the model as well.

Thanks for the feedback - its all useful.


Mike

[philcoyle]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Took my roadster for MOT today, it passed, but for the first time ever I was asked what model was it. The computer listed Marlins and the models, and the chap doing the testing wanted to know the model as the computer was asking for this info. Luckily I had stamped all the info on to my homemade vin plate, make, model, build date, original chassis number, and weight, I don't know if you will be asked for the model, and I see that it is not mentioned on your vin plate.
I don't want to worry you unduly as you have more than enough problems at the moment, but you did say to mention anything you may have forgot, what does IVA say about vin plate info.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Major Setback - Front Hub "Wobble"


Just when all seemed to be going well..................I have the "Uxbridge wheel wobble".
( So named after "Peterux" who had the same problem earlier this year).

Whilst swapping my wheels over I discovered some play in the front hub/axle, but was not sure where from. After removing the wheel and testing and testing I became convinced it was in the bearings - this was particularly gauling as they are new.

So, I stripped off the brake calliper and beat the upper and lower tapered ball joints out, and finally the track rod end ball joint. Once free I could hold the hub in the vice, and sure enough the bearing has play in it. Oddly, as with Peterux, (and hence the reference), the play can only be felt when testing across the East-West pivot.ie holding North - South and trying to rock it. It does not appear to rock on the North-South axis?

I've spoken to the guy who supplied me the hubs re-furbished, fitted with new bearings and torqued up to 215ft lbs, and he is very surprised. Hopefully when I take them back he will accept they are faulty and replace the pair?

Quite a few hours wasted, and another job to do.

[DaveTrials]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Mike
When i put mine (Gemini) throgh IVA two years ago they wanted both. DVLA also wanted both when they inspected her.

Dave

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Mike

Have you got a plate welded to the chassis with the vin number on it? Also on the right hand side of the car.

Dave

Hi Dave

I am hoping my new VIN plate with the rivets welded up will be sufficient:



My only slight concern is that I have attached it to a GRP panel:



These smooth faced rivets would be much more difficult to remove than ordinary pop rivets, which I believe are still being accepted by VOSA.

But just in case, I have removed the original Marlin Chassis tag from the nearside bulkhead, and will re-weld it onto the offside bulkhead - quite mad, but there you go......


Thanks for the suggestions - keep them coming - the more eyes the better.

Mike

[DaveTrials]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Mike

Have you got a plate welded to the chassis with the vin number on it? Also on the right hand side of the car.

Dave

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Battery through post fitted to top of bulk head,...............

Hi Mike. Presume you will be fiting a cover over that exposed terminal as well? Peter.

Hadn't considered that!
Good spot.

Keep the suggestions coming - there must be other things you eagle eyed bods have spotted throughout my build.
PM me if you don't want to be seen to be critical on the Forum - please!

I need your help.....................

[greyV8pete]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Battery through post fitted to top of bulk head,...............

Hi Mike. Presume you will be fiting a cover over that exposed terminal as well? Peter.

[Mike]

Re: Mike's Cabrio Build

Having a dead line, and a definitive list with estimated hours has been a real tonic. It has given me a lot more focus, and a real sense of achievement, so I am enjoying crossing off the tasks and the hours.

Six more tasks completed today:

Following comments regarding VIN plate fixings I removed the heater cover (yet again), and welded a couple of the nuts to the rivets to make it impossible to remove them "reasonably" (IVA definition)

IMG_5109.jpg
This one is for the IVA man ( - if he questions the fixing)

Heater fan cover refitted and bolted down, including pedal box support bar (see next item)

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Pedal box packer plate and load spreader plate fitted under the the pedal box at the rear to triangulate and stiffen the pedal box - it is so much better now - the master cylinder does not noticeably move up when the brake pedal is pressed hard:

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Battery clamp made from stainless flat sheet folded into an angle (gives nice radius compared to an ordinary piece of angle)
Stainless securing rods made from 6mm round bar with threads welded on each end

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Battery through post fitted to top of bulk head, to allow just one cable upto the battery terminal, and any number of connections under the bulkhead to my dash electrics.

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New battery cables made to length and soldered into the battery post clamps, and covered over (IVA requirement):

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Also a quick gain - I fitted my rear view mirror (ex scrapyard Fiesta,. cost £1, + £1 for the sticky pad):

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I'm not sure that it is totally in keeping with the rest of my car, but IVA states all mirrors must be attached by a method normally used by a major manufacturer. This rules out a chrome stemmed mirror screwed to the screen surround, which would have been my preference. Having said that I will probably leave it fitted even post IVA as the sticky pad fixings are much safer in the unfortunate event of an accident.

12 Tasks & 40 hours remaining on my list!
Providing I can get my steering to self centre, I am reasonably confident I can have my Cabrio ready in time!