Berlinetta build and restoration

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Hi Robert, sorry to tell you that the engine and gearbox were sold on Ebay just 2 weeks ago!

I have been too busy working on the farm for the last 2 months to do anything to the Marlin but I am eager to get back to it soon.

It would be great to see some pictures of your car. Is it Sierra or Cortina based? I suspect the Sierra car that I have has less room in the engine bay than the Cortina based car but I'm not sure.

I had a look at the pictures in the link at the bottom of your post, I assume this is a different car?

Scott.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Not to worry Scott, I have two engines and I think I will be able to make one half decent one from them. The camshaft is badly worn on the SD1 engine which was fitted to the car. One lobe has gone completely, so that is probably why the car was laid up in 1992. Cam lobe wear is common on the Rover engine, I have replaced at least three camshafts on my cars over the years.

I lifted the inlet manifold and cam cover on my 'spare' engine and from what I can see the cam appears to be OK. This engine is said to have been reconditioned but I don't really want 10.5:1 CR in these days of unleaded and increasingly ethanol based fuel, unless somebody knows different of course... Maybe Ethanol likes high CR's? I was hoping for a docile but very torque rich engine. I love the flexibility of the Rover V8.

The car is Cortina based, I have never met a Berlinetta before, it's much bigger than a Roadster, six inches wider and seventeen inches longer wheelbase. If it doesn't work out it was Lee's idea, if it does it was mine!!!

Sorry about the Album pix, I was so tied up with the build that I neglected the finer points of the web presence. I will start a new Berlinetta Progress thread shortly so any body who might be interested can see what I am up to. There won't be as much heavy engineering on this renovation and very little 'bling' My aim is to have it on the road in September. Yes... 2013!!! Depending on my back and what snags I encounter of course...

I don't have much in the way of good photo's of the Berli yet, it is in a tight space in an industrial unit, I am trying to record my progress with photographs but sometimes the really interesting bits are so interesting, I forget all about taking photographs!!!

These two are probably as good as they get for now.

Berli 2.jpg

Berli 1.jpg

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Looking forward to your build diary. Straight away I can see that your car has much more room for a radiator than mine, which was one of the reasons to replace the V8 in my car. Good luck with getting it finished so soon, my experience with kit cars has taught me one golden rule, never set a dedline! I am thinking mine will be on the road next summer but progress has been slow in the last 2 months, so maybe not!

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Thanks Scott, I do have one advantage, well maybe several! I am retired, my wife left me to get on with my own life, my two boys are so enthusiastic that anything is possible and I have been building cars, diggers, trucks and houses all my life.

My radiator is massive, four core and weighs a ton, it has had a close encounter with the water pump shaft though. Leak testing and maybe a bit of solder will be needed.

I set Christmas as the deadline for the Roadster I could have done it but all the garages shut over Christmas and my funds were depleted over Christmas anyway. It was tested early February.

I want it on the road well before Christmas so we don't have the same problem again. Note I didn't say finished, one of the attractions of these projects is that they are never finished.

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

At long last managed to get a couple of hours on the Marlin. The hardtop was mounted permanently with sealer and took ages to gently ease it off. A small step in the right direction.

285.jpg

295.jpg

305.jpg

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Next the rear wings were removed.

310.jpg

315.jpg

320.jpg

Bumpers and towbar next.

325.jpg

Rear tub.

330.jpg

Battery and boot floor.

335.jpg

340.jpg

Fuel tank came out next. I plan to have a new one made with a more straight filler and the fuel gauge sender on the top.

345.jpg

350.jpg

355.jpg

Next the bulkhead starting with the heater.

360.jpg

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Dash board came out next. When I wired it I used multi plugs which made it easy to disconnect.

365.jpg

Wiper linkage.

370.jpg

Doors.

375.jpg

How it looks now.

380.jpg

385.jpg

390.jpg

395.jpg

405.jpg

410.jpg

415.jpg

The next job is to remove the windscreen frame, something I am not looking forward to given the chance of disaster! This time I will make templates of all the glass in plywood, a job that was on the list during the original build but never got done. After that I think I will sit the engine back in and measure up for a radiator and oil cooler, the idea is to mount them now and avoid welding to the galvanised chassis later.

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Finally I got back in the garage after a busy couple of months doing the harvest on the farm. I removed the windscreen and didn't even break it, which was nice!

420.jpg

425.jpg

I also sat the engine and gearbox in position so that I could measure up for a radiator.

430.jpg

So the search is on to find someone that can make a radiator to my measurements.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

red tops always look good don't they!

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

It does look good in the engine bay Cameron, unfortunately this one is a non runner as the timing belt snapped. But it was cheap and I reasoned that with this engine being out of production for a number of years, even one that was running will be of an age and mileage that a rebuild would be in order anyway. I keep looking on Ebay for a good low mileage Red Top though, so the engine rebuild will be one of the last parts of the restoration of the Berli.

[dave_clutterbuck]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Hi Scott
Andrew Cropper 0151 327 2560 at Cropper & Jones maybe able to help with your radiator
Web site is www.radiatorrepairs.co.uk
He did a couple of fuel tanks for me, he told me they can make radiators.
Regards
Dave

Finally I got back in the garage after a busy couple of months doing the harvest on the farm. I removed the windscreen and didn't even break it, which was nice!

[ATTACH]4240[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]4241[/ATTACH]

I also sat the engine and gearbox in position so that I could measure up for a radiator.

[ATTACH]4242[/ATTACH]

So the search is on to find someone that can make a radiator to my measurements.

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Thanks for the tip on the radiator David, I will have a look at the website.

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

I remembered that I had this old radiator left from when I raced stock cars.

435.jpg

It's a three core unit that is originally found in a black taxi, it is the radiator of choice for most stock cars and they have around 180hp so should be up to the job of cooling the 150hp red top. It fits with room to spare, about 70mm on the width. So the plan is to get one made but maybe 50mm wider so that should easily keep things cool. I have been recommended to try a company in Dundee, so watch this space.

I also removed the scuttle top / bulkhead ( or whatever you call it ). I obviously didn't take any chances that it would leak during the original build, it was stuck fast with plenty of sealer!

440.jpg

445.jpg

450.jpg

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

Pedal box came out next.

455.jpg

460.jpg

Then the under dash wiring and column switches, hope I can remember how to put it back!

465.jpg

470.jpg

[scott h]

Re: Berlinetta build and restoration

My search for a suitable radiator has come full circle, after a few enquiries I have decided to get a Taxi type of radiator made. Richard at Cooling Solutions (01205355016) can make any size of radiator to order but has a batch of parts to make four core rads to the same size as my old one, slightly thicker due to the extra core. His advice was that it should easily cope with keeping the red top cool, but was able to make a larger one if I really wanted, this would take longer and cost more.

As the plan is to galvanise the chassis I am trying to think of any brackets that may need to be welded on and do it now, hence the radiator at this stage of the restoration. The engine was fitted with an oil cooler so I wanted to get one mounted now aswell. However after searching the web I was unsure what was required so I called SBD motorsport who are experts in, among other things, all you need to convert the Vauxhall red top to rear wheel drive. They advised me that an oil cooler was probably not required as the sump is far more exposed to the cooling air flow than in the donor car. They suggested that I fit an oil temp gauge just to be sure. I think I will weld lugs to the chassis which can be used as a foundation to mount an oil cooler without welding once the car is on the road.