Progress to date: Robert's Roadster

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

I don't know if this will work...

This is my spreadsheet list of tasks for the Marlin. it appears here so it may post?

Chassis Tasks	Completed	Comments
Create Rear Gearbox mountings	YES
Fit gearbox mountings	YES
Make inriggers for gearbox mounts	YES
Fit inriggers	YES
Make engine mountings	YES
Weld in the engine mountings	YES
Trial fit engine and gearbox	YES
Adapt rear chassis for raising suspension	POST MOT
Measure up for propshaft	YES
Shorten propshaft	NO	Original propshaft OK
Make seat mountings	YES
Weld in seat mountings	YES
Make roll bar and mountings	POST MOT
Install roll bar and mountings	POST MOT
Cut holes in 4x2 screen X Member	YES
Make strut brace	POST MOT
Make rad support	YES
Make battery box	NO	Have material
Weld hinges to ‘A’ posts	NO
Make brackets for temp fuel tank	NO	Have material

Suspension Tasks	Completed	Comments
Order parts for front suspension	YES
Fit rubber bushes	YES
Assemble front suspension	YES
Make dowels for Van back spring mounts	POST MOT
Clean and paint Van back springs	POST MOT
Assemble Van back springs	POST MOT
Final fit back axle using Car springs	NO

Steering Tasks	Completed	Comments
Slot mounting holes in chassis brackets	YES
Clean and lube Rack	YES
Fit gaiters	YES
Fit Rack	YES
Fit track rods to steering arms	YES
Final Fit steering column	NO
Track up	NO
Fit steering lock	NO

Engine Tasks	Completed	Comments
Strip and clean engine	YES
Get crank polished	YES
Strip heads	YES
Clean up heads	YES
Port old head	POST MOT
Clean valves up	YES
Grind valves in	YES
Re assemble head with new stem seals	YES
Get block back from LE	YES
Clean and paint	YES
Assemble short motor	YES
Fit head assy	YES
Lighten flywheel	NO	Some scope but deferred
Fit flywheel and clutch	YES
Fit water pump and dizzy	YES
Fit engine to gearbox, mount in chassis	YES
Fit manifold and carb	YES
Fit starter and alternator	YES
Fill with oil	YES
Test start	YES	No water, needs timing.
Clean and test radiator	YES
Fit radiator	YES
Fit coolant hozes	YES
Pressure test cooling system to +1 Bar	YES
Test run, check for leaks	NO
Fit oil warning lamp switch	NO

Clutch Tasks	Completed	Comments
Clean pressure plate	YES
Clean centre plate	YES
Clean slave cylinder	YES
Clean master cylinder	YES
Get slave cyl kit	Pending	May be OK
Get master cyl kit	YES
Fit kits	YES
Clean and lube release bearing	YES
Assemble actuation lever	YES
Fit master cyl	NO
Fit slave cyl	YES
Connect and bleed	NO
Test	NO

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

OK, it seems to work, but limit's me to 20,000 characters. Not sure how it counts more than 20,000 characters here but there you are.

Gearbox Tasks	Completed	Comments
Clean o/d filter	YES
Fit new sump gasket	NO
Obtain and fit hex drain plug	NO
Clean clutch housing	YES
Paint clutch housing	YES
Replace front oil seal	YES
Fit new Clutch housing gasket	YES
Fit gearbox	YES
Fill with oil 20-50	NO
Test operation of o/d unit	NO

Transmission Tasks	Completed	Comments
Replace propshaft front joint	In Progress
Clean and paint propshaft	In Progress
Drain oil from diff	NO
Fill with new oil GL4?	NO
Fit new axle casing breather	NO

Exhaust Tasks	Completed	Comments
Make and fit Downpipe	In Progress	Auto Perormance Morecambe
Make and fit System	NO
Fit and test mountings	NO

Wiring & Electrical Tasks	Completed	Comments
Adapt and check wiring harness	NO
Fit rear lights inc rear fog	NO
Fit bracket for rear numberplate and lamp	NO
Wire back lights	NO
Adapt and Fit side lamps	NO
Repair and fit headlamps	NO
Fit front indicator lamps	NO
Wire Alternator	NO
Test Alternator	NO
Wire starter and solenoid	NO
Wire Radiator fan and switch	NO
Install Battery and main feed cables	NO
Mount and connect switch gear	NO
Fit horn and horn button	NO
Make bracket for front Number Plate	NO
Wire o/d and fit switch	POST MOT
Wire for speedo illumination	NO

Bodywork Tasks	Completed	Comments
First Fit nose cone	YES
First Fit side panels	YES
Make extensions for side panels	YES
First Fit back tub	YES
First Fit back wings	YES
First Fit front wings	YES
Make and First fit hockey stick wing brace	YES	Need 4 Button M8 SS bolts
Final fit Nose cone	NO
Final fit side panels	NO
Final fit back tub	NO
Final fit back wings	NO
Final fit hockey sticks	NO
Final fit Front wings	NO
Make step bracket under running board	NO
Adapt and fit screen valance	NO	Started
Make and fit doors	NO
Make and fit dashboard	NO
Fit speedo	NO
Check speedo for accuracy	NO
Calibrate speedo	NO
Fit interior mirror	NO
Fit exterior mirror	NO

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

There, it's swallowed it and kept my formatting.

Floor and Bulkhead tasks	Completed	Comments
Modify bulkhead panel	In Progress
Patch Bulkhead to side panels	NO
Alter o/s seam in footwell to increase space	NO
Cut and fold floor panels	In Progress
Cut and fold Passenger footwell	In Progress
Cut and fold drivers footwell	NO
Drill and tap fixings for floor plates	NO
Cut and fold under seat panel	YES
Form panel for gearbox cover	NO
Final fit pedal box	NO

Brakes Tasks	Completed	Comments
Clean and reassemble Master cylinder	YES
Fit Master cylinder	NO
Fit front flexy’s	NO
Make and fit solid brake pipes	NO
Connect up back brakes	NO
Bleed and test foot brakes	NO
Connect vac pipe to servo	NO
Install handbrake	YES
Connect handbrake	NO
Test handbrake	NO

This isn't going back to the start, just from when I had stopped pulling stuff to bits.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

A couple of photographs of the floor going in.

[ATTACH]3464[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]3465[/ATTACH]

I had the engine running last Sunday, it started at the first attempt after I got the oil pressure up. Running on all four and quite sweet, if noisy!

Hoping to finish the floor tomorrow and start finishing the front bodywork, may be a bit optimistic with the shorter evenings now.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Progress to date

oooh that's nice

[Mike]

Re: Progress to date

Hi Robert

It may be the angle of your photo, but couldn't you have fitted your engine quite a bit further rearward, to help take the load to the back wheels for hill climbing?
(It made me smile as I can barely get a cigarette paper between my rocker cover and the bulk head, and the servo has to be limited in diameter, whereas you have acres of space!)

Mike

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Hi Mike, I have room for a V8 in there! It grieves me when I see Land Rovers in breakers yards with good fuel injected V8 lumps, going for scrap. But then I think of the fuel they would guzzle.

Moving the engine right back occurred to me when I first saw the car again, I could see the potential for moving the engine back best part of a foot, why stop at the bulkhead? In fact the bulkhead is about in line with the front of the gearbox, since the clutch housing is 200mm I could easily have gained eight inches without touching the bulkhead.

However... The National Trials Association regs state that to be eligible for class 7 the No 1 spark plug must be no more than 410mm behind the centre line of the front axle. I don't believe moving a 1275cc engine back even 12 inches would even begin to make me competitive in class 8 (Which are mainly special rear engined, high powered cars), so I decided to stay legal to class 7 (hopefully). I have made the engine mounting brackets with space to move the engine back about 45mm but that would also entail altering the gearbox mounting, so not that easy. Adding the overdrive gearbox has increased weight significantly and I am hoping all the weight I have added in the 'A' post and bulkhead area isn't too much of a penalty. I think I have saved some weight in other parts so perhaps it has evened out? The test will be to weigh it when I have finished. Hoping for 650Kg unladen but it may be a bit more... I am hoping for a 40%-60%, front - rear ratio, laden, we will see. The seats are heavy, with their integral seat belt mountings, the seat brackets are heavier! but at least they are near the back...

I am very un-decided about the windscreen frame, which weighs a ton. For the MOT I am not going to fit glass, meaning I don't need wipers or washers. That will give me an opportunity to assess whether running without a screen reduces buffeting. I am going to fit a rear roll over bar once the MOT is done and the car on the road, I could replace the original ultra heavy screen frame with a steel tube hoop which could arguably be more effective than the original solid frame and definitely much lighter and could still be glazed if I wish.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

oooh that's nice

The aluminium checker plate does look good! I just hope I can make a nice job of installing it. There won't be any carpets, so any blemishes will be plain to see. I am really looking forward to making the gearbox cover, that WILL be a challenge.

[gary.price]

Re: Progress to date

Shes really coming together then. Looking great That list is gonna take a day or 2 tho. Should work out really well.

[gary.price]

Re: Progress to date

You dont want to be class 8. Wise move. I would keep a little quiet about what youve done tho. Cause they can be picky when everything is ok. You want that heavy windscreen frame. Its the roll bar! And you will be grateful of the windscreen when its minus 9 at 3 o'clock in the morning. Plus it will keep mud water and stones from hitting you in the head and face. If your worried about heavy seats just go a diet lol. The previous owner of mine had tractor weights behind the seats. Iv fitted mine to the wheel carrier to keep the weight back.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Progress to date

Steven -dont you mean three oclock in the afternoon - there isnt a three in the morning is there?

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

I find having two, three O'clock's in one day very puzzling.


Two more tasks ticked off, I have finished the floor and made and mounted the battery bracket today.

Today has been very hard, according to the forecast overcast but fine, in reality overcast with short but heavy showers. I got the gear out three times and then had to run for cover, no joke with welders, grinders and drills to protect and rescue from the rain. Ended up welding the battery box on in heavy rain before retiring wet and tired.

I have tried a variety of devices to remove the paint from the fibreglass parts of the body, none very successful, usually marking the gel coat. Today my neighbour offered me a little Makita palm sander to try. It worked very well even with some very worn paper installed. Five minutes and I had cleaned up half a rear wing. I would say a nice day with a good supply of paper will see the job done.

Not expecting to do anything tomorrow due to heavy rain forecast all day. My next target is to do a few small tasks at the front and mount a temp fuel tank 'borrowed' from a Yamaha Quad just for the MOT. I think I have the new aluminium fuel tank organised, got an eMail yesterday about it but I doubt I will be able to afford it this year.

The stainless front pipe has been collected from the exhaust fabrication people, just needs a short flex coupling welding into the down pipe then I can fabricate my own system. I should have the pipe tomorrow.

[gary.price]

Re: Progress to date

I normally sleep through the early hours but the navigator keeps telling mr directions lol. Your fine once the suns up lol. When i was navigating for father we were far back in a que and fell asleep The car behind us had to get out and wake us up. Ther was only 2 cars left in front lol.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

I seem to be under budget but also building to a reduced spec, just to comply with the basic MOT.

Just for interest...

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

A minor milestone, I completed piping the brake system and the fuel pipe today, will hopefully have them bled and the clutch working over the weekend. Weather permitting.

The exhaust is almost complete. Seem to have spent a lot of time doing very little but it's that part of the build which consumes a lot of time with not a lot to show for it. All of a sudden I will have a car instead of a lot of boxes of parts!

The floor panels are all made, the handbrake is finished, the radiator mountings are complete, although the radiator is leaking like a sieve, I will have to get a new core fitted or find another radiator. @ £10 a time for a rad from my local breaker that seems favourite at the moment.

I have discovered that my local Halfords stock GL4 EP 80W-90.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_220273_langId_-1_categoryId_255220

In handy squeezy containers I think.

So I seem to be on track at the moment although the dark evenings are curtailing the time I can spend on the car, I managed to work until 5 today but it was more by feel than sight! lol