Progress to date: Robert's Roadster

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Sorry Chris, been out gathering bits, skiving! LOL

Very little work on the car today, got some lights working in the garage and the sockets with a better supply. I have had to leave the back door open with my extension lead trailing to where I have been working but with this weather I don't want the back door open all day. I wired up the number plate lights this evening.

Good to go in the morning, rain or shine!

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Setback, my plans to MOT before Christmas seem impractical, I have been seconded by my daughter to photograph/video a school nativity this week, that and other family commitments mean I will loose at least two Marlin days this week. Then we are getting too close to the holiday period. So although I am sure I could have done it, I have reluctantly re-scheduled the MOT to the new year. That will allow me to return the house to normality before Christmas, because right now it looks more like a workshop.

Since the car has moved to the garage I seem to be attracting more visitors, perhaps because it's parked nose out, instead of tail out, I don't know, but in the last couple of days I have had several people walking past stop for long chats about the car, which, while I enjoy the discussions, do nothing for productivity. Also some of the neighbours now seem to make a point of popping out to see how I am doing.

In an effort to boost progress I went out last evening and managed a couple of hours in the garage in an effort to make up for the long chats. The rear fog lamp and number plate lights are now wired up and working and I did a couple of other little jobs.

I think my new target for MOT is very early January and perhaps registration date will be 14th January.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

With a brief interruption to deal with Christmas preparations and a rare day of sickness on Thursday, I am back at work, on a bit of a slog with the wiring, the dash is more or less done, all the back lights are fitted and working. I am now turning my attention to the front lights.

One small but welcome surprise, the original FL9 Flasher unit which stood for 25 years in the wood is alive and well! I had to clean up the Lucar tabs which are rusty steel, but the unit it's self is working OK.

On a less happy note, the headlamp innards I obtained for the princely sum of £5, are too deep, I can't get them into the Wipac rubber housings, well I got one in after nearly busting a gut, only to realise it wasn't going to work because the lamp connection was going to stick out into mid air at the back.

Perhaps another trip to the breakers? Trouble is not that many cars have round headlamps anymore, I didn't realise there are different depths for headlamps. Maybe my newly donated Triumph 1200 will have headlamps... The owner rang me today asking when I was coming to collect it. It needs a fine day for that... Michael and I have been busy wiring the front lamps this evening which has gone really well, he has been a great little helper to me this evening.

I am getting very keen on shrink wrap, so handy. I have been getting it from my local City Electric Factors, I got a good handful of 1 Metre lengths for about £10 yesterday, it's really good for creating looms and splicing/splitting cables.

On the subject of suppliers, I have been using the recently opened local branch of Screwfix for my stainless fixings, typically a bag of 50, M5 or M6 A2 Cap screws are about £4. Some stuff like M6 20mm washers I have to source at Morecambe, the other side of the bay...

On a cheery note, my Marlin should be mentioned in the February edition of the Complete Kit Car Magazine, in the Club News section, something to look out for...


# 6767

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Progress is a bit stop-start at the moment. Have had a very good day today, managed ten hours, I have made some sidelights, fitted the front indicators and tested the headlamp circuits. All are functioning as I hoped, although one of the side lamp bulbs has blown. I will try to get a pair of LED bulbs because I have soldered the bulbs in. It will be awkward if they need replacing on the road someday. Apart from replacing the headlamp units the wiring is complete for now.

Final fitting of the front wings, then the doors and that will just about clear the main items.

The next two days are not going to be very productive, I have to entertain and cook for my Christmas guests.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Another major push today, visitors gone and Christmas festivities put away.

I welded up some brackets for under the running boards this morning, dodging in and out between the rain showers, my heavy extension for the welder won't reach the garage yet. The back tub and wings are final fitted, together with the front wings and inner wings. All the panels are now final fitted except the doors which I will start on tomorrow. Michael and Christopher have been a great help with their little hands able to get nuts on in awkward corners.

Chris has kindly sent me his spare SU carb which I fitted over Christmas, I have only driven the car about 30 feet but it feels much better, no spitting and backfiring and when I press the accelerator the engine revs up rather than spitting and stopping. I think we have cracked that problem Chris, thanks, I will be in touch.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Having had a couple of days off to recover from the festivities I was back out today. I wanted to explore the new parts I had gained from breaking the Triumph Herald. In particular the front springs, because I have always felt they were far too soft and weak. It seems I was right. The proper Herald springs are much stronger, longer and stiffer. I don't know what the originals were from but they weren't up to the job.

[ATTACH]3481[/ATTACH]

I fitted the yellow spring to both sides and it lifted the front of the Marlin four inches, I now have about ten inches ground clearance under my sump and much stiffer suspension. I like the idea of soft front suspension but not so low, Perhaps I need some longer soft springs? Oh well plenty time to experiment later.


# 7107

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

More on the spring side of things, I have been thinking about this, I really need to sort the front suspension because I believe it's actually the most important part of the trials aspect of the car.

I know it's a diversion and my main thrust is still getting the car MOT'd ASAP but I need to think ahead.

Originally my idea was to fit some really strong, long springs to raise the car as high as possible at the front. Having given it more thought I think what I *really* need is long weak springs which will raise the car at the front but absorb a front wheel being raised, without lifting the weight off the opposite rear wheel, which would tend to be the case with stiff springs all round.

I have searched on the internet and chosen three companies to approach.

http://springcoil.co.uk

http://www.leemingpeel-springs.co.uk

http://www.coilsprings.co.uk

I sent them all the same eMail last night and have had two positive replies already this morning with a cost of about £110/pair delivered + VAT.

I am building a 1982 Marlin Roadster into a classic endurance trials car, fitted with Triumph Vitesse front suspension. The rear suspension has very stiff 1/4 elliptic flat springs on a live axle from Morris Marina.

When I bought the car the front suspension was fitted with low, soft coil springs. I have just fitted a pair of standard coil springs which have raised the car by four inches to about the height I would like, but the suspension is now much too hard.

The car is much lighter than a standard car and the engine which is lighter than standard, is about 600mm further back from it's standard position, therefore the load on the front suspension is much lower than normal.

With the soft springs I could push the front of the car down about two inches with one foot. With the standard springs I can jump on the front of the car and it hardly moves.

What I need is soft front suspension with maximum travel and as high as possible. No lower than it is now. What do you need to know in order to design a spring to fulfil my needs, if in fact it's possible?

Also what is the likely cost of a pair of springs made to this spec, just a rough idea please.

The weaker coil springs are made with ~(0.40") 10.15mm dia. wire, are 280mm free length and the OD of the coil is about 90mm with 10 coils.
The stronger coil springs are made from ~(0.454") 11.5mm dia. wire, are 310mm free length and the OD of the coil is about 100mm with 10 coils.

I noticed the weaker springs have significantly uneven spacing between the coils when installed and under load.

I need the front suspension to absorb uneven ground, leaving both the rear wheels firmly on the ground to drive the car forward, the car rear loaded with ballast to keep them in good contact, the front of the car as light as possible to ride the uneven surface.

Best regards,
Robert

Does anyone have any suggestions or comments please?

This is similar to the coil over issues raised in other threads but with a completely opposite need, I want to raise and soften the front end. High performance roadholding isn't on my list, maintaining good drive grip on very undulating surfaces is my aim.

[b_caswell]

Re: Progress to date

Some Triumphs like the dolomites etc use a similar shock with the base plate set higher up the shock, or you could use Spax with adjustable base plates. The problem I see is if you raise the car too much the lower wishbone will be at an acute angle which may affect how the suspension works.

Perhaps a progesive spring would work.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Thanks Ben, that's interesting.

The acute angle of the lower track control arm on the Marina suspension was why I was keen to go with the hybrid (Triumph) suspension.

I take your point about the lower wishbone angle. Currently I would say it's about as high as it should go without modding the lower wishbones. My current idea is to consider the current height as OK but to reduce the stiffness of the springs so that the front roll stiffness is drastically reduced, so that if one front wheel is in a deep hole, that doesn't reduce the load on the diagonally opposite back wheel, causing that wheel to loose grip and spin. Conversely if one front wheel is raised on a bump it will tend to transfer weight from the rear wheel at that side, causing that wheel to loose grip and spin.

Given the diverse and presumably expert mods and applications on various kit cars and specials that the Triumph suspension is used for, there must be a wealth of info on geometry and spring rates etc. I think more research is called for here.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Made the doors today. Another of those awkward little jobs but it's done now, quite pleased with them, they need trimming on the inside but they will do the job.

I used an off cut of 22mm moisture resist flooring grade chipboard which I had left over from a job and some off cuts of 1mm aluminium I scrounged from a sheet metal works in Lancaster yesterday. In case anyone is wondering, the holes are to reduce the weight a bit, FGCB is pretty heavy, the material I cut form the six holes weigh's about 750 grams.

Tomorrow I will hang them, weld the hinges onto the 'A' posts and make a striker plate for the catch.

I also acquired some more wheels and tyres from a friend I know who used to own a Marlin but fitted wire wheels, when he sold the car he forgot he had the wheels in his garden shed.

Lee kindly found me some pedal rubbers which I have fitted just now, thanks Lee they went on perfectly!

[ATTACH]3482[/ATTACH]

# 7415

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Progress to date

Robert
my calculations are approx 120lbs for the shorter blue springs and 145lbs for the yellow

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Hi Alan, Does that mean Lbs per inch? The Triumph spec for the yellow spring is 200 Lbs per inch with a fitted load of 790Lbs.

I really don't know about the blue springs, they don't fit in the Triumph list of specs.

Do you have some knowledge on spring rates and suspension geometry? I could do with some guidance on this but at the moment I am fully stretched getting the car ready for the test. Perhaps once I am over that hurdle we could have a chat?



Have had a hard day today, wheeled my Mig out for the first time today together with the full size argon cylinder, up to now all the welding has been done with stick, those cylinders don't get any lighter. Today I wanted to weld the VIN plate into the o/s 'A' post. I cut a neat hole and placed the VIN plate in flush to the surface and welded round it. Pretty well perfect. Once it's painted it will be impossible to tell it wasn't engraved into the tube.

After that I fitted the doors, welded the hinge pins on and made two 'B' posts for the catches to latch into. Then I bolted the door thresholds to the right height under the doors. Only remains to paint the doors and fit the seats, The doors really need a trim strip along the top to finish them off and a lining panel on the inside. There are a few detail jobs like adjusting the headlamps and changing the steering wheel but its almost finished, ready for the test that is.

There will be a list of tasks to prep it for trialling of course but will anybody want to hear about that? I remain astounded at the interest in this thread, thank you all for keeping an eye on me. I do appreciate that. Still have to pass the MOT, I have no idea if there will be some silly snag which I have missed and will cause me some grief. Should know next week.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

A setback, I have adjusted the carb and ignition, the engine was running almost perfectly. I switched off the ignition and heard this HISSSSSSING noise. Stethoscope narrowed it to the brake master cylinder flange, removing the master cylinder reveals the seal is damaged.

I carefully re-assembled it and the hiss has gone (for now) but I need a Servo kit. I have looked on the Earl Part website, they don't seem to list servo kits, only master cyl kits. The seal is marked Lockheed, as far as I know it's from a 1800 Marina.

[ATTACH]3483[/ATTACH]

I would like to get a kit from Rimmers, they have been very good with the parts I have needed to date, what would this be the same as? One of the Triumphs or perhaps Land Rover?

[b_caswell]

Re: Progress to date

That servo does look the same as a Dolomite 1500HL (1973-81) but dont take my word for it just because they look the same!!

Most lockheed seals have the number on them somewhere if you use a magnifying glass.

[Robert in Cumbria]

Re: Progress to date

Thanks Ben, There is a number on the seal, I didn't bother reading it because I thought the supplier would use a kit number, but I will pull it out and record the number, If I eMail Rimmers they may check the number for me.