Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

[meverett]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

Thanks DC, will do. I will do the other one then try that

[dcunn]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

................and before you go further or firm on this try packing the front up 1-2 inches, gives IMHO a better driving position

Rgds DC

[meverett]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

Decided to use some box section to raise the seats slightly welding them to the runners, far stronger than the alloy box section. Done one side and t’other to do. Trial fit still feels a bit low so may do the same to the underside of the runner so the total raised will be 2” with plenty of head room.

8A5AF30E-A6DD-4505-9A9E-CD7921235904.jpeg

[wiggiesworld]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

On my long wheelbase I had runners and blocks and that was fine.

Moving to a short wheelbase I had to get lower otherwise my head was above the screen.

I still utilise the blocks and it is comfortable for me.

I am only 5' 8".

Adrian

I'm also 5' 8" and can remember the time when it was defined as the national average height......... Never felt the urge to put blocks under the front of the seat in the Cabrio. Tempted to give it a try, nothing ventured etc....

[listerjp2]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

You will need to jack your seat up.

Adrian

You're a short ass, what about me, 5'4"

[meverett]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

:-) LOL

You're a short ass, what about me, 5'4"

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

You're a short ass, what about me, 5'4"

[listerjp2]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

On my long wheelbase I had runners and blocks and that was fine.

Moving to a short wheelbase I had to get lower otherwise my head was above the screen.

I still utilise the blocks and it is comfortable for me.

I am only 5' 8".

Adrian

It will be trial and error getting them at the right height.
I am a short ass 5’8” and with the seats directly on the floor they do feel too low.

[meverett]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

It will be trial and error getting them at the right height.
I am a short ass 5’8” and with the seats directly on the floor they do feel too low.

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

My floor is ½" marine ply bolted and silicone sealed in. The runners have a block under the front to tip the seat back a bit, about 1" high.

[milliemarlin]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

Hi Hugh, I don’t have any Marina runners just a set of universal adjustable runners that were on the old seats. These were mounted on some alloy box section to raise them up a bit.
Do the Marina runners raise them up so I can do away with the box section?

The box section may be there to strengthen the floor. The flat steel floor can act like the button on a jam jar lid giving the car an insubstantial feel as you step in. With my Cabrio raising the front of the seat also made it more comfortable. I am on the limit on height for a short wheelbase and raising the front of the seat causes your leg to be naturally a little bent.

I spent a long time with blocks of wood getting the angle of the seats right. Given the hours you may spend sitting in them it’s worth the effort.
Paul

[acbluemarlin]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

Regarding "how do all the 7's cope" my last daft car was a least loved Caterham (not least loved by me, but least loved by marque officionados. Least loved meant cheapest for sale in the UK when I bought it), the 1600VX Classic which used the 1600 Vauxhall 8 valve OHC engine (big block, so Cavalier/Vectra and not Astra). This always seemed to run cold, so I assumed the thermostat had stuck open and started looking for part numbers on the owners forum. This lead to discover that when Caterham had switched to this engine, they tried every thermostat rating they could find in an effort to stop the lump from overheating. Eventually they hit on the genius idea of leaving the thermostat out altogether. Apparently if anyone realised their Caterham didn't have a stat and rang up to ask for one they were supplied one free of charge from the large box kept under a desk where they put all the stats they originally removed when building the cars. I live in cold Lancashire, not balmy Surrey where they presumably did all their testing, so I did buy a very cheap low temperature opening stat off Ebay for a couple of quid, but i could never bring myself to fit it before I sold the car... I did give it to the new owner, but related the tale and decided to leave it to him to make up his own mind.

And there was also the time I took a Blackjack Avion to Harewood Hillclimb school on a warm June day and was told in the paddock after a run that I'd left coolant on the circuit. When I lifted the bonnet and they'd gazed at the aircooled twin pot for a few seconds they went to have a closer look at the crossflow engined 7-alike Sylva Striker that had preceded me up the hill and had previously insisted "it wasn't me mate, must have been that weird 3 wheeler".

For reference, my original Cabrio never seemed to overheat either with a 2 litre Pinto or the eventual 2.8l litre Cologne - but i can't remember if we fitted an electric fan or just kept the engine driven item. But I think the radiator and cowl opening is substantially larger than a Roadster, and the design meant it was easy to make sure pretty much all the air passed through the rad. If I did fit an electric fan it was definitely on the engine bay side.

My current Roadster did have an electric fan fitted that I've just replaced. Both original and replacement are on the entrance side, mainly becasue there is so little room between steering rack and radiator.

[listerjp2]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

I have to admit I have bolted mine directly to the floor.

It does mean that I sit lower and the standard Marlin buffeting isn't so apparent.

Adrian

Hi Hugh, I don’t have any Marina runners just a set of universal adjustable runners that were on the old seats. These were mounted on some alloy box section to raise them up a bit.
Do the Marina runners raise them up so I can do away with the box section?

[meverett]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

Hi Hugh, I don’t have any Marina runners just a set of universal adjustable runners that were on the old seats. These were mounted on some alloy box section to raise them up a bit.
Do the Marina runners raise them up so I can do away with the box section?

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Roadster Rebuild Diary from Cornwall

Are you going to put them on the Marina runners like mine?