MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

[Waterscumbietoo]

My car: SWB Marina based Marlin. Reg Q557 RGF, chassis number 2348. Built from scratch and on the road on 19th March 1991. Then a 'short intermission' till Feb 2014.... Long story, but working on a happy ending.

My mission:

1. To transplant engine & gearbox, exhaust, fuel system, all necessary electrics and instruments from an MX5 (1600 cc, pop up headlight model) into my car.

2. Come up with a proper folding roof to replace the slot-together (in the pouring rain) Paul Moorehouse version.

3. Get a replacement hinged bonnet - might have solved this, fingers crossed.

4. Have a 'Chitty - Chitty - Bang - Bang' moment sometime in the future, with a little help from the Marlin Owners Club members.

So let's begin;

Day1 - 24th Feb 18: Got what's left of my Marlin up on wheeled stands. An excellent product by the way, can shuffle the car around my limited garage space. Got mine from vidaxl.com, but just saw same thing cheaper from toolstoday.com. Oh well.....

https://www.toolstoday.co.uk/sealey-vehicle-moving-dolly-2-post-900kg?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9rnezefA2QIVwrvtCh3WCw-lEAQYBCABEgJtZPD_BwE

Rs,
avid - Winter 2018

[meverett]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

Hi Dave, I will sort a price out for courier on the bonnet for you today. Sorry I have been busy yesterday replacing my intercooler on my T5 van.
Sounds like a great project you have lined up. Keep everyone posted on progress with pictures.
Cheers, Martin.

[jon_wilkinson]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

David, if you're not going to be using the slot together frame and body sockets I would interested in taking them off your hands. PM me with a price if you are selling.

[philcoyle]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

Hi Dave,my apologies for inadvertently hijacking your thread, a word of caution! If you have marina front suspension at the moment, think about where the steering rack will go. Marina racks sit behind the axle and cannot be used in front of it. Check where your steering arms will be ,front of the axle or the rear.
If you swop the uprights from side to side you will have problems with king pin inclination and self centring . This titbit will save you some research time: Ford Escort mk2 is an almost perfect fit in front of the axle, and can be adjusted by steering rack extensions, simple internal threaded tube.

[Waterscumbietoo]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

Hi Dave,my apologies for inadvertently hijacking your thread, a word of caution! If you have marina front suspension at the moment, think about where the steering rack will go. Marina racks sit behind the axle and cannot be used in front of it. Check where your steering arms will be ,front of the axle or the rear.
If you swop the uprights from side to side you will have problems with king pin inclination and self centring . This titbit will save you some research time: Ford Escort mk2 is an almost perfect fit in front of the axle, and can be adjusted by steering rack extensions, simple internal threaded tube.

No problem, and thanks Phil!!

See folk? Phil's suggestion is exactly the sort of advice I was expecting to see coming through on this thread.

Rs,

avid.

[Waterscumbietoo]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

David, if you're not going to be using the slot together frame and body sockets I would interested in taking them off your hands. PM me with a price if you are selling.

Hi Jon, once I have got the pattern for the folding hoop design, you have first refusal. For the moment, I want to hold onto it just in case I need to reference them for accurate and tight fitting of the existing hood against the new folding one.

Will PM you.

Rs,

avid.

[philcoyle]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

I was thinking along the lines of those lovely hydraulic cabinet door lifters, they come in all pressures and lengths and are only about 16mm in diameter.The pressure is constant and they cost a couple of pounds

[Waterscumbietoo]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

I was thinking along the lines of those lovely hydraulic cabinet door lifters, they come in all pressures and lengths and are only about 16mm in diameter.The pressure is constant and they cost a couple of pounds

I like shiny bits (also have a Yamaha 1600cc V Twin 'Tractor', known as a 'Wildstar'). What were you suggesting I use the hydraulic lifters for?

avid

[Waterscumbietoo]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

Brought across to this thread:

[Phil.coyle] "Lambretta series 1 and 2 front disc brake alloy air scoop. Covers the hole where the Marina steering rack arms came through the bonnet sides. Choice was new sides or air scoops, and shiny polished alloy Lambretta parts won.
Send me your details, address ,postcode etc to my notifications at top of page. I have a slight problem, I live in Press that inn, and my 40ft container is in Evesham about 150 miles away.I go there every few weeks to collect furniture and stuff but I'll make it worth your wait,promise. Phil.
Buggerbuggerbuggerbugger, sorry if I offend anyone's sensibility.[/QUOTE]

LOL!!

Was thinking of keeping the Marina steering rack, but if you are saying it will not work where it is with the MX5 engine installed, and I will need to get the Escort one, then yes am interested in your shiny polished alloy Lambretta bits. But no rush as am a long way from attempting the engine install. Next step is to remove Marlin wings, engine side panels, floor pan and drive tunell.

avid.

[philcoyle]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

This is just one snag. If you move the rack forward of the centre line of the hubs it alters the way the steering arms move. Draw a simple soap box cart steering cut it out and play with it, or if you have grand/children buy them all ice lollies but keep the sticks, do anything as long as you get the idea. We can talk about Ackerman angles later, say about 2020.

Good news folks, there could be a Marina steering rack up for sale in the future. No please don't thank me lol
I saw a hood on a marlin and it had springs on the outside to tension the hood, then I thought why not use the miniature hydraulic cylinder version of the tailgate lifters, there's squillions of them on eBay for a couple of quid.
I'm here if you want to chase ideas, at least you have a nearly live manual to work from some of the research has been done, but you can improve on it before my brain fizzles ooouuut.......

[Waterscumbietoo]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

This is just one snag. If you move the rack forward of the centre line of the hubs it alters the way the steering arms move. Draw a simple soap box cart steering cut it out and play with it, or if you have grand/children buy them all ice lollies but keep the sticks, do anything as long as you get the idea. We can talk about Ackerman angles later, say about 2020.

Good news folks, there could be a Marina steering rack up for sale in the future. No please don't thank me lol

OK class, repeat after me, all together now!

"Ackermann steering geometry is the geometric arrangement of linkages in the steering of a car or other vehicle designed to solve the problem of wheels on the inside and outside of a turn needing to trace out circles of different radii.""

Will cross that bridge when I come to it, but thanks for giving me the 'heads up'.

Doing some homework on this, as it is too bloody cold to stay outside any longer today :-(

Rs,

avid

[philcoyle]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

If you are moving the front suspension en masse as a sub frame it would be problem free ( reasonably) just need to sort out the steering column. How about electric power assisted steering from a corsa around £40-70 off eBay?

[Waterscumbietoo]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

If you are moving the front suspension en masse as a sub frame it would be problem free ( reasonably) just need to sort out the steering column. How about electric power assisted steering from a corsa around £40-70 off eBay?

Hi Phil,

My Marlin has no power steering, and did not seem to suffer too much, even with the small steering wheel you need to use. Was hoping to keep the Marina front suspension as installed at the moment, including the steering rack, and torsion bar suspension (have gotten used to it's 'unique' ride and handling)

I also have a fully de-rusted and am restoring to 'factory fresh (ish)', a second MX5 MK2 NB which I use as my reference car when pulling the doner MX5 to bits, and sometimes use for my short commute to work. So I know what 'proper handling' feels like. But driving the Marina based Marlin as designed by Paul Moorhouse, is an acquired skill that I intend to keep and improve.

Ignore my question re for what use....? As I did not spot your suggestion ""

I saw a hood on a marlin and it had springs on the outside to tension the hood, then I thought why not use the miniature hydraulic cylinder version of the tailgate lifters, there's squillions of them on eBay for a couple of quid

"

And to anyone who is following this thread and may have a view and/or answers:

a) What is the exact position, and how to attach to the chassis, the engine mounts for the MX5 engine so that it does not foul the Marlin bonet. But happy to consider 'power bulges' if necessary.....

b) Approximate total weight of the fully built Marina Based SWB Marlin with the BL Series B 1800 cc engine.

c) What are the average weights of the engine/gearbox combinations (including the ancillaries that are bolted to the engine block) of the MX5 1600cc vs the British Leyland series B 1800 cc Twin Carb, three bearing crankshaft version?

Rs,

avid.

[Waterscumbietoo]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

Hi Dave, I will sort a price out for courier on the bonnet for you today. Sorry I have been busy yesterday replacing my intercooler on my T5 van.
Sounds like a great project you have lined up. Keep everyone posted on progress with pictures.
Cheers, Martin.

Thanks Martin,

Got the UPS tracking number. Will let you know when the hinged bonet arrives.

Rs,

avid.

[Waterscumbietoo]

Re: MX5 Marlin of Dorian Grey {any technical advice or wisdom, much appreciated}

c) What are the average weights of the engine/gearbox combinations (including the ancillaries that are bolted to the engine block) of the MX5 1600cc vs the British Leyland series B 1800 cc Twin Carb, three bearing crankshaft version?

Weight of MX5 1600 cc engine including flywheel, exhaust, alternator, clutch, intake manifold, starter and gearbox - 360 Lbs.

No luck for same for Marina engine so far (lots of data sprayed across many sites, but no definitive answer as I got for the Mazda)

Rs,

avid.