DRL152K Marina based roadster rebuild

[andyf]

Hi Andy, what grease did you use on your steering rack and how did you get in the rack.

Adrian

Hi Adrian, I just took the steering rack gaiters off, and smeared the grease along the rack having turned the steering to full lock, focusing on the teeth. I use bearing grease.

[listerjp2]

I would consider using grease. I've swapped mine to grease and it seems to be doing fine

Hi Andy, what grease did you use on your steering rack and how did you get in the rack.

Adrian

[listerjp2]

Thanks Adrian. A combination of poor memory and too much internet searching meant I had forgotten where the original idea came from.
I made the "device" from a short length of 1/4" silver steel, threaded at one end and a boss (from ebay) on the other. Fairly easy to do with just hand tools. The spring in the pictures is a bit too strong so have ordered some weaker ones from ebay. They take 3 weeks to arrive though as they come straight from China!

Yep I had to play around with a number of springs but still happy after all these years

Keep up the log, really enjoying it

[martinclan56]

Thanks Adrian. A combination of poor memory and too much internet searching meant I had forgotten where the original idea came from.
I made the "device" from a short length of 1/4" silver steel, threaded at one end and a boss (from ebay) on the other. Fairly easy to do with just hand tools. The spring in the pictures is a bit too strong so have ordered some weaker ones from ebay. They take 3 weeks to arrive though as they come straight from China!

[listerjp2]

I have modified the reverse mechanism for use with my remote gearchange. Not my idea - I copied it from someone else that had already done it.
It involves fitting a spring to the reverse lockout plate so it can be pushed to one side instead of having to lift the gearstick to clear it. Seems to work! But only time will tell how good it is in practice.
gearbox_mod3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
gearbox_mod2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

And I have pretty much completed the transmission tunnel and floors now. The floors are bonded in using Sikaflex 522 for strength and waterproofing. Should easily outlive me!
And I trial fitted one of the seats. Err - it didn't fit - too wide. But a bit of attention with some ratchet staps has sorted that. And there is plenty of room between the seat base and the larger than normal steering wheel that I plan to use. My extra depth doors should allow relatively easy entry and exit - I hope...
seat_trial_fit by Robin Martin, on Flickr

Hiya

Yep that was my idea and I can confirm that after 3 years it is still working fine.

Well done, I really am enjoying your blog.

Regards

Adrian

[martinclan56]

I have modified the reverse mechanism for use with my remote gearchange. Not my idea - I copied it from someone else that had already done it.
It involves fitting a spring to the reverse lockout plate so it can be pushed to one side instead of having to lift the gearstick to clear it. Seems to work! But only time will tell how good it is in practice.
gearbox_mod3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
gearbox_mod2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

And I have pretty much completed the transmission tunnel and floors now. The floors are bonded in using Sikaflex 522 for strength and waterproofing. Should easily outlive me!
And I trial fitted one of the seats. Err - it didn't fit - too wide. But a bit of attention with some ratchet staps has sorted that. And there is plenty of room between the seat base and the larger than normal steering wheel that I plan to use. My extra depth doors should allow relatively easy entry and exit - I hope...
seat_trial_fit by Robin Martin, on Flickr

[greyV8pete]

Excellent workmanship!

[martinclan56]

I have completed the rear of the exhaust by fitting an off the shelf 45 deg bend. Cutting the 45 deg slash on the end proved to be a challenge but in the end I found out how to make a template using Google.
exhaust_tip1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

I have bonded in the transmission tunnel and floor on one side. Everything is help in place with an industrial strength adhesive (Sikaflex) The mechanical fixings are really just to hold everything in place while the adhesive sets. And to persuade any future MOT tester everything is secure!
floor1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have directly trimmed the panels making up the transmission tunnel with an automotive vinyl. I am not a big fan of carpet in an open car :-)
A bit dissapointed with the vinyl though. It came from a well known supplier but I found it marks and nicks very easily. Too late to change it now though.
To make up for the lack of carpet I have used sound deadner mat on the inside of each panel.

While I was at it I added the floor level seatbelt mounts using some FIA approved spreader plates.
seatbelt_mount by Robin Martin, on Flickr

[listerjp2]

Progress has been a bit slow recently with one thing and another. But I have made a prototype of a gearstick extension gizmo. By default the Marina gearlever is a bit of a stretch - even in the Marina. BL's attempt at fixing this was simply a longer gear lever that was cranked at the base. I think mine is better :-)

gear-lever1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

gear-lever3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

It's only at the protoype stage but it works fine. Notice the cr@p welding. I accidently nudged the amp control and discovered (afterwards) that I had been using far too many - amps that is.

Looks brilliant and , like me, your showing off your engineering. I am loving your blog, it reminds me of my build. Keep up the good work.

[martinclan56]

Progress has been a bit slow recently with one thing and another. But I have made a prototype of a gearstick extension gizmo. By default the Marina gearlever is a bit of a stretch - even in the Marina. BL's attempt at fixing this was simply a longer gear lever that was cranked at the base. I think mine is better :-)

gear-lever1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

gear-lever3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr

It's only at the protoype stage but it works fine. Notice the cr@p welding. I accidently nudged the amp control and discovered (afterwards) that I had been using far too many - amps that is.

[Ye Ol Ripper]

It does state that the car should be "laden". So with a full tank of petrol and 2 adults on board you would expect at least a 1 inch drop in ride height. I would say yours is just right at 8" unladen.

Mine was measured with £15 of fuel but without me in it . Because I was crawling around underneath with a tape measure . Once I am in it , due to my portly frame, I realistically weigh double that of a light person. I do have stiffer Marina Estate torsion bars at the front & 5 leaf rear springs( usually 2) on the rear.

With an additional passenger it still clears the speed humps.

[andyf]

jon_cox that makes sense, and is probably why I had negative camber and dents in my inner wings

Ye Ol Ripper My camber is set at 0 at the moment which seems to be working well. since switching to coilovers and increasing the caster it turns in well and doesn't tend to understeer.

PS what I do need to do is put some grommets in the holes left where I removed the torsion bars

[jon_cox]

That's interesting, 180mm is 7" and it says that the floor should be parallel with the floor, which mine is yet it is 8" not 7"... odd. At the moment it drives really well so I'm not inclined to change it but I may get the tape measure out again to verify

BTW mine is one of those with dents in the wings which were courtesy of a grass autotest that I did just after building the car!

It does state that the car should be "laden". So with a full tank of petrol and 2 adults on board you would expect at least a 1 inch drop in ride height. I would say yours is just right at 8" unladen.

[Ye Ol Ripper]

That's interesting, 180mm is 7" and it says that the floor should be parallel with the floor, which mine is yet it is 8" not 7"... odd. At the moment it drives really well so I'm not inclined to change it but I may get the tape measure out again to verify

BTW mine is one of those with dents in the wings which were courtesy of a grass autotest that I did just after building the car!

Hi Andy. The only difference would be as you drop the height on your recently added coilovers,is that the car would usually have more negative camber (it does on most other cars ).Potentially leading to better handling and also lower centre of gravity. So worth doing provided your offside exhaust manifold & side exit exhaust has sufficient clearance to clear the speed humps.

[andyf]

That's interesting, 180mm is 7" and it says that the floor should be parallel with the floor, which mine is yet it is 8" not 7"... odd. At the moment it drives really well so I'm not inclined to change it but I may get the tape measure out again to verify

BTW mine is one of those with dents in the wings which were courtesy of a grass autotest that I did just after building the car!