Are you madabout kit cars      
 "We've Got Kit Cars Covered" Information about Madabout-Kitcars.com Contact Madabout-Kitcars.com         Home of UK kit cars - madabout-kitcars.com Various kit car write ups All the latest kit car news Kit car related and general discussion

Search
Manufacturers
Kit Cars
Kit Car Data sheets
Picture Gallery
SVA Knowledgebase
Clubs & Communities
Build cost estimator
Kit cars for sale
Knowledge Base 
KitcarUSA.com
Classic-Kitcars.com
 

Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Build Area > Marlin 5exi builds

Marlin 5exi builds Calling all you sexi builders....sorry 5exi builders, show us your progress.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 23rd June 2013, 15:54
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default Scary handelling

hello everyone I have just bought a 5exi I believe it was a factory race car it has a rover 1.6 engine and gearbox I took the car to Malory recently to a track day
Whilst I found the cars handelling round corners great apart from a half spin in the wet at the hairpin my fault
It feels very nervous at speed and when lifting at the bottom of the straight for Gerard's the car had a mind of its own I would like to upgrade the engine for mor power but untill the this handelling issue is resolved it would be pointless
Any help would be much apriciated
On another note has any one fitted a bike engine to a marlin thanks Brandon
Reply With Quote
Available from eBay
  #2  
Old 23rd June 2013, 16:54
alackofspeed's Avatar
alackofspeed alackofspeed is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dorset
Posts: 1,180
alackofspeed is on a distinguished road
Default

Mine was as you described when first built, hence I did this:

http://madabout-kitcars.com/forum/sh...=handling+woes

Now much better. I've driven Mallory once, and the car was fine there - braking from circa 130mph into Gerard's with no issue.

Hard to know what your car is currently like - if it's a race car it's presumably been produced differently to the road cars.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 23rd June 2013, 17:55
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default

Thanks for the reply looks like I need to ring track developments
Dare I ask how much it cost and do you have a contact number thanks
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 23rd June 2013, 18:35
limpabit's Avatar
limpabit limpabit is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Basildon, Essex
Posts: 1,800
limpabit is on a distinguished road
Default

Hi Brandon.

Do you have any pictures of the car at all? Is it the 1.6 k Series? Blue by any chance?

Reason I ask, is wondering if it's Dylan's original car on the original mk1 suspension set up.

If it is, let me know. Had mine done that was on mk1 suspension by TD. Now goes like it's on rails/go kart like and pushing 300 bhp.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 23rd June 2013, 18:43
alackofspeed's Avatar
alackofspeed alackofspeed is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dorset
Posts: 1,180
alackofspeed is on a distinguished road
Default

http://www.trackdevelopments.co.uk/

My car was very much a development mule, so the price I paid is no longer valid.

Limpabit's car is the better reference.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 23rd June 2013, 18:54
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default

Yes it's a 1.6 k series on twin webbers it's green now I'll try and post a picture up not very good at things like that
It's a lovely car just doesn't inspire confidence at speed
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 23rd June 2013, 18:57
limpabit's Avatar
limpabit limpabit is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Basildon, Essex
Posts: 1,800
limpabit is on a distinguished road
Default

Ah ok. It's not Dylan's.b How long ago did you buy the parts? Wondering if you have the updated rear suspension.

Where are you located?

Bet that's a nice sound on twin webbers
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 23rd June 2013, 19:00
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default

Bought the car a few weeks ago from Canterbury it was on piston heads I think it was built by marlin as a race come demo car in 2002 I spoke to marlin they seemed to think it was black origanly and that he had raced it for a season
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 23rd June 2013, 19:07
limpabit's Avatar
limpabit limpabit is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Basildon, Essex
Posts: 1,800
limpabit is on a distinguished road
Default

If you look at your rear suspension. Is the two ball joints the different sizes on the hub? Or do they look like this:



Might well have the old mk1 original suspension
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 23rd June 2013, 19:19
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default

No it's not like that is their an upgrade available from marlin I spoke to the but he didn't mention any thing
That looks a lot better set up than mine
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 23rd June 2013, 19:21
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default

How do you post pictures
Thanks for the replies I thought I was on my own with this one
If I can sort the handelling it would be fantastic
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 23rd June 2013, 19:28
limpabit's Avatar
limpabit limpabit is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Basildon, Essex
Posts: 1,800
limpabit is on a distinguished road
Default

Join up for free with someone like photo bucket.com
Upload photos
Copy the link for the uploaded photo. It will have a link with IMg at each end of the line.
Post it in the box where you type on here.

It's easier to do than it sounds with these instructions!

Mk1 had different sized two top ball joints
Mk2 is in my photo above supplied by Marlin.

Where are you located? Someone might be near you to have a look.

Not on you own. Great bunch on here to help you out
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 23rd June 2013, 19:38
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default

Yes it has different sized top ball joints
I'm in Oswestry Shropshire
Do you think it could be as simple as replacing the top wishbones
Apart from the lift of wobble the car was great well balanced no under steer I would like to upgrade the engine to a vvc which I have throttle bodies cams ect
200 bhp ish and lighten it a bit I've sorted the brakes out which were awfull
And I think it will be good fun I do hillclimbs and sprints and a few track days
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 23rd June 2013, 19:45
limpabit's Avatar
limpabit limpabit is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Basildon, Essex
Posts: 1,800
limpabit is on a distinguished road
Default

You have a number of options. Minimum would be rear top and bottom wish bones and hubs. At the time I upgraded with Marlin, bottom wish bones were optional.

You could give Marlin a ring. Or give Dave at TD a ring for options and prices. Then get the geometry setup etc.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 23rd June 2013, 19:51
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default

Thanks I'll ring them both tomorrow
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 23rd June 2013, 22:16
alackofspeed's Avatar
alackofspeed alackofspeed is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dorset
Posts: 1,180
alackofspeed is on a distinguished road
Default

Dave would be the better person to call in my opinion.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 24th June 2013, 17:02
MadDogMoggy's Avatar
MadDogMoggy MadDogMoggy is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Dorset
Posts: 107
MadDogMoggy is on a distinguished road
Default

Not had much driving experience, but apparently tyre pressure can also make a a huge difference to how the car handles.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 24th June 2013, 18:25
alackofspeed's Avatar
alackofspeed alackofspeed is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dorset
Posts: 1,180
alackofspeed is on a distinguished road
Default

I've played with pressures on track, and other than raising or lowering grip, it didn't make too great a difference to the fundamental feel of the car.

After the suspension was changed on my car the biggest differences came from stiffening the rails (replacing removable lateral brace), bracing the rack O/S mount, and stiffening the front toe arms.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 24th June 2013, 21:18
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default

I don't think tyre pressures would make any difference
Spoke to dave and marlin today time to have a think
Could turn into a winter progect and involve fitting a bike engine
And try and make a very light weight marlin with a six speed paddle shift gear box 200 hp and 500kg is the plan I think less weight in the back would make a massive difference
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 24th June 2013, 21:37
Brandon Brandon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 19
Brandon is on a distinguished road
Default

On another note has any one checked the castor angle mine has 2 degrees with I think is ok for a race car but if I was using it on the road I think it could do with more which would proberbly counter out the rear wheel steering I think westfields run about 6 or 7 degrees so their would be be more self centring on the steering and a lot less nervous just a thought
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +0. The time now is 10:10.

copyright © madabout-kitcars.com 2000-2024
terms and conditions | privacy policy