MadaboutKitcars

The car looks great, but that's by the by.

My condolences, Chris. Pauline and I send our best wishes at this difficult time.

Thanks Jason.

Not any progress last weekend. Struck down by gout

But today the logbook turned up again. It is so nearly right I'm not going to send it back again. The only error is the make of the car is "Marlin Cabrio" and not make "Marlin", model "Cabrio"

So gold star DVLA, only 11 weeks to issue a correct logbook

I had that problem with my Sportster.

On The V5 it says: Make: Marlin Sportster and the Model: is blank.

I wrote and complained but was told that they can only enter it like this. Something to do with the computer system.
I thought it was typical of government departments, as you get something really minor wrong during your SVA/IVA and you fail but when it comes to them they can do what suits them!!

Government departs, probably didn't know what they were on about.

Had a new passport made this month and paid extra for secure shipping. The new passport turned up in the normal mail and 2 weeks later the old password turned up with a secure courier.... ho hum...

Some piccies taken today.



But I need to fit the side windows and hood yet.



and Sandie has made a spare wheel cover which needs fitting over the spare wheel. The spare wheel is in the back garden!

Very nice Chris - I bet you're chuffed with that.

Christmas Day blast instead of Her Maj?

Looks brilliant, Chris! well done, and happy xmas!
Tim

For some bizarre reason just checked the V5 again. They have got some digits wrong on the VIN number. Bloody hell!

Correct logbook at last.

Just hoping for some dry weather so I can fit the hood and electric windows.

I've ordered a clock and voltmeter to match the other guages and I'm going to make a small centre console to take them with a power socket. It will also have some lights to the passanger can map read for me.

The idea of the power socket is that I've seen a solar powered battery trickle charger in the Mapling catalog, so I can just plug it in during the winter months and keep the battery charged.

After some prevarication I've decided against an audio system. I only ever listen to the radio when I'm driving, and I think that any form of ariel will spoil the looks.

Here is a photo of the car with the team that did the excellent paint job.

Chris,
nice paint job. I've looking at colours and wondered if paint shops charge a premium for metalic paints?
Is you paint cover in clear lacquer?

thanks

Peter

Hi peter
They didn't charge any extra for metalic, and no its not been lacquered.

They did spend a lot of time doing the prep. I thought I'd done a good enough job but it wasn't up to their standards.

While they did my panels they were also spraying an Aston Martin DB4.

Chris

Thanks,

...peter

Well its been a whole week driving to work in the Marlin, roof down every day. This morning was fun with snow flurries!

Some days during the winter are very nice though a bit cold. But once the heater is up to temp, can go for a really nice drive.

Nice colour and job by the way.

So having said all week I'd had a great time going to and from work with the roof off, I left work on Friday at 13:00, got in, turned the key and listened to the engine whizz over without a hint of it starting.

Did the usual checks, fuel being pumped to the carb, but no sparks.
Problem being although I had a set of tools, nothing on the electronics front. So I popped into a nearby motor factors and hopefully bought a new coil.
That didn't make any difference. So the problem looked like either wiring, or ECU.

Phoned the wife to come and rescue me, and when she turned up she didn't fancy towing me home 20 miles in the traffic.

Then we remebered we were members of the AA through our bank's debit card account, so we phoned the magic number.
5 minutes later a very nice man turned up, got out his meter and determined the coil had volts on it.

He dived under the car and removed the crankshat position sensor, put the meter across that and got open circuit instead of 200-300 ohms.
He took me for quick tour of the local motor factors in Yeovil, to no avail, so I phoned my local motor factors in Wincanton who said they could get one in by 11 on Saturday.

We thanked the man from the AA, and my wife took me home.

Come Staurday we picked up the new sensor (£20), drove to Yeovil fitted it and 5 minutes later I was mobile again.

Wife now reports the Marlin looks really good when in motion and can out-drag her Focus ST up to about 70mph.

Got to work this morning. Air temp of -2C
but
1010.9 miles on the clock. I've done my first 1k!

It is the little things that get you.

I've been around the car a few times checking all the bolts are tight, and nothing is loose , with the only problem being the duff crankshaft position sensor

I was driving home last night and suddenly the world tilted as I accelerated. I had TWO bolts drop out of the front seat runners and my bucket seat had converted into a rocking chair.


The roadside repair consisted of wedging the toolbox behind the seat.