This is a read-only archive of the old Madabout Kitcars forum. New posts and replies are no longer possible, but every thread is still here to browse and read.
I have a handbrake! And it works :-) handbrake 1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have to say that the trigger handbrakes are beautifully made and, as a bonus, you get to deal directly with the famous Richard Oakes.
The handbrake cable from the Marina is the first I have ever seen with a built in grease nipple. You can just about see it on the centre right of the picture. handbrake2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have taken the opportunity of the last few mild days to complete the fusebox and battery box. The 3 connectors you can see are for the dashboard and rear loom. 2 other connectors appear the other side of the bulkhead, 1 for the engine and the other for the front lights etc. I have used industrial mate'n'lock connectors mainly as I had a load left over from the Pembleton build.
The ignition switch I have chosen is a fancy, key operated, industrial job but only has a low switching capability hence the large relay.
And of course the inevitable isolation switch.
For safety, as the battery in in the footwell rather than being under the bonnet, I have fitted two large fuses to the battery box, 1 for the starter (125 Amps) and the other for everything else (40 Amps).
Just need the actual battery now!
Today I completed construction of the dashboard blank. I made it from one of the bonnet side panels which I am replacing as they are full of holes in the wrong places. And I thought it would be cool to incorporate at least some of the old panelwork! As it is over 40 years old it comes with a pre-patinated finish which I think I might leave.
Difficult to see from the picture but I formed a radius on the lower edge using a mould and a small rubber hammer. And there is a 20x20mm re-inforcing angle running the entire width at the top.
The plan was to use some s/h Smiths gauges but as they are almost as expensive s/h as new nowadays so I think I will buy some new ones. Just water temp and fuel level are all I intend to use.
Now comes a question for anyone who still looks at this forum. I have several toggle switches to mount on the left in the blank area, and several indicator lights to mount on the right in front of the steering wheel. Should they be in a horizontal line, or should they follow the line of the scuttle top and slope upwards? Hmmm... dashboard2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
As suggested I have made everything line up with the scuttle top. I am still not convinced though ;-) dashboard3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
The little rectangle of masking tape immediately in front of the steering wheel represents the tiny digital (bicycle) speedo I am using. Not very "classic" but practical and cheap! And removable.
I have been trying not to buy any parts with the classic car label as it seems to add a premium to the cost. But the Lucas trafficator switch you can see is perfect for the job. I can operate it without removing my hands from the steering wheel as per the IVA rules and - well - it looks the part. I don't need an IVA as the car is already registered, but I consider the rules to be a good guidline where practical.
I have been pondering the problem of my propshaft for some time now. For some reason the little screwed cap that holds the oil seal on the splined joint is way to big and hence impossible to screw up. I can only think that it has come loose at some point and years of rattling arround on the propshaft joint has stretched it. Its at least 3mm too big in diameter. propshaft_problem by Robin Martin, on Flickr
Anyway I was doing some routine maintenance on the Pembleton. The driveshafts (2cv) have 3 joints the centre one of which is a sliding spline like on a propshaft. They are all protected by rubber gaitors. So I got out the callipers and, would you believe it, the size of the shafts making up the splined joint is almost the same as that on the Marlin propshaft. Getting excited now... So I ordered a gaitor from ECAS, the main source for 2CV spares and it fits perfectly! propshaft_solution by Robin Martin, on Flickr
Not very often you get a piece of luck like that.
I thought it was about time to do a reality check and make sure the gearbox actually fitted in my new transmission tunnel. I had to take the hacksaw to one of the unused lugs on the gearbox casing but now it fits with about 1/2" clearance on either side which hope is enough for any movement. And the propshaft fits as well, always a bonus.... gearbox_fit1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr propshaft_check1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
From the front it looks like I may have to adjust the position of the fuel line but I'll wait untill the gearbox is finally fitted before I do that. gearbox_fit2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And I have taken the advice of various sages and fixed the tunnel top using M5 screws and rivet nuts. I have put the ignition switch on the top of the tunnel, the idea being all of the wiring is then almost impossible to get at for any would be joy rider. The switch itself is an industrial tamper proof item. NOS from ebay for a bargain tenner. transmission_tunnel by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And yes the gearbox is almost new! It looks like it had been recently fitted before I bought the car from the previous owner and builder.
I have just about completed the wiring loom now. All I need is the engine and a few lights to connect up!
I have confined a lot of the spaggetti to the dashboard. dashboard5 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
The little button (temporarily) mounted on the steering wheel is actually a wireless horn button. The receiver is amongst the stuff on the rear of the dashboard. The plan is to bodge it around so that it sits behind the steering wheel central horn push. dashboard4 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And a few more pictures of the rest of the wiring waiting to be connected up. All i need is the engine now! loom2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have managed to keep the high current (starter motor) wiring nice and short. Not sure what route I am going to use yet to reach the rear of the car but it is all contained within one cable. loom3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have been working on the heater install the last few weeks. I bought a (fairly expensive) heater from T7Design as the basis. I don't think it represented good value for money! When i took it to bits to modify slightly I found it just comprised a computer style fan, albeit a powerful one, and a heater matrix in a simple aly box. It would have been considerably cheaper to make it myself. Ho hum - you live and learn.
The heater has 4 outlets, I used 2 for the demister vents and the others for the footwells. I added a 5th, with a little flappy outlet thingy, that points directly into the interior. The heater is supposed to be 3.5kw (hmmm) so I hope it will keep things toasty.
I replaced the heater front panel with one of my one which also serves to mount it and carries the on off switch, the above mentioned 5th vent and will also act as a mount for a 12 volt socket and the choke cable.
At the moment the heater is just configured for re-circulation, but I have allowed enough space behind it to allow for some ducting to the outside world should it prove necessary. For the moment I considered this a complication too far.
I recently discovered the Car Builder Solutions catalog and this has provided the heater hoses with right angle bends. Very handy.
As a prelude to making the bonnet side panels I have been playing with ideas to mount the spare wheel. The intention is to side mount it on the passenger side as the car will mainly be driven with just the driver and this will help to balance out the weight a bit. I purchased a rather agricutural looking trailer spare wheel mount from Amazon to use as a starting point. It now looks like this. spare_wheel_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And (temporarily) mounted on the chassis rail. spare_wheel_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr spare_wheel_3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
I have yet to decide on the final position as the exhaust will also exit on this side. But clamping it to the chassis showed is was good and sturdy - if still a bit agricultural lol.
I have also test mounted the radiator. I acquired a new old stock rad from another Marlin owner. It's from a Vauxhall Chevette (Viva?) I understand. Originally the car had a heavier duty looking rad from a Morris 1800. On comparison it has more fins but doesn't have any more waterways than the Vauxhall rad so I hope the Vauxhall rad is going to be OK. It will be getting as big an electric fan as I can fit in. The original design hangs the rad on some brackets from the join between the bonnet sides and cowl. Or in the case of this car just wedged between the chassis rails.... This means that taking the bonnet sides off for any reason in the future will be a real pain. so I have made a couple of L brackets to mount it directly to tha chassis. Seems to be a better solution although it does mean drilling the chassis for some rivet nuts. radiator_new_old by Robin Martin, on Flickr radiator_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr radiator_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
That's all for now. Bonnet sides next!
I have made the first of the two bonnet sides. A lot of carefull measuring involved as it is a big panel and didn't want to cock it up. The front and back edges are parallel but top and bottom are both set at an angle. the bottom to follow the chassis and the top to giving the bonnet a pleasing drop towards the front. The original panels were shot but useful as a double check.
The original bonnet side has a lot of folds at the edges not really necessary for strength. But it's actually a clever part of the design - the folded edges are what you actually see which means the 'orrible cut edges are hidden. Which is just as well as the originals seem to have been cut out with a jigsaw with the edges left rough. All done for speed of course. Anyway I made the replacement exactly the same way (I did clean up the edges), the only difference being I riveted the ally angle that strengthens the top rather than nut and bolting it in place as per the original.
It would be an understatement to say I am pleased with the result :-)
Just the other side and the bonnet tops now...
I have completed the other bonnet side. Took less than half the time of the first one!
The bad news though is that I trial fitted the old bonnet which I was going to use as a template to make the new one. It is an awful fit - in fact it doesn't really fit at all. So I am going to have to fettle that first before I can even consider using it as a template. Hmm bonnet_side_3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
As a bit of an asside I have been doing some planning. I am considering using this steering wheel. It's an old Triumph (Herald?) steering wheel and is dished and has sprung spokes the idea being it does provide some protection in the event of a prang. What do people think? alternative_steering_wheel by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And I have been thinking about the exhaust route. I was always going to have a side mounted silencer but I would like the actual output to be at the rear of the car - not by the passengers ear. It looks like I should be able to route it between the chassis and the rear nearside wheel. Again - what do people think? exhaust_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
Steering wheel looks nice but perhaps a bit big? The rear exhaust would be fine but a decently sized silencer and angling the exhaust tip down a bit should make a side exit pipe ok for noise I would have thought and would help with packaging. Loving the build btw, plus sent you a pm re the Pembleton
Thanks for the suggestions :-)
If I am unable to make the rear exit exhaust work that's probably what I'll do.
But the other problem with a side exhaust is that when stationary the gas fumes tend to find there way into the cockpit and while us petrol heads like the smell of burnt petrol the passenger often doesn't!
Cheers Robin
I had always planned to make new bonnet tops as the original ones were rather scarred to say the least. I thought it would be relatively simple to use the old ones as a template. However....
I trial fitted the old one last week having cut it in half as the new one is to be hinged in the middle. The fit is absolutely awful. In fact it's so bad I am beginning to wonder if it was for another variation of the car. It is particulary bad at the scuttle end where it is a complete missfit. So, first I am going to have to do some serious fettling fit before I can even consider using it as a template. You can see from the picture just how bad it is.... bonnet1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
And, in addition it is also too wide at the scuttle end. You can see the overlap of the two halves in the picture now I have sliced it in half. I will have to take about 10mm out of the width plus the width of the piano hinge. Strangly the other (radiator cowl) end it is the correct width. bonnet2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
Whilst I think about how to best make the bonnet tops I have been working on a few other items.
The exposed section of the exhaust is pretty much complete now. As it passes pretty close to the inside of the rear wheel I decided to mount it close and rigidly to the chassis. My theory is to allow for engine movement by adding a flexible section, where it passes under the car, to meet up with the downpipe. That's the theory anyway... The silencer ended up in a pretty much perfect place following the chassis line but a few mm away, enough to get some heat shield in I hope. The tail end exits nicely under the rear wing. I will shorten that and add some sort of bend so that the exhaust gases don't end up fouling the chassis. exhaust1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr exhaust3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr rear_lights1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
As you can see I have also mounted the rear lights. They are Lucas and are nearly a perfect fit. Actually about 2mm to wide but it doesn't really notice.
I have also fitted the doors with door cards so I could check the fit of the door seal I chose. Door also misses exhaust which I always planned but you never know.... door_card1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
handbrake 1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
handbrake2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr 
fusebox by Robin Martin, on Flickr
fusebox_mounted by Robin Martin, on Flickr
dashboard2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr 
dashboard3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
propshaft_problem by Robin Martin, on Flickr
propshaft_solution by Robin Martin, on Flickr
gearbox_fit1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
propshaft_check1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
gearbox_fit2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
transmission_tunnel by Robin Martin, on Flickr
dashboard5 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
dashboard4 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
loom2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
loom3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr 
heater1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
heater2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
heater3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr 
spare_wheel_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
spare_wheel_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
spare_wheel_3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
radiator_new_old by Robin Martin, on Flickr
radiator_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
radiator_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
bonnet_side_making by Robin Martin, on Flickr
bonnet_side_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
bonnet_side_2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr 
bonnet_side_3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
alternative_steering_wheel by Robin Martin, on Flickr
exhaust_1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr 
bonnet1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
bonnet2 by Robin Martin, on Flickr 
exhaust1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
exhaust3 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
rear_lights1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr
door_card1 by Robin Martin, on Flickr