MadaboutKitcars

So. I am now over 10 weeks post IVA test pass, and....... I still do not have a registration number or tax disc from the DVLA!!! So if this IS the 'New way' I don't like it!! The only upside is there is no longer an inspection required by your local office (as they are all being closed down). I have finally managed to get hold of the caseworker who is dealing with the application by phone, and have been assured I will receive an age related reg number and tax disc 'in due course'. Which 'hopefully' means within a week or so!! ray2: This has been the longest 10/11 weeks of my life,and the weather of course has been amazing for almost all of them!! Once on the road I'll get some pictures uploaded with the new roof and screen on.

Might be driving by Christmas.....

Rob

It took DVLA 10 weeks to issue me with a log book after buying a second hand car earlier this year. It is not rocket science is it?

It's not Chris, but they seem to have made it more complicated than rocket science!

Hi Rob,

I feel for you. You must be so frustrated. DVLA are going balls out to cut there costs but don't seem to have thought too much about how they cater for our minority interests, at least during their transition period. Keep your cool. Keep reminding them. Don't let them forget. And hopefully they'll come up with the goods shortly.

I must have been lucky and caught my local office just in time..............

Great news about the age related plate and the dropping of the ridiculous ID check though.

I drove through Lechlade in my Sportster on my way to Cheltenham and the Morgan factory in Malvern, 10 days or so ago. I kept my eyes peeled for a "silver and beige" Sportster (in a driveway, not on the road of course??) but I was out of luck. Perhaps you could PM me your number so that next time I'm passing through with some time on my hands, we can meet up.

Hang in there

Nigel

I live off the main drag in Lechlade, so unless I was driving the car minus plates and a tax disc, then you wouldn't have seen me! I got an email today saying that the tax disc and docs are 'in the post' I feel like Del Boy. Maybe I'll hand write a piece of paper and stick it on the windscreen!
Unfortunately likes you said, I seem to have caught the DVLA in a transitional phase. Hopefully the Post Office won't completely redesign their delivery strategy overnight!
Shame I didn't spot you prowling through Lechlade. I will PM you my number, and next time we can go for a wee poodle round the Cotswolds.

Cheers

Rob

Got the tax disc, reg documents and V5C today in the post!! Off tomorrow to get plates, then the fun can really begin!!
Weather better be good now for the next month or so to make up for all that lost time!! Nooooo -->

Great news. At last!!

Do you think you'll get any sleep tonight. It'll be just like Christmas Eve when you were a kid!!

The weather's pretty lousy at the moment but the Met men say it's looking good for the weekend. How about a run out to the Kop Hill Hill climb Saturday or Sunday ([url]www.kophillclimb.org.uk/)[/url], just north of High Wycombe. The event is fully booked but there's still room for spectators. There'll be some interesting hardware there and it'll be a good 100 mile(ish) round trip for the car.

Nigel

Cheers Nigel. Still up, just been out checking fluid levels for the fourth time!!! Would love to but, sadly I can't make this weekend, as I work every Saturday out:, and have a mate booked to come over for sunday lunch this weekend, so a pre-lunch blast has been planned. Might try and get out tomorrow night if the weather holds, if not Wednesday looks better. Might try another meet, if there is a local one still planned for this year. Anyone know of anything' interesting' coming up?

Got the plates made up today today. Got back from work as quick as I could. Jumped in the plated beast and picked up my daughter from Brownies (with the roof up!!) If Carlsberg did Dad Taxis......

Nigel, have you got any pictures of the cant rail hold downs you made please, these spring look like they should be on a Massey Ferguson!!

Hi Rob,

Sorry. I promised you these some time ago.

The purists will say this is not a positive form of attachment and therefore insecure but I have found them to be OK in practice if you screw them up really tight.


Cant rail clamp by MarlinBuild, on Flickr


Cant rail clamp by MarlinBuild, on Flickr

My hood has failed its "waterproofness" test today. All the seams leak as the stitching holes are not sealed and I've got some significant leaks around the windscreen pillars. But that's what testing is all about......................!!

Enjoy the car now it's legal. The weekend weather looks pretty promising if you can squeeze some trips into your schedule. Watch out for the cracking of the front mudguard stays. It didn't take long for mine to fail and I've had to come up with some very strong bracing and reduced the weight of the wings as far as possible.

Have fun.

Nigel

Hi Nigel. Nice job! Brave pills required to drill into the screen surround I can imagine? Or am I seeing it wrong? Do you have modified BMW donor front struts and stays, or Marlin's new 'bespoke' set up? Think our stays maybe different to yours, but seeing how much they vibrate just cruising around, I can't see them lasting too long!!
Roof is yet to be tested, but feel a brolly maybe required when the roof is up! Going to clear silicone around the screen, don't think I'll ever tilt the screen, so keeping it in position and sealed will be my preferred method at the mo. Also got some foam to help with sealing the bottom edge, as the gap was sizeable! Will see if the stitch holes leak on ours. There must be a sealer out there for the job, that doesn't make the inside look like a 5 year old has been painting it hopefully.

Off out with a mate tonight who has a Noble M400, 6 cylinders, but could not be a more different animal. similar power to weight, but i feel a drag race is a way off yet!

Hi Rob,

No brave pills required. The bracket is screwed to the cant rail and the thumb screw clamps on to the windscreen surround, protected by the aluminium plate. (I did drill and tap the surround for my rear view mirror but that was before the screen was fitted and the glass slid out of the surround very easily)

I've got modified BMW struts. I could not see the benefit of the new ones and with the extra costs involved for the uprights and the aftermarket brake callipers, I decided to stick with the original approach. Now if the new uprights provide a better mounting for the cycle wing, that may make a difference but if you have the new uprights and the wings are still wobbling around, fatigue will probably get the better of them in the end......................!!

This is where my stays cracked (Click the pic)


Wing stay failure by MarlinBuild, on Flickr

And this is the brace I made up


Wing stay brace by MarlinBuild, on Flickr

The steel strip failed a number of times through fatigue so I have now used a 30mm x 4mm piece and minimised the weight of the cycle wings by moving the indicators to the front bumpers and removing all the edging strip that was there for the IVA test. The car's done 700 miles since then so it seems to be doing the job now.

Hope you enjoyed the Nobel. A drag race would be interesting. You must be pretty close on power to weight with your M3 lump.

Saw that after I had posted about drilling the surround! Nice solve to a fairly ugly solution supplied originally. Will no doubt steal your idea at some point soon. I am toooo busy driving the damn thing to change anything at the moment. The issue that needs sorting ASAP at the moment is ground clearance. Have the same from dampers as you, but I think the heavier lump is too much for these dampers and springs. Have the collar dialled all the way up to the top of the thread, and still only have about 1.5 inches ground clearance between the floor and the exhaust at the front, slightly more at the back, but no where near enough. Think it'll mean new front dampers and springs all round
Drove to work today, t'was much fun. Feels very planted and sturdy, corners nicely and sounds awesome!
Will seriously consider bracing the wing stay soon too.
Didn't drag with the Noble, but we do have very similar stats. The Noble's official 0-60 is 4.2 seconds! IF I could get close to 5 to 5.5 I would be very happy. Might try it once we've changed the oil and run her in a bit more. My mates have nicknamed her 'Marlene', and say it in a 'Boycey out of Only Fools' kind of way. Not the coolest name ever!

Photos

Hi Rob

Just because you had to wait 11 weeks for your registration, are we going to have to wait 11 weeks for some photos of your car?

Come on.................!!!eace:

What are the electrics like on the S50? As it is a derivitive of the M50, does it mean the electrics are the same as th M50?

Mike

Here is a link to my Flickr page >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/99543879@N03/.
My previous one lapsed due to lack of log ins, so must keep this one alive!!I can't remember how to upload photos directly on here, if anyone can remind me that would be great, thanks! I plan on taking the car out on a dry day, and getting some nice photos of the car with the roof down and up.
As far as the electrics go, I assume theya re very similar to the M50, but could not be 100% sure, as I've never tinkered with an M50's wiring! We did cheat a little, and had an aotu-electrics mate of ours to help/guide/laugh and point at us when required, so can't be seen as anything near an authority on the 'Lectrix I'm afraid mike.

Photos will follow soon, you have my word.

Rob

P.s. Anyone on here want to join the Marlin Drivers page on Facebook, please send me a message, and I can invite you to join (it's a closed group, so no public access allowed)