(nearly) new build about to start!
 

OK, tomorrow sees me collect the chassis and other bits that I bought from Phil in Biggar.
I have spent all day clearing out the space I have as you can see (I hope - if the photo displays from Photobucket!) its not ideal but it will do!
http://s1092.photobucket.com/albums/...lin%20related/

<embed width="480" height="360" src="http://static.pbsrc.com/flash/rss_slideshow.swf" flashvars="rssFeed=http%3A%2F%2Ffeed1092.photobuck et.com%2Falbums%2Fi414%2Fjohnsammut%2Fmarlin%2520r elated%2Ffeed.rss" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" />

oh dear, i need to work on the photo posting....

http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...h_IMG_0375.jpg

John

This is the blind leading the blind......

I can only do this because Patrick and Peterux keep reminding me!
If you right click on your photo in Photo bucket, then select, "copy image location", you can then use that copy to paste here, by selecting the phot icon above (mountains), and paste in here.
Hope that makes sense.??!!

I'm not sure how you change size in Photo bucket though?

Mike, thank you for that, what didnt I do?

Don't know.

Try again.

Great news, garage looks good, so keep us posted on progress!!

OK, I will try again when I have some pics of my collection! Thanks for all the help...

http://[IMG]http://i1092.photobucket...d/IMG_0375.jpg[/IMG]

bear with me
 

HA! got it - sorry to mees you all around!

Got it home at last
 

Well, today Son in Law, Andy and I left at 6am for an eventful drive to Biggar to collect the bits. Great drive up in about 4.5 hours but the weather closed in on the way back and we were lucky not to get stuck on the A66

[IMG]http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...d/IMG_0377.jpg[/IMG]

However, after a long day we got it loaded:
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...d/IMG_0378.jpg
and unloaded into the garage:
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...d/IMG_0379.jpg

It looks a mess because there are umpteen boxes to be unpacked and sorted but for now thats it!

Holy snowmobiles, Batman!!
That must have been quite a drive and you must be exhausted!!

The chassis looks pleased to be in it new garage :wink:

Well,

I have agreed a price with Terry and have ordered what I think are all the proprietary Marlin parts (widscreen {new type}, all body panels, dsh etc) so no excuse now.
One of my problems is going to be that I am taking over with no prior knowledge. In many ways this is good, I did not have the ballache of stripping the donor for example but in others it is hard. I have boxes of parts to identify and the engine is stripped of accessories which, along with their fasteners will be in some of the boxes!
My first job will be to fully stripo and rebuild the engine then mate it to the gearbox. After that I am thinking mount the diff and engine/gearbox and measure up for propshaft. Finish the suspension (already started) and add wheels. Does this sound logical?

John

You'll probably want to run brake, clutch and fuel lines before you drop the engine and box in, as access will be restricted once it's in.

Apart from that, it's pretty much what I did.

I would get it rolling first. That way you can always move it out the way to create some temporary space if needed. After the engine and box is in you can always take the wheels off again (that's what I did) to give you more space to move arround the car. The Sportster is quite a tight fit in a typical single garage - its actualy wider that the donor BMW!

Robin

Actually, i have room to move right round the thing in my garage. In preparation for this I knocked the end wall down into the shed beyond so that I have a workshop area at the end.
I will post better pics soon but currently the chassis is on a set of cradles made by Phil the previous owner which enable it to be moved quite easily.
Am I right that Saab used to run brake/fuel lines inside the passenger compartment rather that outside? .... now theres a thought!

Build Manual?
 

John

Did you get a build manual?
Do Marlin supply an electronic build manual for the Sportster?
- can anyone offer John an electronic copy of one?

Mike
PM sent too

You cant see from the pics so far but there is a power hacksaw and a large drill press hidden by the chassis but they are going soon oh yes and a barrel of beer...thats going too....
I rewired the garage prior to this too so plenty of power and sockets!

"build manual"...hmmm I got a bunch of notes printed on A4 sheets. Actually lots of interesting stuff but very Ford oriented. I see the Marlin Owners Club sell some build notes on a CD?

That is the build manual! :lol:

I also got a CD full of pics from Terry. To be honest, I didn't read it at all - I just took my lead from other builders (Patrick, Robin, Peter)

There's tons of info and advice on their websites, and I've documented my findings on mine.

Mike has been good enough to send me some pages from the Cabrio build manual which looks really professional, typed up with photos and everything! Was there anything like this for the Sportster or is it just the handwritten notes? Also has anyone bought the MOC assembly notes disc?
thanks

I have a typed version of the A4 build manual, but not in softcopy. From memory, it's about 20 pages and there are no pictures but a few drawings. I don't have access to a multipage scanner, but I could make a photocopy and send by Royal Mail if nobody else has a softcopy.

The CDROM has no instructions, it was just a load of pictures.
I don't think you'll find anything on it that isn't on Jason, Patrick, Robin's websites or my Flickr site.

Sorry, no idea what the MOC build manual is. To my knowledge there was no proffesional build manual like the Cabrio one for the sporster.

Maybe NigelB or Morris (Ian) could comment on what they got more recently.

The build manual CD I got was a collection of photos and a Word doc. The instructions aren't as much help as the info you get on this forum. There are no diagrams or specifics about what torques or fasteners to use and a lot of the info seems to relate to the older ford based kit.

You're just as well to sit back, look at all the bits you have and take it from there, posting questions here if you're stuck.

Thanks for the kind offer Peter, I think that is what I have already (I was being a bit simplistic!). I agree with you Ian, I will unpack everything and then throw myself on the collective mercy of this forum! Thanks in advance to you all....

OK well I have started! I have decided to start with the pedal box which I will modify following the advice from Mike and others. First off I have made an adaptor to allow the clutch MC to be fitted - I had the same problem as GOO in that the pedal box was not designed for the MC I have, some angle and tube sorted this out but I will need to source a clevis to connect to the pedal. I have also cut out the first access hatch to help get at stuff. None of this has been as precise as I would like but I am just getting back into using my hands and will improve.
This burst of enthusiasm also co-incides with me having to spend the whole of February in Canada for work - damn! Never mind, it will give me thinking time! John ps pics to follow when I work out how - just changed for Photobucket to Flikr...

Here are some pics:

errr....watch this space, they're coming/

This is how to post pics on this site, it was supplied by Peterux from a previous post, lots of us have trouble posting pics until enlightened :-

In Flickr....
Click the 'Share' button...
then click the the 'Grab the HTML/BBCode'
then click the 'BBCode' radio button...and select the size you want.
then copy and paste the code in the box into your Madabout message box.

This creates a picture that people can click and go to your Flickr site. You can edit the code to remove the text if you want to after you've pasted it in the Madabout message box.

You can test it works by trying 'Preview Post' in Madabout

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6...0252a7bb_b.jpg
clutch MC mounted on its bracket with the spacer tube by oldpropuk, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6...67c570f5_b.jpg
roughly placed in position by oldpropuk, on Flickr


The bracket wont overlap the edges whe its fitted for real btw!

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6...91607ddd_b.jpg
access panel cut by oldpropuk, on Flickr

Dennis you are a gem! thanks a lot. I cahnged to Flikr because everyone said that it was easier and indeed, when you know how, it IS!!! Also, I didnt realise about the "preview" feature because I use the quick reply a lot.

Thanks for the help - John

I will make up a cover plate for the access panel and rivnut it on but I am still pondering on edge sealing. Whether to use a stick on neoprene on the cover plate or to find some sort of edging for the hole which would also remove the sharp edge.

Hi John,
it's good to see you've started your build!

That looks like a hefty old clutch master cylinder your using?
I think you'll need to line it up at the same angle as the e30 BMW version...

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/49/151...c74ef34c4b.jpg
Clutch Master cylinder by marlinpeter, on Flickr

...peter

Peter, actually you raise a good point! The history is that I did not source this MC. It was with the parts I bought .... Hmmm. I will check it! John

It looks like an e21 master cylinder?

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...34&hg=21&fg=05

I will do some work on identifying the clutch MC and let you know. I think alignment will be ok as long as I am careful.

One more in my series of stupid questions! What paint do is best to use to touch up the black powder coat when it is necessary?

John

Paint
 

Hammerite black satin spray is a good match,and durable.