I have now cut away both sides of the rear wheel arches, leaving some large semi circular shaped holes in the rear bodywork.
The oversized 17" rim and tyre from the donor now fits and can the suspension fully compressed so it sits on the bump stop. I will remove some more material around its edge in due course, so that I could fit this sized tyre if I ever wanted to, there is not much chance I will want to, as it does look huge on the car. (Never say never)
I have started the cutting out on the left handside, need to remove some more material from front edge, as its fouling the wheel arch rim.
Off to collet some fiber glassing materials tonight afer work from a local fiberglasser.
chopped strand
resin & hardner
gel coat & catalyst
acetone
Once the prep work on the current wheel arches and holes is complete, I can fiberglass, fill then re-gel coat the new extensions.

I managed to take the car out again over the weekend. Its longest single trip to date. About 30miles all in all. There are some problems that need addressing!!! < /br> Perhaps the biggest problem is the rear tyres fouling the rear wheel arches. Under load (e.g a roundabout) the shocks compress and the tyre fouls the arch. Allow this to happen long enough and smoke comes of the tyres, and cuts the wheel. This is seriously bad.!! So on sunday I set about lookig into what can be done to fix this.
I started by jacking the car up and putting it on axle stands. I removed both rear springs, and used a trolley jack so I can raise and lower the rear wheels to simulate compression. One the bumb stop it is apprent that rear wheel arches are way too low, sanding away from the inside of the wheel arch, to cater for full travel on the wheel, the wheel needs alot more travel.
I have had to cut a hole in the top side of the rear wheel arch, to accomodate the wheel. As I am having to re-do the rear wheel arches, it makes sense this time to allow a larger diameter wheel to fit in the space. I will use the orignal 17" seat leon rims and tyres, as a template. I may decide to fit 16" rims at a later date, but using my current 15" rims in the space of a 17" rim will give a good inch or so clearence in all directions.
Its a shame that I didnt think of this before, but a simple oversight, I should of removed the springs from the rear, put the rears into full compression, and then formed the wheel arches.
See the photos in the build diary for some of the photos, of the problem and the solution.

I have also seen that the 300lb rear spring is fully compressed. The shock is fully wound up, this is indicating to me that the rear spring rate is too low. the current spring is 2.25" ID, 7.5" long and 300lbs rate. I have bought some 2.25"ID 8" long 450lbs springs to try as a replacement. The maximum length spring that can be fitted is 9", so 8" would be about right. 7.5" long springs are kind of an odd size.< /br> The big difference in spring rate is probably down, the heavy rear end. I have a 6 speed gearbox, which would add alot more weight. I am guessing that previous Marlins, say 1.6 Rover engine and 5 speed box, may be fine with 300lb spring.< /br> for £50 delivered, I can experiment with spring rates to find the optimum setting for my particular car. The 300lb springs on the front seem firm, but doing a good job.

Now the first drive is done, I can concentrate on making the car work properly. First thing is to make it a bit more easier for a passenger. Last time I sat in a Marlin, moving at speed, I was a passenger and one thing I noticed that under braking the only thing keeping you in your seat was the seat belts, there was nothing for you too push back in your seat by using your feet. So it was obvious that passenger foot rest was needed.

I bought one from Car builder solutions sometime ago, but didnt fit in case I got into problems with an IVA, so all that was needed are two short lengths of aluminium flat bar, bolted to the footrest, which is then in turn bolted through the rubber floor matting to the chassis floor pan. Large penny washers spread the load, this should be fine, given the floor pan is securly rivetted to the chassis. Penny washers used above the floot matting also help with spreading the load.
Will keep an eye on things as time goes on, but the job looks a good one to me.

Ordered a pack of 380R bulbs from Ebay. £3.90 for 10 including shippig, given they seem difficult to find in shops a few spares on the shelve will be handy

Just got back from my first road legal drive :-) All I can say is WOW, this car accelerates like nothing I have ever driven before. I pulled out onto the Basingstoke Ring Road, floored it and got pushed firmly back into my seat. I had to work through the gear box very quickly, next thing smoke is billowing out the back of the car !!! Fortunatly I knew straight away that the exhaust wrap recently placed to protect the fibreglass was bedding in, and burning off its oils. Phewww

Did a few laps of basingstokes ring road before heading back home with a grin across my face. There are a few shakedown problems that need to be corrected.< /br> Nearside stop/tail bulb fell out, and smashed. A new red 380R bulb needed. Rear wheels hitting the underside off extended rear wheel arches. Need to remove some fiber glass from the underside, and/or reduce depth of wheel spacer to bring rear wheels, nearer the chassis

Before I can take the car out onto the road, I have to fix the number plates to the chassis. Staring with the rear 9"x7" square number plate, this was fairly straight forward. I reduced the size of the aluminium plate I made for this purpose down to slight smaller than the number plater, drilled 2 holes through the number plate, secured with colour caps and bolts and self adhesive sticky pads. Secured it all to the chassis.

The front was just as easy, this time I removed the aluminium panel and used the right angle brackets directly onto the front number plate. I may go back and decide to fit the aluminium panel again later.

The car has just been registered :). Once I get the number plates made, and put on the car, I can go for the first drive!!!

The reg is WA12 *** (Im not giving all the number out on the net)

But some fortune Marlin were able to bring the car back to me this week. Thanks guys. Now the IVA is out of the way, the car needs registering, hopefully that process will happen today, then I get some number plates made up and go for a drive.

Even thou it is now road worthy the list of tasks still to do doesnt stop growing. There is alot of body work refining left to do.

The custom hub-centric hubs that were custom made by a neighbour were a fraction too tight, and over time one become stuck in the wheel. They also didnt allow for self centering of the wheel on the hub. So these have been modified, 0.5mm removed from the inside, and 0.5 mm removed from the outside the wheels now fit over the hubs smoothly without binding, so I hope this fixes the self centering of the wheel.

After the headlight fell out on the 1st re-test the car went in for its 2nd re-test today. And thankfully this time it passed. Getting the the IVA has not been as plain sailing as it might of been. I was expecting it to fail the first time, but not the second. Oh well. Its a tough old test to get through.

Now that it has passed just have to get it registered with the DVLA. Get some number plates made up and hopefully, by the May ban holiday weekend, it should be on the road, and the sun will come out

It came as no surprise that it failed the IVA. But a pleasent one as nothing that it faield on cant be fixed fairly easily.

The fail points are

• Headlights - not aligned
• Front tyre hitting headlight under full lock
• Steering column to steering rack fixing loose
• Driver door - seconday lock failing
• Brake blance bar - needs adiitional nut / weld
• Warning label needs fixing to master cylinders warning of adjustment of brake balance bar
• Steering wheel Boss is not collaspable

These things should all be fixable by the re-test date, which is booked for Thrusday 19th April 2012 @ 3.15pm.

All in all not bad failure at all... considering the complexity of the job

To hopefully get the car through IVA a bit smoother for me I decided to use the expertise of Marlin, a pre-IVA check, and letting Marlin put it through IVA and register it with the DVLA.

Wednesday 28th March 2012 was set as the delivery date. So on Tuesday 27th March 2012 I hired a trailer from southerntrailers in Four Marks, Alton. And WOW, what a huge trailer compared to our tiny little 1.6 Diesel Golf that we were going to tow it with. It was good solid trailer though and well worth a days rental.

Getting the trailer home was easy enough, it didnt have the kit on it. That evening loaded the kit onto the back (had to reverse it on to get a good balance on the tow hook). Strapped it down with 4 tyre lashes. Weather was beautfiul, warm and sunny, so didnt have to worry about covering the kit to keep the elements out.

Set of from at 7:15am, had made lunch and took some flasks of coffee with us. Down the A303, we were averagin 50mpg !!! I was stunned, this 1.6 diesel golf towing this huge trailer with my kit on it. Putting on cruise control helped alot. Stopped for break at Cartgate picnic area. Having done this trip a few times this about halfway betweem Basingstoke and Exeter. Refreshed and re-fuelled it was time to get ont he road again.

Driving through exeter was a bit of giggle, this is the first time that my kit has been seen by the masses, there were alot of people pointing and looking at the car on the trailer. Quite amusing in many ways

Arrive at Marlin factory at 10:30. Gave Mark a run over on the car, first impressions from him were reassuring.

Left Mark at 12:30 and set of back home, managed to get the trailer back to Alton by 4:30. That saved us and early morning exit to drop the trailer back by 8am.

Just have to wait for the April 11th now