Welcome to our BMW E30 based Marlin Sportster Build Site,
we hope you will find this documentation interesting and helpful.
The site has grown massively since its inception in 2005, I hope to one day soon improve the navigation as it's a bit overwhelming to start with. The main areas of interest to builders will be:
The rolling chassis build
Bodywork Fitting
SVA Issues
Final Assembly
If you would like read about the build in date order then have a look at his page.
It took 2.5 years to build the car and pass SVA and a lot longer to get to where it is now! To see the Sportster out on the road have a look at one of the videos here.
During 2008 we rebuilt the BMW engine from 2.5 to a 2.8 creating an M20B28 stroker engine. It uses the crankshaft from the later BMW M52B28 and the conrods from the M20B20. Not much more work is needed other than a clean up, slotting those bits together and a crank spacer. To read about the engine build click here (very picture heavy!)
Finally in March 2009 it was painted, a full set of images is here.
To read the whole build from the start click here.
13/04/2006
New Photochop Gallery
02/04/2006
More brackets
Decided to use the BMW header tank using Robin's car as a model!
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AFM bracket part 1 - this fixing is not yet strong enough - the metal flexs too much to hold it safely. We'll need to add a more solid metal bracket up from the bottom. Other end of the bracket - holds the carbon air box and the bottom of the header tank. The carbon airbox can be moved further forward by shortening the blue silicon hose making more room at the back for an intake pipe.
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This bracket used to hold the diagnostic port in addition to the two sensor plugs - there's not much room here any more so were going to move the diagnostic connector else where. The bracket has been cut and attached at a different angle to normal.
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AFM bracket part 1 - this fixing is not yet strong enough - the metal flexs too much to hold it safely. We'll need to add a more solid metal bracket up from the bottom. Other end of the bracket - holds the carbon air box and the bottom of the header tank. The carbon airbox can be moved further forward by shortening the blue silicon hose making more room at the back for an intake pipe.
Click me
This bracket used to hold the diagnostic port in addition to the two sensor plugs - there's not much room here any more so were going to move the diagnostic connector else where. The bracket has been cut and attached at a different angle to normal.
Click me
26/03/2006
Spaghetti Junction
Wire, wires everywhere! We've started on the loom this weekend while waiting for the fuel pump! There's only a few bits on
construction work left, the main one being the brackets for holding the AFM,
air filter and header tank. There's a few minor bit hose left and lots of hose clips!
On to the pictures, some working in progress on the wiring loom:
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On to the pictures, some working in progress on the wiring loom:
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22/03/2006
Pump Issues
Doh! We've been advised that the Facet pump is not up to the job in a fuel injection system. So we ordered a Sytec PF603 from www.raceparts-direct.com instad with is spec'd for the job.
If we add a swirl pot at a later date we could still use the Facel for the low pressure pump!
This weekend brings the rather interesting task of measuring all the pipes on the engine to order up hose clips!
If we add a swirl pot at a later date we could still use the Facel for the low pressure pump!
This weekend brings the rather interesting task of measuring all the pipes on the engine to order up hose clips!
19/03/2006
Heater and fuel
Heater pipes added - CBS sent the wrong size pipes - too small, managed to get them on anyway but they kink on the bends so will have to replace them. Probably with two 90 degree silicon hoses.
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Fuel pipe straps - Doh! hmm should really have though of this before making a big hole in the tank - never mind just moved the straps over.
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Fuel pump, filter and connection in place:
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Fuel pipe straps - Doh! hmm should really have though of this before making a big hole in the tank - never mind just moved the straps over.
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Fuel pump, filter and connection in place:
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12/03/2006
Power!
A quick trip to B&Q and one hardcore MAPP blow torch later the two oil pipes are bent out of the way of the steering column with ease!
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CBS Throttle cable through the bulk head. The thread on this had to be chopped back so the pedal could move all the way up. We've bolted on throttle cable at the other end - the cable is current 5m long which is a bit much! The throttle is still a bit stiff with the long cable - We're hoping that it will loose a bit once its shortend.
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Parts from the donor heater system - The two pipes use opposite connector types therefore when connected we can use this as an inline electric controlled valve to regulate the amount of hot water that flows through the system from a control on the dash - much nicer than a manual valve hidden under the dash!
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CBS Throttle cable through the bulk head. The thread on this had to be chopped back so the pedal could move all the way up. We've bolted on throttle cable at the other end - the cable is current 5m long which is a bit much! The throttle is still a bit stiff with the long cable - We're hoping that it will loose a bit once its shortend.
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Parts from the donor heater system - The two pipes use opposite connector types therefore when connected we can use this as an inline electric controlled valve to regulate the amount of hot water that flows through the system from a control on the dash - much nicer than a manual valve hidden under the dash!
Click me
05/03/2006
Busy Weekend
26/02/2006
Fuel Tank
Today we installed the fuel level sender in the fuel tank - sounds easy but it took most of the day! Stage 1 was to figure out the numbering system as the chart that came with the sender only when down to 180mm deep tanks. The Marlin tank is 160mm. Luckily it was quite an easy one to figure out - 160mm depth, 67mm pivot, 63mm radius.
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Next on the list was to make the hole that the send goes in. It was all going well until the dremel (110v 20 odd year old model) finally giving in and died leave the rest of the cut out and clean up to me done by hand. Still turned out quite nicely:
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There was a lot of mess in the tank, but luckily one of the vacuum cleaner attachments fits in the hole!
This only leaves figuring out how to attach the fuel hose to the tank and mounting the filter/pump!
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Next on the list was to make the hole that the send goes in. It was all going well until the dremel (110v 20 odd year old model) finally giving in and died leave the rest of the cut out and clean up to me done by hand. Still turned out quite nicely:
Click me
There was a lot of mess in the tank, but luckily one of the vacuum cleaner attachments fits in the hole!
This only leaves figuring out how to attach the fuel hose to the tank and mounting the filter/pump!
19/02/2006
Water pipes, radiator brackets v3 and oil pipes
Time for another version of the radiator bracket! Its now bolted along the sides with two strips of metal either side of the rad. Bolts need shortening to and a lick of paint to clean it up.
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All the water pipes for the front of then engine are now cut to size and routed. Currently the bottom pipe is zip tied to the bottom of the radiator - I'd like to find a more elegant solution for this but it will do for the moment.
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Oil pipe test fit, not sure yet how we're going to run these so these are just where they will fit at the moment. The oil cooler connectors we have are the straight type so are most suitable for running the pipes this way. 180 degree connector would work for going under and along. More research needed on this one!
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All the water pipes for the front of then engine are now cut to size and routed. Currently the bottom pipe is zip tied to the bottom of the radiator - I'd like to find a more elegant solution for this but it will do for the moment.
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Oil pipe test fit, not sure yet how we're going to run these so these are just where they will fit at the moment. The oil cooler connectors we have are the straight type so are most suitable for running the pipes this way. 180 degree connector would work for going under and along. More research needed on this one!
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