Introduction
Here is the latest addition:
Panda (Classic) SEAT Marbella (Mk1 Panda replica).
- Thread starter pandamonius_maximus
- Start date
Looks great! Certainly an unusual entry at any motorsport event. Look forward to seeing it at a sprint some time this year.
Great to catch up with this build.....stunning Si....
OP
OP
OK so not finished....but I knew that anyway. I just needed to hear the words
Anyway as per the Panda coil spring spacer thread here, I cut off the bottom seat from an old damper I had:
And now I have made it into a spacer by inserting a ring beneath it to set the gap (made from a door handle from B&Q):
I cut a slot to allow room for a locating peg to go through (to stop the spacer from gradually turning round and causing wear).
Then I painted up the bottom spring seat in awesome gun metal :devil: and push fit a locating peg through one of the existing drain holes:
Quick dry run to check it all fits ok:
And the moment of truth! :slayer:....
All fits perfectly, will go for a test drive shortly but the main thing is the ride height is now perfectly level :devil: Couldn't be any more pleased with the outcome. In fact I am glad I couldn't find the genuine Fiat one now as this one can be customised by changing the spacer thickness:slayer:
Anyway as per the Panda coil spring spacer thread here, I cut off the bottom seat from an old damper I had:
And now I have made it into a spacer by inserting a ring beneath it to set the gap (made from a door handle from B&Q
):
I cut a slot to allow room for a locating peg to go through (to stop the spacer from gradually turning round and causing wear).
Then I painted up the bottom spring seat in awesome gun metal :devil: and push fit a locating peg through one of the existing drain holes:
Quick dry run to check it all fits ok:
And the moment of truth! :slayer:....
All fits perfectly, will go for a test drive shortly but the main thing is the ride height is now perfectly level :devil: Couldn't be any more pleased with the outcome. In fact I am glad I couldn't find the genuine Fiat one now as this one can be customised by changing the spacer thickness:slayer:
OP
OP
Well apparently forgot one thing before she can be raced. A 1 litre oil catch tank!
So bought this off ebay which seems to look the part but not that impressed by the build quality as it doesn't seal on the blanking plug. It was a lot cheaper than the Demon Tweeks stuff though so I just added a rubber seal which I hope works ok.
Anyway, here is the tank fitted (the level indicator has to go round the strut brace but maybe I can improve this at a later time):
And engine bay pretty much completed:
I have actually been accepted into an event now, so will be doing Wiscombe Park Hillclimb on 18th May if any Panda nutters fancy coming to watch! No idea how much spectator tickets would be though.
So bought this off ebay which seems to look the part but not that impressed by the build quality as it doesn't seal on the blanking plug. It was a lot cheaper than the Demon Tweeks stuff though so I just added a rubber seal which I hope works ok.
Anyway, here is the tank fitted (the level indicator has to go round the strut brace but maybe I can improve this at a later time
):
And engine bay pretty much completed:
I have actually been accepted into an event now, so will be doing Wiscombe Park Hillclimb on 18th May if any Panda nutters fancy coming to watch! No idea how much spectator tickets would be though.
Looks great. Wiscombe is jumping in with two feet. It is also flippin' miles away from me, so I'll wait until you are sprinting nearer to spectate!
OP
OP
Haha yeah it's not the safest hillclimb in the world but will take it easy anyway. Will be doing others though so will keep you posted, hopefully a castlecombe sprint or wondering if Prescott is worth a go as well. More planning to make though.
Si
OP
OP
Again not finished ....
The arches were not acceptable so I've made my own which I will trial for a bit to see if they are up to the job!
I made a cardboard pattern for the top arch which I then cut out of some plastic sheet. I used a hot air gun soften the plastic and bent it onto shape using metal plates to keep straight lines. It fits on exactly how the original Marbella trim does so no extra drilling / rust seeds to sow
The Mudflaps were just a case of ordering some Rally style DIY mudflap sheets which I cut to size and screwed onto the bumper. Et Voila:
looking wide boi now "innit"
Oh and one more step closer to the Mk1 panda look if you haven't noticed already she's gotten a mk1 rear bumper now :slayer:
Looking nice and racey now :devil:
....The arches were not acceptable so I've made my own which I will trial for a bit to see if they are up to the job!
I made a cardboard pattern for the top arch which I then cut out of some plastic sheet. I used a hot air gun soften the plastic and bent it onto shape using metal plates to keep straight lines. It fits on exactly how the original Marbella trim does so no extra drilling / rust seeds to sow
The Mudflaps were just a case of ordering some Rally style DIY mudflap sheets which I cut to size and screwed onto the bumper. Et Voila:
looking wide boi now "innit"
Oh and one more step closer to the Mk1 panda look if you haven't noticed already she's gotten a mk1 rear bumper now :slayer:
Looking nice and racey now :devil:
That Mk1 bumper is way better than the original, the ribbing carrying on into the bumpers makes it look better balanced. Would the front ones fit?
OP
OP
Yeah, the mk1 has a better overall shape too. It flares out at the wheel arches; also because the marbella has a deeper boot panel and tail lights, the bumper sticks out slightly less.
Can't really fit the front bumper though as the intercooler would not fit (unless I cut a massive hole in it
). I like the front bumper though anyway, and with the golf front splitter I think it works quite well.
OP
OP
She made it :devil:....
Entered into Wiscombe Park Hillclimb today in the Sports Libre class!! - no chance of a cup tbh but fortunately was competing against my Dad (in his 1986 Mini Cooper 1293cc) and my Brother (in his SEAT Toledo 2,5litre V5).
After 4 runs I got the time down to 54,18s but my Brother won out of us with ~53,8s I think it was.
Amazing day out though. Can't wait to do another event now; got plenty of ideas on how to improve the car as well (including improving my skills!!).
Entered into Wiscombe Park Hillclimb today in the Sports Libre class!!
- no chance of a cup tbh but fortunately was competing against my Dad (in his 1986 Mini Cooper 1293cc) and my Brother (in his SEAT Toledo 2,5litre V5).After 4 runs I got the time down to 54,18s but my Brother won out of us with ~53,8s I think it was.
Amazing day out though. Can't wait to do another event now; got plenty of ideas on how to improve the car as well (including improving my skills!!
).
OP
OP
This is what I was up against in the Sports Libre Class up to 1,8litre (notice wee little Marbella sitting at the front :
Amazingly I was just under 2 seconds slower than a car called a "Mallock 17B" which is the one that looks like this:
Next events planned are:
22nd June - Castle Combe Sprint
21st July - Clay Pigeon Sprint
7th & 8th September - Wiscombe Hill Climb
:
Amazingly I was just under 2 seconds slower than a car called a "Mallock 17B" which is the one that looks like this:
Next events planned are:
22nd June - Castle Combe Sprint
21st July - Clay Pigeon Sprint
7th & 8th September - Wiscombe Hill Climb
madrat
Member
What's the red car in the middle of the picture? Is it another Marbella, a panda or could it be a yugo?
madrat
Member
I would have loved to have taken my X1/9 or citroen AX round that track
Wonder how my Passat would manage it.
Wonder how my Passat would manage it.
OP
OP
It's a Ford Cortina GT, it's a Championship winner in the over 1600cc Rally Car Class. Looked very well built and the cars fastest time of the day was 44,57 (10 seconds faster than mine up the hill
).It is a fantastic hill, feels like a little rally stage and great surroundings. Best thing about these events is that people bring anything they like and have just as much fun as the people going for gold. My brother took his SEAT Toledo up and set a faster time than me. Just road standard; which goes to show anything is worth a go!
madrat
Member
:doh: Now you have told me it's so obvious that its a cortina. I didn't see the boot at first.
That sounded the nuts on those runs
What improvements have you got planned next?
What improvements have you got planned next?
OP
OP
That sounded the nuts on those runs
What improvements have you got planned next?
Suspension suspension suspension! Needs to be a bit stiffer /lower and there is still some rubbing coming from the front wheel arch when turning hard left. May be on the look out for smaller wheels which will give me a different drive ratio and also lower the car a bit as well as stop this wheel rubbing bit...just cannot work out where it is rubbing. No marks on anything I can see and everything looks fairly out the way...but I know it's something as you can hear it in the video (especially around the first sharp left hand bend - like a kinda grating noise).
Plastic windows next as well, and maybe some other weight saving techniques I haven't thought of yet! :devil:
madrat
Member
If its a grating noise could it be drive-shaft catching on something?
OP
OP
Had a quick check to see if there was any marking on the driveshaft from touching anything but again nothing.Will try to get to the bottom of it this weekend. Perhaps it is the wheel catching the wing at the top edge...I need to get a larger proportioned friend to sit on that corner or something
Have you taken the side impact beams out of the doors? Pandas & Y10s have them so I presume the Marbella does. Smaller wheels hmmm what about these. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LANCIA-DE...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cd1410a93
Gold and black a good look
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