Having fitted my back bumper i've noticed the driver's side wheel sticks out from under the arch a lot more than passenger side - over a inch difference i'd guess. I've checked the wheel spacers both sides and they're the same. Is this a common thing or do I have something "wrong"? My chassis number is 86B - it's an '83.

I think they are all the same, my one had the same fault on the drivers side!!

Yup, they are all twisted in various places. I'd be more worries Phil if everything lined up!

I think it was the reason the guy I bought mine from had cut away all the rear framework.

So is it the body or the chassis at fault? Or both?:shock:

I know the bodywork isn't straight, but I think the tubs vary, depending on the version of the design and who made it!!!

I never noticed it on my last Coupe. I'll have to stick the bodywork on mine and check out the amount that they are out by.

My First Marcos (a Mk4) was way out at the back end (Which was why the Kingfisher Sprint came about) and it REALLY annoyed me. Then my 3rd Marcos (a Mk2) had similar to the Gtm but only in the lower wheel arches. A bit of inventive cutting with a pad saw and some GRP sorted it out - but it looks a lot more of a job on the coupe.

I'm going to have to sort it out cuz it'll really get on my moobs.

Time to take some measurements methinks!

Does anyone know where the discrepacy is in the rear arches?

seems to be a common problem on the eighties coupes at least, yes mine had it,

but not any more

Mine had all the boot fitted/ inner wheel arches fitted which made this easyier, what i first did was warm the back end up with a space heater [infa red type] carefully, then slowly blocked it across with wood between the frame and inner arch/boot. once it was in the right place visualy, never take measurements on a grp car go for what looks right then I riveted and PU sealed the boot to the rear cross tube, removed wood and it stayied firmly put. also making the rear stiffer at the same time.

You will be amassed how far composite panels move about under heat/poor storage for long periods of time, the first race meet for my dads car is always tricky as the bodywork never clips on proberly first time around.

WEST

West, A more detailed description of how to do this would be appreciated! Sorry I didn't cross paths with you on Sunday BTW.

I have been told about another Coupe in Stoke so I went to have a look yesterday - took <5 secs to find it - and guess what colour it is?

I have a feeling I should have looked earlier as it looks as if the owner has lost interest. But the back end on it was fine! (Apart from the very nasty accident damage on driver's side rear arch).

There could be another project in the offing very soon! I'll see if I can contact the owner.

I can get my fingers in that gap at the 'mo - it's about 12mm across.
I'm thinking there's more to the misalignment than I thought!

Instead of a space heater, do you think a good dose of engine heat would be enough? i.e ticking over for half an hour?

Phil, i hope your not putting another on your drive! If there is anything on that car that might be of interest to me- keep me in mind.

Alex

Wild stab in the dark but i guess it needs more then engine heat, how about a paint stripping gun - yours isnt paint yet is it

No, I won't be buying it myself, but there's always someone around who'd give it a loving home - it's looking a little neglected at the 'mo, but complete, and looks like it's been on the road recently.

I'll offer them a hand with the fibreglass damage first and see where it goes from there.

Paint stripping gun would be too localised - it would either damage the glass or cool too quickly.

You want to find someone with a spray shop, they should have heaters in there hot enough for the job.

Probably not too expensive to hire a space heater for the weekend. Its certainly worth a phone call

Therein lies a problem.

If you look at the photo in the background, into the garage, the diagonal sihouetted against the back window is a lump of 8"x2" that is holding the garage roof up - I aint putting anything of value in there - especially the Coupe. The side wall has blown about 4" overall.

Right with my car being my car it is a little different around the rear space frame , so my rear cross tube is right next to the boot flange so thats why it was easy to rivet/pu, you may have to make up some packing of some sort to secure, or could even do some brackets that come off this to teh inner arches holding them in place.

The method with that i used with my infa red heater was, a warm day to start with, and heat on the offending corner for about 3 hrs, then leaving heat on slowly wedging it over, the heat prob is not needed, but it cannot hurt as grp does get a bit more flexible when warm. i had the heater about a meter away, and being infa red it heats the object better i find than a gas style and more controllable by adjusting the distance. Took me about a weekend to persuade it over gently then riveting it in place.

you will be surprised how much you can get grp to move, if its really not wanting to move you could get into cutting the inner arch/boot etc movign across then reglassing if there is too much stressing.

WEST