Marina's

Post by **PSL184** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:27 pm

Had a look at a nice tidy Marina Coupe earlier. So, just thought I'd open up a discussion on general feelings about these now quite rare sights on our roads. I could almost fancy buying one, It was very posh compared to the Moggie....

Post by **aupickup** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:28 pm

get the discs off it and engine
they are the best bits

Post by **FrankM83** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:40 pm

Over here Marinas are about the only 70s cars that survive, all the rest perished especially the Japanese Datsuns! Don't know why people complain about Marinas! If I had the time and place to keep it I'd add one to my collection

Post by **morrisman1** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:20 am

those jappas arent too bad. i know the bodies arent too tough and they are cheaply built but the mechanicals are excellent. the a-series datsun engine is one of the better old engines around, they just dont give up. ive got four of them here, i took the head off one of them and after nearly 100,000 miles it had absolutely no bore wear. i havnt taken it down further than that. you couldnt do that with a morry! they require rebuilts after about 60,000 miles

Post by **FrankM83** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:56 am

I wasn't actually complaining about the mechanics on Japs as as you say the go on forever!

Post by **dunketh** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:19 am

I really fancy a coupe but they're not old enough to qualify for free tax so they're off my list.

I couldn't care less about the mechanics, I love the looks. Anything else can be replaced/modified/etc to suit.

Post by **Judge** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:22 am

Marina's, Sprite's, MGB's, what next

Post by **PSL184** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:19 am

Judge wrote:Marina's, Sprite's, MGB's, what next

At least they are all British

Post by **Judge** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 11:11 am

Well the 'original' ones are

Post by **chickenjohn** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:19 pm

morrisman1 wrote:_snip-no bore wear. i havnt taken it down further than that. you couldnt do that with a morry! they require rebuilts after about 60,000 miles

Thats not true, an A series in a moggy can be in just as good a nick if its looked after. My Traveller has 96,000 on the clock and there is no scoring or a lip on the bores at all. It has only needed some head work (valve and a de-coke) and its an original, bottom end never re-built. Change the oil and filter regularly (3000miles), maintain the car and dont thrash it to death and the engine will keep going.

Post by **minor_hickup** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 8:35 pm

Yeah I must say my old Morris had no bore wear after 85,000 miles, 20,000 of those were pretty hard use, including regular bouts of flat out motorway work. I'm sure the key is regular oil changes and letting them warm up before putting any considerable strain on them. Apart from eating a few exhaust valves it was very reliable.

I ran my last one with 15 thou exhaust clearances and no problems at all despite being very worn and smoky. It took a lot of abuse including being revved well beyond 6000 rpm many times while power sliding on frozen icy tarmac. It never ran so well as after that!

As for the marina, I think they have a bit of an undeserved bad reputation. The coupes look pretty cool and theres some very nice ones on the retro-rides forum.

Post by **morrisman1** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 12:15 pm

gee i thought mine got thrashed! it regulary hits about 5500rpm, im too pussy to take it past that! im not too worried about wear because i wont have it for 100,000 miles. it give it oil changes twice a year, it drives abotu 15km per day so thats about an oil change every 2000 miles. always do the filter aswell.

Post by **Cam** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 8:49 pm

I like the Marinas personally, but then I have a bit of a soft spot for the '70s BL cars, especially the Allegro and 1100/1300.

I was offered a really nice condition 1300 Ital a couple of years ago and I was VERY tempted...

Post by **8009STEVE** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:18 pm

I could almost fancy buying one

PSL184 Are you serious about buying a Marina? If so, I have details and photos of on for sale. 1 owner from new, moted etc.

Post by **PSL184** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 6:36 pm

Thanks mate but not right now. Too many cars around as it is but I would like one some day in the future. Maybe an 1800TC if there are any left ?

Post by **rayofleamington** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:11 am

I really fancy a 1275 Marina Camper van (suntour) - as long as it's tax exempt. Shame they are all rotten!

Post by **PSL184** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:30 am

I saw one of those yesterday Ray, in Longford area of Cov. Hadn't seen one on the road for years before that.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:26 pm

If I had the time and place to keep it I'd add one to my collection

the TC's get a lot of attention... and therefore are harder to get hold of, but they aren't the only interesting ones...

Does anyone spot a confession coming?

Post by **PSL184** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:04 pm

rayofleamington wrote:

Does anyone spot a confession coming?

Oh do tell......

Post by **IaininTenbury** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:03 am

dunketh wrote:I really fancy a coupe but they're not old enough to qualify for free tax so they're off my list.
I couldn't care less about the mechanics, I love the looks. Anything else can be replaced/modified/etc to suit.

Not quite true, but you'd have to be lucky. There's a few tax exempt ones still around, I used to have a May72 Coupe in teal blue, with limeflower interior (same colour as late Minor travellers appeared in). Sadly got passed on in the great thinning out of the car collection when I moved. Still regret it...