Morris Minor Owners Club

Has anyone fitted Marina uprights to a Minor?

It's not something I want to do, but I have been asked the question by a motor club that rally and race Riley 1.5's and have experienced a broken upright in a rally, so are looking at something stronger, but it has to be similar to what might have been 'in period' (ish!).

Broken upright ??? Never heard of that before... I suspect there must have been prior damage... Any idea where it broke? At the thread - or through the stub axle location??

The Marina upright is totally different at its top end from a Minor/Riley 1.5 in that it has a Mini type ball joint as the top pivot.
The bottom trunnion may look similar to the Minor/Riley 1.5 but the only parts that are inter changeable are the bottom pivot pin, the side thrust washers, the rubber seals and the bottom trunnion bushes.
The top link/damper on the Marina is again totally different and mounted on the body completely differently.
The bottom swivel threads are larger on the Marina bottom trunnion so will not fit the Minor/Riley 1.5 bottom trunnion.
The off set of the Marina bottom trunnion is greater and if they could be used would improve the negative camber but is not workable.
Up grading the Minor/Riley 1.5 stub axle with one from the Marina is a good idea and is relatively easy to do.[frame][/frame]
Whilst the total conversion could be done - any modifications carried out to accommodate the Complete Marina suspension I would suggest would make the car out of period.
If Marina stub axles are to be fitted I would suggest that 8cwt van uprights are used as the steering arms are stronger.

Apparently the upright broke between the steering arm (upper position on a Riley) and the lower pivot pin, just above the lower trunnion pin, hence the need for a stronger upright.

If the bottom 'connection' can be made, is there a way to connect the top of the Marina upright to the Riley damper arm? Or could the Marina upper arm be used?

" just above the lower trunnion pin " - by far the weakest point must surely be the thread ? They really would need to use the Marina top arm and damper... but as Phil says - it's surely getting rather far away from the original design. perhaps on 'safety' grounds it would be accepted....

Now we know where the swivel upright broke I suspect that that is why BMC/BL increased the size of the bottom swivel threads.
As regards the top arm the only way to see if it will fit is to obtain a Marina top arm/damper assy measure the length of the arm and if approximately the same length remove the arm from the damper and see if the splines the same but saying that I
have just looked at the dampers on my Minor and it looks to be an impossible task to get the Marina top arm to align with the Minor upright/swivel even if the Marina arms are swopped N/S to O/S and were able to be fitted to the Minor dampers.
The Marina steering arm is also totally different to those fitted to both Minor and 8cwt commercial.
The outer end of the thick/thin front suspension arms are the same for both Minor/Riley 1.5 and the Marina so the lower Marina. trunnion will fit between the arms but as I said above the offset between the horizontal trunnion pin and the vertical swivel is greater on the Marina.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-Marina ... 2eda28d1a5.
See the above link for close up details of a Marina front damper assy.

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Phil,

Thanks for the details of the Marina upright - seems to completely explain why using it on a Minor is not a routine 'upgrade'!

Will go back to them with the 'collective wisdom'.

Richard
As regards upgrading the upright for competitive motorsport especially in a modified production class the upright has to be as per original type/specification.
The top and bottom link/damper can be fabricated as per the JLH conversion but that is all.
As regards the rear - the 5 link as per the JLH conversion can be adopted but the original spring hangers have to be left in their original form/position.
I suspect that the Historic/Classic Rally Blue Book requirement are of a similar nature and the front suspension requirements need to be as you say period(ish).
Please come back to me if I can be of any further help.

It looks like the Marina suspension is more a development of the W/R suspension - than the Minor. I suppose if the complete Marina upright and damper can be fitted to the Riley in place of the originals - that could maybe be acceptable. They'll just need to ask! I can't understand the 'advantage' if any, of fitting that top ball joint when they designed the Marina...