Marina van torsion bars

[philthehill]

May be of interest:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175909717739 ... R7z037DWYg

[philthehill]

I was very surprised that there were no bidders for the Marina van torsion bars considering that fitting the Marina van torsion bars to a Minor is a well (but possibly not ) known upgrade to the Minor suspension and a recommended conversion by Owen Burton and described in his booklet Marina to Minor.
That aside - as there were no interest I bid and won.
That gives me a full set of spare Minor and Marina torsion bars for both N/S & O/S.
Marina torsion bars come in different diameters so you can tune the suspension to suit.

[Classiccars]

Wise move .

[taupe]

Collection only or unknown postage cost was the problem for most?

[philthehill]

If you do not ask you do not get!
I asked the vender and the postage was £22.
So a good price overall as there are Marina car torsion bars for sale on 'e' bay for £60 each.

[stuffedpike20]

As yet I have never had a Minor torsion bar snap Phil; but I know that they can.

What is the main reason that they snap, and how can you prevent it?

Thanks.

[philthehill]

I have never heard of a original Minor torsion bar snapping though that does not mean that it cannot happen.
If it is a 2nd hand torsion bar it must be used on the same side as previous used/fitted.
Snapping is mainly caused by fitting the torsion bar on the wrong side of the car and the new twisting motion is in the opposite direction. Torsion bars do not like being twisted against their usual twist pattern.
I always identify my torsion bars with a RED cable tie for N/S (port) and a GREEN cable tie for the O/S (starboard).
With the Marina torsion bars just purchased the adjusters on the rear of the torsion bars are handed and the bolt head faces downwards so it is easy to determine what side the torsion bar originally fitted.

[stuffedpike20]

Thanks Phil.

[ndevans]

I was very surprised that there were no bidders for the Marina van torsion bars considering that fitting the Marina van torsion bars to a Minor is a well (but possibly not ) known upgrade to the Minor suspension and a recommended conversion by Owen Burton and described in his booklet Marina to Minor.
That aside - as there were no interest I bid and won.
That gives me a full set of spare Minor and Marina torsion bars for both N/S & O/S.
Marina torsion bars come in different diameters so you can tune the suspension to suit.

Are they a straight swap for the Minor torsion bars?

[philthehill]

A near straight swop for the Minor torsion bars if using the Minor rear reaction levers.
At the rear end you need a couple of adapters which can be made from the rear 7mm of splines from the Minor torsion bar.
You can improve the rear end and reaction lever set up as I have done made and up adapter plates to allow the use of Marina reaction bars and adjuster screws.
Below is the modified Marina reaction lever and the suspension height adjuster bolt.

Marina adjuster 8 (2).JPG (712.46 KiB) Viewed 266 times

Below is the kit I made up to allow fitment of the Marina torsion bars and adjusters.

Marina adjuster 11 (1).JPG (901.88 KiB) Viewed 272 times

The front of the Marina torsion bar is a direct fit into the Minor thick front suspension arm though I have used Marina front thick suspension arms and Minor thin suspension arms and used with modified Marina eye bolt pins and Minor poly bushes though modified J4/J2 metalastic suspension bushes can be substituted for the poly bushes.
Below is the Marina front suspension modified for use on the Minor with metalastic bushes fitted to the Minor Mania negative camber eye bolts.

Marina suspension 22.JPG (1.63 MiB) Viewed 271 times

The rose jointed anti roll bar link is for use with a V.W. Derrington period anti-roll bar.