Wolseley Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 And Leyland Australia used some dreadful puns for the names of their colours in the early 1970s - the colour of that Marina was listed as "Home on th'Orange". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 they were marketed as Leyland (and not Morris) Marinas, with a different grille and the option of the four cylinder E-Series engine in 1500cc, 1750cc and 1750cc twin carburettor form or the 2600 cc E-series six-cylinder engine. The Americans were also treated to the delights of the Marina although theirs were badged as Austins. One acheived a degree of fame for Marina-kind as transport for TV newspaper man Lou Grant. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpHyJgSUkAEhn6f.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted September 24, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2016 A few years ago practical classics had an item about E series marina's asking if anyone had had a 2600 one and survived due to the dubious handling! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 The Americans were also treated to the delights of the Marina although theirs were badged as Austins. One acheived a degree of fame for Marina-kind as transport for TV newspaper man Lou Grant. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpHyJgSUkAEhn6f.jpg One was mentioned in the first episode of Only Fools and Horses to feature Uncle Albert: "But I've nowhere to sleep, Del Boy." "Go back to the Seaman's Mission and sleep there like you used to." "I can't Del. They've knocked it down. There's a marina there now." "Well, sleep on the back seat of that, then..." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolseley Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 A few years ago practical classics had an item about E series marina's asking if anyone had had a 2600 one and survived due to the dubious handling! Which is why Leyland Australia were developing the V6. Being based on the P76 V8 (which was basically a 4.4 litre version of the Rover V8), the Marina V6 was an alloy engine and was very light - lighter than the 4 cylinder E Series in fact, which would have made the Marina Six a much better balanced car and markedly improved its handling. Australian four cylinder Marinas actually handled better than UK built cars, due to the use of the E Series instead of the old heavy B Series engines. Because the 4 cylinder E Series was originally designed for East-West installation, the Australian engineers designed a new bell housing before mating it with either a Triumph manual gearbox or a locally made Borg Warner automatic. The V6 was to have been 3310cc. The prototype engine was running on a dynamometer in October 1974 and, when it became obvious that Leyland had no future as a manufacturer in Australia, the prototype engine was sent to Rover in Coventry, as Land Rover had shown an interest in it. Had things been different and the V6 went into production, it would have also replaced the in-line six in the six cylinder P76. Australian Marinas, incidentally, were shipped in CKD form to South Africa, for assembly there. And did you know that BMC Australia had earlier built a V8 version of the Austin 1800? The experience from that was partly why they built the P76 as a rear wheel drive car..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted September 24, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) A few interesting points there Is the E series actually lighter than the B? The E series is a serious lump of metal! Austin rover did a V6 version of the V8 for the 6R4 but that was 2991cc , the first two prototype cars were still 2 valve heads the rest being 4 valve and quad OHC Were the Australian v8 '1800s' front wheel drive? Interestingly the V8 will sit on the 1800 gearbox with a few mods to the primary gears, I've seen a few minis in magazines using that arrangement. BMC did two Austin three litres with Rover V8s but was considered too close a rival to the P6b Were the v8 1800s ADO16 bodies or Kimberlys? Edited September 24, 2016 by russ p Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolseley Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 I do not know the comparative weights of the E Series and B Series , although a former BMC/Leyland engineer who used to work in product development and testing did mention to me once that the B Series was the heavier of the two. I might have the information somewhere in one of my books, but I'm not sure. There was only one V8 engined Austin 1800 built. Externally it looked much like any other ADO17, but with a 116mm extension of the front mudguards and bonnet. The car was front wheel drive and had hydrolastic suspension, but the engine was mounted north-south. The steering mechanism came from a Ford Falcon. One of BMC's technical engineers is on record as saying that "while the characteristic vibrations from the single plane crankshaft were most pronounced, the Rover V8 provided the vehicle with impressive performance. the light steering efforts at parking speeds were most impressive but under power with the wheels on lock the efforts became excessive. Handling while cornering under full throttle was superb but with part or closed throttle the vehicle exhibited strong understeer on the 4.5 inch narrow wheels fitted and this was unacceptably severe." Apparently the vehicle displayed severe torque steer under acceleration. The engineering report noted that development and manufacturing costs would be significantly higher than for a rear wheel drive car - and that was the end of that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolseley Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 The Marinas that never were: 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted September 24, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 24, 2016 Gawd, V6 Marinas!! Hellpppp...hedge ahead!! Mine of course had an A series 1275 lump, which propelled it quite well. Most of mates thought it was an 1800. Stopping it with the drums was a different matter. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthesnail96 Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 I'd love one of those Aussie 6 Marinas, especially in one of the many gloriously lurid colours they did. Good run out to Gaydon in the Dolly today for the RBRR driver's meeting, passed loads of Morgans and a couple of Jensen Interceptors (drool...) en route. Obviously plenty of Triumphs at Gaydon itself, unfortunately I failed to take any photos but a particular favourite was a TR with a "shooting brake" type roof, not sure what it was other than "very nice"! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) Some more motor based frippery from ye good old days.... A cut down Mk1 Mini, complete with '70s-tastic Mk2 rear lamp clusters... can you imagine four adults trying to squeeze into this... We were talking about the ERA Mini Turbo a few posts back... Spruce up your new '60s Mini in posh fashion with some cheap rubbish... Ah, the glory days of the '70s when your average old banger Mk1 Mini had a cut down roof and a 'bespoke' interior courtesy of DFS... It gets worse... but for some (odd) reason I rather like it... Edited September 24, 2016 by Rugd1022 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) All this talk of Minis reminds me that I haven't shared the photos of my stepdad's one on here. Nice BRG paint job. Fat Ultralites. So far, so what, you may say. Alfa Romeo seats? What's that all about? And why all those extra gauges? Er, what's that? Oh, that's a 1310cc A-series +, with a 16V head from a BMW K1100 motorbike...and you might wonder what that massive air filter is connected to... It just happens to be connected to a Rotrex supercharger £13,000-worth of engine, 200bhp at the wheels, 130 mph (he thinks, he's never been brave enough to take it that far yet...). Edited September 24, 2016 by Del 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Some more motor based frippery from ye good old days.... A cut down Mk1 Mini, complete with '70s-tastic Mk2 rear lamp clusters... can you imagine four adults trying to squeeze into this... Or worse still, 4 elephants.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr2 Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 200bhp at the wheels, Yikes, that's exactly twice what ours has!! What's the torque steer like....??!! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) Some more motor based frippery from ye good old days.... A cut down Mk1 Mini, complete with '70s-tastic Mk2 rear lamp clusters... can you imagine four adults trying to squeeze into this... 2cfa62855c3876a02c6e96b685ac2601.jpg .... Never mind that! Get a load of all that hair and the humongous "spoon" shirt collar!!! Bloody hell, and a Mexican moustache! EDIT:....and are those flared trousers!??? Edited September 24, 2016 by Horsetan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolseley Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 Behold the six cylinder Leyland Marina. This is the straight six that made it into production, and not the planned V6. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolseley Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 And, as we had the Leyland Marina 6, here's one of its direct competitors, the Ford Cortina 6: 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 It's not fair while (seemingly) the rest of the world was driving around in cars with decent sized engines we were stuck with the same cars sporting lawn mower engines! I saw what was according to the badges a Ford V6 powered Marina once, complete with jacked up rear which was the fashion of the time. It was called Zeus! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 (edited) Yikes, that's exactly twice what ours has!! What's the torque steer like....??!! Keith Absolutely fine, apparently. I'll quote him from another forum: There is no LSD and traction is fine, as long as you don't go daft, as it will easily spin the 13 x 7 low profiles. The engine is very tractable and power delivery is smooth. Get to about 4,000rpm and you get pushed back in the seat and the speedo goes mad. The engineering is beyond my capabilities but I know the original 1275 block was bored offset to 1310. The crank was wedged and bladed (loses about 500g)and heat treated. The crank was balanced with the pistons and rods on. The pistons each have 4 pockets machined in them so the valves clear. The only problem I have at the moment is engine temp. The new alloy racing radiator is a bit too efficient and I can't get above 65 degrees in this weather but should be fine in summer. Edited September 25, 2016 by Del 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted September 25, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 25, 2016 Seems strange to only give the 2600 marina a single carb Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 And, as we had the Leyland Marina 6, here's one of its direct competitors, the Ford Cortina 6: Ford considered offering a V6 version of the Mk3 for the UK in 1972, I believe at least one development prototype was built using a 3.0 Essex with an auto box although the intention was to use the 2.5 version. Ford buffs may be able to shed more light on the subject. The project finally materialised as the 2.3 in the MK4 and 5. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 I don't know what a BMC B-Series weighs either, but when we pulled the lump out of Mum's Morris Oxford automatic work was hampered somewhat by the small moon which insisted on orbiting it . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 (edited) All this talk of Minis reminds me that I haven't shared the photos of my stepdad's one on here. Nice BRG paint job. Fat Ultralites. So far, so what, you may say. Alfa Romeo seats? What's that all about? And why all those extra gauges? Er, what's that? Oh, that's a 1310cc A-series +, with a 16V head from a BMW K1100 motorbike...and you might wonder what that massive air filter is connected to... It just happens to be connected to a Rotrex supercharger £13,000-worth of engine, 200bhp at the wheels, 130 mph (he thinks, he's never been brave enough to take it that far yet...). Del, that is a fabulous little creation, more pics please squire! There's no way I could ever say 'so what' about it, it's hits the spot very nicely. If all Minis, looked, went and sounded the same it would be a very boring world. The dashboard is very tasty, I like that a lot. The Alfa seats is an interesting idea, looking through some old Mini books recently I found a 1275GT with front seats from an XJS, a Mk3 Cooper S with a set from an early XJ6 and another with a set from an Aston DB6. All good stuff! The Japanese import 1275 I'm going to look at tomorrow has several nice mods too, factory fitted air-con, 5''x10'' Mk3 Cosmics the (same as on my Mk2 S), period 'Rokee' dash, Nardi style wood rim steering wheel etc, could be a very nice project if the bodyshell and drivetrain are ok. If I do buy it I'm planning on going down the early '70s Wood & Pickett route, adding a vinyl roof, tinted glass, plush seats retrimmed in leather, new headlining etc, etc. Edited September 25, 2016 by Rugd1022 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 Seems strange to only give the 2600 marina a single carb Most Aussie 6 pots only have/had a single carb in cooking trim. Progressive twin chokes seem to have been favourite, although, IIRC, my 76 Holden 202 Kingswood had a single barrel downdraught thingy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted September 25, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 25, 2016 Factory aircon on an A series, sounds interesting if I could fit the cooling matrix in my metro heater box that could be interesting. There was an aircon kit on eBay a few years ago for a mk1 metro but that hat a separate box under the heater with cooling ducts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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