Marina Tech Discussion

[AustinMarina]

Very usefull info from all you here, thanks.
After having the Marinas for more then one year I see alot of problems that someone has to deal with owning these cars.
First of all the car understeers,and when I say it understeers it does it big time!!!!!, many electrical problems, you allways fix something and after something else comes up with a problem
You get alot of noise from the car body, and front shocks are a joke
The are numerous problems I can go on saying about the car but at he end of the day I just love seeing it parked at my driveway
The U.S Austin Marina spec has a character, it looks very solid as a car, classic 70's, and either you love it or hate it. I just love it besides all its little problems.
For me it was rather a decision to save both cars from being scraped and less from having two classic cars. The Marinas arnt classic in no means, the Marina and the Allegro destroyed British Leyland, and dont get me wrong here, I would own a Allegro as well, I like the looks of the car even though it had many many problems.
Bottom line, I have a soft feeling for all British made cars, and specially the Austin-Rover group, British Leyland
But if we want to be honest with ourselfs owning cars like the Marinas is a bizzare hobby.

[chrisf]

Hi all,

Lots of valid points in this discussion but I really have to disagree with the Marina and Allegro being the downfall of BL. I am sure that the Austin Marina was seen as a last ditch attempt to crack the American sub-compact market but the fact remains that BL sold the Marina and Allegro in huge quantities, the Marina hit the 1,000,000 units sold mark mid way into the MkIII run. The production of the B series motor was also advantageous to the production and cost effectiveness of the MGB also, if it wasn't for the success of the Marina the MGB would not have been as cheap of a sports car that it was.

It often baffles me that people so love the British Mini and look down on the Marina and Allegro as being BL's donkeys but when it came to profit the Marina and Allegro were both the money makers.

Chris

[Mgturbo13]

Anyone in turbo charging a Marina? ONE OF MY DARKEST DREEMS!

[marinaman]

I don't yet have the money and time to try it, but I think the MGB supercharger that Moss sells would be a good one for the Marina.  The first thing that would have to be checked is how the upward cant of the engine at the front would affect clearance of the blower unit.  I think at most, a small bulge might be required; though it may just fit.
Food for thought!  Cheers, Skip

[marinaman]

Hey Folks, here is a website that will give you points to ponder for a long time:   http://www.marinacoupe.co.uk/

Looks like a source of info and ideas and things with which to do it.
Skip

[marinaman]

Great discussion!  I agree that the balljoint should have been at the bottom as well as the top in the front suspension, but since we didn't get that, here's one thing that will reduce your frequency of service:  Dow-Corning Molykote BR2 Plus.  It's a heavy-duty grease that I keep in stock (made in Belgium, by the way) just for the Marina.  It will last an incredibly long time without hardening or washing out.  You should be able to get it from the local industrial supplier.
Skip

[Kilroy]

Hey folks - besides wishing you all compliments of the season, I would like to add my own thoughts on a couple of points raised here.

I don't actually care what part Marinas played in the BLMC and derivatives pantomime. I thought they were naff because someone else told me. I had no experience of one and neither had they.! I saw a Mk3 in the UK in 1981 and was impressed with the frontal appearance - thought it could look quite 'Butch' given a few more styling cues.
When I finally (accidentally..) acquired one, I was pleasantly surprised with the entire package.
As regards horsepower - I believe there are numerous means of extracting enough power for todays motoring climate without resorting to blowers. A Normally Aspirated engine means simple technology and ease of maintenance for me.
I think a pair of HIF6/4/44 carbs on a suitable manifold would breath very well indeed - Vizard compared them to webers favourably - but I shall probably adopt either weber or dellorto simply to do away with all the linkages.
I find most handling issues can be cured, but then again - I'm no stickler for originality. Lowering improves lateral stability, as does increasing wheel width. With totally standard shocks and swaybars, lowered 2" and with 7" superlites - or 7" widened steels - my Marinas can be cornered as hard as very hard things and not get out of line.
Regarding gearboxes - I have experienced many units which displayed the classic 'worn synchro' traits. Surprisingly, the first one I stripped had brand new synchro's, so I looked further. What I found was that all the small springs within the sleeves had broken. This allows the sleeve to slide straight over the synchro before it has done its job - thus causing the graunching noise we assume to be the former problem. I have now found the same problem on all 3 gearboxes I have stripped. Maybe its a local thing... Very cheap cure though. I expected to have had layshaft problems by now, but have not. Perhaps using synthetic gear oil has helped - it certainly made a difference to the feel of the box.
Most of the fleet of Mk3's I now own (10 in all..) are automatics, with the trusty Borg Warner 65. This thing was probably once fitted to the Tirpitz and seems basically indestructable - as it should be with the modest power offerings of standard units going through it. However - my first and foremost Marina, a blue estate which I have been using for 15 years and is on the high side of 300,000k has featured a modified B series motor for all that time and does manage to transmit some reasonable grunt - so I do have respect for the transmission. Despite ripping the sump out of it on a back road one Easter, it continues to function very well today, and its only failure in this time has been a broken o ring.
So - in conclusion - I think Marinas are above criticism in that they have paid their dues already, and yet they continue to function in a pleasing manner 30 years on.
Those of us 'humoured' for owning one will be taking solace in the fact that the current market trends - at least here in New Zealand - have seen a 3-400% increase in prices over the last 12 months.
Collectors of far more 'exotic' machinery have been heard commenting lately that I am 'probably onto a good thing..', as they discover that my humble Marinas are in fact now rarer than their so called pedigrees.
So people - welcome to the few.
I can already see that you are looking after your Marina in a fashion that it never enjoyed when it was new. No doubt it will reward you with a much greater degree of reliability because of that.
Skip has a huge amount of knowledge and the parts to back it up for you North American folks - your success seems assured.
The UK lot are well represented by various forums and there seems to be a wealth of spares that crop up on eBay.
The Australians have their own models and at least one club that remains active, and they enjoy even better access to UK sourced bits than we do here.
New Zealand still has a lot of raw material lurking in the dark corners - some are beginning to surface now that their elderly owners are losing the ability to drive. Family members are quick to try and dispose of such odd antiquities - although they are not slow to take advantage of the rapidly inflating prices...
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Morris/auction-257127161.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Morris/auction-260152705.htm
Me..?
Well I hang out a lot on these forums - that way I get to glean info from a world wide source. I also get to pass on what I have learned from the things I have tried, and hopefully save some owners from taking a dead-end approach.
I keep modifying my cars in an attempt to obtain ridiculous amounts of miles from them.
I try to add enough performance to disturb a few wannabees.
Mostly, I just show the world that these cars were made of lasting stuff.!
Cheers all,
Kilroy

[marinaman]

It's looking like we Marina owners will have the last laugh on the naysayers, eh?  They just get better and better with age...
 

[nick300]

Kilroy, that car looks great with the drop and wide rims.  Gives it a nice aggressive stance, and the tires look meatier.

Any clearance problems (either tire to fender or ground clearance?)

Nick

[Kilroy]

Nick
Sorry to have taken so long to reply - have been rather occupied with life in general..!
There were some small clearance problems.
They involve three areas.
The forward lower edge of both front wheel arches - including the chin spoiler if you have a Mk3 - and the left rear wheel arch.
As these wheels are offset outwards, they roll quite a degree fore and aft as you swing from lock to lock.
As they go forward, they contact the very lowest edge of the inner guard - so I simply roll the folded edge about 1/2" further forward. It is not visible from outside the car. The chin spoiler has to be cut with a hacksaw to effect clearance in the same place. Once again - of no concern to me because you cannot see it.
Funnily enough - the rear axle is offset in the body. There is a clearance issue with the left rear - but not the right. The fold at the top of the arch scrapes on the sidewall of the tyre when the suspension is under compression. I gently hammer the inner edge upwards around the top of the arch to cure this - once again - not visible, but some risk of paint damage if you are ham-fisted.
With my 7" widened steel rims, the problem is less. I suspect the superlite rims are of a slightly greater + offset than the original steels when widened outwards only.
As these wheels and tyres completely fill the guards, the car has a far more aggressive look to it, and as the track is increased by a total of 3", the immediate sense of extra stability provides the car with a totally different feel.
Despite the lack of power steering, I find it quite manageable at parking speeds - others do not. But then, some people insist on turning the wheels full lock without letting the car move the slightest amount - so they endure the full stationary weight on a much wider contact area.
Taking tight curves at speed becomes a great joy - and I have not yet lost control of any car with the wider wheels fitted.
I lose control on standard tyres before leaving my own driveway...

I think these cars look timeless and mean...
Just the look I was after.!

Cheers.

[nick300]

The modifications sound easy enough to clear the wider wheels.  Which do you think improves handling more, the wider wheels and tires or the suspension lowering?

"Fender rolling" is usually done with a baseball bat between the tire and sheetmetal here, though a professional tool is available that does the same thing: http://www.amazon.com/NEW-Eastwood-Fender-Roller-Forming/dp/B001D4CGO0

The price of the tool is why it's usually done here with a bat.

I don't own one yet. Not easy cars to find still in running condition here in the northeastern US.

The Mk1 pictured at the bottom of this BBC article on car computerization and the Prius brake problem looks well-loved, anyone in the UK recognize it?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8510228.stm
Gotta love that caption too.

Nick