Marlins... What are they like?

[Chris71]

I've got a bit of a retro streak and while window shopping this morning I noticed how affordable the old Marlins have become. What are they like to drive? Are they reasonably well screwed toegther?

Then got distracted by how cheap nice Furys are getting, so it's not exclusively Marlins!

[hal 1]

Had a roadster years ago, bought it already built, Running gear was Morris Marina so i don't know what the spares situation is like these days,although i believe some later ones were Ford based, i loved it except when it rained, weather gear wasn't brilliant
Different than a lot of todays kits, i can't comment on the handling as i never drove in anger.
Nice enough cars at reasonable prices, it's not going to depreciate much either if the price is right.

[MKnight702]

I built a Roadster from a part built kit, unfortunately the SVA came in half way through the build so I had to modify bits like the door handles to get through.

I was at Plymouth Uni during the late 80s early 90's so I used to cycle up to the factory and had a go in the red demonstrator with the 1.7 Ital engine and fell in love with them then. Designed as a trials car so they are very sturdy. I nearly bought one as my first car, it had the 2.0l straight 6 from the Vitesse and made a lovely noise, unfortunately it had been kept in a damp garage used for storing bags of salt so suffered from total atmospheric blooming.

In the end when we bought a house with a garage I was allowed to build a car and found a part built Marlin Roadster on Autotrader, however, this was a rare V8 chassis so it just had to be done. Nice 3.5l V8 from an SD1 Vitesse, MGB headers, twin Custom Chrome side pipes, gouts of flames on overrun are particularly pretty at night!

[Chris71]

Do they handle like a Morris Ital then? And if so, what's that like?

Not looking to buy anything right now, but I was just looking at the classifieds and this caught my eye:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/802733.htm

Looks like a very pleasant car for less than £3k!

Also, can anyone tell me what makes it a Berlinetta?

The vintage styling could make an amusing Q-car depending on the chassis and engine options.

[singlecoil]

Chris71 said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/802733.htm

Looks like a very pleasant car for less than £3k!

Also, can anyone tell me what makes it a Berlinetta?

The windscreen and wind up windows (hence the window frames) possibly longer wheelbase. Don't quote me on any of this, as we are going back a few years.

If that car is in good condition, then I would say that is a serious bargain.

[Sam_68]

singlecoil said:

Chris71 said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/802733.htm

Looks like a very pleasant car for less than £3k!

Also, can anyone tell me what makes it a Berlinetta?

The windscreen and wind up windows (hence the window frames) possibly longer wheelbase. Don't quote me on any of this, as we are going back a few years.

The Berlinetta was a different and slightly bigger car altogether. Apart from the wind-up window frames, it had a detachable hardtop (hence the name) and 2+2 seating. And it was Cortina based rather than Triumph (early) or Ital/Marina (later) based. The Berlinetta was more of a touring car and reputedly have somewhat soggy handling (though this is just hearsay - I've never driven one).

The Roadster was a great, tough, fun little road car in its day - especially the ones that were fitted with Alfa Twin Cam engines and 5-speed gearboxes.

The Roadsters never fetehed big money, so you ought to be able to pick up even quite a good one, reasonably cheap.

[Chris71]

singlecoil said:

If that car is in good condition, then I would say that is a serious bargain.

Yep! Like I said I'm not seriously looking for anything, just window shopping, but it did strike me as a lot of car for the money.

The other one that caught my eye (going blatantly off-topic and non-Marlin for a second...) was:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/824843.htm

Limited slip diff and enough power to rearrange your facial features in a car that weighs 650kg.

[kayos]

I used to have a "o" series 1700cc roadster,great fun. I now own one powered by a rover V8 even more fun! As you say a lot of car for the money. Anyone else on here own the V8 type? I have yet to see another V8 roadster on the road.

[singlecoil]

kayos said:

I used to have a "o" series 1700cc roadster,great fun. I now own one powered by a rover V8 even more fun! As you say a lot of car for the money. Anyone else on here own the V8 type? I have yet to see another V8 roadster on the road.

I worked on a V8 roadster a few years ago, it was a customer's car, don;t remember the reg, it was white and I fitted a Weber500 and Edelbrock manifold to it. Don't know how it drove because being 6'4" I couldn't get in it (I can get in an old mini, but not a standard Marlin)