Morris Marina - was it really that bad?
Discussion
aeropilot said:
The problem though with the Getrag box in the HS was that 5th wasn't an overdrive ratio like the ZF in the Snoot or in the Lotus-Sunbeam, it was a 1:1 direct top,
Yes, presumably it would have had a different final drive to counteract that. A mate of mine has an HSR, and used to do Le Mans every year in it. I suspect it was the frequent re-fills that put him off continuing with that.I worked as a salesman in 1979/80 in a dealer ship they were great had them as company cars when I left I got a ital 1700 estate company car SAT98W in russet brown loved it and currently own an Austin allegro w reg love it and it's not forsale either,the cars were fine it was the factory staff that ruined them strikes etc
Had driven loads of them in the trade, and later one used for a few months as a company hack, had some fun in that, a boggers 1.3 saloon still remember the reg S*I 3**1, followed by plod leaving a wedding recpt late on sat nite with a good looking lady aboard, i was under threat at the time so was aware that someone or thing was on my tail for a few miles 6+ ..so asked her to keep a eye ..its a mk2 Escort 3 on board she says , so it was plod in an unmarked Ford, they had ample time and room to pull me at any time passing a local market town when i took them for a wee jaunt in my home area over some roads that i used as rallycar test routes late at nite.. this was mid late august.. they were 100 yds from us when i entered the area and nowhere to be seen after the first twisty section i blew the centre out of the clutch she was still under makers warranty so drove home sans clutch hid the car and her aboard had stopped squealing and crying [we killed maybe a dozen rabbits] and my girlfirends mate left her home.. i reported to my int cell that i had been followed on the sunday am.. and that was that. then about 3 weeks later drinviing through the town was halted by a fat female cop who dashed out in front and tried to put me through the wringer.. was it you bds i says.. lucky for you i wasn't carrying.. ask the int cell about this incident on this number,, showed my pass and liscense. and drove away.. a mate , a reserve cop told me it had been a new training serg , out with 2 newbies, and showing them how to pull in a suspected ''drink taken'' driver, only i wasn't, nor was I a newbie. they wrote the new mk2 escort cop car off amongst 3 big ash trees...it was the talk of the barracks so it seems. and BL replaced the clutch flywheel & pressure plate, foc, the foreman/ service manager who knew me and my rep asked me what the F were you at in the wee yoke.. i told him.. should have known better he says, i'll tell that serg i know you..
will2000 said:
Had driven loads of them in the trade, and later one used for a few months as a company hack, had some fun in that, a boggers 1.3 saloon still remember the reg S*I 3**1, followed by plod leaving a wedding recpt late on sat nite with a good looking lady aboard, i was under threat at the time so was aware that someone or thing was on my tail for a few miles 6+ ..so asked her to keep a eye ..its a mk2 Escort 3 on board she says , so it was plod in an unmarked Ford, they had ample time and room to pull me at any time passing a local market town when i took them for a wee jaunt in my home area over some roads that i used as rallycar test routes late at nite.. this was mid late august.. they were 100 yds from us when i entered the area and nowhere to be seen after the first twisty section i blew the centre out of the clutch she was still under makers warranty so drove home sans clutch hid the car and her aboard had stopped squealing and crying [we killed maybe a dozen rabbits] and my girlfirends mate left her home.. i reported to my int cell that i had been followed on the sunday am.. and that was that. then about 3 weeks later drinviing through the town was halted by a fat female cop who dashed out in front and tried to put me through the wringer.. was it you bds i says.. lucky for you i wasn't carrying.. ask the int cell about this incident on this number,, showed my pass and liscense. and drove away.. a mate , a reserve cop told me it had been a new training serg , out with 2 newbies, and showing them how to pull in a suspected ''drink taken'' driver, only i wasn't, nor was I a newbie. they wrote the new mk2 escort cop car off amongst 3 big ash trees...it was the talk of the barracks so it seems. and BL replaced the clutch flywheel & pressure plate, foc, the foreman/ service manager who knew me and my rep asked me what the F were you at in the wee yoke.. i told him.. should have known better he says, i'll tell that serg i know you..
That's the best thing I've ever read Bought my Marina TC when I was a lad, all my mates were running around in Capris, Cortinas, Escorts so I wanted to be different. Contrary to popular belief the Marina TC was a nice car, I kept it for 4 years and the only problem it suffered from was broken rear springs due to axle tramp when gunning it from the lights.
It would easily go 'off the clock' and would do 98mph in 3rd gear
It would easily go 'off the clock' and would do 98mph in 3rd gear
We were still very inward looking as a nation then *** and many people (my dad included ) felt an almost patriotic duty to buy British . Lost did , and hence were unexposed to what the alternatives were to BL rubbish - and most of it really was, in design and build .
Mention was made of the Datsun 120Y and I remember the huge impression one made on me . Obviously , as a teenage car guy. I loved brawny stuff like TR6s, clever Lotuses and rorty twin cams so it was hard to admit how good the Datsun was . Of course it was entirely conventional , the styling was typically inoffensive Japanese and it wasn't very quick . But I realised immediately why people bought them - beautifully light pedals (no leg wobbling heavy clutch) , ultraslick shift with perfect, unbeatable synchro (unlike Dad's Triumph Vitesses , which lost most synchro on 2nd and 3rd very quickly ) , integrated radio, heated screen , and an engine which just worked - no stuttering when cold , no overheating etc . Everything worked .
Further Damascence moments followed in my first drive of a Golf and Alfasud - both of whcih made crap like the Allegro and Herald . Toledo and Escort feel like the wheezy , hopeless antiques they'd become.
Mention was made of the Datsun 120Y and I remember the huge impression one made on me . Obviously , as a teenage car guy. I loved brawny stuff like TR6s, clever Lotuses and rorty twin cams so it was hard to admit how good the Datsun was . Of course it was entirely conventional , the styling was typically inoffensive Japanese and it wasn't very quick . But I realised immediately why people bought them - beautifully light pedals (no leg wobbling heavy clutch) , ultraslick shift with perfect, unbeatable synchro (unlike Dad's Triumph Vitesses , which lost most synchro on 2nd and 3rd very quickly ) , integrated radio, heated screen , and an engine which just worked - no stuttering when cold , no overheating etc . Everything worked .
Further Damascence moments followed in my first drive of a Golf and Alfasud - both of whcih made crap like the Allegro and Herald . Toledo and Escort feel like the wheezy , hopeless antiques they'd become.
- * as I fear we will in the future
My Dad had a 1.8 Deluxe, a variant that isn’t supposed to exist. RDT 839R. We were told that it was a model only supplied to Kennings fleet cars.
I remember the evening it was delivered. An Allegro and the Marina were driven round to our house. My Dad was offered either. He chose the Marina and the delivery girls both drove off in the Allegro.
It replaced a Cortina mk3 which seemed much more substantial and it was replaced by a Cortina mk5 which seemed like a huge advance.
My mother described it as a tin can but I don’t remember it breaking down or rusting. I do recall that the boot was a funny shape and tins from shopping would get lost in the nooks and crannies.
Years later I had a ride in a 1.3 coupe my mate had inherited from his grandmother. It understeered off the road but he was a crap driver.
I remember the evening it was delivered. An Allegro and the Marina were driven round to our house. My Dad was offered either. He chose the Marina and the delivery girls both drove off in the Allegro.
It replaced a Cortina mk3 which seemed much more substantial and it was replaced by a Cortina mk5 which seemed like a huge advance.
My mother described it as a tin can but I don’t remember it breaking down or rusting. I do recall that the boot was a funny shape and tins from shopping would get lost in the nooks and crannies.
Years later I had a ride in a 1.3 coupe my mate had inherited from his grandmother. It understeered off the road but he was a crap driver.
My second company car was a 1981 Morris Ital 1.3 HL in a pinkish colour called 'Sombrero'. I had it for 2 years. The problems?......Front suspension constantly wearing out and knocking like a demon. (Never fell apart though) The rear road springs liked to break. Interesting at speed as they and the prop shaft were what head the rear axle to the car. It liked to snap the rear anti-rollbar brackets causing a loud banging and further compromising the ride and handling. There were 'upgrades' available. You could buy a kit of mounting brackets and Ford shock absorbers to bolster up the front suspension. For the rear you could fit the multi layer springs from a Marina van. They didn't break but this mod raised the rear up like a duck's @rse. The ride was somewhat harsh and the handling more deathtrap like than usual. The rollbar brackets were beefed up but this only resulted in them being torn out of the floor instead. BL never did fix the horrendous clutch judder the car had from new. Although there were many visits to the main dealer with faults it only let me down once with a leaking clutch slave cylinder.
On the other hand, I did 55k miles in 2 years mostly in and around Birmingham. The car was hammered in as much as a 1275cc A+ engine could be. My holidays would be taken on Perran Sands in Cornwall where there was a network of sand tracks through the dunes. Great fun on skinny tyres with rear wheel drive......especially in what was somebody else car. So although it had its faults with design, build quality, component quality and deathtrap type handling it served well. The golden days of motoring or what????
On the other hand, I did 55k miles in 2 years mostly in and around Birmingham. The car was hammered in as much as a 1275cc A+ engine could be. My holidays would be taken on Perran Sands in Cornwall where there was a network of sand tracks through the dunes. Great fun on skinny tyres with rear wheel drive......especially in what was somebody else car. So although it had its faults with design, build quality, component quality and deathtrap type handling it served well. The golden days of motoring or what????
Shezbo said:
What was better than the Marina and around in the early mid 70's (many cars - to my mind).
These were three "solid" options:
Toyota Celica
BMW 2002
Peugeot 304 or 504
Not for the same money - a 2002 cost far more than a Marina for example - in mid 70s the BMW was 3.5 k plus , depending on model , the Marina a third of that . And the Celica was a 2+2 coupe. Better cars in the same segment as the Marina also included the Renault 16 , Fiat 125 , Honda Accord and Vauxhall Cavalier These were three "solid" options:
Toyota Celica
BMW 2002
Peugeot 304 or 504
47p2 said:
Bought my Marina TC when I was a lad, all my mates were running around in Capris, Cortinas, Escorts so I wanted to be different. Contrary to popular belief the Marina TC was a nice car, I kept it for 4 years and the only problem it suffered from was broken rear springs due to axle tramp when gunning it from the lights.
It would easily go 'off the clock' and would do 98mph in 3rd gear
That must have been an ‘optimistic’ speedo - they only did just over a ton flat out!It would easily go 'off the clock' and would do 98mph in 3rd gear
CoupeKid said:
My Dad had a 1.8 Deluxe, a variant that isn’t supposed to exist. RDT 839R. We were told that it was a model only supplied to Kennings fleet cars.
I remember the evening it was delivered. An Allegro and the Marina were driven round to our house. My Dad was offered either. He chose the Marina and the delivery girls both drove off in the Allegro.
It replaced a Cortina mk3 which seemed much more substantial and it was replaced by a Cortina mk5 which seemed like a huge advance.
My mother described it as a tin can but I don’t remember it breaking down or rusting. I do recall that the boot was a funny shape and tins from shopping would get lost in the nooks and crannies.
Years later I had a ride in a 1.3 coupe my mate had inherited from his grandmother. It understeered off the road but he was a crap driver.
They definitely did a Deluxe model and also a Super Deluxe!I remember the evening it was delivered. An Allegro and the Marina were driven round to our house. My Dad was offered either. He chose the Marina and the delivery girls both drove off in the Allegro.
It replaced a Cortina mk3 which seemed much more substantial and it was replaced by a Cortina mk5 which seemed like a huge advance.
My mother described it as a tin can but I don’t remember it breaking down or rusting. I do recall that the boot was a funny shape and tins from shopping would get lost in the nooks and crannies.
Years later I had a ride in a 1.3 coupe my mate had inherited from his grandmother. It understeered off the road but he was a crap driver.
s m said:
They definitely did a Deluxe model and also a Super Deluxe!
My understanding was that they did a 1.3 Deluxe and a 1.3 and 1.8 Super so our 1.8 Deluxe was a bit of an outlier.We deffo had a Deluxe. I remember my scalded skin on the vinyl in the summer while Supers had fabric seats... The Cortina 1.6L the old man had next was a definite improvement in that regard!
CoupeKid said:
s m said:
They definitely did a Deluxe model and also a Super Deluxe!
My understanding was that they did a 1.3 Deluxe and a 1.3 and 1.8 Super so our 1.8 Deluxe was a bit of an outlier.We deffo had a Deluxe. I remember my scalded skin on the vinyl in the summer while Supers had fabric seats... The Cortina 1.6L the old man had next was a definite improvement in that regard!
Anyway, definitely a 1.8 Deluxe shown below
Edited by s m on Thursday 21st November 23:41
Shezbo said:
What was better than the Marina and around in the early mid 70's (many cars - to my mind).
These were three "solid" options:
Toyota Celica
BMW 2002
Peugeot 304 or 504
Thats a can of worms right there! Ther are usually better cars then the best sellers- see how popuoar the a class is, or the Juke today.These were three "solid" options:
Toyota Celica
BMW 2002
Peugeot 304 or 504
Jowevrr, the BMW- then as now isnt the same class. A bit like a modern 3 series against a kia cee'd...
So maybe clmoare it with:
Austin allegro
Fiat 130 or 131
Ford escort (ex Roger clark not allowed- think 1300 with front drum brakes)
Lancia Beta??
Renault 14
Simca 1301
Citroen ami super
Vw beetle
Hillman hunter and its arrow-series derivativez
Based with that list, I feel very sorry for punters in the 70s. Can I say a 10 year old ferrari or DB4 for the same price???
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