Any of you perverts want to buy some pure Shiters gold?

[Rusty Pelican]

and the fact that they're so underpowered they never really get going fast enough to get into major trouble.

Mine was a B series 1.3 , it didnt need fast to be uncontrollable , just a slight bend , a bit of damp or trying to go around any bend faster than walking . Engine was bomb proof though unlike the body which seemed water soluble

[pogweasel]

Mine was a B series 1.3

Wasn't.

[Pete-M]

Back in the late '80s a mate of mine ended up with a sub 40k mile 1.3 Coupé in brown. Later spec than this TC, the coupé was one with the later dash - the one where the radio was angled toward the passenger.

 

My abiding memories of the Coupé are of the ride quality, which was abysmal, the seats being mega-uncomfy, the little A series being treated to the kind of revs that most superbikes dream of and of Jeff (the same chap who inverted that 205 GTi 1.9) being in a constant battle with either under or oversteer at all times.

 

His usual trick was to enter corners at whatever speed he'd manage to persuade the Marina up to, try to coax it towards the exit of the corner, whack on about 400 turns more lock as it drifted toward the kerb, lift off the gas completely and the weight transfer would persuade the arse end to drift a bit, nail the throttle to try and get a bit more oversteer and hope he could wind off all the steering lock quickly enough to persuade the thing around the next corner it encountered. Not pretty at all, but he seemed to have mastered it enough to be able to commute to and from work for a good few months in it.

 

I drove it a couple of times (much more slowly) and it was easy to see how he'd developed this technique. The steering wheel really was just there for decoration, the suspension worked on a smooth road but the slightest bump would send huge quakes through the whole car. If a front wheel hit a bump mid corner things got really interesting as the damping couldn't do much to get it back on the road where it should be. This would either cause under or oversteer, but it was a guessing game as to which it'd be.

 

I drove an early 1.8 saloon around the same time. K or L reg , dark blue. It used to share the 1.3s handling charactaristics, but it added a lot more understeer to the mix and brakes that were abysmal. Touch the brake pedal and the front of the car would dive alarmingly, but it wouldn't slow down that much. The other bonus was when the front was in 'dive' position, the steering was almost impossible to turn.

 

Hmm. This TC Auto... I may just have to.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

The 1.3 Marina is alright, its no Mk2 escort like, (I wouldnt take one blasting down a backroad for fun) but they go alright and the engine is not heavy or powerful enough to really make it a handful. Anyone who reckons a 1.3 marina is a liability, is probably a liability whatever theyre driving.

[Pete-M]

The 1.3 Marina is alright, its no Mk2 escort like, (I wouldnt take one blasting down a backroad for fun) but they go alright and the engine is not heavy or powerful enough to really make it a handful. Anyone who reckons a 1.3 marina is a liability, is probably a liability whatever theyre driving.

Aye. Thing is, Mr B., We were 18/19 and used to Mk2 Escorts, Capris, Mk4 Cortinas, Mk1 Cavaliers, Minis and the like. All stuff that can be chucked about with total impunity.

 

Yeah, you could say we were liabilities, but we knew it. Most of our meagre wages went on brake pads, part worn tyres and trips out to Wales to play on their country lanes late at night.

 

The Marina Coupé was never taken to Wales as it wouldn't be any fun.

[Rusty Pelican]

 

Mine was a B series 1.3

Wasn't.

Twas a 1.3 something then ( A series as a wild guess ) , reg no. SYC 979M I think , Just goes to show how much knowledge I dont have

[chaseracer]

 

Mine was a B series 1.3

Wasn't.

Twas a 1.3 something then ( A series as a wild guess ) , reg no. SYC 979M I think , Just goes to show how much knowledge I dont have

Yep.

 

1.3 = A-series

1.8 = B-series

1.7/2.0 = O-series (Ital)

[Rusty Pelican]

Cheers for clearing this up , Im not quite as thick now

[Lankytim]

I had a late 1.7 ital estate with telescopic front dampers as opposed to lever arm. It handled OK and was actually quite chuckable. Ive driven an older 1300 and it too wasnt that bad. Id imagine with worn shocks and cheap tyres they could be quite scary though! Iirc the very first marinas had positively dangerous handling due to a poor front suspension design. This was tweeked to make them more stable but the damage had already been done.

[warren t claim]

Wasn't the only time AUTOCAR and MOTOR sat around a table to discuss anything over the Marina handling issues?

[pandaselecta]

Have a look at 1.58 in on this vid, is that guy putting kurust on a new Marina

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE6isI0lFfw

 

Oh, reason i was going to post was that a mate of mine saw a Marina estate going over the weighbridge today, and by the time he got back, it had already been squashed. Strangely my mate thought it must have been worth between £4000 and £5000

[GJR 11L]

Thinking that I preferred the Danish guys driving the broken one around that field.....

[warren t claim]

Have a look at 1.58 in on this vid, is that guy putting kurust on a new Marina

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE6isI0lFfw

 

Oh, reason i was going to post was that a mate of mine saw a Marina estate going over the weighbridge today, and by the time he got back, it had already been squashed. Strangely my mate thought it must have been worth between £4000 and £5000

I wish I had a Special,

 

A 1.8 Special....

[whitevanman]

I had a 1.8 estate....can't say it was that bad if driven normally, though not as good as you went faster. Certainly wern't no Cortina though in the handling stakes

[chaseracer]

Have a look at 1.58 in on this vid, is that guy putting kurust on a new Marina

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE6isI0lFfw

 

Tazzing around a beach with the tide coming in will do that...

 

Also, full marks to the bloke for completely inappropriate choice of music!

[Pete-M]

Damn, bugger, blast and bollocks.

 

Went back this morning to investigate the TC a bit further. It's a tidy old thing, still has that 'orrible vinyl smell inside and is totally original. All the proper badges etc. Only things I could knock it on are one of the chrome wheelarch trim bits is a bit loose and the back bumper has a bit of surface rust.

 

Spoke the the garage owner, turns out it belongs to his accountant whos dad bought it new. Accountant doesn't want to sell. Arrgh.

 

So, for those who've sent PM's wanting to buy it, you can't.

 

Not yet, anyway. Garage has got my number on file and I'll be the first to know if it does come up for grabs.