I know I shouldn't have, but it took place in a roundabout fashion.
A local Garage that specializes in older cars also looks after older motorcycles. As such, they became my preferred place to get warrants of fitness (NZ roadworthy) for various British bikes that I own and maintain.
The older Mechanic guy has a thing for Morries, and picked up a cheap Marina which had been 1 owner until late 2012.
It had been robbed of a few bits, and he asked if I could supply him with what was missing - me being a Marina guy and all.
I did so - alternator, wheel, wheels trims and nuts, ignition/steering lock etc for $120.
Months later he advised me he would probably sell it, as he was not finding time to put it together.
I declined any interest, as I am also having to dispose of a number of Marinas due to post-quake necessities in Christchurch NZ.
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine phoned. He's a car guy and shares his large workshop with some panel and paint Dudes.
Some young chap had driven in with a very rust-free Marina, saying he was on the way to the scrappie.
They could not allow such a good bodied car to be scrapped, so gave him $200 for it - which he was quite happy with.
Did I want it.?
Like a fool, I said I would come and view it.
Turned out to be the same car - minus seatbelts, two wheels (some weird spacesaver fitted..), and sporting no less than 2 disconnected fuel pumps.
I had to ask that it really had been driven in.!
Long story short - paid the money - got the car and all my bits back minus the 2 wheels.
We towed it home, and found that it did indeed run - a third fuel pump under the floor.!
However - it did not run very well, and I discovered the cambelt 1 tooth out - plus the distributor set oddly - presumably to compensate.
Got it going quite well after rectifying that.
I guess I could recover my money by selling all the fuel pumps if necessary.
Looking around the beast, it was indeed in very rust-free condition, although a few panels were dented.
Interior tidy - steering lock had been forcibly removed as there were no keys to be had when it initially surfaced.
So I fitted the one that I had supplied - which was laying on the floor.
The car had been treated to a rust-prevention process called 'Ferrotect' - whereby they fill all the at risk cavities with a wax-like substance.
There are rubber grommets in the sills and pillars where they pumped the 'stuff' in.
Seems it has worked. Apart from some surface marks that have been treated with a rust killing agent - not a bubble or a spot anywhere.
The door trims and upholstery are also in very good condition, so it looks like I will have to save the damn thing.!
Blast.
Initial driving impressions are - rather ghastly.
Left front wheel is complaining loudly - not sure if the wheel bearing has lost it's balls, or the brake calliper is regrinding itself.
Reverse gear has been lunched to some degree - although the forward versions seem reasonably compliant.
The engine starts willingly - emitting a very loud and disturbing knock until oil pressure comes up.
I can only think it is a big-end gone even bigger.
It has the 'optional' anti swaybars fitted both ends - which actually endow these things with the ability to corner in a quite serious fashion.
If you should ever wish to do so.
Frankly - I am unable to resist.!
So this is where we have come to.
I have a number of donor gearboxes that will yield a reverse gear - and any other bits I may find I need.
I also have a good 2 litre Austin Princess crankshaft, pistons, rods and bearings - so if this thing is still on it's original bore size I can give it a quick dose of cc's.
Be silly not too.
On a slightly more serious note, I have a mildly sporty grind camshaft which I have only just found some shims for - so I could quite easily bung that in too.
A wonderful chap in the UK Marina Owners Club sent me a twin carb alloy manifold from a Rover SD1, which would allow the fitting of two HiF carbs instead of the one original item - albeit at 45mm choke size.
All I need now is an exhaust manifold such as this one advertised by Rimmer Bros for the same Rover...
.. and we could see a bit of added excitement to the overall plot.
I do like the old N/A cam and gasflow approach to engine mods - appeals to my traditional nature old chap.
So.
What say you all.
Should we give it a shot.?
A local Garage that specializes in older cars also looks after older motorcycles. As such, they became my preferred place to get warrants of fitness (NZ roadworthy) for various British bikes that I own and maintain.
The older Mechanic guy has a thing for Morries, and picked up a cheap Marina which had been 1 owner until late 2012.
It had been robbed of a few bits, and he asked if I could supply him with what was missing - me being a Marina guy and all.
I did so - alternator, wheel, wheels trims and nuts, ignition/steering lock etc for $120.
Months later he advised me he would probably sell it, as he was not finding time to put it together.
I declined any interest, as I am also having to dispose of a number of Marinas due to post-quake necessities in Christchurch NZ.
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine phoned. He's a car guy and shares his large workshop with some panel and paint Dudes.
Some young chap had driven in with a very rust-free Marina, saying he was on the way to the scrappie.
They could not allow such a good bodied car to be scrapped, so gave him $200 for it - which he was quite happy with.
Did I want it.?
Like a fool, I said I would come and view it.
Turned out to be the same car - minus seatbelts, two wheels (some weird spacesaver fitted..), and sporting no less than 2 disconnected fuel pumps.
I had to ask that it really had been driven in.!
Long story short - paid the money - got the car and all my bits back minus the 2 wheels.
We towed it home, and found that it did indeed run - a third fuel pump under the floor.!
However - it did not run very well, and I discovered the cambelt 1 tooth out - plus the distributor set oddly - presumably to compensate.
Got it going quite well after rectifying that.
I guess I could recover my money by selling all the fuel pumps if necessary.
Looking around the beast, it was indeed in very rust-free condition, although a few panels were dented.
Interior tidy - steering lock had been forcibly removed as there were no keys to be had when it initially surfaced.
So I fitted the one that I had supplied - which was laying on the floor.
The car had been treated to a rust-prevention process called 'Ferrotect' - whereby they fill all the at risk cavities with a wax-like substance.
There are rubber grommets in the sills and pillars where they pumped the 'stuff' in.
Seems it has worked. Apart from some surface marks that have been treated with a rust killing agent - not a bubble or a spot anywhere.
The door trims and upholstery are also in very good condition, so it looks like I will have to save the damn thing.!
Blast.
Initial driving impressions are - rather ghastly.
Left front wheel is complaining loudly - not sure if the wheel bearing has lost it's balls, or the brake calliper is regrinding itself.
Reverse gear has been lunched to some degree - although the forward versions seem reasonably compliant.
The engine starts willingly - emitting a very loud and disturbing knock until oil pressure comes up.
I can only think it is a big-end gone even bigger.
It has the 'optional' anti swaybars fitted both ends - which actually endow these things with the ability to corner in a quite serious fashion.
If you should ever wish to do so.
Frankly - I am unable to resist.!
So this is where we have come to.
I have a number of donor gearboxes that will yield a reverse gear - and any other bits I may find I need.
I also have a good 2 litre Austin Princess crankshaft, pistons, rods and bearings - so if this thing is still on it's original bore size I can give it a quick dose of cc's.
Be silly not too.
On a slightly more serious note, I have a mildly sporty grind camshaft which I have only just found some shims for - so I could quite easily bung that in too.
A wonderful chap in the UK Marina Owners Club sent me a twin carb alloy manifold from a Rover SD1, which would allow the fitting of two HiF carbs instead of the one original item - albeit at 45mm choke size.
All I need now is an exhaust manifold such as this one advertised by Rimmer Bros for the same Rover...
.. and we could see a bit of added excitement to the overall plot.
I do like the old N/A cam and gasflow approach to engine mods - appeals to my traditional nature old chap.
So.
What say you all.
Should we give it a shot.?
