Who's got a Morris Marina?

overdriver

Someone passed me today heading out of Cavan town on the N3 in what looked like a reasonably healthy MKII or III saloon in blue.

I thought I was the only masochist with a Marina here ( MKII coupe).


Is it any of you lads?

Please please no Top Gear style nonsense. Bored to death with that right now.





Mick

Satrastar

That's pretty unusual


Do you have a picture?

corktina

Top Gear would be very interested....especially if you can offer a piano too

Max_Damage

I don't think I've ever seen a Marina in the flesh.

The Allegro was a far superior driving machine anyway.

corktina

to what? a brick on wheels? horrible horrible cars....

carchaeologist

http://www.morrismarina.org.uk/

sogood

overdriver wrote: »

Someone passed me today heading out of Cavan town on the N3 in what looked like a reasonably healthy MKII or III saloon in blue.

I thought I was the only masochist with a Marina here ( MKII coupe).


Is it any of you lads?

Please please no Top Gear style nonsense. Bored to death with that right now.




I have seen people who would be Skoda fans, spending a fortune on side skirts and various other modifications and I think WTF? But its all down to taste and who am I to say whats good or bad. I personally would never wish to own a Morris marina or a Skoda or many others, but there are people out there who think I'm mad to pay 1,500 euro per annum road tax to drive a 19 year old car that gives me 30 mpg at best!

Horses for courses and happy motoring with it!

macplaxton

OK, no Top Gear nonsense, so instead I'll have some Clarkson-esque patter:

It's not that OT as there's an Austin Princess in it.

overdriver

Corktina, I'm surprised at you. The Cortina and Marina are just different brands of 60's /70's white goods - get a rep or family from A to B. The same man, Roy Haynes, was responsible for designing both.


Most of the people who tell me how crap the Marina is have never seen one, let alone owned one. But I know better than try to argue with people who are misinformed, or have an opinion deeply seated that facts and reason will not shift.

@sogood. Thanks man. I do enjoy being out in it.

2cv

I remember as a kid, the Marina was the first car i was ever scared in.. In fact i cried

overdriver

At least your bias is based on having actually been in one.

:P

corktina

overdriver wrote: »

Corktina, I'm surprised at you. The Cortina and Marina are just different brands of 60's /70's white goods - get a rep or family from A to B. The same man, Roy Haynes, was responsible for designing both.


Most of the people who tell me how crap the Marina is have never seen one, let alone owned one. But I know better than try to argue with people who are misinformed, or have an opinion deeply seated that facts and reason will not shift.

@sogood. Thanks man. I do enjoy being out in it.

i drove one when they were new and Im telling you they were horrid....nasty nasty things, not at all like a Cortina

2cv

overdriver wrote: »

At least your bias is based on having actually been in one.

:P

Well, many many many moons ago, my parents had one... And i remember the day they got it, i must have been 6, i got on the back seat and couldn't get out.... I just panicked. It was the first car we ever got with child safety locks on the back door.

I also remember being sick very often in that car.

overdriver

corktina wrote: »

i drove one when they were new and Im telling you they were horrid....nasty nasty things, not at all like a Cortina

You're telling me?
Ah well then. With the Cortina being the pinnacle of automotive design, sure what comeback could I possibly have?

Save to ask you why, if you don't like them, did you bother reading the thread, let alone reply in it? With the piano joke of all things.

:rolleyes:

Satrastar

Yeah it's actually rude to tell somebody their car is sh!t.

It's true that the Marina doesn't appeal to everyone, but if you had any tact, you would keep it to yourself when talking to an enthusiast/owner.

IrishRover

I think I saw this purple Ital at the Rover centenary in Longbridge a few years ago. I think it may have a T16 turbo engine in it now. Maybe you know the car?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/IrishRover/bmc_bl/marina-ital/retro_cars_sept2005_page022.jpg

kasper

i drove one for awhile in the eighties it was my uncles car ,very easy to work on

Max_Damage

I personally preferred the Ital. Again, it is also another car I've never seen in the flesh.

They still build the Ital's out in China! www.aronline.co.uk

With the Marina, stick a Montego Turbo engine into it, put a proper suspension on it, and it would be a cheap and cheerful car to go sideways in!

2cv

Satrastar wrote: »

Yeah it's actually rude to tell somebody their car is sh!t.

It's true that the Marina doesn't appeal to everyone, but if you had any tact, you would keep it to yourself when talking to an enthusiast/owner.

I never said it was sh!t... Just said i don't have great memories of it as a child... We had other cars that i hated... Ford Cortina, Toyota Corona,... But then again, they had others that i did like... Opel Ascona A, Citroen 2CV, and a few others....

overdriver

I think he meant Corktina.

overdriver

@max, the suspension is a little different on the later cars, ( MKII on) so its not all that bad really. No worse than a lot of other 70's everyday average cars.

the very first press cars were missing an anti-roll bar, and its from here a lot of the horror stories come.

Max_Damage

overdriver wrote: »

@max, the suspension is a little different on the later cars, ( MKII on) so its not all that bad really. No worse than a lot of other 70's everyday average cars.

Maybe so, but it would need to be replaced if it were used for drifting for instence.

I myself always had a soft spot for so-called 'shíte cars', especially BL products.

overdriver

me too!

I love the fact they're ordinary. Everyone thinks only teh cars that were always exclusive or special merit saving. Not so.



I've removed the vinyl roof since this pic and am tackling rust as I go. The colour's not to everyone's taste, but it does make it a little rarer even in Marina circles.

Max_Damage

Good too see I'm not the only weirdo around here who likes below-average cars too!

Nice car mate, hope to see it at a few shows soon (are you going to Moynalty show in Meath on the 9th August?)

Is it an original Irish reg?

Max_Damage

Don't mean to hijack your thread Overdriver, but what do you think of the Montego? Extremely rare in this country now. Wouldn't mind getting an MG Monty Turbo in the future.

overdriver

Love the Montego. I also had a couple of MG Metros back in the day which were great fun.


Onw hich was written off 30 minutes after I picked it up by a drunk aul fella on his way home from the Golf Club. Smacked into me at the lights on Taney road.

overdriver

Sorry forgot to add its a UK car, and it won't be ready for Moynalty if east Kent Trim don't get my screen rubber to be ASAP.

Even then I'd need a miracle. Maybe next year!

Max_Damage

The last Monty I saw in this country was in 2005 (a 92-D one, dark green). It used to be always parked near Stuarts Garage in Tallaght. Not anymore.

As for the Marina, I wonder if their is any Irish Marina's left (or even Irish Monty's)?

2cv

overdriver wrote: »

That's actually a very clean looking Marina...

IrishRover

If anyone is seriously looking for an MG Montego Turbo, I could put you in touch with a great old codger I know in Gloustershire who has a fleet of cars which he was looking to reduce. I know he was thinking of selling one of his excellently kept Montegos recently. I don't know if he has sold one already but could check anyway.

Max_Damage

^ Thanks mate, but I wouldn't be able to afford a Monty Turbo any time soon unfortunately.

overdriver

A sure for pig iron, get a price for us!

corktina

overdriver wrote: »

I think he meant Corktina.

I'm sure he meant me although I said Marinas are horrid and nasty rather than ****e.... rude? well yes maybe so, but the difference between the Marina and Cortina is that the Cortina is definately an Icon and a successful one ,at that ,still with a huge following whereas the Marina...well...isn't.

I can only give my opinion which at the time, driving a brand new example is that they are horrid and nasty.

Sorry.

2cv

corktina wrote: »

I'm sure he meant me although I said Marinas are horrid and nasty rather than ****e.... rude? well yes maybe so, but the difference between the Marina and Cortina is that the Cortina is definately an Icon and a successful one ,at that ,still with a huge following whereas the Marina...well...isn't.

I can only give my opinion which at the time, driving a brand new example is that they are horrid and nasty.

Sorry.

I don't disagree with tina there, i don't particularly like the Marinas... but tina, you'll have to admit that it is a pretty clean car that green one

overdriver

@ tina

Successful how? If you're referring to sales, then the Marina was the 3rd best selling car in Britain for 14 years, just after the Cortina, in fact.

If you're referring to survival rate, then the Cortina is actually less successful in certain incarnations that the Marina, which hasn't fared well either. the Stag is reknowned for being a car with issues, albeit with a 70% survival rate. That make it a good car?

And who decides what an icon is? Its not so long ago the Cortina wasn't held in such high regard, particularly the later ones.

besides which, thats not what you came on here and said. You said Top gear would be interested if I had a piano to go with it. After I'd said in my thread " No top gear jokes please". Therefore you were just trolling.

You should be a little more tolerant, frankly.

2cv

overdriver wrote: »

You should be a little more tolerant, frankly.

Try driving a 2CV, overdriver... And you will find out that this country has a long way to go where tolerance is concerned. I was shocked to find out that there's a lot of "classic car snobbery" over here....

overdriver

Oh I'd lOVE a 2cv...no snob is overdriver!

2cv

overdriver wrote: »

Oh I'd lOVE a 2cv...no snob is overdriver!

Great car to drive them 2CVs... I'm am now 2CV-less for the first time in 15 years

corktina

overdriver wrote: »

@ tina

Successful how? If you're referring to sales, then the Marina was the 3rd best selling car in Britain for 14 years, just after the Cortina, in fact.

If you're referring to survival rate, then the Cortina is actually less successful in certain incarnations that the Marina, which hasn't fared well either. the Stag is reknowned for being a car with issues, albeit with a 70% survival rate. That make it a good car?

And who decides what an icon is? Its not so long ago the Cortina wasn't held in such high regard, particularly the later ones.

besides which, thats not what you came on here and said. You said Top gear would be interested if I had a piano to go with it. After I'd said in my thread " No top gear jokes please". Therefore you were just trolling.

You should be a little more tolerant, frankly.

and you should try a little humour perhaps? I always regard comments such as " no top gear jokes please" as a challenge.

corktina

2cv wrote: »

I don't disagree with tina there, i don't particularly like the Marinas... but tina, you'll have to admit that it is a pretty clean car that green one

absolutely and green as well, which I have a paunch for....;)

overdriver

corktina wrote: »

and you should try a little humour perhaps? I always regard comments such as " no top gear jokes please" as a challenge.

I hear ya, but when everybody's first instinct is to "be funny", it isn't long til you've heard all the jokes a load of times.

mister gullible

I thought I was the only masochist with a Marina here ( MKII coupe).


Is it any of you lads?

Please please no Top Gear style nonsense. Bored to death with that right now.


Fair play to you, it's a decent looking car. Funny to see a cortina looking down it's nose at a marina...
Can't stand the top gear nonsense either. If it's not a flash car that burns loads of rubber and money they only sneer at it. I reckon they're not real car lovers just car wreckers.

Max_Damage

^ Well said. Top Gear is shit. Hence why I never watch it anymore.

freedom of info

corktina wrote: »

i drove one when they were new and Im telling you they were horrid....nasty nasty things, not at all like a Cortina

marina a classic compared with the heap of sh!te daf variomatic i once had

kasper

there was an old marina or ital estate abandoned outside a nursing home in mullingar i think the picture was on spotted abondaned on this site a bright blue one

kasper

sorry got the colour wrongDSC01977.jpg colour

corktina

overdriver wrote: »

I hear ya, but when everybody's first instinct is to "be funny", it isn't long til you've heard all the jokes a load of times.

i didnt intend to offend....and Id rather see your car than one with a piano on its roof (or any car meeting that fate....

Blue850

kasper

12 pencefor the magazine shows how much they have gone up in the meanti me

pounder770

back in the day(mid 1986)my first car was a '79 Marina 1300..it was as rough as a knackers laugh,but I loved it!! It thrived on neglect,unlike the mk2 Escort that replaced it,which had it's hand in my pocket on a weekly basis...so much so,that I replaced it(after it had been rear-ended,admittedly) with a shiny 1981 Ital 1300...which,once again,thrived on neglect for almost 3 years with me,and another two as the second car at a mates house.

I'd swop my P6 for one in the morning.....;)

freedom of info

pounder770 wrote: »

back in the day(mid 1986)my first car was a '79 Marina 1300..it was as rough as a knackers laugh,but I loved it!! It thrived on neglect,unlike the mk2 Escort that replaced it,which had it's hand in my pocket on a weekly basis...so much so,that I replaced it(after it had been rear-ended,admittedly) with a shiny 1981 Ital 1300...which,once again,thrived on neglect for almost 3 years with me,and another two as the second car at a mates house.

I'd swop my P6 for one in the morning.....;)

80's great days, everyone had a heap of sh!te, and nobody felt guilty, i had a 1969 lime green mini, i looked like a beached whale in it, followed by a datsun 120a f2 coupe, more rust than car, followed by a datsun 200l, that was like driving a t55 followed by a daf paid £50 for that junker,