Bugger This.. I'm Going FORD!

d13ker67 · Post by **d13ker67** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:26 pm

You have got me thinking now ben

ClaytonSpeed · Post by **ClaytonSpeed** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:29 pm

That's what I like to hear!! Get ya self a scrap Escy, I've got the list of parts + prices. Also you don't have to use Throtttle bodies, there are alternitive routes.

madmart · Post by **madmart** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:45 am

oooh thats the nuts
well done

norway_triumph · Post by **norway_triumph** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:27 am

Looks VERY VERY WELL done !!!

. You are taking the marina mods to another level!! Amazing. Although i personally prefer originality i also love them modified cars. You are in a long line of customizer/rodding - taking it all back to the wing-less, frame-drilled A-fords !!. Very nice to see this kind of work done on a marina (rather than minis, cortina, escorts, capris etc etc.) More of a challenge and more of a reward when it's all finished in a proper way. PS if you weld that litle pin/bolt in that holds the driveaxle in place your rear-axle in it standard form is actually capable of about 170/180 bhp - commonly done on caterhams and the like . Would LOVE to see the finishing product - guess it would spend most of it time with the bonnet open

ClaytonSpeed · Post by **ClaytonSpeed** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:49 am

Thanks Jan-Ivar and Mart! I knew you two would like it !

What bolt/pin do you mean? I'm interested for the short term but I suspect you are right, the bonnet will be up most of the time... May be I should get a nice perspex one made! !

Ausmarina · Post by **Ausmarina** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:57 am

I'm loving it.

Nothing better than a good custom job.

That's my kind of Marina!! Keep up the good work, and the pics.

Clan Chieftain · Post by **Clan Chieftain** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:49 am

8) nothing better than a nice ORIGINAL marina,fitted out with nice ORIGINAL marina bits,cruising along on your way to a show not worrying if your timing gear is going to crumble into a million bits,or your front end is going to collapse because your chassis aint strong enough.
Anyone in ecosse tries this crap and they will be transferred to the Fast and Modified Club.

marinabrian · Post by **marinabrian** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:11 am

Well said Larry, I'm having second thoughts on my 4.6 litre V8 marina T.C. now!!

perhaps I'll just stick with the 5 speed 'box instead

Clan Chieftain · Post by **Clan Chieftain** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:39 am

8) its only a tongue in cheek comment not to be taken seriously.
we could have a modified ecosse section.....

marinabrian · Post by **marinabrian** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:42 am

Yes we could, but you would have to be going some to find a Marina which hasn't been "modified" from it's original form!, perhaps a none modified section would be easier

Cheers

Brian.

Clan Chieftain · Post by **Clan Chieftain** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:59 am

8) there are a few up here that havent been modified.
its impossible to be truly ORIGINAL, but when you read mad statements like "different air in the tyres " and such like that is just plain crazy. so to keep your marina ORIGINAL you would run it on the same oil and plugs and points until it just stops and run the tyres flat because you want to keep its ORIGINALITY. rubbish...absolute rubbish.

marinabrian · Post by **marinabrian** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 12:06 pm

I own a 1971 1.3 super with 10000 miles on the clock, original down to the crumbling crossplys, half a tank of 4 star etc, etc !!, original bill of sale & everything!.

Can anyone beat that!

Oh Bu66er it there's a previous keeper on the logbook, so it's not original after all then

Marina 1.3 super, Teal blue with limeflower interior, 10000 ORIGINAL miles from new, purchased on Fleabay in 2001 for Ã‚Â£3.50

Pont.skins · Post by **Pont.skins** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:49 pm

I own a 1971 1.3 super with 10000 miles on the clock, original down to the crumbling crossplys, half a tank of 4 star etc, etc !!, original bill of sale & everything!.

Can anyone beat that!

Richard Young certainly can.He's a MK1 Saloon with less than half those miles and it's a minter.Didn't win a prize at The National though :?

marinast · Post by **marinast** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:28 pm

Wow Ben, what can I say. You have certainly caused some discussion on Mastmarinamagazine with your conversion.
I have to say it has left me in two minds if this is a good thing or not. On the one hand you have certainly produced a very quick car here, reliable too and easily servicable and also a car I'm sure you could use everyday without fuss.
Along with my TC I also own an early Mk2 Escort Ghia. Its a very nice car and I brought it over a decade ago as my first car, then prices of old Mk2's were simular to the Marina prices now. Back then one could buy a Mk1 or Mk2 Mexico for under a grand, and still have half a chance of finding a clean original car at that price.
I find the Ford tuning scene a little, well whiffy to be honest. I never managed to think I could fit in, partly because I did not want to modify my car too much (shocks, perhaps different springs and uprated pads is as far as it goes with me), and partly because I did not have the budget to do so.
Which leads me to the flip side of all this. many Ford people take original, unmolested Mexicos and RS1600's and transform them with new engines etc. Many of these are then raced in historic racing and such is the amount of destruction, many cars have been morphed into RS clones. Indeed, such has the decimation of the numbers of original RS models been, clean standard cars now command a premium (easily over Ã‚Â£10-12k for a mint RS2000 Mk1), while even standard Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts have seen massive jumps in price, simply beacuse they are either a two door and more so if they have an auto transmission tunnel as well.
Ben what you have done with the TC will certainly attract more people to owning and tuning a Marina, which is a very good thing. If it keeps cars on the road and away from the Minor/MGB and banger boys then all the better.
I just think however that you would easily gain as much power from spending a sumilar amount of money on a crossflow B series conversion, with twin webbers (thus keeping the TC link alive!), using a Ford type 9 gearbox and an Escort or Capri rear axle. That way when you do humiliate a 3 series driver or surprise an Escort Cosworth driver by the Marina, they will feel doubly sick when you open the bonnet and show them you managed it with an old Morris Oxford engine.

ClaytonSpeed · Post by **ClaytonSpeed** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:35 pm

Oh dear Larry and Brian you do seem to be very bitter. You don't see the funny side to all this do you. If only you could hear yourselves!

Do you honestly think I would venture into modifying my car without doing research first? Do you not think that after years and years of older cars being changed from factory specification this may actually be done right? Would it have been better if I'd used a Rover derived engine? Perhaps the K series from those horrid shaped 200 things? How about a V8 as per the Special Tuning manual? If you hadn't noticed my car was never original as it had huge HS6 carbs, K+N filters etc... No one muttered a word then but that was different I suppose? Ah that's right those modifications were a period change... Silly me.

I knew that when I started this thread it would split the camps but it does only seem to be a small number that don't like it. The phrase "If you can't say anything nice..." springs to mind. I think what has really gotten you jumping from your arm chairs is the F.O.R.D badge?! Well that's easily sorted, I'll just close the bonnet so you can't see. *shuts bonnet* Better? I really think Larry should look at his own car before chasing down the wrong road. You'd better bung your 1300 axle back on as that TC one will give you a higher top end! It may frighten you!

I like to think that I am a sensible sort of chap and think things through. I could bore you all day long with how much torque the monocoque chassis of a Marina can take in standard form but I feel I will leave that out of this message as I may actually fall asleep at the controls of my PC. There are parts in the modification trade known as Chassis Strengthening plates. These actually believe it or not "Strengthen" the chassis in the places that could be a weak point. Seam welding is another art that springs to mind, oh and as per that ORIGIONAL mumford, Sill strengthening braces! ! Another non ORIGIONAL part.

I could go on but I feel that I have more constructive comments to reply too. Just remember three things:

Actions speak louder than words

Comments written on here are for all to see and could offend even if it is meant in cheek.

My forum is called FASTMARINAMAGAZINE.COM If I didn't have a FAST Marina it would just be called MARINAMAGAZINE.COM

Beniboyz