Fast Marina Magazine

crashbang wrote:Ok how do you put this picture up on here from a phone

locost_bryan wrote: and the reversed wipers.

JoshWard wrote:

locost_bryan wrote: and the reversed wipers.

Funny you should say that, just looking at the pictures of GC2 and I note that the wiper pattern has been changed to the later type (which would mean replacing the wiring loom). It also has SDL windscreen inserts front and rear, I have seen DL inserts on SDLs but never the other way round before... It also has an SDL dashboard and the later (1973 on) front valance. Not saying it isn't genuine as rally cars are particularly susceptible to being chopped around with later on and modified in their lives (MK3 door handles, wrong sidelight/indicator units).

Was it a UK built car? If so chassis number 40207 makes it a 1971 build

Two Mini Clubman GTs were built in 1971 at the British Leyland Abingdon Special Tuning Department in the UK to Group 2 specs for the New Zealand Motor Corporation to compete in the 1972 Heatway International Motor Rally.

The NZMC Team Manager was John Seabrook and the driving force behind the works cars entries (Seabrook Fowlds Ltd were the major BMC Austin agents in Auckland, which were integrated into NZMC). The building of the cars was done at British Leyland’s Special Tuning Department at Abingdon. As well as the two Mini Clubman GT’s, two Morris Marina Coupes were part of the team.

Here from the 1972 RAC rally is Brian Culcheth's Marina. Brian was a Leyland Special Tuning, works driver, but the car was entered by Dunlop. Running on their Total Mobility tyres, designed to stay on the rim and partially re-inflate. They did too, as Brian had a blow out in Dalby South, but continued at speeds up to 75mph for some 20 miles to finish the stage, before changing the wheel.

Driving for Leyland from 1963 'til 1977 Brian had many class wins, with highly successful drives in the 1000 Lakes, World Cup, Cyprus, Hong Kong and Malasia. He once described himself as having come 2nd to some of the best drivers in the world!

Through 1974-75 Cars & Car Conversions ran a series of articles on their rally prepared Marina. This too had several class wins mostly at the hands of Andy Dawson. Pat Ryan drove a Blazespeed/Endrust sponsored car and yet another Marina was sponsored by Appleyards and driven by Phil Cooper.

Special Tuning's catalogue listed some 190 parts for the Marina. everything from glassfibre body panels to turretted rear shock kits and 8 port alloy cylinder heads.

"After the success of the 1970 World Cup Rally (2nd, 4th and 10th places overall, three class wins) BL supremo Lord Stokes did the decent thing - and closed the competitions department, although driver Brian Culcheth was retained for ‘promotional purposes’.

Soon Team Castrol was formed, rallying with first the Triumph 2.5 PI and then the humble Morris Marina. Culcheth and Willy Cave were entered for the 1971 RAC Rally in a Special Tuning prepared Marina, winning the 1300cc class. Ford competitions manager, Stuart Turner (formerly of BMC), was famously wrong-footed here, because he thought the Marina was to be 1.8-litre and so didn’t field one of his Escorts in the small class! With the 1275cc A-Series engine tuned like a Sprite to give around 95/100bhp the Marina was only averagely quick but reliable.

Culcheth was the man to make it work, claiming 2nd on the Cyprus Rally in ‘72 (with Johnstone Syer) and 6th the following year. His 16th overall and class win on the 1000 Lakes in ’73 was the stuff of legends, the top Brit position only being beaten in ’82 when Russell Brookes came 6th in a Vauxhall Chevette. Pat Ryan was the other Marina man. The moustachioed Midlander was blindingly quick on British national rallies - it was usually a class win or an accident - until BL put him into its other lost cause of the time, the Allegro!

Special Tuning built a Rover V8 Marina for the 1972 World Cup Rally but - predictably - the rear axle broke. Truth was ‘though, the Marina was too heavy in 1.3 form to ever beat an Escort, and just too heavy, full stop, in 1.8-litre guise. Anyone who tried to drive a 1.8 also quickly soon learnt about the dreaded Marina plough on understeer! The last official fling for the 1.3 Marina was the 1975 RAC, when Phil Cooper and Andy Marriott finished 4th in class.