What did you do to your Marina today?

[MarinaCoupe]

Didn't make the wash/wipe work, then the clutch packed up. I had reused the one that was fitted when I bought it.

It's a good job that I know a chap with some reconditioned clutch slaves.

[locost_bryan]

Here's one that wont be ready for the summer, very late TC saloon in Cosmic Blue Metallic which I discovered in a garage in Norwich about a month ago, picked up today with Martin Wallis.

Curious, my father had a 1973 Ford Falcon station wagon that was painted in Ford Australia's Cosmic Blue Metallic - looks very much the same shade.

[JoshWard]

That looks a bit lighter to me. BL Cosmic Blue seems to be a dark blue/purple colour.

[locost_bryan]

That looks a bit lighter to me. BL Cosmic Blue seems to be a dark blue/purple colour.

Yeah, I was trying to figure out if the Marina looked a bit darker just 'cos it was indoors, but these colour samples show quite a difference in shade.

There's a picture of a Cosmic Blue Mk2 Marina here that looks a bit lighter.

Leyland


Ford

[Kiwi Ute]

Today I bought two brand new door-sills for my ute!!

Getting them fitted next week.

[JoshWard]

I don't think Cosmic Blue was used on MK2s, only MK2 metallic blue I know was Astral Blue Metallic (which was lighter than Cosmic).

[locost_bryan]

Interesting BL body and trim colour charts 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974-75, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80

[JoshWard]

Nice find Bryan Interesting to see what colour an Olive interior should be, they seem to fade to all sorts of different browns and greys

[locost_bryan]

Nice find Bryan Interesting to see what colour an Olive interior should be, they seem to fade to all sorts of different browns and greys

BL probably weren't too concerned about the vinyl fading, given how quickly the steel rusted.

[Viscount Orange Biscuit]

Didn't do anything in my Marinas today.. but have managed to rent another couple of lock ups ready for the winter had a lead on a large unit, but sadly when i visited it , it was not so big might get 3 marinas in at a push ) but found the lock ups close to each other and same landlord and close to home . also on a couple of waiting lists for some units which are bigger .. for when the next Marina arrives although not even found it yet lol

[MarinaCoupe]

Spent the day working on the clutch hydraulics.

Started by replacing the clutch slave, the old seal was shot and it was leaking hydraulic fluid. Both the master to slave hose and the slave to bleed hose were very tatty.

At some time in the past someone had pulled the orange pipes off the steel pipes and the pushed/glued them back on, so they had to go too.

When I looked inside the master cylinder there was a load of black slime so that had to come off too. Then I met the first big problem, the master cylinder mounting bracket was trapped behind the brake servo.

To slack the four servo nuts off under the dashboard, I had to unbolt the accelerator bracket (two nuts). All to replace the clutch master.



Then to replace everything, bleed and test drive. Hopefully I won't have to go near it for several years.

[Martec]

Spring cleaning time is here!

Last week cleaned all the brakes and other jobs on the newer Jaguar.

Today it was the turn of the Marina, stripped and cleaned all the brakes, found the rear brake pistons almost seized, so cleaned and freed up. Copperslip pumped into the 6 front upright nipples and lithium grease into the top link and rear axle nipples. Air filter was washed yesterday, dried and oiled today.

I'll do an oil change tomorrow and book in for an MOT.

Brian

[PHUQ]

Had a jolly out to Malvern today and came back with this:





(terrible photo, sorry).

It's currently keeping the Coupe's B series company in the garage



But will soon be off to the IoW for C.A.R.S. (aka Ben ) to introduce it to the Marina engine Frank kindly found for us- hopefully we'll end up with a "nearly new", late spec rwd format unleaded 1275 out of it- Marina block and crank, with the Maestro supplying as many other bits as possible. It won't be period correct of course, it'll have a non bypass head, wrong carb and manifolds, electronic dizzy and various other differences- but it should make for a very useable everyday vehicle, which is the plan for the saloon, at least when the roads aren't salted! And more importantly, it gets the thing back on the road where it belongs, and in better mechanical condition than it was when it became a Minor donor, which should hopefully annoy the smug jellymouldists a little

[MarinaCoupe]

Well done, sounds lovely and gets another one back on the road.

[PHUQ]

Certainly hope it will be Chris. Engine was all of £400, was pretty pleased with it for that (bearing in mind the price of an unleaded head, a new carb etc).