Fast Marina Magazine

Hi all,this being my first post I won't waffle to much.I'm trying to move my 1972 coupe for the first time in 5 years from the garage.After a new battery,spark plugs and a bit of fresh petrol it started on the second turn of the key,however the clutch pedal sinks straight to the floor with no effort at all,and the brake pedal is locked solid.
I have a clutch master cylinder repair kit to fit so this should fix the clutch problem,but what about the brakes?Could it be the shoes rusted onto the drums,or has the brake master had it as well?
I'm hoping to be back on the road soon in east sussex,so perhap I'll see you all at the national at Lewes

Cheers Glen

Hi Glen,
You say the cars brakes are locked so you can not push it out of the garage?
If this is the case I would say all the brakes are seized and need a rebuild!
You may as well do the master brake and clutch cylinders plus clutch slave as well while you are at it :roll:
5 years is along time if the handbrake was on and car not moved! Normally laying a car up for that time you leave all the brakes off and choc the wheels but then things like the clutch stick and seals perish.

I know it is a little late but regular running round the block etc is far better than not running it!

I am rebuilding my TC presently and only in West Sussex so not to far! this car was off the road for 6 years and I have spent the last 2 years stripping it and re-building it! Not to long before I get the car finished - I hope

I have no spares available but Ebay is good for rebuild kits and people on this Forum are great for help and advice so you have come to the right place
Love to see some pictures of the TC!

hope you get it sorted out and make the National. I hope to be there on the Sunday but no car!

Cheers,
Paul.

if the brake pedal is locked its usually the mastercyl. if wheels are locked, the calipers at front seize up faster than the RWC at the rear. but then again if you left the handbrake on the shoes might stick to the drum whatever the state of the hydraulics.but then they might be freed by some serious banging with a large hammer either end of the drum

clutch hydraulics might just be down to a sticky plate (if your careful you can try to start it in gear) - or rather put the rear end on axle stands and then try to start it in gear.

if this quick & dirty tricks work your in for a rebuild (which is wise to do anyway after 5 years of no use as you don't want to loose your brakes down the road

Thanks for the replies,I'm going to have to drag the coupe out of the garage with the works van and have a go at the drums with a club hammer! I'll have to move it soon as there's a new roof going on the garage and I wouldn't want a tile dropped on it.I shall keep you all posted.I have added a photo to my profile taken about 15 years ago at the national at Trentham Gardens.
My overwhelming memory of the journey was stopping and filling up with petrol about four times, there and back from Hastings,a journey done in one day.

Thanks Again Glen

If you have a trolley jack, put the rear wheels in the air and push!!! It's usually the rear drums that sieze so it'd save you burning the clutch on the works van if it moves by people power...

Thanks for all of your advise,the coupes now out of the garage,it turned out to be the nearside front pads that had siezed to the discs.The handbrake released OK.We have fitted the clutch master cylinder repair kit which went well once we got it off! We had to remove the servo as there wasn't enough clearance to get the cylinder off,is this normal? We only needed about another 2mm of space and it would of taken a quarter of the time.New pads fitted on the front,and the clutch freed using the axle stand method of starting it in gear and then jupming on the brakes when the spedo said 50mph,that was a loud bang when it went,an inspection of all hoses and drums,a wash polish and hoover,insurance sorted via Footman James (£102),just an mot to booked and pass and I'll be out there.

The TC ran a bigger servo than the other Marinas, so yes that is right, makes working on the clutch master cylinder a right pig.