Fast Marina Magazine

Here`s the Marina:
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C565056

and the Ital

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C565057

I wondered what happened to that Ital, I was bidding on it when it was on eBay a couple of years back- was outbid by a dealer who stuck it up for a ridiculous sum, it then sat on their forecourt (and eBay ad) for yonks before they dissapeared, seemingly without trace. It's been out of MOT since September 2013 and tax since March 2013.

Good to know it's still about, it was supposed to be a very nice one although it looks to have deteriorated a bit. I seem to recall it's a 2l 5 speed, and is the sister car to Lee Busbridge's very rotten two tone blue and silver one.

You are very correct Matt

Quick bit of detectoring and I've found a piccy from here:

You can even see the boot of my gold saloon. The blue and silver ital looks good

Ha- spotted your Ital (obviously...) but didn't clock that it was your Mk3 I the background as well. Presumably that's before you bought the estate? Looks great there (what you can see of it), super shiny slotmags!

ha good a greedy dealer got stuck for selling too high price good greedy pig

hmm that Marinas an early one.....says 1967!! pre-production??

andy clee wrote:ha good a greedy dealer got stuck for selling too high price good greedy pig

I've no idea what happened to the dealer that had it up for sale a couple of years back- it's not the same dealer that has it now.

As for greedy dealers coming unstuck well I see your point, but it hasn't done the cars and favours. I'm all for values increasing, it'll make "borderline" cars less viable as engine donors/ banger circuit fodder etc. I think we've a while before they reach unobtainable levels...

see your point.
but i think they will all ways be donor cars even marina people break marinas even though another owner would put back on the road crazy as there is so few about.
i will hold on to my mk 3 as i might not be able to get another at this rate.

andy clee wrote:see your point.
but i think they will all ways be donor cars even marina people break marinas even though another owner would put back on the road crazy as there is so few about.
i will hold on to my mk 3 as i might not be able to get another at this rate.

The fact is that there are still far more cars around than people that want them.
So they will continue to be broken until that day and only then will values significantly increase.

And very few people want projects. Hell I don't really want 6 scruffy Marinas but I know if I hadn't saved most of mine nobody else would have.

Maybe I should buy the 1967 one?! Saying that I do have a hankering for a MK2...

And this 'saving' lark can be a joke. I know of several that have been 'saved' to then be left in a garage/barn/lean to etc etc and then continue to deteriorate to the point they still get scrapped/broken.
Personally, unless it's a rare model or whatever, then I'd support responsible breaking of loads of Marinas to safeguard the ones that are worth saving and keeping on the road.
The reality is that the club can't afford to do this either in buying the cars at scrap value or otherwise and definitely can't afford to store the parts till someone needs them. Such a shame.
Many on here do there bit but it's not the full answer.

Agree there is always a need to break one to help others. Like others have said some are saved but left to rot with no parts available. As I'm new to the scene and not built the contacts up I have to say I'm struggling to find bits for my mk3.
I've had and still have ford anglias and to be honest I find it easier to find bits for that than the marina.
Regards the ital estate the dealer was called purple horse and did go under from what I could tell. I was offered that estate ages ago and as I didn't know them that well then I let it go. It was cheaper than and was taxed and tested!

balmy wrote: I know of several that have been 'saved' to then be left in a garage/barn/lean to etc etc and then continue to deteriorate to the point they still get scrapped/broken.

Particularly annoying when there are people out there who do genuinely want to save the car but just get told it's not for sale I certainly agree with 'responsible breaking'. When I went to visit the chap I got my J reg and Wild Moss saloon from there was at least ten other saveable cars but the chances of finding a load of O series engined MK3s and Itals new homes when they all need work was next to none- I only bought the Wild Moss one because nobody else wanted to take it on and that's a very solid tax exempt car! I'd love for every Marina to be brought back to showroom condition but it just isn't possible. I have plenty of space here and there is nothing stopping me from going out and buying a load more Marinas but it would just be a pointless task for the reasons you have said- they would just sit and rot. It's hard enough keeping on top of the ones I have already

I believe the Club has bought cars in the past- they then sat around with no interest (most people already have more projects than they really need/want- hence why cars needing work still struggle to find homes) and I believe were scrapped.

Parts certainly are a struggle but then again they are for most cars, particularly when it's trim bits. Certainly availability of some parts is a reason why some projects don't get completed- I have known people who have lost interest or scrapped Marinas because they couldn't get the parts. The restoration of the oldest surviving Marina has been temporarily halted. Why? Well it is proving impossible to find a decent set of DL saloon seats let alone a set in Autumn Leaf!!