Fast Marina Magazine

Hi Guys,

Took the battery out of Ozzy and discovered some codes stamped on the battery tray. Bit hard to read clearly, but looks like "M2" and "24TC" and "834". As these don't match the chassis code tag, or the Leyland Australia VIN numbers ("YHS..."), I assume this is the body code?



The chassis code recorded on the rego details is on this tag on the bonnet "slam" panel


Ozzy doesn't have a VIN label. My Leyland Australia workshop manual says there should be one on the left guard, above the radiator expansion tank. Ozzy has the emissions label there, which should be on the firewall. Behind it is the paint code label, which should be on the right guard, by the battery. Both these labels look to be genuine and unmolested. There is no mention in the manual of anything on the battery tray, or on the "slam" panel.

Not sure if this means Ozzy was assembled in NZ from an Aussy CKD pack, or didn't get an Australian VIN plate because it was built for export?

Will contact Honda NZ and find out if they have any records from their predecessor NZ Motor Corp, who assembled BL vehicles before assembling Honda cars. An intriguing mystery...

It's not a UK part number Bryan, the UK battery tray is in the right hand front wing CZK 215, also there's no indication of an alternate tray tray on the left hand side.



Chris
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i would suggest a NZ car maybe from aussie parts, aussie car did indeed have YH----- or 024/5
stamped into the body near the battery, this weird sort of numbering suggests NZ

bigcarle wrote:i would suggest a NZ car maybe from aussie parts, aussie car did indeed have YH----- or 024/5
stamped into the body near the battery, this weird sort of numbering suggests NZ

It's definitely from Aussie parts, with OHC motor. I know the saloon was assembled in NZ from Aussie CKD kits, but I've never been sure if the TC was assembled in NZ or imported CBU from Aussie, due to the low numbers sold.

This is what the Aussie factory manual has about the location of the various labels in the engine bay


This is what's in mine (circled in red)


These are the paint code and emissions labels next to the radiator overflow tank


All my photos of NZ Marina TCs show the these two labels in the same position, so Carle must be right, that it was a NZ local assembly thing.

Found some posting on Mini forums querying a similar code on Australian Mini Coopers, stamped with "M2 06 888", where it was postulated that the "M2" stood for Morris 2-door, and the "06" was a design office drawing number, and the "888" was the Australian body number. However, there was no concrete evidence to prove the theory. The threads also mentioned that BMC Australia started their chassis numbering from 501 (Big Carle mentioned this in another thread), which would make Ozzy the 334th Australian TC Coupe.

Anyone with an Aussie Marina care to have a look under their battery and see if there is a similar number stamped there?

boy it sure look like it has an identity crisis
the colour and rocker cover are from the 1974 aussie cars but the
master cylinders, booster radiator and body are from the 1972 aussie cars
the horn is after market, as it should be installed under the battery tray.
you have a red circle on the battery tray should it be circled around the number behind where the battery goes?
the plate on the front valance is usually where the dealer stock plate goes.
does it have an electric fuel pump? as the pipe come from where the 1972 engines have their mechanical pump under the alternator

It has been fitted with an aftermarket electric fuel pump.

The original TC engine was replaced with a single carb engine by a previous owner, the TC engine is sitting under my work bench awaiting an overhaul.

It was first registered as yellow in late 72, as far as I can tell the engine bay is in original condition. Wonder when Minis first came out in yellow, as they were assembled in the same factory?

Did all TCs have twin-tone horns? I thought the horn location was a bit unusual.

My red circle might be a little out, done hurriedly in Paint.