Fast Marina Magazine

I was sitting at home last thursday evening when i got a phone call from Sam asking if i had seen the free tc coupe and other car and parts on Car and Classic ? Having been after a TC for nearly a year and being royally d*cked around i was more than a little excited I can tell you; sam said that she had phoned the bloke but all she had got was the answer phone and so she had left a message. After agonising over it for about ten mins i thought sodit ill ring the guy too and see what happens - lucky for me i got through straight away and arranged to go see the cars on Friday with a view to picking them up saturday.

Sam, ben and myself arrived on Friday night at about half seven in torrential rain to met the seller Richard, we were first taken to the garage to see the tc coupe and in the dark and rain it appeared to be in pretty good nick, next we went to see the 1.3 and again it seemed alright at the time.

We had a long chat with richard and his wife, both of whom were true enthusiasts and were really friendly, the upshot being that we arranged to collect the cars the following morning.

Saturday arrived and we headed down with the trailer to pick up the 1.3 first. Opening the garage in daylight the car was pretty good, an S reg 1.3 coupe in Flamenco and a bit interesting to boot, it looks to be a base model but it has deluxe stainless trim and a few other oddities, generally speaking the car was pretty tidy and sam seemed quite happy with it.

On the secodn run we picked up the tc, on initial inspection the car was really good, 2 owners from new, straight panels all round, no signs of welding and most of the tc bits there. On later inspection we have also found out that its tax exempt. The only real welding it needs is in the boot around the wheel arch squabs and also a bit on the door pillar which has holed slightly.

Alongside this we filled two estate cars full of parts including two new wings, new valance, new lamp panel, 3 new rear lights still in boxes, new steering rack, new uprights, a full geranium interior including carpet from a sdl coupe, 2 mk2 doors in good nick, spare mk1 coupe bootlid, 2 coupe rear bottom qaurter repair panels, early coupe rear windscreen, coupe rear glass, and a whole host of other parts !

All in all very very good find and the seller richard was a top bloke, really really friendly and very helpful.

looks like sam and me have some work ahead of us, pics to follow........

Bang on dude!
You done the right thing there! If I had not got mine I would have been up there like a rat up a drain pipe!
Glad the car is in good hands, was it free!! It still sounds to good to be free!

Is Sam after the 1.3 coupe then? or are you going to fight over the TC? Oh but sam has one already!!

Great to see some pics of the two soon.
Paul.

Nice one dude! Where the pics then!

Hi Paul, yeah i can honestly say that everything, and i do mean everything was free, not a penny changed hands, richard, the guy selling them was a proper gent ! Lol yeah sam has had the 1,3 as a runaround and I've got the tc as I've wanted one of my own for a bloody long time!

Is it Blaze like Bens?

Yeah it is mate, the same colour and year as bens, also interestingly like bens it also appears to be a car which has sat at the dealers for a while as the registration date is the 1st of march '73 but the chassis no shows it as a being maufactured in 72

Some Pics!

Excellent pictures, the TC looks like a prize winning example in the waiting.

Is Frank up for a challenge?

it needs some work but i think frank will be up for it. at the end of the day it's for free.

Hey Will, that TC is not bad! The front floor is better than mine, and the boot has not been messed about like mine with lots of welding so should go well.
Be a good idea to put a boot seal on and block up the bumper holes as that looks like why the boot rotted! By the looks of it, it has stood for a while!

So these stories of free cars you always here about too late are true!!

Well done matey,what a great find,just enough time to get them ready for the summer runs then

Great job,

I think i speak for everyone when I say that I sighed with relief upon reading this post. When the offer of free classics comes along you never know what kind of people are going to be chasing you to get your hands on them.

Good work, i am cracking a cold one in celebration for you all right now.

Chris.

Both cars are really a credit to the previous owners. The Mk2 is in need of welding and a tidy up but there are no nasty repairs to rectify first and the whole lot is saveable.

The TC has got all streight panels and brilliant underpinnings! The welding required is nothing compared to other cars we've collected in the past! This one needs doing right fisrt time so it's now in the workshop under cover and dry. I recon once the welding is done it would be a good idea to get it dipped and ecoated that way it will out live us all!

Just think others would have scrapped these cars for bits.. They are saved!

Thats right ben, I think the TC is one to be put on the back burner till i have sufficient funds and neccessary parts to get it sorted and sorted properly, i think ideally i will need to speak to frank and paul munday at some point and get some quotes.

At the same time i need to carry on getting bits for airforce 1, so i think it will be a while before the marinas are back on the road, but hopefully when they are it will be worth it 8)

Bung an MOT on Air Force One mate and use it in the summer. Half the battle is getting a car road legal and seems a shame as it is so close! ! I know you need to get the Dolly MOt'd too but I recon Air Force is a lot easier and then you will have a car for the National/I.O.W!

You know you want too and stop saying "Maybe" ! ! ! !!