Morris Marina vs Mk3 Cortina - Ford vs British Leyland 70s Shootout! (1971 1.8 Super/1977 1.6 L)

[@Cortinaman63]

47 years ago I bought a 1974 Mk.3 Ford Cortina (that I still own to this day!) and It was used every day for 25 years, proof it is a superb car to own, it still has its original 1600 OHC engine, and is an Automatic, and has always been kept factory correct, The Marina is also a good car, and lots of owners love them, as much as Cortina Owners love ours, I did drive a Morris ITAL for a few days back in the 1980's and it was also a nice car, but as I have loved the Cortina since it launched in October 1970, for me it will always be my personal favorite, and having lovingly restored to superb Concourse condition with a full panel by panel, extreme restoration and expense, my Mk.3 is looking just like it did on the Ford Production Line back in 1974, and hopefully there is a Marina out there some where just as good, as both cars deserve to be loved.❤

[@nygelmiller5293]

To Cortinaman. Many of us would give our right arm, to have a story like yours! When your car came out, I went (with the firm) , on a factory tour, and saw all the latest Ford cars. The famous Ford factory in Dagenham was still open, and at its peak! All the shiny new car's looked impressive , in bright colours, which had never been brighter, and haven't been brighter, SINCE! Bright red, bright yellow, bright blue, and bright green, for example! Great against the chromework of the time! A great day out, then, to see such cars being made - but a pity, that, unlike yourself, I wasn't,'t actually BUYING one!

[@Cortinaman63]

@@nygelmiller5293 Thank you for replying to my comments on here, and if your interested in seeing my Mk.3's there are videos showing the restoration work on my channel, I loved hearing you visited the Ford Factory and saw the cars being built, that must have been amazing, restoring my first one, was something like that, seeing her becoming brand new again,, and knowing the shell was 100% rust free like when I first bought her, was great, shame you did not get to buy one, but you got to see something many of us would have loved to, all those beautiful cars being built. I remember them brand new on the roads, but you were really lucky getting to see them in Production, WOW!.

[@grahamcole4240]

I had the Pinto engine in my Mk3 GT. An easy engine to maintain. The cambelt snapped and no damaged to the engine at all, fitted a new one on the side of the road and away to go, not like these new engines.

[@ronhenney4546]

In Australia we had the 200 cube and 250 cube engines my sis and bil bought an xle 250 that went like stink it had bags of torque and they towed a 26ft caravan for years with it following seasonal work in Aus i took it for a spin and loved the way it went cheers guys not a fan of leyland cars except for the brick and the moke

[@gingernutpreacher]

My dad had 2 marina' and they were below par it especially early model's it bottomed out with a sack of patatoes and passenger's in the second one roted at the bulk head it rolled more than others was slightly less realiable and it wasn't cheape enough despite call the had me down part's it used the only thing it had going for it was it did noticeably better on fuel

[@escapetheratracenow9883]

In July 1985 me and a mate took my 1976 Cortina 2.0 XL automatic on a road trip from leafy Surrey all the way up to Loch Ness via Edinburgh. We returned home via Fort William, Glen Coe, Loch Lomond, the Lake District, Blackpool and home in time for Live Aid on the telly. 1600 miles in a glorious week of discovery for an 18-year old. The car performed perfectly using a pint of water and a drop of oil. It joined the ton-up club effortlessly on the A69 near Hexham and took off over a hump-backed bridge in Wear Dale Co. Durham and took it all in its stride. Loved that car and that week away. The good old days of leaded petrol, affordable insurance, cars with character and social mobility.😊

[@philking7805]

Saying the TC was faster than an MGB is hardly a badge of honour 😀 and also when the Italians said TC they meant a gorgeously sculpted aluminium twin cam motor, not strapping an extra SU carb to a post-war A40 engine

[@chrispenn715]

My father's first new car was a Marina 1.8 SDL when I was about 15. Two years later he replaced it with a new Cortina 1600L. I learnt to drive on the Cortina. At the time, the Marina interior actually seemed more upmarket because you could have a choice of colours - the Cortina was black or black. Build quality seemed about the same, but the Cortina instruments were much nicer and it felt a bit more spacious. Nice to see both cars surviving. Both were decent cars in their day.

[@seansands424]

My first car was marris marina good car

[@frequenttraveller1835]

@@seansands424 My first car too. Had 50k+ virtually trouble-free motoring from it. Very little to compain about.

[@roops2939]

Back in 1975 in the USA my dad bought a Charger. I was given a T-Bird on graduating from college

[@nygelmiller5293]

@@roops2939 Wow! Given a T-bird! I'm happy for you - that really is something to be given! I A) don't live in the States - and B) can't see accurately enough now at 70, to drive. BUT my ideal car otherwise now, would BE a T-Bird! I learnt to drive, when I was 17 - on a n original model BEETLE. No problem! But 10 years ago, one was for sale that I would have LIKED to buy. BUT I must have got gradually B-R-O-A-D-E'R, because when I got inside the Beetle, I could no longer shut the door! A thing called my shoulder was in the way! So my conclusion is that a stylish T-bird would be the answer! No wonder Beetles were popular with STUDENTS! At their age, they were still narrow enough to fit inside! The later two Beetles ARE broader, however!

[@skippmclovan1135]

Very pretty car the Mk111 Cortina, even today! In May '75 my boss got me as commercial plumbing parts salesman a brand new Mk111 Wagon with the 2.0 OHC engine.. and THAT was One Helluva Car ! It had the most 'snicky' gearchange i've EVER encountered! And it HONKED.. !! Very quick vehicle from a standing start and a great highway car for overtaking semi's. Remember in those days there were NO power-robbing emission devices OR any power-draining ancillaries! ALL the power went to the road! What a SHEER fun vehicle that bright red Wagon was . . :) It was PERFECT for widen-open throttle controlled power slides, and FAST on the twisties! I drove that car hard, all over NZ, until the engine began making piston-slap sounds after 18 months. . perhaps i drove a bit too hard??? Anyway the replacement ('76 LX Cam-In-Head Torana) wasn't within a bull's roar of that Mk111..!..! Later i drove other 2.0 Mk111's, but NONE were as GOOD as the first one! It seemed to have about half as much power again, and can only assume that came from the initial break-in and the HARD driving. No, i wouldn't treat my own car like that, but then i wouldn't get half as much enjoyment out of them either! So, thrashing a car brings out the very best in it, that's all i can say! : ) : )

[@WillyBbilly]

Nothin compares to dropping a cogg in the mark 3 Cortina wagon ,as you pass a truck with limited runway on old NZ roads. Still drop a gear 2 this day ,always as a salute

[@numberstation]

Both are vastly more appealing visually than their modern equivalents.

[@robinforrest7680]

Yes. Neither of them are SUV’s 😂😂

[@mrmoralman1]

💩

[@brendonrutherford5118]

Talking about the visual aspect of modern cars & in general terms of course but the current batch of cars, utes & family type vehicals that they spit out now have to be some of the ugliest bastards that have ever had 4 wheels attached to them. Even a Stage Coach from the Wild West has a darn sight more character then these heaps of crap & its even worse simply because they are built of so much sheer & utter plastic shit!!

[@neilcooke2357]

My first car was a 1972 1.6 L M3 Cortina ( two door) in 1976, loved it, then a 2.0 E Wish l had them now

[@user-lx6bl2wd8g]

I inherited my father's 1973 1600 L in the same red as yours. Loved it, used to waft along at 70 all day, big and comfortable. Head gasket blew in 86' and I chopped it in for a Fiat Uno 60s. Loved both cars.

[@ozzie-sk9dh]

My Dad had the Mk 3 L in Sebring orange with black vinyl roof. I learnt to drive in it. Great car.

[@MeMe-qr3go]

A very fair and balanced review overall and I was pleasantly surprised by how you didn't slate the Marina like so many have done. My friend had a really old 1.8 super back in the late 80s/Earl 90s and it really was 'done'. The engine was worn out and it was only running on 3 cylinders due to broken piston rings and yet it could still easily out accelerate a mk3 Cavalier. It could have done with a 5th gear or an overdrive but it was still a fun car. I'm not convinced that Marinas had a smaller boot than cortinas as this one had a bigger boot than a mk4 cortina. There was also a front suspension conversation that could be done to the Marina that used telescopic shock absorbers from the rear of a Hillman hunter. It was just basically a bracket that stood out from the lever arms at the top and another mounting on the lower arms. You had to drain the oil out of the lever arms and think of it as an upper wishbone. Apparently it was a major improvement. BL did something similar on very late Itals. It would be amazing to drive a pristine Marina like the one you tested. All in all a great video.

[@miketucker7466]

I bought a Marina last year just for the 1275, but my daughter has decided it’s cool…. TBH she’s right it’s far less dull than any ordinary saloon from the last 25 years!

[@warrendunhilllloyd195]

You Sir, have done Fathering well!

[@RVPartsGerald]

Having driven both in that era I will step outside the box a go with the Fiat 131 Mirafiori. It out handled both Cortina and Marina. Great review guys.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Good choice!

[@williamegler8771]

My parents had a 131 wagon... Even with the 1.8L and 5spd performance was pretty bad and the engine was spinning at 4, 000 to 4,500 RPM on US freeways. Air conditioning was pathetic and could only be used in mild weather otherwise the engine would overheat. Started rusting within the first year of ownership and only lasted about 5 years before the rocker panels and floorboards were rusted out.

[@TheHorsebox2]

Had two Mirafioris. Great cars.

[@hermanmunster3358]

@@williamegler8771 Yep, that was Fiat of the ,70's and 80's. Lancia had an arguably worse reputation than Fiat for rust. And Alfa Romeo were always notorious fir electrical gremlins, and idiosyncratic ideas. But many European volume cars had problems, not just the cars from Italy. Even German cars from VW and Audi had their problems with rust, and just about every French car produced, had tin worm during the 70's.

[@Dan_druft]

Yaeh and rusted terribly

[@annabellaandrewkingdon7972]

My dad had a gold 1.8 special 3 door (LE) marina and it had a large webasto roof and jazzy orange and brown seats. It was a like an upgraded TC and actually looked cool. Never seen one since as I believe they only made a few. We had loads of fun going to beach holidays in it with the roof wound back and the Sharp radio on loud. Those were the days!

[@ricknel76nelson54]

In Australia we had 6cyl variants of both.

[@johnnyfuglestad349]

yes and i have driven the 6 cyl marina- it had awfull handling so i choose the 1,8

[@nigellamaccini6091]

My father had a MK3 Cortina 2000e - in 1976 or thereabouts. Each "rank" in his company who were eligible for a company car started with a Cortina 1.3 base, them L then XL and the final rank was a Cortina 2000 GXL (later E). Higher management always had Granadas which followed the same badge ranking. The only exception was the Chairman who was allocated a Daimler. Ford really understood the psyche of the times :-) The 2000 E was and is very cool!

[@Santor-]

And the secret 1.1L model for the demoted ones?

[@tjm3900]

@@Santor- was there actually a 1.1 ? I thought that was just the Escort ?

[@Santor-]

@@tjm3900 Not all countries had the 1.1, Denmark (where it's very flat) I believe was one of them. It didn't have a call out on the trunk like normal, rather it had a badge delete. Or maybe it was 1.3, for the 76-82 cortina/taunus. Either way it was an economy offering not advertised as far as I understood it. Sort of a secret "miser" model. I wasn't of car buying age back then, so don't know first hand, only read about it somewhere during the years. In my mind, I remember thinking about it as "woah, the Fiesta engine in a Taunus", which would indicate they were talking about the 1.1

[@Martindyna]

I used to work for an American engineering company here in the UK. They used to allow people to pay extra to get higher grade cars but this policy was soon dropped when `juniors' were to be seen with high spec. models which upset people.

[@Rayfaedundee]

I own a 1981 Morris Ital 1.3 HL.. (KAM299X) I’ve owned the car from 2011 at that time it had 385 miles from new. At present time (Nov 2022) it has 925 miles .. I’ve heard all the stories and jokes about Morris Marina and Ital cars, but I don’t listen to them. Haters will always hate any BL car especially the Marina or Ital and the usual is, oh watch out for any falling pianos. In all the years I’ve owned my Ital, it’s never let me down…. Unlike most modern day cars that have ECU and computers/sensors/etc,

[@shipoffools2183]

Ford Australia fitted the Cortina with a 250CI straight six! That was the Cortina I fell in love with!

[@shipoffools2183]

I didn’t know that, what motor went in it? I think it was a Chrysler centurion (don’t quote me!) had a 265 Hemi six, hardly any sold but they would have good.

[@philbruhn9862]

@@shipoffools2183 Centura had a 245ci 3 speed man and it went hard.

[@troytempest5501]

Don't forget the perana cortina,which like the perana capri had a 302ci v8. Awesome!!

[@neilearl3874]

I spent 14 years in a Marina, Coupe then a saloon. I learnt to drive in a 1.3 saloon in the 80s, such an easy car to learn in. Country roads in Oxfordshire , so nice to drive,

[@markrogers6186]

My second car was a mk3 cortina, what a fantastic car,

[@Bicyclehub]

Loved this video and it is a pleasure to hear your enthusiasm for these two cars. The often overlooked fact about BL is that they had great engineers and designers. For the budget and time constraints that existed at the time they did very well; it was brought to life very quickly as you say. And the B series is a strong, durable engine with decent performance. The body to me looks very similar to a Hillman Avenger. I remember as a kid thinking that the Morris Minor was so incredibly old-fashioned and when the Marina replaced it, it seemed super-modern. It was an early example of platform engineering- the platform being the Minors. It is a mystery why Ford only made the Mk3 for 5 or 6 years, having put so much design effort into it.

[@fatbudgiekillen8997]

In Australia,the Marina was sold with 1.5, 1750 cc four cylinders but if you wanted extra thrill there was the 2620cc straight six, with extra! understeer. The Cortina came 2.0 l , 3.3 and 4.1l straight six. Much more understeer

[@stevehanham9266]

I had two Marina 1.8's as company cars, one red and the second one yellow with a black vinyl roof. As a typical sales rep I found that I could always beat other reps in their Cortina 1.6's. When I joined a rival company I was given a Cortina 1.6 whilst I waited for my new Orion 1.6 GL. I was very disappointed in the Cortina. I personally found the handling of the Marina much better than the Cortina. Perhaps it just suited my driving style at the time. Indeed on the way back from Dover one day, I actually took the second Marina around Lydden Hill race circuit for 4 laps! The things that you could get away with in those days 😂 (early 70's). Not sure what company would have said if I'd stuffed it? Anyway, as far as I'm concerned the Marina was the better car and does not deserve the many derogatory comments that it gets. I think a big part of that is because people just like to diss British Leyland. Cheers. 😊😎🎸🇬🇧🇺🇦

[@geoffashden2]

What I loved about 70s cars was that pretty much all of them could be identified from a distance just by their individual styling, something lacking today. back in the mid to late 70s, I passed my test in a wolesley Hornet and a few months later bought a 2 Litre GXL MKIII Cortina. I absolutely loved that car and it had a lot of street-cred back then!

[@simonprodhan5050]

great video! my dad had a marina (OSO 936L) and my memories of it are very positive, very nice looking car, well done for giving the marina its due credit, most people who slag them probably have never been anywhere near one but its the fashionable opinion so thats that, the mk3 tina is a beautiful car but engineering wise isn't really any better than the marina, both are now fantastic 70's classics and are a reminder of how lovely cars used to be from an aesthetic point of view unlike todays boring lookalikes

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Exactly, Simon - we're firm believers of "don't knock it 'til you've tried it!"

[@williamwoods8022]

Correct I had a Mk2 1978 Marina 1.8 HL/TC in Tahiti Blue and it was an excellent and very reliable and fast car back then and it had the thicker uprated anti-roll bars so even though you still had to watch it a bit in the wet like lots of other RWD drive cars it handled far better than the Mk3 Cortinas and Capris that my mates had and I always left them behind in the twisty country roads around our town that we used to drive around back then - plus I am still here today even though I used to drive that car hard and fast back then and ironically it got written off when as usual in town I was driving to the speed limit and driving through a junction when a woman in a van pulled out without stopping right in front of me and the only reason that I was on that route was one of my workmates had asked my to drop him off at his towns bus stop in my town centre because his Escort or Capri he had at the time's engine or gearbox as usual was knackered. I was keeping that Marina for good as well because it was such a good car and those Mk2 Marina HL's were the best looking Marina's in my opinion - never seen another one in Tahiti Blue and dont think any in Mk2 HLs in that colour have survived either.

[@PaulA-bv1rt]

The Corty Down Under also came with a 200 and 250 ci inline 6.

[@sean640307]

but remember, we were also daft enough to try to put a straight six into the Marina as well, both in the 4 door and the 2 door. (Oh, and we even did that to the Holden Torana, but in that case, it worked pretty well!!!!) The Cortina and the Marina both went well in a straight line, but stopping and corners were both challenges that meant that brown cordouroy pants were the right attire!!! :)

[@markcarter9476]

I learn't to drive in a Mk3 GT (bright yellow + black vinyl roof) so I have a soft spot for the Cortina. Great memories.

[@murraylindsay8340]

In NZ I bought a 74 2000E in 78 . Handled well on smooth surfaces. Hit bumps mid-corner when pushing it and it was arse puckering .Hit corragations on a staight road was also exciting.30 mpg when driving sensibly was the norm. Push it real hard (100mph or there about) and I'd see 17mpg.It ate distributor points . At the end of the day it was a great cruiser '

[@philking7805]

Void bushes locating the back axle were the main culprit, made it feel like driving a 60mph forklift 😞

[@IanDarley]

I owned a 2.0GT two door MKIII Cortina in the 80s, I've always thought they were a handsome looking car.

[@jonathanmercer7109]

Having owned a Mark3 Cortina and my mates having had Marina's (elderly in all cases), no competition. Cortina every time.

[@nigden1]

I worked as a sales rep for British Midland Airways from 1978 for 2 years, they gave me a Fiat 127 when I started, a brilliant car to drive with an innovative hatchback. After about 3 months they replaced it with a 1.3 Morris Marina fastback in hearing aid beige, an utter nail of a car that broke down frequently, would not pull a soldier off your sister, and was about as cool as Gary Glitter.

[@Darwinion]

Gary Glitter was very cool in the 70s.

[@nigden1]

@@Darwinion Early 70's yes, I agree, but not by 1978.

[@BillyO]

@@Darwinion His, james Hornes, sister was too !

[@Martindyna]

`would not pull a soldier off your sister' haha. Never heard that expression before.

[@Fred-gu6pk]

Presumably it rained on the Fiat and it dissolved.

[@unklejon4690]

My first car Marina 1.8S.. passed my test in Germany (british forces) bought the marina. I had the joy of hundreds of miles of Unrestricted speed on the autobahns. That thing could shift . I regularly did drives at 120MPH (british model not KPH). As a first car I had nothing to compare it with from experience, but it never let me down or embarrassed me in the two years I had it.

[@KAZUYADOG]

I passed my driving test in Morris Marina Coupe and i owned a MK3 Ford Cortina 2.0 GT in Daytona Yellow.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Nice! Which did you prefer?

[@Hattonbank]

I had the same! a white 1.8 Marina Coupe with a black vinyl rooi, and a canary yellow 2.0GT with black vinyl roof and built in headrests into the seats. Both were great!

[@johang7498]

Here in continental Europe (Belgium) those sentiments surrounding British Leyland were never really an issue, though their cars weren't top sellers too. I grew up in a Ford family and the first car I remember my dad owned was the mk. 3-cortinas German cousin, a by then already quite old dark brown 2-door (not fastback) taunus. As such I too have something of a soft spot for the cortina or any 1970s Ford model for that matter. But that being said: through books and magazines, I got to learn a lot about Leyland cars and can appreciate them very much these days. Maybe it's the love for the underdog, or me not understanding why the British favored an American company that much more than a home-grown manufacturer, but if you were to present to me a marina and a cortina in their nicest possible version (HL/TC vs. GXL/2000 E/GT) in mint condition, I think I'd find it very, very hard to make up my mind. So yeah, that's how much I've come to appreciate BL cars and all those negative comments surrounding them only seemed to have encouraged this appreciation. Funny how that works, no?

[@dijpurdy]

I had the pleasure of driving both of these cars, I owned a 1.3 mk3 Corrina and my father had the 1.8 Marina, I would happily buy either of these cars today, they had the bonus of simple mechanics whhich people could do their own servicing and general repairs, loved them.❤

[@dijpurdy]

And they were the same colours as the ones you are showing in the video.

[@roybroughton6615]

My father owned two mk 3 Cortinas, L reg 2000 gxl & N reg 2000 gt ,he was a definite Ford fan ,never drove the GXL( too young ) but I did drive the Gt which I thought was quick but vague on the handling front ,only drove a Marina once on a test drive, 1.8tc very smooth & felt quick, better build quality than the Cortina but both were totally eclipsed by the Mk 1 Cavalier on the handling & build front, 1.9 Gl R reg ,the handling was a revelation for someone who'd only really driven Fords. Great article👍👍

[@Tawny6702]

In 1975 I worked for a company that had a lot of sales reps, and they brought the new cars in on transporters, and in that year the replacement for the Cortina’s was the Morris Marina and everyone groaned, about two weeks later they groaned even louder!

[@chrislewis4830]

there wasnt just ford and BL there were many cars uk residents could choose from

[@shand1967]

My dad back in the mid seventies had a 1971 Peugeot 504 which was light years ahead of these two.

[@maxflight777]

Lovely cars, both with their own advantages and character. Beautifully edited content ! Thanks guys 👍

[@seankayll9017]

My first car was a 1.3 Marina Coupe. It was already fifteen years old when I bought it. I loved it, it had bags of character, fun to drive and easy to fix.

[@robinforrest7680]

My mum finally chose a Marina 1.3 super after test driving several other cars of the time including a 2CV and a manure coloured Allegro with the « square « steering wheel. She was convinced until the day she died that we took a roundabout on two wheels in that 2CV ! Marina’s get a lot of hate, but as far as I remember it never had issues. I learned to drive with it in the early 80’s and it only went after a careless oak tree stepped out into the road in front of me shortly after I passed my test. My uncle had a Cortina mk3 GXL as his company car…

[@GrahamDyson-h9z]

Absolutely no contest whatsoever, the Cortina wins 'hands down' on Cool aesthetics alone !

[@r6ymy]

It would have to be the Marina for me. My mum bought a new 1.8 Super in 1974. I learnt to drive in it a couple of years later, then frequently borrowed it to take friends to the coast, to motorbike races, acted as roadie for a mates band, and also transported a motorcycle in the boot with the wheels and front forks off. Had loads of fun in it, and it went well too.

[@johnherbert5919]

What about the Vauxhall Victor. I owned one and loved it.

[@neilearl3874]

I like Marinas but then I am biased. 1.3 Marina very decent , had a Y reg Austin Metro as my first car , also lovely to drive. I have been a passenger in an Ital which was very nice too,.

[@derrickmanning2597]

my first car was a cortina 1600xl,had a white full webasto sunroof and rear wheel steering,damn those void bushes! loved every minute of that car. owned a few tinas including base,l and xl,had a mk4 estate also a 1600 but pinto not kent followed by a mk estate in gemini blue/white roof 2.3l auto in 1991.me and my dad had mk4 2.3l in ford velvet metalic,biege interiors and black vinyl roofs,his was auto and mine was a manual both had the cologne v6 and were creamy smooth to drive. both bought unknown to the other and registered 6 months apart! got a bland suzuki ignis(wifes mobility car)that has the charisma and charm of a lada(owned one so i know!) i would love to see BLJ700L again,in the knowledge that its nowhere near as good as i remember!

[@bumfie]

I remember my mum saying that Marnie was coming to stay with us My Dad had the Marina Always enjoyed going on Family holidays + weekend drives . (Marnie ) always got us there . Big boot . It was my dad's first car after passing his test . Back seat was a bit bouncy . He kept it for years then bought an Astra :(

[@robwilliams4773]

Great video. Enjoyed that hugely. The thing is, if you knew little about either car and had to choose one using heart not head it would be the Cortina every time. The Marina may be competent but it is just not inspiring. I was a boy when they came and I don't remember anybody going "wow, a Marina". Not when they could see Cortinas, Escorts, and Capris oozing style in comparison.

[@padrejohnruffle]

Sadly.. you're right!

[@williamwoods8022]

Oh Dear! My 1978 Mk2 Marina HL/TC in Tahiti Blue was an excellent fast and reliable car - far more reliable than the Escorts, Capris and Cortinas that many of my mates drove that went through engines and gearboxes as if they were wear and tear items - this was the reason that I never bought Fords and neither did my workmates who worked for the company I worked for before that because that company used Escorts, Cortinas and one Crapi that went through engines and gearboxes as well - of course because Ford sold their cars cheap to companies and fixed them under warranty all the time our company would not budge and move on to a more reliable manufacturer. Plenty of people went wow to a Marina as they sold loads of them and these Fords back then only made chavs go wow and still do.

[@sueplummer-x4k]

Cortina for me I still drive mine had some mods v6 3000cc and jag back end

[@cuebj]

Seeing the wing mirrors... so much better than just having them on door. You could keep eyes looking forward instead of turning head and changing focus

[@arunta5]

The Ford Cortina Mk3 was sold in Australia as the TC. My first car in 1973 was a TC, XLE (premium model here) with the 6cyl motor lifted from the Ford Falcon. It had four headlights, a vinyl roof and looked the goods. Mine was copper bronze with a parchment roof. They were a good car the problem back then was RUST. It became quite bad that was when I sold it. I did work and park close to Sydney Harbor for virtually the whole time I had it (6 years) maybe that contributed to this issue with my car.

[@originalshadowfax]

Driven both and the 74 MK3 1600L was my first car that I owned, black furry seat covers, slot on head rests, drop over centre console with obligatory gauges that weren't connected up, except for the switch for the stick on rear window demister 😁, I knew every bit of the car, I could tell when the tyre pressures had dropped by even a few pounds, did many miles in it. Learned (with dads help) to change brakes drums, oil, what a distributor was, points etc etc. Sold it and bought a 650 bonneville and then later the marina, which was an 1800TC, quick, but the gearstick was so long, it was like stirring a pudding looking for a gear!! just didn't get on with it at all

[@alecwilliams5281]

Brought back some memories this of sitting in the back of Dads Cortina 2.0 GLX in the mid 70s , can remember the seats and the dashboard all matched in a striking blue colour lovely looking car, although do recall the plastic seats were a bit tricky in hot summers😂my first car was a MK4 2.0 GL colour camel cream , went well but didn’t have the looks of the MK3 in my humble opinion.

[@leetronix]

I remember both these cars and driving around in a purple marina. The cortina was definitely the builders/rep car but the marina was something special had a more fun and homely vibe to it and it was British 😃

[@escapetheratracenow9883]

All my Cortinas were built in Dagenham, Essex, and I loved them all!

[@stephenvince9994]

What you missed was the enthusiasm that the Marina had to revert back to Ferric Oxide. Quite unstoppable.

[@williamwoods8022]

Would have to go faster then to catch up with Fords and Vauxhall's in the rusting stakes - every car back then rusted bad but Fords especially weer the worst. At least BL were ahead of Ford and Vauxhall and most other makes when they brought in waxing of their cars with the Allegro etc but cars still rusted back then even after that because of crap steel etc unlike the cars today that are all better for not rusting.

[@darrensmith6999]

Love Marinas! I had several as a kid in the 80s my Dad had one and it went on for years with over 100000 on the clock(:

[@stephendavidbailey2743]

I owned a 1975 Austin [USA] Marina and loved it. The car is gone, but I still have the badges - and the memories.

[@iangreen180]

My first car was a Marina, but it was a two-door coupe, and looked better than the four door sedans you showed. I put Michelin XZX tyres on it and got extra fuel economy. I could have a saved a lot of money over the years if I had not upgraded to larger cars so quickly.

[@jameskellard5075]

Great review but I think you forgot the Hillman Avenger

[@Sophie-vanTg4u]

My dad had bought over the years all the Cortina's from the mk1 to the mk5. He gave me driving lessons in the mk2 and took my test in it....... happy days

[@robertstorr1680]

No contest. Marina 1950's engine, Cortina, overhead cam. Cortina went round corners, Marina didn't!

[@mtskull59]

As you say, no contest. You forgot to add that the Marina had 1940’s suspension, straight out of the Morris Minor. Throw the 1800 engine into the mix and you had an unguided missile. I had to drive an 1800 Marina estate for work in the 70’s. Even with the fearlessness of youth, it scared the living daylights out of me.

[@user-re6yo7tj5s]

My brother and I had a late 4 door Marina HL with a tuned 160 hp ex race dolomite sprint engine, torsion bars and lever arm dampers Vs the cortinas wishbones is no contest especially when you add in how much a Marinas shell flexes under reasonably hard use. Our marina would just plow straight on in a bend at almost any speed 😂.

[@WINGNUTT2121]

My first car was an Ital. If you knew the car you really could take corners. Just scared the bejasus out of people in the back as it swung out!

[@Fred-gu6pk]

You appear to have omitted both the Vauxhall Viva and the Hillman Hunter

[@victory2115]

The Hillman Avenger was a better car than the marina as well.

[@41708]

The 1.8 TC Marina had bigger valves than an MGB, Only problem I thought was serious was axle tramp with the two leaf rear springs, I replaced them with Corsair springs, you could also fit anti tramp bars. At the front there was a cheap telescopic shock absorber conversion that allowed you to fit decent gas shocks, and avoid the problem of failing lever arm shocks ,that were also the top arm, by removing the valves and putting in EP90 oil instead of the shocker fluid. Then put a piper 60/30-30/60 cam in (2BYS) gas flow the head and inlet manifold with twin 1.75 inch carbs intead of the twin 1.5 inch , none of this expensive, and you get 90 bhp at the rear wheels on a dyno (GRD Rochdale) on which a 3 litre capri shows 95 bhp. So probably 115 bhp at the flywheel, but a Marina 1.8 TC weighs only 18 cwt. It used to be funny watching the faces of lotus cortina drivers when you left them for dead at the lights in London. And the XJ6's that chickened at 115 mph after theyed tried to stick to your tail. (no radars then). I replaced it with a dolly sprint (23 cwt), but it wasn't better. And MK3 Cortinas? was there a fast one?

[@41708]

Well it was a coupé I must add!

[@MeMe-qr3go]

Your Marina sounds like it was a tremendous loaf of fun. I always wanted to shove a V8 in one :)

[@phil955i]

Had both back in the mid 80s when I was 17 / 18. A '74 2 door Mk.3 Cortina in orange, it said 1600 on the logbook but was actually a 2 litre 😉 And a '73 Marina 1.3 automatic (😬) in the same colour as the one in the video. Fond memories of both tbh.

[@martinblack5021]

My first car was a marina coupe. Loved it’s looks. Lever dampers leaked regularly so handling went to pot, and the trunnions seized if not greased regularly. Grip was poor too. Oh, and the rust! Compared to mk2 escort it was miles off

[@grahamgottard]

Marina coupe was a very good looking car. Still looks good today.

[@ralphtuck8509]

My Dad had both the mark 3 & 4 Cortina (Mark 2000E estate and 2L GT Mark4) later he also had an Ital, which was also a nice car. I learned to drive in the Mark 3, which was great. I will admit the Fords were better car’s however the Ital was also a nice car for the era, and I would agree the BL cars were definitely not as bad as certain car journalists would make them out to be.

[@Chris-v4z1t]

After endless problems with a modern car I feel like going back to a cast iron bmc powered saloon, We didn't realise how good they really were..... If you can find one that hasn't rusted away.

[@graemew7001]

You two guys have hit the nail on the head, it wasn't that BL cars were bad (or any worse than most other makes), it was that they were the in joke at the time like Skoda in the 80's ( I do love an Estelle, guilty pleasure haha!!). I had an Allegro in '88 as my second car after a Mk 1 Escort and the Allegro, for all it burned oil was a far more comfortable and nicer to drive car, no street cred but a nicer car all round. I've never driven a Marina but I do think they get an unfairly bad rap.

[@richardgiles2484]

I had a 1.8tc in the very early 80s and it really good car

[@raypurchase801]

I owned a Marina for many years. No pianos ever fell on it.

[@meditationmusicbyalexjackson]

I had an 1800 super. Loved it. Boot was rusted out and driver seat was held up by the spare wheel jammed behind it. Back then dodgy MOTS were £20

[@crcomments8509]

My Dad had a MK3 Cortina 2.0 GXL, it was fantastic, unfortunately when he changed it a few years later he got an BL Princess, which was truly awful. But when I got my own first car I got a Capri, and my Dad really liked it as he said it was very similar to drive to the MK3 Cortina.

[@stephenbrookes7268]

The first car I drove was a marina van.

[@mryorkshire3623]

I had a Cortina mk3 GT 2000 with a twin choke weber carb in sunset red. It was my pride n joy at the time. Also had a mk5 1600L a few years later. Those 'pinto' engines were very reliable.

[@sultanoftippoo3857]

Really great to hear from another MKIII 2.0GT owner (most guys I knew who had one had the 1.6GT). Same as yours, mine was red with a black vinyl roof. I loved that car so much with its interior with the angled dials and superb seats. YNO854L is probably in a scrapyard somewhere now but it provided me with so many amazing memories from the 80’s it will always be one of my favourite cars.

[@Bawbag58]

Great car

[@helenloughton2418]

Marina gor me great car sold million of them 1970s streets full of marinas

[@stevemarks9360]

I worked for Ford, and BL were our best sales force,! I started in 76, Cortina, Fiesta, Granada, Capri and Escort. Everyone was a winner. They were far from perfect of course, but still the best!

[@johnmorris7815]

Welcome to my world, I owned a 1.8 Marina with my mate having a 1.6 Mk3 Cortina. I was lucky to get advice from a friend who knew the issues pertaining to the front suspension, he said “get a grease gun and do every nipple on the suspension every month”, I saw plenty of BL products by the side of the road with one front wheel on its side due to the ridiculous torsion bar suspension layout having the main trunnion in tension.

[@forrestrobin2712]

I learnt to drive in a 1973 1.3L Marina. I’ve never understood the hate. It was a great car until shortly after I passed my test and an oak tree stepped out into the road and wrote it off. (Actually I was on the way to my model railway club when my prized Hornby Dublo "Duchess of Montrose" slid off the passenger seat onto the floor while cornering and I took my eye off the road to retrieve it 😳, but I never told my parents !). More seriously I thought it was great, though I did prefer the Triumph 1300 it replaced.

[@limyrob1383]

Marinas make great run about bangers. They are so simple and parts cost nothing.

[@fugawiaus]

Wow, our mk3 cortinas in australia had a 3.3l six or a 4.1l six from the factory. It’s funny seeing one with 1.6.

[@davidlang3625]

When I was a young child in the early 70's my father had a Ford Escort MK1 work van which he liked. This was then replaced by a Morris Marina van. He was no car enthusiast but he moaned every morning that he had to use that Marina. In particular the unassisted brakes and the handling. However, thinking back I expect it was an early version of the Marina before those improvements were implemented.

[@BillyfromConsett]

My first car was the cortina. It was a wreck. Steering loose, floor rotten, bad electrics with poor handbrake. The frame needed a brace welding on it. I spent hundreds on the thing before it was promptly nicked and came back crashed and Matt black (previously Daytona yellow). It sort of damaged my love for it ….

[@jamesbaker429]

Had two 1.8 marina's a very early TC saloon and a 76 estate had them both ten years but the rust wings and underbody terrible both had head gasket failures took advantage of this both home ported ,boy what an improvement both faster then mgb and so roomy ,estate good for 100 plus and mid 40s a gallon ,TC a beast off the clock Speedo 130 plus but care needed drift on corners and neither liked cross winds at motorway speeds the suspension not up to the power,went to sierra after that more positive ride .

[@simonf8902]

The Cortina as sold in Australia was considered a bit of a joke. Plus the suspension and frame couldn’t handle Aussie roads. Build quality was woeful too.

[@Mandylove999]

I have lost count of the number of mk3 cortinas I’ve owned, including a Miami blue Crayford convertible, it was a brilliant motor, easy to work on, cheap to run, plenty of room, many a memory has been made in a mk3 😀

[@wigglerise]

Owned both a Marina and MK3. Loved the Cortina, plenty of space and comfortable and super reliable. Never gelled with the Marina like I did the Cortina.

[@alphan13091999]

The Australian Cortina mk3 was a monster with a Falcon derived 4.1l 6 cylinder. We also got a 6 cylinder Marina.

[@smoothmicra]

The Mk 3 Cortina is such a handsome car, dare I say a style icon, which is why I would always have one over a Marina. All cars of that era had issues with build quality, reliability and rust, so it is unfair to call out the Marina for it. For the time a decent motor, just not as sexy as the Cortina.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

No denying the style of the Cortina!

[@seansands424]

The marina was not a bad car

[@bryanmiller2520]

BMC did well in the '60s when buyers went for space efficient small cars, but Ford learned that more affluent 70's buyers preferred style over substance, and wanted a car that looked bigger and more impressive. The Mk 3 Cortina was wider but no longer than the Mk 2, but the swoopy styling made it look much bigger. Ironically, period magazine comparisons showed the Marina had more room in the back seat, and the boot held more luggage.

[@tomk8729]

My first car was a Moris Minor (in 1978). Then a MkII Cortina when I passed my test in 1979. The Marina was known (rightly or wrongly) as a re-skinned Morris Minor. The Cortina was a no-brainer. I never had a Mk3 (except as a Dinky toy) but several Mk4s and a Mk5.

[@ows04]

I had 3 Marinas in 3 different countries. A 1.8 Coupe in England, A Straight 6 automatic in Australia and a 1,6 saloon in New Zealand.

[@carlarthur4442]

I had an Mk 2 Escort estate, a mk1 Cortina & a Mk 5 Cortina , in-between I owned a Marina Coupe, the Marina was more reliable, I've had other cars of all makes and types , really don't know which one I actually liked the best , I've had 3 minis and many more each had their own issues, if it was a British made car the biggest problem was Rust . Great video guys , thanks 😊

[@williamwoods8022]

Every car back then rusted bad even BMW and Mercedes etc.

[@-DC-]

Quite agree if the Marina had been discontinued in the late 70's it would have been remembered as a perfectly reasonable everyday car, Usual BL BS product planning has ALOT to answer for.

[@robsmall6466]

Quite lucky to have a Marina estate in my area. I remember these being fairly common growing up but rare now

[@johnwright3075]

Loved both cars went to Cornwall in a marina and we owned a mark lll cortina

[@MikeFisher-123]

As a young driver my father had a Marina 1.8 coupe and then a Cortina mk3 1600 saloon, and I did a good few long journeys driving them both. The brash new Cortina was the car everyone wanted, but I have to say that I enjoyed driving the Marina more. It was an early one and it did understeer more, and the Cortina gearchange was nicer, but the Marina was just a better drive to me, the steering felt better and the smooth torquey engine was way nicer to live with. And the coupe was a nice looking car - there weren't so many of them so it stood out!

[@robertwillis4061]

My Father had a Neon Green Marina 1,8 Estate as a loan car while his Polski Fiat was in for repair due to a split piston ring. It pulled the caravan on holiday without any great effort. . . Once the Polski Fiat was returned, he kept it for y months before trading it in for a Marina 1.8 Estate in a light blue colour. He removed the coloured grill insert and put in spotlights behind the grill. And a set of fog lights below the bumper. Then an electric fan was added, followed by a higher capacity Alternator. He had it for about 2 years before he bought an FSO Polenez

[@HorsleyLandy88]

My first car was a 1972 Marina 1.8 Midnight blue with red interior, I did 100mph in it with L plates on, my mum said "yes go for it". I had an old set of tyres for the rear so I could smoke them outside school.

[@samstvshow]

The Marina is the smoother ride by far. Just compare the two camera shots.

[@Shhdjr47]

Morris Marina never started. It was 1978. Replaced it with a Lada. Ladas aren’t exactly lovely but they did work

[@SwampieMusic]

Another benefit of having a Lada was that you would never get a speeding ticket. lol (old jokes)