UNSAFE for the road? 200bhp and counting Morris Marina Turbo

[@OpelFruits676]

Well there's a blast from the past ! I've still got the mag it was in, loved it at the time, great to see it's still alive !

[@ianmangham4570]

I loved my marina 1800 in the late 80s ,she never let me down🤠🇬🇧👌

[@garrywitcomb2334]

Now THAT is cool !!!! Fair play,what a proper sleeper 😆😆😆😆😆

[@claytonspeedcars]

Thanks!

[@superseven7947]

Nice to see a Hot Marina.. Had one as my first car back in 1984 😁👍

[@realMaverickBuckley]

I was so excited when i thought it was the 8 valve turbo. Mental engines. 🥰🥰

[@theoriginalwallace]

Love it! Uniqueness. This is why I'm slowly building my Viva HC! I did fit a 460hp Cosworth YB engine & gearbox, but anything with that badge costs a fortune! Engine, turbo, Haltech, etc have been sold to continue the build. So it now has a P38 Range Rover 4.6 V8 (not staying stock) with a TVR bellhousing on the Cosworth T5 'box! Cheers. Leigh.

[@claytonspeedcars]

That is awesome!

[@theoriginalwallace]

@@claytonspeedcars Cheers bud! Can't wait to see the upgrades on the green beast!!

[@helenloughton2418]

Excellant love it .marina tc was a top car

[@rosspalmer435]

Can remember reading the magazine with the car in . Now aged 45. Nice to see it still looking well kept

[@andyday1981]

Just stumbled across this and absolutely love it 👍🏻 My dad had a harvest gold (brown) Marina TC saloon when I was a kid so got a soft spot for them, and growing up in the 80s/90s I love turbo power. I’m currently building a 73 L-reg Mk1 Escort with a 2.0 Duratec turbo engine.

[@damiantaylor7993]

My dad had a Morris Marina TC saloon when I was 3/4 years old an m reg orange with the vinyl black roof, I loved it as it was or seemed fast at the time and that was way back in 78/79

[@Pikestnt]

Always wanted a sleeper Marina. Very I mpressive and goes a long way to counter the Top Gear attitude to Marinas

[@kanggoo57]

Ive always loved the look of the morris marina, now its actually something id also want to drive

[@neiljarvis8911]

They never did when I was a kid, but now that looks really cool and much nicer shape than a mk2 escort, but perhaps not a straight low mk1.

[@butterfliesandtape]

Ahh the memories!! Subscribed! You, sir, are a legend and a bit crazy. Hurrah for you. More more more.

[@claytonspeedcars]

Welcome aboard!

[@andrewanderson5297]

I had the Canadian version - 1975 Austin Marina 2 door. That thing was definitely out to kill me, I ended up nicknaming the car "The Antichrist". Drove it to the wreckers for the extra 10 bucks. Thinking about it now, I almost wish I had it back again... I must not be well.

[@claytonspeedcars]

I think any old car with character can get under your skin, for good or bad reasons!

[@murraybennett3594]

Glad I’m not the only insane person on this planet. Have a 1972 Marina with 12A fuel injected Rotary engine. Once suspension sorted the Turbo will be fitted. A thing of beauty the Marina.

[@claytonspeedcars]

Daring to be different! Great stuff.

[@murraybennett3594]

@@claytonspeedcars loving your door handle delete - Cleans up the sides. Will be keen to see the updates. Well done mate 👍

[@michaelmatthews8171]

I remember this from fast car mag BITD!! great to see it still about.Love a fwd engine turned and fitted in a rwd car. subbed..

[@claytonspeedcars]

Yes! Paul Hedger built the car back then. It still has his signature under the bonnet.

[@RetroJay1974]

About time these cars got some love! I think this car is great :D

[@claytonspeedcars]

Absolutely. Cheaper than a lot of the alternatives and bags of potential!

[@lucymundy]

Wow this is 🔥🔥🔥 can’t wait for the next video! Xx

[@claytonspeedcars]

More to come!

[@chrisst8922]

Watch out for that (very fast) piano.

[@DjNikGnashers]

Really enjoyed the video, and love the car. Personally, and I say this as a fan of both classic cars, and modern ones, I think even very fast modern cars have become a bit too safe and boring. Things like the RS3, A45S, Golf R etc, are so safe you can go WOT from a launch with one hand on the wheel easily. This car however, requires real skill, and is FUN. I also admire the fact you do work yourself, well done sir. I had a Marina myself back in the late 1980's. and have fond memories. It was reliable, fun, and I did 1000's of miles in it. If I could make one suggestion, for future updates, can you edit the music volume so that it is not 4 times louder than your voice ? Looking forward to the next video !

[@claytonspeedcars]

Glad you liked it. Yes it is a car you have to 'learn to drive' but it isn't unruly, just, as you say FUN. Point taken on audio. Still getting to grips with the editing! Thanks for watching.

[@jeffhubbard5660]

Nice stuff mate, I remember this build from back in the day. New sub for you.......

[@claytonspeedcars]

Thanks and welcome

[@jondrizzle4554]

Fkin love that fella👍🤣

[@ciaranburke3243]

Now that's interesting, just subbed 👍

[@claytonspeedcars]

Thanks for the sub!

[@welshmaniacs16]

This comment might be a tad negative but No offence intended, this wont last long. The marina chassis was never built to withstand this amount of hp. Looks like you havent strengthened it in any places. You need to gusset places like chassis rail to bulkhead and strut top to bulkhead etc because its going to twist and crab down the road eventually. Seen it so many times on cars for example a vauxhall carlton engine or red top in a corsa b or nova. Hopefully you will consider doing a fresh floor to roof rebuild and do some strengthening honestly because this is a friggin cool build. Love the color aswel. You dont see many of these anymore 👍

[@claytonspeedcars]

Not negative at all. The build to 400hp is a slow burner and so any modifications to the chassis will be factored. The Marina has a surprisingly strong shell, and is actually (dare I say it) stronger than that of a Ford Escort of the same era (ducks!). With the Marina the areas to strengthen are also different since it has Torsion bar suspension, so gussets to the inner wing to A post, chassis connectors joining the torsion boxes to the rear leaf springs etc would be appropriate. Safety is paramount and I appreciate the comments. Rest assured when the time comes, the shell will be treated to a proper floor to roof rebuild taking into account the upgrades. And you will be able to watch it all on this channel! Ben

[@welshmaniacs16]

@@claytonspeedcars in thats case i cant wait to see the rebuild and how it turns out so youve earned yourself a sub sir.. fantastic job so far 👍👍

[@PeterCummins-gm2bu]

This is giving me Ideas. As I been wanting for years. TO UPGRADE A Marina Coupe 1.8TC. Just I'm Homeless @ moment. But once settled n sorted. I May Pick U, For hints n ideas. 👌👌👌

[@fizzy49cc]

love it

[@davegreystoke9002]

I have a Pinto engined Morris coupe rally car.

[@claytonspeedcars]

Glad to hear you still have it Dave. I remember when it had an SD1 2ltr… in fact I remember buying that engine off you!

[@Rayfaedundee]

Just a quick question, is your air filter intake pipe going to clear the road wheel if its on full lock to the right. Nice Marina though.. I own the Morris Ital (KAM299X) the Ital with the ultra low genuine mileage of 915 miles

[@chebly1000]

subbed

[@stevescholey3479]

I took my driving test in a Marina and passed. My memoriy of this car is, you can take a bend, straighten up, think it is all over, then WHAM ! All the energy from the rear leaf springs unleashes itself and you are again in the same bend trying to keep the thing on the correct side of the road. In this video, the structure of the car is cut away to fit the air pipe, is this not a concern ?

[@claytonspeedcars]

It is. I've got to gusset the area around the pipe. The car is all wrapped up over winter so I'll sort that out when the weather improves! This one doesn't handle like a 'normal' Marina. They can be made to handle exceptionally well with a little thought and some choice upgrades. Mind you, when I first started driving these back in the day I ended up backwards around a bend once. Stoped just in front of the 'bend in road' sign!

[@version736ha2]

Cool

[@bugattieb110ss]

I've never seen such a monumental lash-up in all my life!

[@skylined5534]

Eh?! Looks fine!

[@jimzo1985]

who welded that thing ... how long had they been blind .

[@djgravit-e3193]

Was that the only way on relocating the pipe for the air filter?

[@claytonspeedcars]

Pretty much. The inlet is in front of the steering rack, facing backwards.

[@djgravit-e3193]

@@claytonspeedcars ahh ok fair enough, nice motor though mate, looking forward to seeing more videos

[@kevinjones3900]

No ford I like your style.

[@nadimatteeque4028]

Fit a Honda K Series engine as they are almost unbreakable.

[@buckwheatINtheCity]

The Marina was the dullest, most mediocre car that BL wasted resources producing. It couldn't compete with the Cortinas or Escorts. It was worse than everything that came before it and everything after it. Oddly enough, the best version was a VAN. Go figure.

[@claytonspeedcars]

Yup, definitely a mediocre car, 1.2 million built, only car to make British Leyland any cash, top 5 all the way through the 1970s in the UK. A successful rally car winning its class in the 1971 RAC rally, second overall in the '72 Cyprus rally. V8 version entered into the '74 UDT rally. So yeah, mediocre but then who wants to be the same as everyone else, really?

[@byronmills5952]

When it comes to dull and mediocre you can't get any greater example than an Escort or Cortina. Go figure why a Group 4 Escort of any description has little or nothing to do with a standard car. MK3/4 and 5 Cortinas were nasty boat like things to drive and went through void bushes like a child munching through a packet of fruit gums. BL didn't waste resources making the Marina as it sold well and made money. Yes BL didn't have the financial resources to give cars away in such numbers to company car fleets like Ford did, but spare us your negativity and all this Ford was great and everything else was crap nonsense - some of us lived through that time as well. Marinas and every other Rwd drive car that happens not to be a Ford from the 70s is quite equally capable of being a fun and modified retro project.

[@BungleBare]

Dull and mediocre suited fleet buyers well, and that’s the market BL was aiming for with the Marina. Cheaper than the competition (particularly in its later years, and when it morphed into the Ital), cheap to run, and with a dealer in every town, it was ideal for a fleet manager in that context, and that was a big market in the UK. Fleets just wanted a car of a certain size, at the right price, that would be practical and cost-effective for them to run. The Marina did that job. There were undoubtedly better cars out there at the time, but not “better” in the context of the fleet market’s concerns. Ford had shown the way with the Cortina - this type of car sold well in the UK. Now BL did have a plan; Morris for cars chasing fleet sales (like the Marina), with Austin for the advanced cars of a similar size that might appeal more to private buyers - which gave the market the Maxi and Allegro. Which is another story. The Marina was specifically designed to be boring, stodgy, and unadventurous. Basically to be “good enough” to do its job. A bit like Dacia Sanderos and the like today. Are Sanderos as “good” as a Fiesta, 208, or even their Clio cousins? By most measures, no. But at their price point and level of relative simplicity they do the job, and have found a market. Probably best to look at the Marina in those sort of terms. Subbed BTW. Awesome car.

[@adebat13]

Stop me if I'm wrong but I think a turd has been officially polished and very well finished it is,top job 👍

[@claytonspeedcars]

I'll take that as a compliment, I think!

[@adebat13]

Please do,it's a well tidy engine swap and so different to see a BL motor given the treatment