For those interested in old cars.

[brianthesnail96]

That looks great Nidge, must admit I probably prefer the Dunlops but it's nice to see a Mini that's a bit different without being completely overcooked! Enjoyed the Canley pictures too.

 

The Marina has backward wipers, except for very early cars. Apparently towards the end of the travel they start to lift off the screen at high (relative term!) speed, so they were swapped around. The scuttle panel has grommets blanking the LHD (normally RHD) wiper spindle holes.

[Rugd1022]

That looks great Nidge, must admit I probably prefer the Dunlops but it's nice to see a Mini that's a bit different without being completely overcooked! Enjoyed the Canley pictures too.

 

The Marina has backward wipers, except for very early cars. Apparently towards the end of the travel they start to lift off the screen at high (relative term!) speed, so they were swapped around. The scuttle panel has grommets blanking the LHD (normally RHD) wiper spindle holes.

 

Cheers Brian. Er, I mean Matt  .

 

When I first bought the 'S back in 2011 it came with a set of thick rimmed 4.5'' Minilite copies but I sold them and put the Dunlops on which came from my previous '69 Mk2 Cooper. Quite a few folk have said they like the look of the Dunlops on the car as they go well with the dark purple paintwork, but when the rare Mk3 Cosmics came into view at Stanford Hall I just couldn't resist them. I'm astonished at how well and how quickly they've been refurbished actually. The Dunlops will now go on the next Mini I buy, unless it already has something decent on when I find the right car.... talking of which, I went to have a shuftie at this last night, a very early Mk3 Auto, built in November '69 but not reg'd until May '70...

 

[russ p]

Another nice one Nidge

[New Haven Neil]

Matt is correct, my very early Marina had wipers the right way around - and several other differences to most cars - the loom for instance was completely different, and in a different place!

[Rugd1022]

Matt is correct, my very early Marina had wipers the right way around - and several other differences to most cars - the loom for instance was completely different, and in a different place!

 

It's strange how some production changes kicked in with certain cars, when the Mk2 Mini was superceded by the Mk3 in the Autumn of 1969, the two models overlapped by several weeks with the last Mk2s having Mk3 bootlids and the first Mk3s having Mk2 seats and trim. The mounting position of the wipers also changed at the same time allowing another slight crossover in spec on the finished cars. This has lead to a few arguments in Mini circles about the aunthenticity of some cars but it all boils down to the production line managers making sure all the older parts bins were emptied while the new parts were being introduced! The overlap lasted another five months with the outgoing Mk2 Cooper S, the last one came off the line at Longbridge in March 1970, by which time the new Clubman based 1275 GT was starting to appear in the showrooms. Also by this time the 'ordinary' 998cc Cooper has been dropped (despite strong sales) but strangely the Mk3 1275 Cooper S didn't start production until March '70. Sales were quite slow though and Lord Stokes killed it off un July '71, with less than 1600 sold in all.

Edited September 21, 2016 by Rugd1022

[Rugd1022]

God the '70s were ace...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brianthesnail96]

Matt is correct, my very early Marina had wipers the right way around - and several other differences to most cars - the loom for instance was completely different, and in a different place!

Quite possibly had the super lethal early suspension too (as opposed to the mildly lethal "corrected" suspension introduced somewhat fairly quickly after the car was launched)! Amazing you are still here really...

[great central]

Matt is correct, my very early Marina had wipers the right way around - and several other differences to most cars - the loom for instance was completely different, and in a different place!

 

My early Marina had a dynamo rather than alternator. It was a devil trying to get a fan belt for as all the listings were for alterantor fittings . Still got the car incidentally, keep thinking about restoring one day, been off the road since about 1982, apart from when I fired it up to drive when we moved house in 1987

Edited September 21, 2016 by great central

[brianthesnail96]

1300 I bet- presumably with front drums instead of discs too? I think the really early 1800s were dynamo as well but I'm pretty sure the A series kept them later.

 

Are you in the owner's club? Young Josh is trying to log all the existing (and for that matter known to be no longer existing!) early cars- there's a surprising number of early ones left considering how rare they are as a species!

 

Have just booked the hotel for the NEC again, should have a couple of interesting variations on the Marina theme this year if all goes to plan. V8 anyone?

[alastairq]

It appears the new definitive name for old cars, bikes, and other vehicles is to no longer be 'classic'.

 

We now drive/own VIHs.....''Vehicles of Historic Interest.''

 

There is a possibility of rules being imposed whereby we may have to obtain certification that we own a VIH which is essentially unaltered from new.

 

There is also a 'suggestion' that owners of VIHs will be limited in the amount of mileage they will be allowed to drive in a year?

 

All is at a consultation stage at present....initiated by the EU.

 

The Government are seeking responses to various questions form users or vested interests.

 

DAmmit, I've lost the link!!

 

ooops!

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/roadworthiness-testing-for-vehicles-of-historic-interest

 

The focus is on testing.....but I note a lot of other questions being looked at, as I posted above....?

 

We need to avoid being bogged down on the issue of testing { I agree with the Government view on this]...because the restrictions being mooted above are, in my view, far more serious.

 

I post as the regular user of a 65 year old sports car.....too regular, perhaps?

[keefr2]

There is a possibility of rules being imposed whereby we may have to obtain certification that we own a VIH which is essentially unaltered from new.

The Historic motorsport fraternity will love that!

 

And if it's EU initiated why are the government now bothering to waste any time on it....?!

[runs as required]

.....And if it's EU initiated why are the government now bothering to waste any time on it....?!

I think this an example of the legal minutiae the lawyers are assuring us will take e££ing years to unscramble - and rubbing their hands in delight about.

 

dh

[Horsetan]

It appears the new definitive name for old cars, bikes, and other vehicles is to no longer be 'classic'.

 

We now drive/own VIHs.....''Vehicles of Historic Interest.''

 

There is a possibility of rules being imposed whereby we may have to obtain certification that we own a VIH which is essentially unaltered from new.

 

There is also a 'suggestion' that owners of VIHs will be limited in the amount of mileage they will be allowed to drive in a year?

 

All is at a consultation stage at present....initiated by the EU.

 

The Government are seeking responses to various questions form users or vested interests.

 

DAmmit, I've lost the link!!

 

ooops!

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/roadworthiness-testing-for-vehicles-of-historic-interest

 

The focus is on testing.....but I note a lot of other questions being looked at, as I posted above....?

 

We need to avoid being bogged down on the issue of testing { I agree with the Government view on this]...because the restrictions being mooted above are, in my view, far more serious.

 

I post as the regular user of a 65 year old sports car.....too regular, perhaps?

Doesn't Switzerland operate something similar for all of the classic cars registered within its borders?

[Kelly]

The Historic motorsport fraternity will love that!

 

And if it's EU initiated why are the government now bothering to waste any time on it....?!

 

The problem is, the referendum, legally has no value. The Government can ignore it legally. It would cause outrage, etc.

 

But we are just as bound by EU laws, etc and a full member, regardless of the vote until such time as Article 50 is invoked and the 2 year negotiation period is over.

 

Getting back to classic cars sorry Vehicles of Historic interest... I do miss driving a classic car ('64 HA Viva and later a '75 HC VIva, love 'em or hate 'em, I enjoyed driving them). Sadly my health and finances mean it is highly unlikely I'll ever do so again (certainly in the sense of owning!) (the Vivas were my ex's).

Edited September 22, 2016 by Kelly

[Wolseley]

It's strange how some production changes kicked in with certain cars, when the Mk2 Mini was superceded by the Mk3 in the Autumn of 1969, the two models overlapped by several weeks with the last Mk2s having Mk3 bootlids and the first Mk3s having Mk2 seats and trim. The mounting position of the wipers also changed at the same time allowing another slight crossover in spec on the finished cars. This has lead to a few arguments in Mini circles about the aunthenticity of some cars but it all boils down to the production line managers making sure all the older parts bins were emptied while the new parts were being introduced! The overlap lasted another five months with the outgoing Mk2 Cooper S, the last one came off the line at Longbridge in March 1970, by which time the new Clubman based 1275 GT was starting to appear in the showrooms. Also by this time the 'ordinary' 998cc Cooper has been dropped (despite strong sales) but strangely the Mk3 1275 Cooper S didn't start production until March '70. Sales were quite slow though and Lord Stokes killed it off un July '71, with less than 1600 sold in all.

 

 

BMC were pretty good at mixing up parts when there was a model changeover.  I have a 1962 Wolseley 15/60 (and before you say I must have the date wrong, it's an Australian built car, and they kept building them here until February of 1962 when the 15/60 was replaced by a six-cylinder version of the car, called the 24/80 - 2.4 litres. 80 BHP if you're wondering).  Mine is one of the last 15/60s built - the 49th built in 1962 and the highest body number known to the Wolseley Car Club of NSW.  It has a 24/80 heater (it was bigger than the 15/60 one and the outlets are different) and the rear spring assembly is 24/80 and not 15/60.  There are a few other bits that might be 24/80 as well, but I haven't compared everything.

[keefr2]

The problem is, the referendum, legally has no value. The Government can ignore it legally. It would cause outrage, etc.

 

But we are just as bound by EU laws, etc and a full member, regardless of the vote until such time as Article 50 is invoked and the 2 year negotiation period is over.

 

 

Yes, I'm aware of all that, but if the PM is being truthful when she says 'Brexit means Brexit', then the Government could quite easily ignore trivial legislation such as this, because given the rather larger mess they have to sort out once Article 50 is invoked, nonsense such as this will soon be lost in the maelstorm of rather more important business that will arise! I'm sure Whitehall Departments, including the DfT, already have, or should have, bigger fish to fry - like sorting out what they're going to do about 'de-harmonising' our driving licences etc...! Oh what fun....!!

 

Keith

[PhilJ W]

This was put forward long before Brexit, by the British government. There was no prompting by the EU though it was practice in some European countries. The delay is due to our own bureaucrats/lawyers having not yet turned something concise and easily understandable into complicated gibberish.

[keefr2]

... our own bureaucrats/lawyers having not yet turned something concise and easily understandable into complicated gibberish.

 

No change there then...!! 

[great central]

1300 I bet- presumably with front drums instead of discs too? I think the really early 1800s were dynamo as well but I'm pretty sure the A series kept them later.

 

Are you in the owner's club? Young Josh is trying to log all the existing (and for that matter known to be no longer existing!) early cars- there's a surprising number of early ones left considering how rare they are as a species!

 

Have just booked the hotel for the NEC again, should have a couple of interesting variations on the Marina theme this year if all goes to plan. V8 anyone?

Nope 1800 coupe or as I put on the boot badge 109.7 cu in! I was heavily into Brisca stock car racing at the time and they mostly use V8s with the size given in cubic inches

Edited September 23, 2016 by great central

[alastairq]

When one returns a VHI, as they now are called [i got it wrong, digital dyslexia, sorry]....to this country from abroad [re-imports?]....then, in order to qualify for 5% VAT, the vehicle has to be designated as VHI.

 

[in my experience, the importer handles all that].......I don't know whether anyone else on here has re-imported a VHI, but, you should see the restrictions on usage HMC&E..or whatever they are calling themselves these days [gone are the days when we referred to them as the 'revenuers?']...impose via the documentation?

 

I do wonder whether this is a taste of things to come, being imposed via the back door?

[New Haven Neil]

1300 I bet- presumably with front drums instead of discs too? I think the really early 1800s were dynamo as well but I'm pretty sure the A series kept them later.

 

Are you in the owner's club? Young Josh is trying to log all the existing (and for that matter known to be no longer existing!) early cars- there's a surprising number of early ones left considering how rare they are as a species!

 

Have just booked the hotel for the NEC again, should have a couple of interesting variations on the Marina theme this year if all goes to plan. V8 anyone?

 

Mine was a 1300 base saloon, front drums, dynamo, and rust.  TGR 194 K IIRC, black plates and all.  I can't remember which way around it was, but most cars had the loom in the roof, or along the sills.  Mine was the opposite of whatever was in the Haynes of the time!  It handled errrr interestingly, but a couple of 50L drums of water in the boot helped a lot.  I wasn't aware there were any changes in the suspension, Matt?  It all looked the same as a Minor to me, useless kingpins, lever arm shocks and stuff.  We had it for 3 years, and it never let us down.  It died when a moron drove right into us at a red traffic light.  What part of red didn't he understand, we were stationary!  As we were going to New Zealand for a month two days later we just drove it to the scrappies, where so many parts of it came from anyway!   A 'Special' interior had been fitted by me when we first got it as the blue plastic seats were truly awful.

[PhilJ W]

The restrictions on use of VHI's does not surprise me at all. Legally if a vehicle qualified for zero road tax it could only be used privately but many owners of light vans and Land Rovers and similar vehicles used them as part of their business, in which case the full tax should have been paid. Its because of this abuse that restrictions have been applied.

[alastairq]

The restrictions on use of VHI's does not surprise me at all. Legally if a vehicle qualified for zero road tax it could only be used privately but many owners of light vans and Land Rovers and similar vehicles used them as part of their business, in which case the full tax should have been paid. Its because of this abuse that restrictions have been applied.

 In my case, the restrictions effectively forbade me from using the vehicle to commute, or enter any form of competition.  In other words, all it appeared I could use it for was to drive to or from a car show, or to a museum.

 

Needless to say, I watch my rear view mirror intently, in case HMRC are tailing me.  

[runs as required]

 In my case, the restrictions effectively forbade me from using the vehicle to commute, or enter any form of competition.  In other words, all it appeared I could use it for was to drive to or from a car show, or to a museum.

Needless to say, I watch my rear view mirror intently, in case HMRC are tailing me.  

This is presumably going to have an effect upon those who 'collect' old cars (and bikes).

Both my sons are self employed petrol heads, one 'dahn sarf' does well and is constantly buying/negotiating/swapping about a dozen or more late 60-70s cars at any one time, the younger is part of the NE 'precariat' and attempts the same with a lesser stock of Triumph/Ducati/BMW bikes of the same epoch.

They both will use one of their vehicles for chasing work.

 

They both argue their hobbies will give them a nest egg/pension that us oldies take for granted.

dh

[Wolseley]

With the talk about Morris Marinas earlier in this page, I thought I might mention the Australian Marinas.  They were only sold in saloon and coupe form and, although they were originally pretty much the same as the UK built cars, after a short period they were marketed as Leyland (and not Morris) Marinas, with a different grille and the option of the four cylinder E-Series engine in 1500cc, 1750cc and 1750cc twin carburettor form or the 2600 cc E-series six-cylinder engine.  A V6 version was being developed at the time of Leyland's demise as an Australian manufacturer - the engine was a shortened version of the Leyland P76 V8 and was lighter than the E Series, which would have improved handling, but it came too late to make it into production.  There was also talk of limited production of a V8 Marina, to take on the V8 Holden Toranas at Bathurst - now that could have been interesting.....

 

Here are some photos I took of a Leyland Marina Six at a car show last year: