No apologies for coming back to a previous featured car, Brian has made some new mods which I hope that you'll agree, puts it into a complete new category - probably worth a feature all on its' own - Click Here or on the picture below for the update.

"Oh, another 1.8 Marina TC, hmm, wonder why it's in featured cars?"

"The picture was taken at Shuttleworth, Bedfordshire Spring 2007, a blaze TC".

"Whose is it then?"

"Well it belongs to a long standing club member called Brian Viney.  Brian is from Lincolnshire via  the world, as he has spent his working life as an engineer on board ships"

"Hang on minute haven't  I seen this car before?"

"Well possibly - Brian loaned the Coupe to 'Retro Cars Magazine' when they featured Marina tuning in 2006".

"Oh, tuned is it?"

"Well yes, but not just your unleaded head and wider tyres".

"Go on then tell the story.  I know that you are dying to".

"OK, if you insist.  Brian bought the car new and started modifying it after 3 months of ownership.  Along the way he contacted BL 'Special Tuning' about some anti-roll bars but was told they were unnecessary .  Back to the car, outside looks fairly standard, the cut down Ital spoiler, hmmm those rear arches look very full, is that just the tyres?  No, not quite, Brian has never liked the Marina rear axle as it wasn't capable of handling the power he though that he might want.  Well, what axle has the same wheel stud spacing and can handle more power?  Dolomite Sprint, just cut off the coil spring mounts, weld on some leaf spring mounts and you are away - almost - different length rear propshaft, bolt the TC wheels on and you're away.  The Dolly Sprint racers recon a standard Sprint axle will handle up to 200bhp - that should be enough then.

"Ok, what's it like inside then?  Standard Mk1 dash, Mk1 centre consol, seats Frog recliners...OK, what's that lead then, hang on funny old gear stick isn't it"?

Good spot mate, funny old gearbox the Marina 4 speed, great for everyday in the 1970s, but bashing up and down motorways and improving fuel consumption needs more gears.

"OK 5 speed is?"

Yes, Ford Type 9 Sierra.

"Oh, one of those megabucks alloy bellhousing kits?"

No, Brian did it himself, checkout the pics below.

Two views showing the modified Marina gearbox carrier	Brian has fitted a tensioner under the gearbox and bellhousing
The Ford gearbox is offset by 5o from vertical, to allow easier mounting to the Marina gearbox.	The gearboxes are about the same length, but the Ford tailshaft is longer - that'll be another propshaft mod then.

Brian has written some words on the axle and gearbox mods for you to checkout - Click Here. 

"Well that's interesting, but I hear there are several cars about like that".

Well you're hard to impress aren't you, what about electronic ignition then?

"Nah, everyone's got that haven't they?"

No, I mean fully mapable ignition - check it out.  First you mount a toothed wheel on the front of the crank damper, thing is it has to be a central as possible, any more than a 1mm run out and the crank sensor won't work.  Then you build a mount for the crank sensor and a wiring run.

Then connect to an Escort coil pack and run some leads to and ECU hidden in the glove box.	Finally add a throttle potentiometer to the end of the carburettor spindle to read the throttle load.

Then all that needs to be done is run a lead into the cabin so that you can adjust the timing on your laptop.  For Brian's words Click Here.  So what do you think then?

Not bad, that's a first on a Marina isn't it?

Yup - reckon so.  Anyway - with all this potential, this Marina is going to need to stop better.  Brian thought about it and decided to take the bull by the horns - modern single calipers - yeah go on then.

Let's start with the  end in mind shall we?  Brian wanted to use the Marina disks so he had to find a caliper that was originally designed for another solid disked car.
	As no-one has done this before, Brian was working blind.  A trip to the scrap yard showed that 1990s VW Passat solid disk brakes might be just the thing.
Brian reconditioned the calipers and then sorted out the mountings; he had to modify the Marina brake caliper mounting plates as they stood a little proud of the disks and the caliper mounting lugs didn't quite align with the Marina mounting plates.  The mounting plates were slightly slotted to move the caliper in towards the centre (Brian welded up the slot so that there was no play).  He also cut off one of the caliper mounts and made up another making the holes a little further apart.  Are they better brakes - you betcha!  For Brian's notes Click Here.

You'll see Brian at many club shows and meetings - don't be shy and retiring - go up and say hello and ask about the car.

"I will - I reckon that it's a very special Marina".