Modified 70s and 80s Saloons - Picture Thread

[Steve Holmes]

The Marina! Looks like it had its wheelbase extended? Was the rear axle moved back?

Photo by Warwick Clayton.

[Grant Ellwood]

The Marina! Looks like it had its wheelbase extended? Was the rear axle moved back?

Photo by Warwick Clayton.

Had a Jag rear end in a fabricated sub-frame so could easily have been located further back.

[seaqnmac27]

I had a flick through my Motoractions, its the first time its mentioned at Manfield, so my date may be wrong, but there is a meet mentioned in the Nov 17 1980 issue.

[Rod Grimwood]

Notice the sign on the top of screen of Marina, this was the time when the Americas Cup challenge was on in Aust.
Later on when Brett Willis went to States to race in Trans Am with Ralph Mossman along to keep an eye on him, they had 'Plastic Fantastic" on the screen just to let the yanks where they were from.

[jim short]

Notice the sign on the top of screen of Marina, this was the time when the Americas Cup challenge was on in Aust.
Later on when Brett Willis went to States to race in Trans Am with Ralph Mossman along to keep an eye on him, they had 'Plastic Fantastic" on the screen just to let the yanks where they were from.

"Black Park" on the screen when Graham Park raced it What I mean to say on the windscreen at the top is a name reading Black Park Grahams nickname

[TonyG]

[Rod Grimwood]

Correct Jim got it mixed up with later on signs that boys raced

Evercool was Johns company.

Parksy was a neat fella and always chirpy. Handy he was my size (fraction Thinner) when at Bay Park one day i went to ute and bag gone, no driving suit, helmet or boots, so he shot off and got me his spares. Remember it as they were black and i had him on about everything being black in middle of summer, and could he get a Red one so iI could go faster.

[GD66]

Graham's still having the odd gallop in a Porsche 944 S2 and still goes hard.

[jim short]

Graham's still having the odd gallop in a Porsche 944 S2 and still goes hard.

He went hard at Bay Park heading of two turbo Mazdas {sorry chaps this is only for those involved,} Kiwis

[Rod Grimwood]

He went hard at Bay Park heading of two turbo Mazdas {sorry chaps this is only for those involved,} Kiwis

He also beat that modied black with red and yellow stripes VW with that gentleman from Greenlane driving I believe.

[jim short]

He also beat that modied black with red and yellow stripes VW with that gentleman from Greenlane driving I believe.

Yes very true,I think we were all fined $5for not slowing for yellow flag when that Mazda?? caught fire ,He zaped me into the righthander under the yellow{I slowed as it was my first time out}its hard to explain how good those days were when we look back,now all this pc ,and dogooders ,just thank God they werent here in the 80s

[bigbanger]

The Marina! Looks like it had its wheelbase extended? Was the rear axle moved back?

Photo by Warwick Clayton.

I recall the wheelbase being extended rearwards as a neccessity to accommodate the behind the driver mounted Leyland V8, gearbox and Jag diff/IRS.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks bigbanger, thats really great info. Your explanation of this car having the engine behind the driver explains why the driver appears to sit so close to the windscreen.

[Steve Holmes]

My request for photos of the Jac Mac/Rod McElrea Cortina OSCA racer resulted in some great photos from both Warwick Clayton and Terry Marshall. Here are Warwicks photos:

[Steve Holmes]

More from Warwick:

[Steve Holmes]

And these from Terry:

[Graeme Park]

Hi Jim and Rod, some photos of the Marina

Easter 1984 Baypark - Jim Short and myself



Christmas 1984 - Baypark - Warwick Grey and myself



Pukekohe Grand Prix 1986 Ian Algie and myself (Jim your car come off in the grass just behind us)



Baypark with Harold Wooten and myself



Christmas Baypark Start



The Marina wheel base was extended by 4 inches, the motor, gear box and diff were all as one unit and had Jag independent rear suspension with splined half shafts with a top wish bone added. Front suspension had Jag XJ6 suspension which I made up top rocker arms with inboard mounted adjustable shocks. The Motor was a P76 turbo charged.

Does anyone know where this car is now?

Cheers,

Graeme (Black Park)

[Paul Kirk]

I did, I built the car literally from the ground up starting in 77 or whenever the MKIV Cortina was introduced. I borrowed the W/Shop manuals off Dennis Latty @ Latty Ford , Gore. & compared the floorpan info for MK3/MKIV, they are/were both the same, then obtained a MK3 shell & removed all that was not compatible with MKIV from it, around the same time a local Vet rolled his new MKIV which was written off due to excessive panel damage & I got most of what was good of the shell & bought new roof, rear guards etc to make up balance of shell, the guards/flares you mention were made by bringing out the original arch & filling in the gaps etc then pulling a set of molds off that... molds were made in such manner that the LF could be adapted & used on RR & vice versa so I only needed two molds. Doors were made from alloy & I must confess to a minor stuff up in that dept, I did not look closely enough @ the MKIV & ended up with a bit of a 'dip' @ the B pillar rather than the straight thru of the MKIV. made mold for hood/bonnet with scoop & rolled up alloy boot lid. Same Boss 302/trans/diff from my earlier MK2 Cortina was used in this car as well.

Ahar, so it must have been YOU, Jac, that fitted that big brake limiting valve (that worked on all 4wheels) and the oversized master cylinder that required both feet on the pedal!
Poor old Rod couldn't figure out why other cars could outbrake him.
The plot is thickening!
PK.

[jim short]

Hi Graeme I think the car on grass is Shack Manon green Escort, Bruce and I were on the gully side,1984???

[Munty]

The ex McElrea Cortina is being restored as we speak and should be out next summer