Specials	1974 - Date
This section is a bit vague and covers all types of specials from factory conversions to home built specials and kit cars as well as custom cars and dragsters. The Marina/ITAL bodyshell is strong enough to take quite high power outputs and can accept V6 and V8 engines readily. BL didn't quite have the same degree of parts interchangeability as Ford but Marinas have been seen with Ford V6's, Fiat Twin-cams, Mazda 1400's, Rover V8's, Rover K-series, Mg Montego Turbo engines, MG Metro Turbo, Triumph Sprint 16V to name a few. This part of the site will be a bit fluid as cars are added and removed.....should be interesting!
		Home-built special 'Turner Wisp'
Leyland Marina Phase2 SRV Marina Marauder Estates Kit Car List Special Tuning Specials MG Marina (Yes! and it still exists!) Conversions (cars and vans) Custom		Marina 'Monster Truck'
Leyland Marina SRV The Marina SRV was built as part of a series of cars put together by European manufacturers after NATO and President Nixon decided to make the organisation more than a military union and combine social standards as well. By 1972 this had all gone belly up, but the cars were completed and used to test safety ideas. The Phase2 SRV Marina was fitted with a pedestrian freindly front bumper and bonnetline, flip-up headlamps, shielded windscreen wipers, rounded door corners and additional internal padding. This was fitted around the dashboard, at shoulder height on the doors, above the windscreen and on the roll-bar over the roof. The seats were fixed but the steering column and pedals were moveable. The seatbelts were fitted with a pivotted arm which when the door closed, automatically put the belt in the correct position. It was also fitted with Dunlop safety wheels. The car was road registered in 1977 and at present is in the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust at Gaydon in Warwickshire, England, where it is now unable to be used due to the brakes having been dismantled and has recieved a whack to the nosecone.		Phase2 Marina SRV
Marina Marauders During 1973, CAR magazine and some designers at British Leyland got together and worked to improve the Marina estate. BL went the whole hog and carried out major modifications to the car, CAR magazine went the route a private owner could take to make the improvement. The BL Marauder had a 140Bhp MGB engine and overdrive gearbox fitted with the 10cwt van axle and front hubs which gave very good acceleration and a good cruising speed. The suspension was upgraded to rally spec and externally, new bumpers were moulded, alloys fitted, roof rails and a completely new style of grille (actually a 1.3 grille upside-down and remodelled) with fog and driving lamps. The interior was very highly upgraded with newly upholstered seats and even a 'picnic box' fitted in the boot.
CAR magazine took a less expensive route with a 110Bhp engine (still enough to scare other motorists), the upgraded suspension and alloys but they went a step further by re-engineering the front of the car with a GRP moulded nosecone and spoiler assembly. A 'spoiler' was fitted to the tailgate to try and keep the rear window clean but this didn't work. The new nose actually raised the top speed and increased the MPG but was never, to our knowledge, marketed to the public. As information becomes available, we will post it on a separate page.		Above: The two Marauders with a standard 1.8 estate; the CAR magazine version at the front with the BL version to the right. The standard car is on the left.