Australian Berlinettas :

Historical.
Reviewing all the old Marlin customer files has brought some things to light, which I feel are worthy of note.
1) A David Wright contacted Marlin in March 1982 as he was considering purchasing two Roadster kits. He noted that the “Australian” Marina, built there by BL 1971 – 76 had a six-cylinder engine and wondered if this would fit into the Marlin. Nothing else in the files, so this does not seem to have progressed any further. There’s nothing in Roadster files about this, nor any mention of a D Wright, other than a much later 1994 YKC Roadster owner. David wrote again in May 1986 and ordered a Rover V8 Berlinetta kit, and 3-1068 was despatched to him from the factory on 15 October 1986, unfortunately we have no further information or pictures of this car

2)Back in May 1982 a Bruce Wheeler contacted Marlin over the possibility selling Roadsters in Australia, saying that with the very high importation and other tax levels perhaps the importation of “part kits” might be a solution. He visited the UK later that year and met with Paul at the Marlin factory. In October he ordered a Roadster kit but cancelled it in December due to the expected local registration difficulties – however was interested in the “2+2” Cortina based project.
In October 1985 he ordered a Berlinetta kit, and again expressed interest in manufacturing them in Australia, with the rights for New Zealand as well. The cars would be fitted with a new Mitsubishi 2.6L four-cylinder engine.
The kit was 3-929, ex Marlin factory Jan 86, and had a black hood and black seats, and I believe these are trial engine installation pictures.

We have a note in the files that this car would be painted Alfa Red, however we have no pictures of the completed car, nor any idea of its registration details.

In April 1986 Bruce ordered a second kit, 3-1030, due for completion 12 July 1986, intending that this would enable him to have the car as a rolling chassis to display alongside his fully built car at the Sydney Motor Show in October 1986.

In June Alastair Browne visited Marlin on behalf of Bruce Wheeler, and details were agreed with regard to “who would build what” of the part kits, but nothing further came of this plan.

Bruce’s car had a new Mitsubishi engine (so I believe the pics above are of 3-929) whereas Alastair’s had a second hand engine.

The picture below is of Alastair Browne’s car, so should be 3-1030, painted Ford Monza Red.

DC emailed with Alastair in March 2021, he is now in poor health and in a residential home, this is part of his reply:

OZE 910 was indeed my car and was a fab creation. It was my daily driver for 21 years until I sold it to some young cowboy from the western suburbs.
It was very reliable and apart from normal servicing only suffered a blown head gasket which was not unusual for the Mitsubishi engine.
Bruce’s car had a new engine whereas mine was second hand, however I still did nearly 200000 kms in it. Paint was Ford Monza red. Bruce’s was an Alfa Red.

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3-394 is a May 1992 YKC produced kit, sold to S J Brown, reg. Q369 XSF. He took the car to Australia 2001-2. DC spoke with him in 2021, the car is still not Australian registered, and needs work.

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3-1575/1619 Two kits were combined to make one and I believe it uses 3-1575 as its kit number. Jack McLaughlin was at the UK kit car show, Stoneleigh in 2012. He shipped the car to Australia that year, it was reg 47721 H.

He sold it (2017?) and the car was re-registered as 65820 H

This amendment has been triggered by a recently found pic from the Dunlop Wire Wheels site in Australia, a 2019 picture …………………………..but which car is it ?

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Missing from the list of Australian Berlinettas is 3-779, a 1984 kit which was initially in England as JAR 967N with a 2L Pinto, later a Rover V8, the car later went to Ireland as 75-D-852.

In 2012 it was exported to Australia. At some point it became 248-AV5, last seen at auction in 2022.

DC April 2024