Greetings & Wheels

[keltonturvey]

Hi all,

I’ve been a forum member for quite a while but I only recently (finally!) acquired my Marlin Roadster. An interesting car in Tangerine Orange!

Over all it’s in reasonable operational condition however it would benefit from a new set of tyres. Upon further inspection the steel wheels are in rather a sad condition and I would like to replace the wheels. It’s got a Morris Marina engine so I assume the running gear is also Morris Marina.

My question is, what wheels will fit? I like the pressed steel wheels rather then the modern cast aluminium ones. As per the pics attached - the top pic in particular. Is the stud pattern common? Can I buy new wheels with this pattern?

Many thanks in advance.

Kelton

[wiggiesworld]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

I'm digging the look of the steels on the blue car, very Morgan-styley.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

Based on a Marina? Probably but pics of suspension would confirm.

Is it the car you went to look at, bright red with a tubular tyre carrier on the back?

Marina Commercials were generally used as a basis of Trials cars, primarily because they used a very low ratio rear axle of a very different design, but they still appear on non Trials cars.

Marina Saloons have the same PCD wheels 3.75” as many small Triumphs, but Marina Commercials have a different, larger, PCD 4.5” which greatly expands your choice of wheels.

The most recent cars that used a 3.75” PCD was an MGF. But they used a much larger Stud diameter and require spacers, unless you use their spacesaver steel wheels which I guess now would be pretty rare. I think that finding a set of 5 Steel wheels will be quite hard.

There are also a whole load more limiting factors for what you can fit sensibly, primarily the distance between the tyre and the steering arm, so the wheel offset distance has to be checked along with the tyre width.

This has been discussed many times on the Forum. Open the Roadster section then do a search.

[dcunn]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

Glad to hear you finally have a Roadster - but which one have you bought ?

The blue car above is Triumph based, with Triumph wheels, but the other two are Marina based

Please PM me some some details and pics , thank you

Rgds DC

[stevejgreen]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

Do I detect an anti-roll bar on the Blue car?

As an F registration it’s not a Marina Reg, more likely a YKC Sierra based roadster?

[dcunn]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

Looking again at the pics, the blue and the green are both Triumph based front suspensions

[stevejgreen]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

Looking again at the pics, the blue and the green are both Triumph based front suspensions

Blue with F Reg plate, 1988 cannot be a Marina donor, but I agree the DVLA think it’s a Triumph. So how did it get that registration?

Its one of those mysteries.

[dcunn]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

Try 1968

[stevejgreen]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

Try 1968

oops prefix not suffix! Easy mistake to make.

If its ‘68, there is even less chance of finding a matching set of wheels, and my previous advice still stand.

Is the OP’s car Triumph or a Standard Marina or a Commercial Marina with different PCD?

[keltonturvey]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

Many thanks for the replies. Here is my car - the Tangerine Dream!

IMG_2895.JPG

I will get the spare wheel off and take some measurements...

[stevejgreen]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

Many thanks for the replies. Here is my car - the Tangerine Dream!

[ATTACH]11417[/ATTACH]

I will get the spare wheel off and take some measurements...

That combination of colour and wheels looks quite nice, but I add the caveat that I am colourblind.

A photo of the rear axle, preferably from the propshaft end would help to double check the wheel PCD, easy to check with a centre to centre across the the axle, you won’t be far out given the two options.

At the risk of repeating myself, again, follow the link in my post signature where my archive of documents can be found.

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

It's Marina based, you can see the torsion bars and rear springs. Also LWB version.

[meverett]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

What do you plan to do with your wheels? I like them.
I currently have a full set of 5 Marina alloys that I plan to refurbish and a set of 4 Marina pressed steels which are currently on the car for the rebuild, tyres are way past it. Mine are the standard Marina 3.75” PCD.
Cheers,
Martin.

[milliemarlin]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

I must admit that since about 1973 “Tangerine Orange” would not have been my first colour choice. But that car looks pretty distinctive maybe even classic. I hope you can live with it for a few years it won’t be long before tangerine and avocado are back in fashion.
Paul

[Sidon]

Re: Greetings & Wheels

My Marina based LWB Roadster originally had the same wheels as yours. I think they may be Weller steels. I still have them if anyone wants them - set of 5, good condition, they have been painted silver and are fitted with old tyres (too old for road use) Whilst I realise that you like the pressed steel options you have shown above, I went for Minilite lookalikes and think they look quite good.