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Morris Minor disc brakes

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PistolPete

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Well, I'm going to give some rebuilt MGB disc brake calipers a chance on my Morris Minor which was oufitted with Morris Marina (whatever that is) rotors and calipers. The calipers are toast, and new Marina calipers were going to cost about $300 from the UK. The MGB calipers are $44 each at Autozone. Hard to beat that.
They do have a resemblance to the Marina calipers,so I'll let you know what happens. (Like anybody cares- right?)

Pistol Pete
 
The MGB calipers are a popular racer upgrade to Sprite/Midgets, so this isn't surprising at all.

The only thing is that if you use the MGB calipers on a Spridget, you need to use the larger Spitfire rotors plus a fairly simple-to-make rotor adapter (and, of course, the MGB pads). You might be able to keep the smaller Spridget rotors, but that doesn't give you brakes that are any bigger (which is what racers want).

By the way, the MGB calipers at AutoZone here in New Jersey are over $80 each (without a core), so that's an excellent price.
 
The Marina was a futile attempt by Leyland to intro a sedan/coupe to North America in about 1968 and forward. It was an anemic attempt to boost sales. Most of it was MGB running gear bolted to a chassis for four passengers, not very elegant.

Be aware that those Autozone (and other retail outlets') calipers are "reman" units... you may go thru a couple before you have reliable braking.

...Just an FYI...

Don't drive "deep" into a situation until/unless you've done some "unofficial" skid-pad trials. :wink:
 
The Marina mostly used the 1275 engine with a cast crank and a Spitfire gearbox.
Anemic, definitely.
The front suspension was very similar to the Minor and I think the upright could be installed on the Minor complete with the disks and calipers.
Otherwise the conversion normally used sprite disks and an adapter to mount the sprite caliper.
The Marina rotors were larger diameter than the Sprite and could possibly (don't know) be mounted on the Marina spindle.
If this is the case, B calipers would be an advantage just because of the availability.
:smile:
 
The Marina, and its successor, the Ital, were possibly the most dreadful cars ever foisted on the public by that idiot management comprising Leyland and the British government.

One of its little-known but remarkable claims to fame is that the handling of the 1.8 litre version, when first subjected to Road Test, was so dangerous that the editors of Motor and Autocar, the 2 leading weekly motoring journals in the UK at that time, met the chairman of Leyland and told him what they both intended to publish unless something was done before the production version went on the market. Half-hearted modifications were made, but the cars still had dreadful understeer and the road tests were very unflattering!

The 1.8 TC engine though, is a good upgrade for an MGB.
 
"The Marina mostly used the 1275 engine with a cast crank.." Also used the B series 1800.

"The front suspension was very similar to the Minor and I think the upright could be installed on the Minor complete with the disks and calipers." Correct.

I beleive it was sold in the US as the Austin America.
 
Austin America and Marina were two different cars - was marketed in the USA as a Marina though Austin not Morris
 
JPSmit said:
Austin America and Marina were two different cars - was marketed in the USA as a Marina though Austin not Morris
Click to expand...

Ah yes, you're right - America was the 1100/1300.
 
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