Project Marina, WOF Round Two

Well, here we are, It’s time to try this WOF thing again.

After the string alignment, when the rain finally stopped, I took the Marina out for a quick run around the block to see how the alignment was. The steering was dead center, and it was a lot less wayward than it had been, likely due to the new bush in the steering rack. I’ll call that a success.

All that was left was to wait a couple of weeks for the next booking. This time I booked it with a different workshop, one that I was recommended by a friend in the local Rover club which he had good experience with, and I booked it as a Pre-WOF inspection off the bat (just in case I did need more than the 28 days to fix anything).

I wanted to make a good impression, so the day before, I gave the Marina its first real wash, with suds and all. It was dirtier than it looked but it’s hard to tell because of the condition of the paint. The wheels gained a bit of a shine though.

The Marina did decide to play a great little prank on me though, the day before the WOF check, where it ran on only three cylinders. haha so funny. I checked spark, all good. It didn’t clean up when revved, and barely idled. I was starting to get a bit concerned, and then decided to check the carb and noticed the choke jet was out despite the handle being all the way in; the jet had stuck and the carb was over fuelling. I lightly touched it and it snapped back into place and suddenly the engine smoothed out and ran beautifully, as expected. Phew. It stuck again the next morning, so I’ll need to sort that out.

Yesterday morning, with my wife in the Leaf in tow (two polar opposites of transportation), I drove the Marina the furthest it’s been in my ownership and dropped it off at the workshop. Other than once again passing a police officer on the way there, and my wife alerting me to an iffy connection on one of my brake lights (which a quick jiggle of the bulb holder cured), the drive went well.

Straight off the bat I got way better vibes from these guys about the Marina, having had a quick chat with the guy there who expressed his interest and enthusiasm towards the car. It makes a big difference when the people you choose to work on your special project actually care about it.

There was no waiting around for it this time, and since they were busy I wasn’t going to get the car back until the afternoon, so I jumped in the Leaf and after some breakfast and errands, I spent the rest of the day trying to distract myself whilst anxiously waiting for the call.

Late in the afternoon the call comes through “your car is all done and ready for collection”. Vague.

We jump in the Leaf again and shoot down there. As we roll into the carpark, the Marina is just parked out front, looking awesome. As we turn to park next to it I notice something and just about jump out of my skin. There is a sticker on the windscreen.

I go in and sure enough, we’ve done it. After almost 29 years to the day, the Marina has a fresh new WOF on it. All the hard work finally paid off.

The guy from earlier came over and complimented the car, saying how good it was and how good it looked underneath, and wishing me some good cruising over summer. He also clarified a note on the WOF sheet for me, that the bushes on the rear axle reaction arm are perished and will need to be replaced, but that needs to be done before the next WOF. Other than that, we were all good to go.

I jumped in, the old girl fired up first turn of the key and off we went. As it’s not insured yet, it went straight back into the garage for now.

We quickly popped to VTNZ before they closed and renewed the rego, which has been on hold for as long as it has not had a WOF.

I was 7 years old when this car was last on the road. It hasn’t been on the road for longer than some of my colleagues have been alive. But here it is, back on the road again and ready to do some summer cruising. It’s been saved from an uncertain fate where it could’ve been stripped for parts, chopped up or scrapped. A lot of people wouldn’t have bothered to do the work it needed, but back in 2021 when I bought the car, I promised the seller I would get his dads old car back on the road.

For a couple of years now I’ve been holding on to a little treat for the car (and myself), only allowing it to be fitted once the car is road-legal. That time has come.

Off came the stock wheel, which is badly cracking and doesn’t feel great to hold

The boss kit needed a couple of pins for the indicator cancelling fitted, and then it was fitted to the column

And my steering wheel of choice was fitted.

It’s been so long that I can’t recall the size now, it’s a nice black leather Mountney wheel.

Compared to the original wheel it is slightly smaller, but so much thicker

And it feels great in the hand

It won’t be to everyone’s tastes, and I couldn’t care less. I like it.

I wouldn’t be a British car owner without some self-deprecating humour too

A huge thank you goes out to everyone who has followed along, all the comments and support, and to the people that have helped out with knowledge/advice and parts when needed.

There is still plenty to do to it, and it’ll have some money spent on upgrades soon, now that it’s proven it can get through a WOF. For now though, once the insurance is sorted, I just want to get some Ks on it, give it a shakedown and see what happens.