Topic: Solved JJ #56 Leyland P82

[jimjarron]

Another puzzle from me.  Can anyone tell us what this is?

[jimjarron]

Experts?

[guido66]

Related to an Alfa Romeo Alfa 6 (Sei)?

[75america]

While this car must definitely be Alfa Romeo related, I do not know it! 
So I feel ashamed and exited at the same time...

My guess is that it is closer related to the Alfa Romeo 2300 Rio than to the Sei.

Looking forward to learn more about this car!!

[guido66]

It looks like a mock-up.

[75america]

Everything between tha A- and C-pillar resembles the Alfa 75. 
But this mock-up is way too old for being related to the 75 project.

So perhaps it is Nuova Giulietta related...but I doubt it.

Might also be a proposal for a facelifted Alfetta.
Note that the door handles are in the style of the facelifted Alfetta and Rio, and Nuova Giulietta and 75.

[hugo90]

It has Leyland hubcaps, though that might be a diversion.  Is it a Leyland product?

[pguillem]

Could it be the Leyland P76 ?

[jimjarron]

Could it be the Leyland P76 ?

Close, but not correct................

And no, it's not an Alfa Romeo.

[pguillem]

So it's not a P76?

[pguillem]

Well, well, many strange things are going down under.  So what else could it be as the P82 De Luxe saloon (short nose) proposal by Michelotti ? 

[jimjarron]

Well, well, many strange things are going down under.  So what else could it be as the P82 De Luxe saloon (short nose) proposal by Michelotti ? 

And yes, it is a model of the proposed Leyland P82 saloon.  The point is yours.

[75america]

Amazing!  From what year is this car?

[jimjarron]

Amazing!  From what year is this car?

Early 1970s.  It was to be the medium sized car in Leyland Australia's line up but never made it beyond this stage, as the company didn't have enough money to develop two new cars at the same time.  They decided to use the UK designed Morris Marina instead, and concentrate their efforts on developing the P76.  The Marina (which, after a brief spell as a Morris, was marketed in Australia as the Leyland Marina) was available with either a four or straight six, the latter being a version that was never produced in the UK.  By all accounts the six cylinder Marina went very well - in a straight line.  There were plans to put an aluminium V6 (basically a cut down version of the P76 V8) in the Marina (and in the 6 cylinder P76) but the company collapsed before anything got beyond the experimental stage.  A slant six was apparently also considered as was a limited run of V8 Marinas to take on the Holden Toranas at the Bathurst race.

[Otto Puzzell]

A major clue was staring at us the whole time. Look at the wheel centers.

[neilshouse]

A six cylinder or V8 Marina sounds scary!

[jimjarron]

A six cylinder or V8 Marina sounds scary!

I believe that the handling on corners left a bit to be desired, partly because it was a bit too heavy at the front (something the alloy V6 would have fixed) and partly because it was pushing the front suspension to its limits (or perhaps past them).

I can't find anything much on the proposed V8 Marina, but here's a bit of information on the Six.  I almost bought a second-hand one of those in the late 70s - it was navy blue with a biege vinyl roof.

Brochure for the Marina Six:
http://www.leylandp76.com/marina/mar-redsix.html

Photos of Marina Six racing at Bathurst:
http://www.leylandp76.com/marina/ozmarinaracer.html

Marina Four and Six specifications:
http://www.leylandp76.com/marina/mar-marinaspecs.html

The Marina V6 that never was:
http://www.leylandp76.com/marina/marina3.html

[grobmotorix]

No visible puzzle photo.

The puzzle car is the short-nose version.

There also was this long-nose version by Michelotti as can be seen on my photo.

I bought this negative recently - I guess the puzzle car model stands at the left: