Any Marcos Fans?
Discussion
I've never owned one, but out of interest follow the Mini Marcos forum occasionally. Doubt if my 6'2" frame would fit though, but I can dream.
Went to one of the very early Santa Pod sprints and first saw a blue gull wing ( The Frank Costin aerodynamic one ) scream off with lots of axle tramp as the car wound itself round the differential on the start line !
Most spectacular and never forgotten.
Probably crossflow power ?
Went to one of the very early Santa Pod sprints and first saw a blue gull wing ( The Frank Costin aerodynamic one ) scream off with lots of axle tramp as the car wound itself round the differential on the start line !
Most spectacular and never forgotten.
Probably crossflow power ?
andy97 said:
Jem Marsh was very tall.
Afraid that didn't always translate to his cars fitting tall people!I went to look at a couple at redline sportscars. I'm only 6ft but got in one and the pedals were far too close. Seat can't be moved back... so we'll have to adjust the pedals. Ah, the pedals aren't moveable either. Right then, that's one car I wasn't going to buy!
Tried out a reasonable 1600gt but it didn't have enough pep for me. An essex v6 one was fabulous but I couldn't afford a good one. Tried a volvo one but the clutch slave went as I pushed the pedal for the first time to take it on a test drive.. decided to leave that one!
Fabulous looking cars but from my tiny taste I think it's perhaps best admired from a distance
andy97 said:
BryanC said:
I've never owned one, but out of interest follow the Mini Marcos forum occasionally. Doubt if my 6'2" frame would fit though, but I can dream.
Jem Marsh was very tall.
I would be pretty confident that a wooden chassis car (sorry don't know about metal chassis dimensions) would fit a slimmish (ahem...) driver up to 6ft 3 - 4 inches as I am 6ft tall and we have set the pedals to suit but they could easily be moved 2 - 3 inches backwards.
I always think that if they had made them in period with a lotus twincam they would have been superb as I would have thought that the high revving nature of the TC would fit with the light weight of the car.
It would be interesting to see how well one would go in historics with a young talented driver and a really well prepared car
Strangely the other car that I love from the same period is the AH3000 which is really the other end of the spectrum as regards construction, weight etc
I always think that if they had made them in period with a lotus twincam they would have been superb as I would have thought that the high revving nature of the TC would fit with the light weight of the car.
It would be interesting to see how well one would go in historics with a young talented driver and a really well prepared car
Strangely the other car that I love from the same period is the AH3000 which is really the other end of the spectrum as regards construction, weight etc
Flew from Lydd to Le touq with my parents when I was young yoof, always remember the seats were like deck chairs 
More to the point when I was around 20 or 21 my then flat mate bought a Marcos, Ford V6 job if I remember, in bright yellow... that wound have been around 1972... great piece of kit put a smile on my face every time I saw it
More to the point when I was around 20 or 21 my then flat mate bought a Marcos, Ford V6 job if I remember, in bright yellow... that wound have been around 1972... great piece of kit put a smile on my face every time I saw it
shouldbworking said:
andy97 said:
Jem Marsh was very tall.
Afraid that didn't always translate to his cars fitting tall people!I went to look at a couple at redline sportscars. I'm only 6ft but got in one and the pedals were far too close. Seat can't be moved back... so we'll have to adjust the pedals. Ah, the pedals aren't moveable either. Right then, that's one car I wasn't going to buy!
Tried out a reasonable 1600gt but it didn't have enough pep for me. An essex v6 one was fabulous but I couldn't afford a good one. Tried a volvo one but the clutch slave went as I pushed the pedal for the first time to take it on a test drive.. decided to leave that one!
Fabulous looking cars but from my tiny taste I think it's perhaps best admired from a distance
From wiki (I know!):
“Chassis
The Marcos GT was designed around Jem Marsh, who was 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall, so while the car is extremely low and sometimes awkward to enter, it can still accommodate surprisingly tall drivers.[13]” lol!
Kickstart said:
I always think that if they had made them in period with a lotus twincam they would have been superb as I would have thought that the high revving nature of the TC would fit with the light weight of the car.
It would be interesting to see how well one would go in historics with a young talented driver and a really well prepared car
I have thought that too but doubt that Colin Chapman would have been too happy about selling the engine to a direct competitor with the danger they would have been quicker.It would be interesting to see how well one would go in historics with a young talented driver and a really well prepared car
I am pretty sure that they already go pretty well in historic racing. Didnt one finish 11 th in the Spa 6 hour race in the last few years and Equipe GTS doesn’t let them in because they are too quick!!
Edited by andy97 on Wednesday 3rd February 18:11
singlecoil said:
I continue to be curious as to why a new chassis for a car that was made in England was obtained from Sweden
Don't really know why but there was a chap operating under the name "wooden wonders" who made replacement chassis and bodies - I think there have always been a few racing versions in Germany and Sweden andy97 said:
I have thought that too but doubt that Colin Chapman would have been too happy about selling the engine to a direct competitor with the danger they would have been quicker.
Fair point
I am pretty sure that they already go pretty well in historic racing. Didn't one finish 11th in the Spa 6 hour race in the last few years and Equipe GTS doesn’t let them in because they are too quick!!
Yes the Tice car has gone v well but without besmirching Alan, I do wonder how a quick 20 year old would go - they are allowed in Equipe Libra as we had a run with them last season in the torrential rain with every problem known to man...Fair point
I am pretty sure that they already go pretty well in historic racing. Didn't one finish 11th in the Spa 6 hour race in the last few years and Equipe GTS doesn’t let them in because they are too quick!!
Edited by andy97 on Wednesday 3rd February 18:11
Deranged Rover said:
Some of this talk of tall people and Marcos cars is worrying me. Can someone reassure me that as, a strapping 6'3" hunk, I would actually be able to fit into a mid to late 90s Mantara?
You know, just on the off-chance...
To be fair, my post was about getting into a mini-marcos.You know, just on the off-chance...
Currently driving a Caterham and getting in with the roof up is not easy. I am less nimble these days though.
BryanC said:
To be fair, my post was about getting into a mini-marcos.
Currently driving a Caterham and getting in with the roof up is not easy. I am less nimble these days though.
Ah, understood - didn’t pick up on that. Currently driving a Caterham and getting in with the roof up is not easy. I am less nimble these days though.
piper said:
I am 6ft 3, I had no problem. I owned two Mantara's not at the same time though, great cars, I enjoyed them both, took the first one to Le Mans in 2003
That’s good to hear.And two beautiful cars as well!
As a teenager in late 60s I adored them , seeing my first at Harewood Hillclimb - Roger and Judy Andreason's Marcos 1800 (with Volvo engine ) . Saw the 3 litre V6 at the London motor show in 1968 and followed the various iterations with , God, Lawrencetune 1650, Ford V4 (hmm..), Volvo IL 6 , Triumph IL 6 and the the sundry Rover V8 cars and so on up to the bulging (and hideous ) Ford V8 GT racers .
Always torn between the original Ford 1500 (I think ? ) and the Elan for pure sexiness . The verdict goes to the Elan, but it's nearly a dead heat .
Any ...err... Mantis fans ? The orginal . obvs , with the , umm 'courageous' styling ?
Always torn between the original Ford 1500 (I think ? ) and the Elan for pure sexiness . The verdict goes to the Elan, but it's nearly a dead heat .
Any ...err... Mantis fans ? The orginal . obvs , with the , umm 'courageous' styling ?
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