Any Marcos Fans?

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Discussion

mph

Original Poster:

2,328 posts

282 months

Wednesday 18th August 2021
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Blimey that's an eyeful - I love it !

Is that another one in the background ?

Edmundo2

1,341 posts

210 months

Wednesday 18th August 2021
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swisstoni said:
I was getting excited about getting one of these in the early noughties. Styled by an ex-TVR designer (which is easy to see) and with an LS3 V8 it was what I was looking for to replace my Chimaera.

Even sat in one at an event at Canary Wharf.
Alas they only made a few coupes.

Yes I loved the look of these and the coupe and was really surprised they didn’t do well as seemed to tick a lot of boxes and occupy a space without too many challengers, ( assume TVR T cars took most of the target demographic customers ). Still think it could do well today if someone could resurrect it in kit form?

Deranged Rover

3,361 posts

74 months

Thursday 19th August 2021
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mph said:
Blimey that's an eyeful - I love it !

Is that another one in the background ?
Yes, that's an LM500 and was the one I was originally after when it was up for sale at Redline Sports Cars. Viewing got delayed for months due to Covid and by the time I got there the chap who the dealer was selling it for had gone off and done a deal of his own - neither of us were amused!

However, the LM400 I bought appeared just as everything was falling through and is much more original. It was also was rebuilt on a galvanised chassis and fully resprayed about 9 years ago, so should last me for a while. Joe at Redline reckons it's one of the nicest LMs they've seen for a long time.

mph

Original Poster:

2,328 posts

282 months

Thursday 19th August 2021
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Seems that any Marcos with a replacement (usually galvanised) chassis sells very easily.

Anything else can be a bit of a minefield from what I can see.


geeeman

1,310 posts

255 months

Monday 27th March 2023
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as well as a huge ginetta fan (currently g4, g16), im a true marcos nut
after my first car a G26, i bought a mantula as a daily driver. 3.5 rv8 on su carbs. unfortunately it was written off when a driver rear ended me, but the chassis and integral headrests did their job

the beauty of these cars is not only the lovley design, but the unique driving position that is really similar to a single seater.. also extremely comfortable and quite easily fits tall drivers despite being 41.5 inches to the roof.

Similar to many Ginetta models, the marcos is still very underappreciated and undervalued despite its great racing successes and their association with legendary frank costin.
i have latterly had a metal v6, then a wooden 1600..
now have moved on to an LM400 (easy to drive and excellent power steering and chassis that is better than tvr imo) The LM is quite rare being one of 2 or 3 made from the same moulds as the factory lm500 race cars.
also a metal v6 that needs resto but has a new chassis, probably will go duratec power for that




Deranged Rover

3,361 posts

74 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
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From a fellow LM400 owner - that's very nice! smile

Was that a relatively recent purchase from Redline by any chance?!

geeeman

1,310 posts

255 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
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yes ive had it nearly a year. was from Redline
the car is now back with them, having a coupe conversion and brake upgrade etc. Also contemplating supercharging the rv8...

Deranged Rover

3,361 posts

74 months

Thursday 30th March 2023
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geeeman said:
yes ive had it nearly a year. was from Redline
the car is now back with them, having a coupe conversion and brake upgrade etc. Also contemplating supercharging the rv8...
Blimey; a coupe conversion is quite a job. Not sure I'd fancy that - mine gets hot enough inside with the soft top up as it is.

Mine's going back to them for the annual MOT and service in a couple of weeks so I can see how it's going for you, if you like!

geeeman

1,310 posts

255 months

Thursday 30th March 2023
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compared to the classic marcoses i had the LM has good heat insulation.
i really prefer the coupe shape.. but so few were made LM or mantis

lowdrag

12,879 posts

213 months

Friday 31st March 2023
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I always remember one back in Portsmouth in 1967 registered HOT 1 E. Belonged to a young woman from memory and a Marco's Mini in Cosham

Den Den

201 posts

19 months

Friday 31st March 2023
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Huntsman said:
dandarez said:

This car is off to Le Mans but never raced. I know what it is, only because I've spent the last 6 months (or much of it) engrossed in this marque!
I'm told by the oracle of GT's that the photo is of B.100107 - 7840 DF which was the GS Cars demonstrator going off to France driven by Bernard Gray as to go on holiday to Le Mans to watch the race in June 1963. The car is now in Australia

Apols to the Marcos folks for thread drifting into Gilberns. Love the Marcos.
If it's of any interest, I heard that passenger flights are resuming between Lydd and Le Touquet.
There's some lovely looking cars being posted, so I thought I'd lower the tone by sticking a picture of my favourite Marcos up.. smile


lowdrag

12,879 posts

213 months

Friday 31st March 2023
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Interesting car, and thank you for the photo. It looks very hot inside though!

P5BNij

15,875 posts

106 months

Friday 31st March 2023
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Being a one off, it's a car I'd love to own a replica of...


















GTRene

16,499 posts

224 months

Friday 31st March 2023
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yep a very nice one that is, sadly a bit long nose, even longer then the late Porsche's ala 911 and GT4 cayman, way longer so even more trouble with speed bumps.

but a very nice special design, a shame they did not put that or sort like in production, they could redo it, I like also the engine covers look cloud9

Castrol for a knave

4,667 posts

91 months

Friday 31st March 2023
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Den Den said:
Huntsman said:
dandarez said:

This car is off to Le Mans but never raced. I know what it is, only because I've spent the last 6 months (or much of it) engrossed in this marque!
I'm told by the oracle of GT's that the photo is of B.100107 - 7840 DF which was the GS Cars demonstrator going off to France driven by Bernard Gray as to go on holiday to Le Mans to watch the race in June 1963. The car is now in Australia

Apols to the Marcos folks for thread drifting into Gilberns. Love the Marcos.
If it's of any interest, I heard that passenger flights are resuming between Lydd and Le Touquet.
There's some lovely looking cars being posted, so I thought I'd lower the tone by sticking a picture of my favourite Marcos up.. smile

Now that is spooky. I was having a brew and taking the time to read up on the Mini Marcos Le Mans campaign (and a project to build a rep) and then spotted the Mantis XP. Lives in the US now I believe.

I was prompted by spotting a Le Mans rep for sale at an Italian dealer and the lovely Marcosesseses at the Club stand at the NEC last week. My mate had never seen one and fell in love with both the red coupe and yellow roadster.

P5BNij

15,875 posts

106 months

Friday 31st March 2023
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'BAR 64F' aka 'The World Beater' as driven by Roger Moore in the last episode of 'The Saint' in 1969...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G76cO-j7Ucw