Marcos Maniacs

I've been getting frustrated in trying to decide on tires and wheels.

I get conflicting advice on using my original Mag. Minilites, Do, DONT!, they are too 
valuable to vintage racers, belong in a museum, brittle, etc.
I have the full set of five.
Then there is the tire issue, it seems the best 13" size tire is no longer available, and I 
have also been warned that "Modern" tires have too much grip, so will damage my chassis.

The problems I have to overcome are.
1. Wheels A. 
Use the originals or not?
Stay with 13" and be limited to "H" speed rated, or go to 15" and get a "V" or "Z" rated tire?
Engine will be an Alfa-Romeo 2000, about 150 BHP*, five speed trans, 5th. is a slight 
overdrive, top speed expected to be around 130-140 mph.
Driving will be much more frequent and spirited than it appears most owners use their 
Marcos cars for.

2. Wheels B.
If I give up the original wheels I get to put an Alfa rear axle under the car, gaining four 
wheel disk brakes and a limited slip diff at the same time.
Probably need to fit larger front brakes to maintain balance.
I despise power brakes, so has anyone fitted dual masters with an adjustable bias bar?
But unless I change the front hubs this also means I end up with two different bolt circles.
I see three ways to fix this.

A. Go to wire wheels, only the hub adaptors would be different, the wheels would fit all 
corners.
B. Custom wheels with differing patterns, custom drilled spare. 
C. Modify the front or rear bolt circle to match the other end.

3. No matter where I end up on wheels, the tires remain an issue.
If I change out to a 15" rims I can get better speed rated tires, but will they be too sticky 
and hard on my wood chassis?

I really do not want to be forced to use a low speed/grip rated tire to save my chassis at 
the expensive of safe top speed running.

The money looks like it may finally be coming in, I want to start buying parts to begin the 
restoration this summer.

Help?

*Until I get my custom barely street-able engine built, then 170 BHP and about 7500 RPM!

I've got a Dual Master Cylinder on my '86 Mantula - Drums rear, 4 pot Calipers Front. Picture here - if you want any more info, then PM me via this or the Marcos Forum (I'm called Nixfix on there)

Rgds, Nick

--- In MarcosManiacs@yahoogroups.com, "marcos1600" wrote:

> 2. Wheels B.
> If I give up the original wheels I get to put an Alfa rear axle under the car, gaining four
> wheel disk brakes and a limited slip diff at the same time.
> Probably need to fit larger front brakes to maintain balance.
> I despise power brakes, so has anyone fitted dual masters with an adjustable bias bar?

I believe it was fabricated either as a one-off special by Marcos or by BG Developments who I believe did the brake and suspension work back in '86.

The 4 pots are Girling of unknown origin mounted on a fabricated billet alloy block and the hubs already alloy, fitted for the Ford PCD. Picture here .

I think the MHS 4 pots are Hi-Spec's, but I'll probably be fitting Wilwoods this year, as the calipers are a bit tired and the discs need replacing.

If you need any more specific detail or pictures, please let me know. The car is currently completely dismantled, so any pics or measurements you require are easy to take.

Nick

--- In MarcosManiacs@yahoogroups.com, Richard Brengman wrote:
>
> Nick,
>
> That is the set I will need, no matter which axle I use.
> Did you have to fabricate it, or is it available some where?
> Are your 4-pot's the set Marcos Heritage sells, or another?
> Mine uses the Triumph hubs, I may end up making new alloy hubs with a
> change in bolt circle.
>
>; Richard/SIA AKA Marcos 1600
> On Mar 28, 2007, at 3:07 AM, ukcadsev wrote:
>
> >
> > I've got a Dual Master Cylinder on my '86 Mantula - Drums rear, 4
> > pot Calipers Front. Picture here - if you want any more info, then
> > PM me via this or the Marcos Forum (I'm called Nixfix on there)
> >
> > Rgds, Nick
> >
> >
> > --- In MarcosManiacs@yahoogroups.com, "marcos1600" SIA@ wrote:
> >
> > > 2. Wheels B.
> > > If I give up the original wheels I get to put an Alfa rear axle
> > under the car, gaining four
> > > wheel disk brakes and a limited slip diff at the same time.
> > > Probably need to fit larger front brakes to maintain balance.
> > > I despise power brakes, so has anyone fitted dual masters with an
> > adjustable bias bar?
> >
> >
> >
>