Marcos Maniacs

On July the 4th I received a message from a previous owner of my 
Marcos 1600 GT # 5179.  An unsolicited message from Richard Grantham, 
who tracked me down through the Maniacs Group.  Many questions I have 
had about this car have been answered in these messages.  I attached 
the correspondence below and will forward more information if 
received.  

Bob Magnotti

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>   <<<<<<<<<<<<<

Hi Bob,		
I find it very hard to believe looking back that I only owned the car 
for 4 years 78-82 , it just seems such a large part of my motoring 
life.	
	
When I got the car it was  painted  Aubergine with JPS style pin 
striping  and was fitted  with a Lotus Twin Cam !		
I used the car as a daily driver and competition car in Sprints and 
hillclimbs  with the local Sevenoaks and district motor Club, not 
really a match for a lotus seven		
but capable of staying ahead of the TVR's and Morgans.		
The events where mainly held on airfield tracks but also Brands 
Hatch,Lydden Hill and Goodwood ( We lived about a mile from Brands)
		
I performed a semi-restoration in 79 which included the following :
		
Rebuild for the Twin Cam		
"Marcos" valve covers		
New doors and latches (Badly crased)		
New 3 Ltre Volvo Hood with bulge to miss the Weber 40's (They were 
eating thro the original 1600 style hood)
Replaced rotted floor under battery box
Jaguar XJ6 switches and instruments
Rewired ( using automotive wire! )
Repainted and de-cromed (everything black including wheels)
New uprights, trunions , bushings and steering rose joints.
Removed the bumpers.
I noticed you retained my headlamp ventilation system !

The day after painting we headed of on a 3 week tour of France 
including as always a trip to the Le mans 24 Hr.
We attended the Marcos rally at Donington twice and all the monthly 
club meetings , these where actually more of an excuse to sample the 
local ale !
After a Brands Hatch historic meeting we actually spent an evening in 
the bar with Jem Marsh and his wife.

In 82 my motor sporting activities had turned toward Karting and with 
a new addition to my family we needed more than 2 seats . The Marcos 
was sold to
a Business man from London (Arrived in his pinstripe suit ! ), I 
believe this was
added to his collection of Marcos models.

We emigrated to Ontario Canada in 84 so it is a distinct possibility 
that we may meet you at the Glen in September.
My interest in Marcoses  was aroused by seeing an imported British 
Modsports car at the Mosport historic festival it is the ex Johnathon 
Palmer car ,  all thought
the bodywork has been changed drastically.
I presume your car will be in the display area at the glen (not 
racing ) ?
I always remember it as a beautifully predictable handling car , its 
a shame you didn't inherit the twin-cam but I would imagine the 
crossflow is a lot smoother.
My preference would have been to slot in a BDA  if only I had the 
money  : (

Regards
             Richard


Richard,

When I first purchased the car in 99 I tried to track
down previous owners with no success. I would be very
interested in your thoughts, experiences, pictures,
history and information on HJS 160F.

As you can see from some of the pictures you found the
HJS 160F tag has been removed and the car painted a
1960's vintage Ford blue. When restoring the car I
found a 1947 English Penny in the dash woodwork. That
penny has been polished up and is affixed to the top
of the shock tower on the car. I have changed the
name of the car from HJS 160F to "One Penny"

I live in South Western Virginia, USA in a small town
called Blue Ridge. The car is driven through the Blue
Ridge Mountains regularly. I will also be taking the
car to the Vintage CAN AM Grand Prix at Watkins Glen
this September. I would be pleased to provide you
with more information on the car if you would like.

Bob Magnotti
68 Marcos 1600 GT #5179
59 Austin Healey Sprite

--- bmwf650d wrote:

> Hi,
> I am a previous "curator" of HJS 160F I saw a
> picture in the
> Marcos homepage saying it had been sold to someone
> in Virginia in 99 .
> After a few hours of browsing I found your
> restoration gallery and
> saw you where a contributer to MarcosManiacs .
> Im the one for better or worse that had it painted
> in Ford Oyster gold !
> I have more info. and pictures if you are interested
> ?
>
> Richard Grantham
>
>
>

What a treat to have some history added to your (ours)
vehicles.  I agree about the twin cam what a shame. 
How did the car show go?  Wished I could have been
there.

As for my Marcos #8153 I have all the documentation,
letters etc that was produced as the car was being
assembled in Calif, but for it's history after that I
know very little.  It would be nice to be filled in.


--- Bob M <rhdspritemk1@...> wrote:

> On July the 4th I received a message from a previous
> owner of my 
> Marcos 1600 GT # 5179.  An unsolicited message from
> Richard Grantham, 
> who tracked me down through the Maniacs Group.  Many
> questions I have 
> had about this car have been answered in these
> messages.  I attached 
> the correspondence below and will forward more
> information if 
> received.  
> 
> Bob Magnotti
> 
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>   <<<<<<<<<<<<<
> 
> Hi Bob,		
> I find it very hard to believe looking back that I
> only owned the car 
> for 4 years 78-82 , it just seems such a large part
> of my motoring 
> life.	
> 	
> When I got the car it was\ufffd painted\ufffd Aubergine with
> JPS style pin 
> striping\ufffd and was fitted\ufffd with a Lotus Twin Cam !		
> I used the car as a daily driver and competition car
> in Sprints and 
> hillclimbs\ufffd with the local Sevenoaks and district
> motor Club, not 
> really a match for a lotus seven		
> but capable of staying ahead of the TVR's and
> Morgans.		
> The events where mainly held on airfield tracks but
> also Brands 
> Hatch,Lydden Hill and Goodwood ( We lived about a
> mile from Brands)
> 		
> I performed a semi-restoration in 79 which included
> the following :
> 		
> Rebuild for the Twin Cam		
> "Marcos" valve covers		
> New doors and latches (Badly crased)		
> New 3 Ltre Volvo Hood with bulge to miss the Weber
> 40's (They were 
> eating thro the original 1600 style hood)
> Replaced rotted floor under battery box
> Jaguar XJ6 switches and instruments
> Rewired ( using automotive wire! )
> Repainted and de-cromed (everything black including
> wheels)
> New uprights, trunions , bushings and steering rose
> joints.
> Removed the bumpers.
> I noticed you retained my headlamp ventilation
> system !
> 
> The day after painting we headed of on a 3 week tour
> of France 
> including as always a trip to the Le mans 24 Hr.
> We attended the Marcos rally at Donington twice and
> all the monthly 
> club meetings , these where actually more of an
> excuse to sample the 
> local ale !
> After a Brands Hatch historic meeting we actually
> spent an evening in 
> the bar with Jem Marsh and his wife.
> 
> In 82 my motor sporting activities had turned toward
> Karting and with 
> a new addition to my family we needed more than 2
> seats . The Marcos 
> was sold to
> a Business man from London (Arrived in his pinstripe
> suit ! ), I 
> believe this was
> added to his collection of Marcos models.
> 
> We emigrated to Ontario Canada in 84 so it is a
> distinct possibility 
> that we may meet you at the Glen in September.
> My interest in Marcoses\ufffd was aroused by seeing an
> imported British 
> Modsports car at the Mosport historic festival it is
> the ex Johnathon 
> Palmer car ,\ufffd all thought
> the bodywork has been changed drastically.
> I presume your car will be in the display area at
> the glen (not 
> racing ) ?
> I always remember it as a beautifully predictable
> handling car , its 
> a shame you didn't inherit the twin-cam but I would
> imagine the 
> crossflow is a lot smoother.
> My preference would have been to slot in a BDA\ufffd if
> only I had the 
> money\ufffd : (
> 
> Regards
> \ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd Richard
> 
> 
> Richard,
> 
> When I first purchased the car in 99 I tried to
> track
> down previous owners with no success. I would be
> very
> interested in your thoughts, experiences, pictures,
> history and information on HJS 160F.
> 
> As you can see from some of the pictures you found
> the
> HJS 160F tag has been removed and the car painted a
> 1960's vintage Ford blue. When restoring the car I
> found a 1947 English Penny in the dash woodwork.
> That
> penny has been polished up and is affixed to the top
> of the shock tower on the car. I have changed the
> name of the car from HJS 160F to "One Penny"
> 
> I live in South Western Virginia, USA in a small
> town
> called Blue Ridge. The car is driven through the
> Blue
> Ridge Mountains regularly. I will also be taking the
> car to the Vintage CAN AM Grand Prix at Watkins Glen
> this September. I would be pleased to provide you
> with more information on the car if you would like.
> 
> Bob Magnotti
> 68 Marcos 1600 GT #5179
> 59 Austin Healey Sprite
> 
> --- bmwf650d wrote:
> 
> > Hi,
> > I am a previous "curator" of HJS 160F I saw a
> > picture in the
> > Marcos homepage saying it had been sold to someone
> > in Virginia in 99 .
> > After a few hours of browsing I found your
> > restoration gallery and
> > saw you where a contributer to MarcosManiacs .
> > Im the one for better or worse that had it painted
> > in Ford Oyster gold !
> > I have more info. and pictures if you are
> interested
> > ?
> >
> > Richard Grantham
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 



       
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