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IT's A BRITISH INVASION

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The company was founded in Luton, in Bedfordshire, England, in 1959 by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin. Frank Costin had earlier worked on the De Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers and from there he got the idea to use plywood for the chassis. The company moved to a converted mill in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire in 1963 and in 1971 to a purpose built factory at nearby Westbury.

Problems with exporting cars to the USA and the move to the new premises led to financial troubles in the 1970s and by 1971 they were out of business. Jem Marsh however stayed in the auto business and in 1976 he bought back the rights to the Marcos name, and in 1981 the Marcos was relaunched with the Marcos V6 Coupe that was sold in kit form.

Marcos went out of business again in 2000, but thanks to a wealthy Canadian buying the company, is now producing cars again. The race car production is now located in The Netherlands while the road cars are now made in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, United Kingdom.
 
Frank's brother Mike has a bit of a history as well. Teamed with some bloke named Keith, IIRC.
 
Small little company that, the one with Franks brother Mike and a bloke named Keith. Minor influence on motorsports. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
I wonder what it'd be "Worth" to people
to know "the rest of the story"?

- Doug
 
Feel like posting it just Cos?
 
Does anyone have a photo of the plywood chassis? It sounds very interesting.

I knew a sniper named Duckworth in the Army.

Have a nice day
Steve
 
Thanks so much. That is very interesting. It gives a whole new meaning to the words "body rot!" I knew a carpenter in Providenciales who had a 2CV which rusted away completely on him. He made a nifty jeep looking body and frame from wood. I wish I had some pictures for you, but it looks just like you'd imagine.

Have a nice day
Steve
 
MGTD has a wooded body frame; MGA has wooden floors.
 
Lots of misunderstanding when it comes to the frame of an early Marcos. It is a wooden monocoque frame. The rear axle is attached to the wood. The front subframe is steel tubing which bolts to the wood also.

People always comment that the Morgan is also a wood-framed car but it is not. It has a steel frame. Like the MGTD it has a wooded "body" frame.

You can see pix of the Marcos monocoque here:

https://home.swipnet.se/~w-90803/wooden.htm

Don
 
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