Marcos 1800 Prototype '72

• Unique Marcos 1800 Prototype with aluminium body by Hartin Brothers of London
• Volvo B18 engine bored out to approximately 2.0 litres with twin Weber 42 carburettors
• Original M41 4-speed manual gearbox with Laycock de Normanville J-type overdrive
• New wooden chassis constructed from 286 pieces of marine plywood
• Fully known history and recorded in the Marcos Heritage archive

The Marcos 1800 Prototype represents a particularly fascinating piece of British sports car history. This unique aluminium body was designed by Dennis Adams and hand-formed by Hartin Brothers of London. At the time, it was featured in Small Wheels magazine and presented at the 1964 Racing Show.

The car is recorded in the official Marcos Heritage archive under the historical reference PROMV 001. Its history is fully known, from its creation as an aluminium-bodied Marcos, through an early period as a racer fitted with a Cooper engine, to further construction work carried out at Alan Mann Racing in Byfleet, Surrey. In 1972, the car was registered for road use.

The Marcos later came to Germany through Burckhard Verhaelen, who was the Marcos importer for Germany at the time. Following an earlier restoration project that did not reach completion, the car was eventually comprehensively rebuilt.

One of the most distinctive features of this Marcos is its unique aluminium body. The exposed aluminium sections were polished to a high-gloss finish and then protected with clear lacquer. Other areas were painted in Ferrari Pino Verde Metalizzato, combined with a bright green band and Lamborghini lime-green striping. Black outlining and chrome striping complete the distinctive colour scheme.

Beneath the body is a new wooden chassis, constructed according to the original method from 286 individual pieces of marine plywood. The flat underside was also reconstructed according to the original principle.

The original Volvo Redblock B18 engine, with a displacement of 1,783 cc, was bored out to approximately 2.0 litres. The engine received enlarged intake and exhaust valves, hardened valve seats for unleaded fuel, a higher-performance camshaft and two twin 42 mm Weber carburettors. These Weber carburettors were offered by Marcos at the time as a tuning upgrade and, according to the available documentation, were originally sourced from Maserati.

The engine is also equipped with an external oil cooler, a manually switchable electric cooling fan and Evans waterless coolant. The stainless-steel exhaust system has a diameter of 2 inches and is connected to a custom-made 4-into-1 exhaust manifold. An aluminium heat shield was installed between the exhaust and the wooden chassis.

The original M41 4-speed manual gearbox has been retained and is combined with a stronger J-type Laycock de Normanville overdrive. The overdrive is operated by a push button, as originally intended.

The chassis and running gear were also extensively addressed. The car was converted from right-hand drive to left-hand drive and features individually adjustable suspension. At the front, Triumph GT6 suspension with new bushes was used. At the rear is a rigid Cortina GT axle, located by four reaction arms and also fitted with new bushes.

The original aluminium Marcos wheels are present. The rear wheel mounting pattern was adapted to the standard Triumph bolt pattern, matching the front axle. The car is fitted with Michelin tyres, 175 at the front and 185 at the rear. A spare wheel and a scissor jack suitable for the four jacking points are also included.

The interior was also extensively rebuilt. The car features a welded roll cage with additional protection in the doors and beneath the passenger area, heat and sound insulation throughout the passenger compartment and a left-hand-drive dashboard in the sought-after 1800 GT configuration.

The dashboard is finished in satin-black vinyl and combined with a new aluminium centre console. The car also features a push-start button, push-button overdrive control, the original ventilation system, new instruments, a removable wooden Moto-Lita steering wheel and the original Marcos continuously adjustable pedal system.

The original polyester bucket seat was upholstered in green leather to match the body colour. A Sabelt four-point harness, which can be converted to a six-point harness, completes the sporting interior.

The car features a new green-tinted laminated windscreen with a green sun strip. The side windows in the doors are made from real glass and the rear window was custom-made in plexiglass. The flipfront, doors and boot lid can all be locked.

The electrical system was also extensively renewed. A completely new custom-made wiring loom was installed, together with a new alternator and a compact dry 12V battery. To improve the centre of gravity, the battery was mounted low in the passenger footwell area. The car also features four new headlights with original-style plexiglass covers and Dzus fasteners, rear lights in their original configuration, a fog light, reverse light and a master cut-off switch with removable key on the centre console.

The original fuel tank is located above the rear axle in the luggage compartment. It has the characteristic V-shape that allows it to fit around the wedge-shaped section of the wooden chassis. An electric fuel pump with filter provides the fuel supply.

The history of this Marcos is fully known. The car is recorded in the Marcos Heritage archive and has participated in several events organised by the Marcos Owners Club and Club Marcos International.

The technical inspection is valid until 27 October 2027.

This Marcos is now well over 30 years old and can qualify for classic car status in Belgium. In Flanders, vehicles aged at least 30 years benefit from specific flat-rate classic car taxation. With a Belgian O-plate and the required registration, the car can also benefit from the applicable regulations for classic vehicles in Belgian LEZ zones.

Our Oldtimerfarm inspection team has prepared an expert report for this car.

Technical data

• Make: Marcos
• Model: 1800 Prototype
• Year: 1972
• First registration: 23/10/1972
• Original engine: Volvo Redblock B18
• Original displacement: 1,783 cc
• Current displacement: bored out to approximately 2.0 litres
• Intake valves: 42 mm
• Exhaust valves: 44 mm
• Valve seats: hardened for unleaded fuel
• Fuel system: two twin 42 mm Weber carburettors
• Camshaft: higher-performance specification
• Cooling: Evans waterless coolant
• Additional cooling: manually switchable electric fan
• Oil cooling: external oil cooler
• Exhaust system: 2-inch stainless steel with custom-made 4-into-1 manifold
• Transmission: Manual M41 4-speed gearbox
• Overdrive: J-type Laycock de Normanville, electro-hydraulic
• Colour: polished aluminium / Pino Verde Metalizzato / lime-green details
• Indicated mileage: 89,734 km
• Chassis number: PR0MV0001
• Historical Marcos archive reference: PROMV 001
• Steering position: Left-hand drive

Condition and points of attention

Restoration and originality

• Professionally rebuilt
• Unique aluminium body by Hartin Brothers of London
• New wooden chassis based on the original concept
• Chassis constructed from 286 pieces of marine plywood
• Converted from right-hand drive to left-hand drive
• Fully known history
• Recorded in the Marcos Heritage archive

Body

• Unique aluminium body
• Exposed aluminium sections polished to a high-gloss finish
• Aluminium protected with clear lacquer
• Lockable flipfront, doors and boot lid

Paintwork

• Sections finished in Ferrari Pino Verde Metalizzato
• Bright green band and Lamborghini lime-green striping
• Black outlining with chrome striping

Glass

• New green-tinted laminated windscreen
• Green sun strip
• Glass side windows in the doors
• Custom-made plexiglass rear window

Underside and chassis

• New wooden chassis
• Flat underside based on the original concept
• Aluminium heat shield between exhaust and wooden chassis
• Effective sump protection

Tyres and wheels

• Original aluminium Marcos wheels
• Michelin 175 at the front
• Michelin 185 at the rear
• Spare wheel present
• Scissor jack suitable for the four jacking points included

Interior

• Left-hand-drive dashboard in 1800 GT configuration
• Satin-black vinyl trim
• New aluminium centre console
• Original polyester bucket seat upholstered in green leather
• Sabelt four-point harness, convertible to six-point
• Removable wooden Moto-Lita steering wheel
• Original continuously adjustable Marcos pedal system
• Heat and sound insulation throughout the passenger compartment
• Roof lined with sound-absorbing black foam
• Welded roll cage
• Additional protection in the doors and beneath the passenger area

Engine and mechanical condition

Engine

• Volvo Redblock B18
• Originally 1,783 cc
• Bored out to approximately 2.0 litres
• Intake valves enlarged to 42 mm
• Exhaust valves enlarged to 44 mm
• Hardened valve seats for unleaded fuel
• Higher-performance camshaft
• Two twin 42 mm Weber carburettors
• Weber configuration offered by Marcos at the time as a tuning upgrade
• External oil cooler
• Manually switchable electric fan
• Evans waterless coolant
• Current engine output has not been measured on a dynamometer

Fuel system

• Original V-shaped fuel tank above the rear axle
• Electric fuel pump
• Fuel filter present

Exhaust system

• 2-inch stainless-steel exhaust
• Custom-made 4-into-1 exhaust manifold
• Aluminium heat shield between exhaust and wooden chassis

Clutch

• Works well

Gearbox

• Original M41 4-speed manual gearbox
• Works well

Overdrive

• J-type Laycock de Normanville overdrive
• Electro-hydraulic operation
• Operated via push button

Suspension and axles

• Individually adjustable suspension
• Triumph GT6 front suspension
• New front suspension bushes
• Rigid Cortina GT rear axle
• Rear axle located by four reaction arms
• New rear bushes

Brakes

• Adjustment required
• Right rear brake operates with less force

Handbrake

• Works well

Electrical system

• Completely new custom-made wiring loom
• New alternator
• Compact dry 12V battery
• Battery mounted low on the passenger side
• New instruments based on the original configuration
• Push-start button
• Master cut-off switch with removable key

Lighting

• Four new headlights
• Original-style plexiglass covers with Dzus fasteners
• Rear lights in original configuration
• Fog light present
• Reverse light present

History

• Aluminium body designed by Dennis Adams
• Hand-formed by Hartin Brothers of London
• Featured at the time in Small Wheels
• Presented at the Racing Show in 1964
• Historical period as a racer fitted with a Cooper engine
• Further construction at Alan Mann Racing in Byfleet, Surrey
• Registered for road use in 1972
• Later imported into Germany by Burckhard Verhaelen, then Marcos importer for Germany
• Subsequently involved in an earlier restoration project that did not reach completion
• Eventually comprehensively rebuilt
• Recorded in the Marcos Heritage archive
• Participated in events of the Marcos Owners Club and Club Marcos International
• Technical inspection valid until 27/10/2027

Documents

• Belgian registration documents
• Belgian Car-Pass present
• Marcos Heritage documentation
• Historical documentation
• Car-Pass: https://public.car-pass.be/vhr/122c0ac2-2e1d-4643-915b-e24e527aa589

This Marcos 1800 Prototype can be viewed at Oldtimerfarm, Lobulckstraat 9, 9880 Aalter, Belgium.

Visits are possible with or without an appointment. If desired, the car can also be inspected on a vehicle lift.

Oldtimerfarm has more than 300 classic cars and motorcycles and is located just 5 minutes from the Aalter exit of the E40 motorway.

Also watch our videos:

Warranty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv9nimvtu8M

Mileage of classic cars (km/Miles):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-sd5QJg5po

Purchase procedure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNc9Ag1mDPQ