3. The Mini Marcos

3.3 Details

Body number ranges given below are based on cars known to the club.

Mark I (1965-66) - look for notched wheel arches, fixed perspex door windows with sliding ventilators for racing, otherwise aluminium frames with pull-up windows, non-recessed fuel filler and very narrow number plate panel under the nose. High open-bottom tunnel; fixed rear window; fake louvres behind rear side windows. Made by Marcos Cars Components Limited, Greenland Mills, Bradford-on-Avon. Body numbers 6001-6152 (Mk. 1).

Dimensions:
overall length - 136.5" 3.47m
wheelbase - 80" 2.03m
overall height - 44" 1.12m
ground clearance - 5" 127mm
overall width - 56.5" 1.44m

See side elevation and plan drawings and photos.

Mark II (1967-) - wheel arches now semi-circular; deeper front panel takes whole of number plate; recessed fuel filler, higher tunnel. Body numbers 7000 on made by Marcos Cars Ltd, MIxx (about 40 cars) made by Marcos Ireland Limited, Dublin and RMC001-054 by Brian Raubenheimer of Pietermaritzburg for South Africa.

Mark III (-1970) - detail differences only, including door jambs and bonnet gutter. We believe that a different mould was used but 7000 body number sequence was continued from around 7450 to 7528. An opening rear hatch was optional on later cars. We do not have sufficient information to distinguish mark II and III cars so they are all catalogued as Mk.III.

Mark IV (1974-81) - longer and higher than predecessors; longer wheelbase; wider 'B' pillar; thicker rear end with bumper section under rear panel; no louvres; new floor pan based on Mini Traveller; rear hatch as standard. Body numbers 8000-8099 made by Marcos Limited, DH8100-8429 * made by D & H Fibreglass Techniques Limited, Oldham (see contemporary press report). The Marcos Ltd cars have polished aluminium or brass door window frames; on the D&H cars they are fabricated from aluminium channel which is usually painted black. The D&H cars usually had an aluminium trim on the top edge of the door to cover up a join in the door mould.

Dimensions:
overall length - 139.5" 3.54m
wheelbase - 83" 2.11m
overall height (10" wheels) - 44" 1.12m
ground clearance - 5" 127mm
overall width - 56.5" 1.44m

Height and ground clearance depend on wheel size and suspension setup. Width includes hinges but not door handles or mirrors.

* 8429 is the latest Mk.IV we know about. Later cars may turn up.

Mark V (1991-1996) - wider wheel arches take 12" wheels or 13" with low profile tyres; front spoiler; rubber mounted front subframe; push-button type door handles and locks; wind-up door windows. Made by Marcos Sales Limited, Westbury. Body numbers 9000-9064.

See sales brochure and Tony Carlsson's cut-away line drawing of his Mini Marcos Mk.V.

Mark VI (2005-present) - as Mk. V or as GT version with detachable racing front end and one-piece Perspex door windows; initially badged as "Marcos Heritage MK VI". Chassis numbers allocated from MHER MMAR yy 0600001 upwards where yy is the year of build (e.g. 05).