Marcos Maniacs

LOL!!!!
You guys are a riot!
 
Seriously though, I think it's great to hear these different view
points. It's awfully hard to get a feel for how the different models
compare in the average article and I hope that the magazine guys will
expound on this for us.
 
Jeff
#8052 1984 V6 GT
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: mcaqmd [mailto:donlattimer@...] 
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2001 10:51 PM
To: MarcosManiacs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MarcosManiacs] Driving Mike Denman's Marcos
 
and again,

A totally different experience than I expected.  I've driven mine 
about 4000 miles in the last five months.  It is smooth and very 
comfortable on the highway and full of torque.  Sort of a tourer, but 
very nimble in the "twisties".  Mike's is the opposite.  Once he 
straps you in the 4-point seatbelt harness, gives you some fatherly 
adivce, and lets you go, you flat GO!!  Big time! You had best be 
ready to hang on if you persist in "flooring" the accelerator (which 
I only did a couple of times Mike, honest).  It is about 400 lbs. 
lighter than my V6 and with the 2.2 litre Volvo 4 and dual Webers it 
probably puts out in the vacinity of 160-170HP compared to my 140HP.  
About right Mike??

Like Mike said, it feels smaller and could possibly be.  I think part 
of that sensation is the noise of the engine and the taughtness of 
the frame and body.  You feel most everything.  Gary Andersen said it 
felt a lot like his vintage racer MGA.

I echo most of what Mike said.  I wish I'd had his on my way back to 
Willits.  I was challenged by a Corvette Z06, a Viper, 30+ rice 
burners, the occasional BMW and one poor dude with a Merkur Scorpio 
who was so engrossed with my car that he failed to see traffic slow 
down entering Santa Rosa and promptly rear-ended a Mercedes.  All I 
was doing was driving, no fancy stuff.  I think the instant 
acceleration of Mike's car would have been fun with the Viper.  We 
were in fairly heavy traffic and only had enuf time and room for 
short bursts.  Mine did OK though.  Fun, fun.

Looking back, I think the best part was when Mike hesitatingly asked 
if I wanted to swap cars and I said "yes"!  The looks on our faces 
and the thoughts racing thru our heads will never be forgotten.  
Fear, joy, trepidation, ...........you name it!

Later, after we had finished lunch, I offered Travis (20-something or 
30 something assistant editor) the opportunity to drive my car.  Must 
have eaten something really strange for lunch because I don't do that 
kind of stuff.  In ten years NO ONE drove my Jensen-Healey!  He 
gladly accepted and off we went down Rt 1.  If you've ever driven it, 
you'll appreciate this.  It is a VERY twisty road on the coast of 
CA.  Full attention at all times, no turn-outs.  After about a mile I 
asked if he had ever driven a right hand drive car.  Answer: NO.  How 
long had he been with British Car Mag?  Answer: couple of months.  
Own a sports car?  Answer: yes, a 914 Porsche. Blood pressure drops a 
little at this point.  It was an adventure to say the least!  Of 
course I had never ridden on the left hand side for any distance so 
the narrow two lane road seemed like one lane to me, especially when 
he couldn't keep the left wheels on our side of the lines (better 
than falling into the Pacific Ocean though).  Of course it was the 
first nice day in weeks and everyone and their mother was out for a 
quick blast on Rt. 1 (going the opposite direction).  After 10 miles 
or so we stopped and I pushed my heart back into place, turned off 
the adrenalin, and had a nice iced tea.  To be truthful?.........He 
did a good job for his first time.  I really have to start watching 
what I eat.

Don Lattimer
#3M5759 V6 (still in one piece, tucked on the right side of my garage)
Willits, CA








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