Marcos Maniacs

Bob,
Do you remember me, Larry Meadows in Florida? 

Regards,
Larry
 

________________________________
 From: "Mike Sullivan tvrm2001@... [MarcosManiacs]" <MarcosManiacs@yahoogroups.com>
To: Marcos Forum <marcosmaniacs@yahoogroups.com> 
Sent: Friday, May 9, 2014 7:25 AM
Subject: [MarcosManiacs] Fw: Form Submission - Contact Eurocarguy - Chris Lawrence's 1985 Marco Mantula 3.5 V8 EFI Flapper - Marcos Mantula Demostrator
  


  
Thought I would share this with the group.  Sad to see time take its toll.  
 
 
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: robert boston <rboston48@yahoo.com>
To: "tvrm2001@..." <tvrm2001@...> 
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2014 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: Form Submission - Contact Eurocarguy - Chris Lawrence's 1985 Marco Mantula 3.5 V8 EFI Flapper - Marcos Mantula Demostrator
 


Hi Mike, 
It is frustrating to find out history when none really exists. Firstly Jem is very senile at this junction. Saw him at his home a few months ago and he seems to be fading fast. I imported both the Caterham super 7 in kit form and the newly remade Marcos both as Jem and Graham Nearn from Caterham were very good friends and shared a booth at the NEC show in 1980-82 UK. I imported probably 7 Marcos and 5 Caterhams in 1981-82. I was primarily bringing in used German cars during "Grey market" days. We brought over 2000 cars in from 1981-85. So I do not really have any knowledge about what Marcos kits or cars came in any later than 1982.  
Sorry I can't be of more help. My history is on my website   eurocarguy.com 
 
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On Tuesday, May 6, 2014 12:23 PM, Squarespace <no-reply@...> wrote:
  
Name: Mike Sullivan 
Email Address: tvrm2001@... 
Subject: Chris Lawrence's 1985 Marco Mantula 3.5 V8 EFI Flapper - Marcos Mantula Demostrator 
Message: I have been reaching out to a number of folks regarding this vehicle. Do you have any additional information on it.

I sent a request to Peter Giddings Racing which has a picture on their website of Chris Lawrence in a Morgan at Riverside International Raceway. It is captioned "Peter allows Chris Lawrence of Morgan fame to fulfill a dream! Chris wrote: "With my thanks for adding a milestone experience to life's rich pattern." Riverside Raceway."

I also sent this to Jem Marsh and got a response from his daughter (Jem has been in the hospital for 7 weeks).

My name is Mike Sullivan and I own a 1985 Marcos Mantula that Chris Lawrence built as part of a factory demonstrator effort between him and JEM Marsh. Chris "assembled" the car (body and engine sent separately) from JEM Marsh in 1985. I am trying to document this car. I purchased the vehicle locally here in VA and the individual whom I bought it from purchased it
 from Wire Wheel Classic Sports Cars, Inc about 20 years ago...I bought in 8 years ago. In the advertisement for the car it stated that it once a "Pace Car" at Riverside Raceway. I have not been able to get this verified. Any thoughts?

If I had spent more time early using what's on the internet researching I would have found Chris Lawrence sooner and got it from the horses ear.

I have 13 letters between JEM Marsh of Marco and Chris Lawrence...here is a small sample (it mentions your name)

8 February 1985 – Letter from JEM Marsh to Chris Lawrence about their discussion on the 7th Feb. This letter mentions 1982 Bob Boston (Marcos Cars of America??) from Atlanta Georgia who has two fully built cars on order with him, both injection. Bob had also sold 3 cars in kit form. Mentions a guy named Chris Smith (kit car journals) copying the Lotus Eleven and Lotus Seven. Also JEM sent a car to a Mr. A Gustave Phoenix, Arizona. Imported to take
 a 2.6 engine. Mentions a guy named George Coen, Phoenix Lake Road, Sonora, Calif, JEM met him at the Las Vegas kit car show (weighs 25 stones). Georges partner name was Karl Febel. JEM mentions in this letter about not having to do any tests based on Part 555 temporary exemption from motor vehicle safety standards. Mentions that TVR is testing a V8 Rover injection car. Mentions that the V8 on the circuit “isn’t much quicker than my Jackie Stewart car with a 1300cc engine in it”. Also states that the car has “now won 3 champoinships and has beaten Tim Sissons and John Lewis’ E type! Not bad for a 55 year old!” The letter mentions “We have started on a soft top model, again this is slightly problematical. We are going to do the first one with a simple hood like a Spitfire, which will probably flap and blow about in the wind.” Mentions that it will be launched at the Motor Fair in London in October.

The car was completed in Dec 1985
 so any racing or testing of the vehicle would have been in 1986. 

It also has a window sticker "WebbStone Racing" that I have been trying to source...any ideas..?

btw the car just turned 13k miles...finally got everything sorted out.

Respectively
Mike Sullivan 
Chesapeake, VA 
(Sent via EUROCARGUY)