1965 Marcos 1800GT FIA GTP1

The 1960s were a golden era for British sports car design, with innovation and individuality shining through in marques such as Lotus, Ginetta and Marcos. The latter, founded by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin (of de Havilland and Lotus fame), built a reputation for lightweight construction and clever aerodynamics, with the early wooden chassis cars soon evolving into highly competitive GT machines.

The example offered here, chassis #4009, is a genuine period-built race car delivered new in June 1965 to Mr J. Howard, complete with a competition 1,800cc Volvo engine and a comprehensive list of racing upgrades. These included alloy hubs, a Hewland close-ratio gearbox, alloy racing brake callipers, an oil cooler, racing seat and harness – all consistent with Marcos' focus on producing ready to race GT cars with serious intent.

This car made its competitive debut at Oulton Park in July 1965, followed by Silverstone in the same month and continued to build a commendable racing pedigree. It passed through the hands of several notable owners including Mike Smith, Barry Sewell, Cyril Baxter and Simon Park, with a full ownership record available for inspection.

Presented today in full FIA/HTP specification (Period F:1962–1965, Class GTP1) with valid papers, this Marcos remains eligible for a broad calendar of international historic racing events including Pre-’66 GT, Peter Auto, Masters, Motor Racing Legends, HSCC, Super Sixties, Equipe and the Iberian Historic Endurance series.

The car is powered by a Volvo B18 1,800cc unit built to competition specification, featuring a steel crank and rods, forged pistons, a Piper camshaft and a large capacity sump. Twin Weber 45 DCOE carburettors deliver fuelling, while a lightweight flywheel and AP twin-plate clutch ensure crisp power delivery. The drivetrain includes an M40 4-speed Volvo gearbox fitted with Quaife straight-cut, close-ratio gears and synchros, coupled to a Salisbury 4.1:1 limited-slip differential within an alloy carrier and semi-floating rear axles. Quaife driveshafts and front Girling callipers provide excellent braking, complemented by 9" drums at the rear.

Professionally prepared and maintained, the Marcos is described as 'on the button' and has been fastidiously looked after while being garaged in the UK. A 55-litre foam-filled tank ensures compliance and endurance capability, whilst its original paperwork and period correct presentation speak volumes for its authenticity.

This is a rare opportunity to acquire an original period Marcos GT in full race-ready condition, with impeccable provenance and eligibility for the most competitive historic GT grids across Europe. Few cars from this era combine originality, preparation quality and such broad eligibility quite so compellingly. Please note that having been a competition car its entire life, the original registration KMB 111C appears to no longer exist. Whilst we assume this to have 'dropped-off' the system in the midst of the DVLA's digitisation several decades ago, it must be assumed that the car does not carry a UK registration.