Jem Marsh: 1930 - 2015March 2015 Marcos cars | Obituary | Marsh & Costin
 He was a keen motorcyclist before he crashed (Malta, 1953) and decided that it was time to get an extra two wheels on his ride. We're talking about automotive engineer, stunt driver and racer Jem Marsh who has died this month aged 84.
Marsh was the co-founder of Marcos Cars. His business partner was Frank Costin (1920 - 1995), hence the Marcos name (MARsh & COStin). Many Sumpsters will remember the stunning Marcos GT 1800 when it first appeared in 1964 (image below courtesy of Chris Sampson). The car was often referred to as a Marcos Volvo because Volvo originally supplied the engine (later replaced by Ford straight-fours, V6s and V4s). With its Ford GT40/Ferrari-like looks, ultra-low roof height (at just 43-inches), and glass fibre body, the GT was an instant head-turner beloved of schoolboy car spotters. 
The chassis, famously, was made of marine plywood. That was largely Frank Costin's work. He'd been heavily involved in the development of the de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber of 1940. But as time passed, a steel chassis was introduced to save on build time, and therefore lower manufacturing costs. Nevertheless, the wooden chassis cars, famed for being flexible, yet resilient enough to keep all four wheels firmly planted on asphalt, are still being raced in anger and have proven the design over and over again. But the chief advantage of these classic sportsters is their lightness, which gave the Marcos GT its impressive power-to-weight-ratio. Originally, the GT was also fitted with a de Dion rear axle which became a live axle by 1966. 
The Mini Marcos was launched in 1965. Based on an Austin Mini, this diminutive fastback, like many other Marcos cars, was an instant race winner and acquitted itself especially well in endurance racing. But like the GT, it never sold in the numbers needed to keep the business solvent. The company was launched in Wales in 1959. Production later moved to Bradford-upon-Avon, Wiltshire, and then to Kennilworth, Warwickshire. Optimism was originally very high, and the cars were well received by the press, the public and racers. But the US market, with its various legislative and import demands, proved costly to enter. By 1971, with the UK economy struggling against inflationary problems, it was all over. The firm was bust, and its assets were sold. However, in 1976 Jem Marsh bought back the rights. Various new Marcos-badged kit cars were introduced into the marketplace and onto the tracks including the Mantula, Spyder, Mantis and Mantaray. 
▲ The Mini Marcos. This little GRP wonder has a bite much bigger than its bark and has proved itself time and time again on the track. There's a thriving club devoted to these cool cars. Check 'em out. Address below. In 2002, Marcos production was re-started with a radically updated model. But it was short-lived, and in 2007 it was all over again. If you want to read more on the Marcos story, you can pick up a copy of Jem Marsh's book, Making My Marque, for £39.95 (see the link below). www.marcosjem.co.uk www.minimarcos.org.uk — The Third Man | 
