3. The Mini Marcos

3.2 Notes - Brian J Moulton

I joined Marcos Cars as GRP Manager just prior to their move to Greenland Mills, having previously been GRP Manager of LG Plastics.

I was headhunted by Jem Marsh to set up and run the glass fibre side of Marcos Cars as GRP Manager and the first task was to design and make the original moulds for the Adams Brothers designed Marcos 1800. At that time we were also making the Marcos 1600 and Spyder body shells as a fill in car. In theset early days the senior management under Jem were Dennis, Peter and myself who were responsible for recruiting and trained an excellent team.

In 1964 I set up a separate glass fibre department called Novaplas, which besides making the body parts for Marcos Cars also entered the commercial glass fibre moulding sector of the industry.

Falcon Shells, in whom Commander Cavendish had an interest, was merged into Novaplas at Greenland Mills in 1965 and brought with it unresolved quality problems with Dizzy Addicott's body shells and concrete shuttering units. At that time I moved from GRP Manager to Technical Advisor for glass fibre design, sales and technical aspects but still being responsible for the overall performance of the department with the production manager reporting to me.

During the 60s and 70s I received nominations and awards for a wide range of designs in glass fibre for sports car hardtops, industrial panels, animal feed storage, children's leisure slides, intensive care baby incubators and the 747 simulator housings and runway terrain panels.

Whilst at Marcos Cars I also did technical work as a consultant for Lotus Cars at Cheshunt who at that time had production problems with the Élite and new Élan body shells.

In 1965 a GRP body shell made by Falcon Shells was delivered to Greenland Mills for me to inspect being the subject of a quality dispute with Dizzy at a time when there was some dialogue between Dizzy and Jem on a possible partnership for making a Mini GT car. My report was that the body shell was of poor quality but just about acceptable. This was unacceptable to Dizzy and the relationship ended soon after this incident.

Jem then talked over the situation with me about the possibility of us going alone and as both the Adams Brothers were tied up on other work I asked Jem to find me a model/pattern maker to do the basic modifications. We took an old body shell as the basis for a proper re-design. The first job we did was to make the shape symmetrical and then we started modifications based on my critical list of requirements:

1. The front to accommodate an air scoop for the carburettors.
2. A large enough frontal area for a cooler needed in competition mode.
3. A chopped off rear end ala Abarth/Ferrari/Marcos 1800 style and giving the driver maximum rear vision.
4. Wheel arches to give a family feel with the 1800.
5. A GRP floor tray with scope for different forms of reinforcement.
6. The shape had to be suitable for and to make the best use of in GRP.

The body shell was cut about, re-shaped, filled and altered many times before the final shape was arrived at to my satisfaction.

I built the first Mini-Marcos competition car for Geoff Mabbs and this car was a sensation on the track and in speed runs (see First race - first win).

I resigned in 1966 to re-join LG Plastics as Technical Director, followed by a couple of years of consultancy at Rediweld/Redifon and then in 1975 joined Glynwed International with a turnover of £1bn to be their Managing Director of Glynwed Plastics Ltd.

In 1993 I moved to Australia to look after and urgently to develop the plastics operations of Glynwed in that region, and pushed through the development of twelve new product range designs to production in three years with worldwide patents. However, my time at Marcos Cars will always be held with great affection where a true pioneering spirit was with you every day.

Brian J Moulton

We are grateful to Brian for permission to publish these notes. The pattern maker was Malcolm Newell.