Mini variants?

[southpaw]

Hi all,

If you have somehow managed miss my various other threads, I'm 17 this summer and I'm searching for the perfect, or near as perfect as possible car. Insurance is the main problem. A lot of people have said to get an older car, with many suggestions of a Mini. No offence meant, but the original Mini has never really "done it" for me if you know what I mean.

Anyway, someone on here gave me a link to a company producing the Mini Marcos, and when I saw the GT version I fell in love! I saw one a while ago in a kit car magazine but I couldn't find any information out about it. Anyway, here it is:


Couple of questions:
What engine would be best for this? 1300 Cooper/Cooper S out of an original Mini, or maybe go for an A or K series engine?
Could this kind of car be used day to day? Whats it like for getting over speed bumps?
What do these sell for second hand - normal Marcos's and are there any GT versions around that were made?

Thanks

Edit: This should probably have gone in the kit car forum, any chance a mod can move it for me?

>> Edited by southpaw on Wednesday 10th May 20:41

[eccles]

lots of info on the 40 year old mini marcos (and loads of other mini based cars on this site.....

www.minimarcos.org.uk/

[skyedriver]

They were never as pretty as that pic suggests.
Also look at MiniGem & Kingfisher (made in Rothbury, Northumberland).
Friend had one in the 70's nicknamed "the coffin". Sitting in it you felt like you were looking out of a letter box though!
Consider a Midas, they were glass fibre monocoque so less to rust (theoretically).

[Fatboy]

Naturally aspirated MG Metro 1275 is probably the best cheap engine you'll find for it - propelled my mini to an 18 second 1/4 mile a couple of years ago (when it was still in use) Good little lump IMO.