The Marcos Mantis XP, built for Le Mans
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar |
In early 1968 the British motoring press was alight with excitement about a futuristic new racecar being built near Bath. It was a radical design for the time, with a wedge shaped profile, severely creased angular bodywork, and a rakish greenhouse glazed in Perspex. The name "Mantis XP" definitely suited its almost otherworldly, insectoid appearance. The car was the result of Marcos co-founder Jem Marsh's dream of winning Le Mans and was built as a serious contender for the World Championship in Group 6.
The Mantis XP was designed by Dennis and Peter Adams on the second floor of Marcos' Bradford-on-Avon workshop, "the Forge". It featured a fiberglass body over a stressed plywood tub, with steel front and rear tubular subframes, and the fuel tanks in the side sills.
Initially the car was to use a BRM V-12, but that proved daunting, so other options were explored.
Jem Marsh had this to say about the whole ordeal, "They wanted huge piles of cash and then couldn’t get their act together in time. So, over a Chinese meal, I bought a Repco from Jack Brabham instead.” The Rover-blocked 3-litre Brabham-Repco 740 V8 was mated to one of Mike Hewland’s DG300 five-speed transaxles. Marsh bought a complete all-independent suspension set-up to round out the package: “I just rang John Cooper and asked if he would sell me last year’s F1 suspension, and he did". When the car was finished, it was lowered through a hole in the second floor of "the Forge" to get it out of the building.
The intent was to complete in the 36th Grand Prix of Endurance in France, but civil unrest was erupting across the country, causing that event to be moved from its usual June timeframe to mid-September. As such, the Mantis XP had its first outing at the Spa-Francorchamps in May of the same year. Unfortunately, a torrential rain caused the cabin of the car to take on a serious amount of water. The car retired to the pits and holes were drilled in the floor to drain the tub. The car restarted at the back of the field and gained some ground in 10 laps.
Unfortunately, the alternator became fouled by the downpour and began to misfire.
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| A waterlogged Mantis XP at Spa-Francorchamps |
After 13 laps, Jem Marsh called it quits. "We didn’t have the money to risk blowing up an F1 engine and it had been a pretty miserable weekend so we called it a day. The car went very well and the chassis was excellent, but I wasn’t even meant to be driving – someone pulled out at the last moment and we took out all the upholstery so I could squeeze in. There I was in this horrible weather, in a car I’d never driven in vengeance, not able to see a bloody thing in the rain, head cocked to one side because I didn’t fit in the car which was built around Peter Adams, a GP engine up my backside, sitting on the floor in a puddle of water. I don’t think either Eddie or I was too upset at stopping." So ended the Mantis XP's only race outing.
When the car returned to UK, the Repco motor was replaced with a Buick V-8 and was used as Jem's personal car on public roads. “The old ladies of Bradford-on-Avon thought it was something from another planet. It was quite enjoyable really.”, said Marsh. The car was displayed at a number of shows across the UK and then seemed to disappear.
As it turned out, the car was quietly sold to Californian Marcos enthusiast Tom Morris. While on display at the 1970 LA Auto Show, Morris saw the car and had to have it. The XP has been in the hands of the Morris family ever since.
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| The Morris Family with the Mantis XP |
Although racing success might have led to a few more XPs being built, Marsh was adamant that it was never his intention to put the XP into production. Thus, only one example was made.
In 2009, the car enjoyed a full restoration just in time for the celebration of Marcos Cars 50th anniversary at the Prescott Speed Hill Climb. So the car returned for a visit to its ancestral home with considerable fanfare.
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| The Mantis XP at the Prescott Speed Hill Climb |
Ownership of the Mantis XP passed to Tom Morris's four sons; Ned, Chris, Pat and Drew in 1986. It is still in their stewardship today and continues to make appearances at local car shows and vintage races in the US.
Sources:
Classic & Sport Magazine
Marcos Owners Club
Chris Marsh Classics
Classic & Sport Magazine
Marcos Owners Club
Chris Marsh Classics
Image Credits:
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At Laguna Seca |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At the Goodwood Festival of Speed |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - As delivered to the Morris Family in 1970 |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At the Prescott Speed Hill Climb |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At the Goodwood Festival of Speed |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At the Goodwood Festival of Speed |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At Goodwood |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At the Prescott Speed Hill Climb |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At the Prescott Speed Hill Climb |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At Goodwood |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At Goodwood |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - Rear detail |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At Goodwood |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - At the Prescott Speed Hill Climb |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - engine bay |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - front compartment |
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| The 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Group 6 racecar - Interior |
Sitting on the floor in a puddle... brilliant. This is a fascinating read. I also like the reference to the car being lowered through a hole in the upper floor to get it out of the factory.
ReplyDeleteWith reference to the BRM comment, Tony Rudd's autobiography (We Had Fun, I think is the title) is an interesting read about the sixties although he did eventually leave BRM to work for Colin Chapman.
Thanks for the article.
Dave Roberts
Thank you for being a reader, it is appreciated. I'll have to check out Tony Rudd's bio too, good tip.
DeleteThis a very active site and I am currently averaging 2-3 articles a week, so be sure to check back. I've just recently posted a piece on the career of Frank Costin that covers many of his cars in some detail.