S2,restoration

[buzzer]

Brian, will do, interested how some of those early cars are valued now. an early Marcos can fetch good money, havent really looked at Pipers recently.

I'll take a few pics and post.

Dave

[Piper an]

A good condition Piper £20000.00 to£25000.00 dealer/ show more  like I've said before owned mine for 40years sold to nice chap Derek   

[BDA]

Those are some wild looking cars! Very nice!

[EuropaTC]

Hi BDA,

The first is a kit car of the period, a Concept Centaur. A very far out car but the basic theme was taken from a show car produced by the Adams brothers who had a long association with Jem Marsh and Marcos. The car they made was called the Probe 15, followed shortly by the Probe 16 & then 2001. The 16 was the one used in the Kubrick film "Clockwork Orange" and probably the reason the Centaur kit was offered.  If you think a Europa is low, then you need to see one of those !

The second is a Costin Amigo, designed & produced by Frank Costin and again of "Marcos" fame - he's the "cos" bit in the name.  It's a wooden monocoque with vauxhall engine, fibreglass bodywork and lots of ingenious touches - the bulbous door hinges were ventilation scoops at one point for example.  Incredibly cramped inside and definitely not for "mature" drivers !  More trivia - the lady with the mass of hair looking inside and wondering if she'll fit is my wife....  probably wondering if I was going to buy it as I knew the owner back then.

The third is another Piper.  (getting common, aren't they ?    ).  When I saw the white one posted by Piper an I wondered if it was the same car 40yrs ago so checked the photo, but it's not. Different reg and model I think.

Brian

[Piper an]

Hi Brian yes ones a GGT the other laterP2 phase two with pop ups whats the reg on ggt ?

[BDA]

Hi BDA,

The first is a kit car of the period, a Concept Centaur. A very far out car but the basic theme was taken from a show car produced by the Adams brothers who had a long association with Jem Marsh and Marcos. The car they made was called the Probe 15, followed shortly by the Probe 16 & then 2001. The 16 was the one used in the Kubrick film "Clockwork Orange" and probably the reason the Centaur kit was offered.  If you think a Europa is low, then you need to see one of those !

The second is a Costin Amigo, designed & produced by Frank Costin and again of "Marcos" fame - he's the "cos" bit in the name.  It's a wooden monocoque with vauxhall engine, fibreglass bodywork and lots of ingenious touches - the bulbous door hinges were ventilation scoops at one point for example.  Incredibly cramped inside and definitely not for "mature" drivers !  More trivia - the lady with the mass of hair looking inside and wondering if she'll fit is my wife....  probably wondering if I was going to buy it as I knew the owner back then.

The third is another Piper.  (getting common, aren't they ?    ).  When I saw the white one posted by Piper an I wondered if it was the same car 40yrs ago so checked the photo, but it's not. Different reg and model I think.

Brian

Interesting, Brian! Wood monocoque! I was wondering what those "scoops" were. Thanks! And great picture of your wife! Frank Costin sure got around, didn't he? I guess it runs in the family with his brother Mike!

[EuropaTC]

Hi Brian yes ones a GGT the other laterP2 phase two with pop ups whats the reg on ggt ?

I think it is RAK 51J but the photograph is typical 1970's "happy snap" photo printing and none too sharp. It was even printed on matt paper to make it worse !

Enlarging and adding contrast in photoshop gives a better idea so I did a quick check on the DVLA site and that number does belong to a Piper which in 1986 was off the road and painted Blue. So it's probably stored in someone's barn just waiting for rescue.

Vehicle make                       PIPER
Date of first registration        25 September 1970
Cylinder capacity (cc)           1600cc
CO₂Emissions                      Not available
Fuel type                             PETROL
Vehicle status                       Not taxed
Vehicle colour                       BLUE
Vehicle type approval            Not available
Wheelplan                             2 AXLE RIGID BODY

BDA - Frank Costin was a much underrated engineer compared with his brother Mike and some of the things he did were typical of the "mad genius in a shed" mentality.  He did a lot of aerodynamic work on the early Lotus cars but the Amigo never made serious production,  I think there were only around 10 made because it was very expensive to produce. If you ever see the book "Flying on Four Wheels" by Dennis Ortenburger it's all about Frank & his creations and definitely worth a read.

You've just got to admire a guy who designs & builds a car and then entitles the driver's handbook - "Pilot's Instructions"   

[Piper an]

Thanks Brian yes RAK 51J is known to club  present wearabouts not sure Derek

[Piper an]

A few pics of marcos cars NEC

[buzzer]

ahhh you beat me too it!  Photos still on my phone
Did you find any europas though!

Had a chat to the Piper lot. 

Ill post my pics when I get them off my phone

Dave

[Piper an]

Hi dave no i didnt go nick photos off macos club! hopefully you found Europa Derek 

[buzzer]

Didn't find Derek but had a good chat with one of the guys...who I've forgotten the name of.. Talking about lotus power lumps, he owned the lime green car.

Dave

[Piper an]

Hi Dave yes thats Dave McConnel  loveiy car twink engine owned long time ,no i didnt go due to illness  1 of the reason for selling my car after 40years Derek 

[buzzer]

Well I hope illness is only temporary.. 

40 years with the car that's not bad! Am surely you had a lot of fun...and grief! with it.

It was very very busy there, so  our chat got interrupted, had quite a chat about twinks water pumps

[EuropaTC]

Wow - well, Marcos owners always did do "Flash" well, it seems to have moved up another ten notches since I last saw one.  The yellow car is almost an exhibition piece rather than something you'd actually want to drive on the road.

Brian