The final specifications of the Marathon cars was based on the newly introduced MkII 1800S models but with some major modifications. They were built up from bare shells and had MkI suspension with the larger front displacers fitted to the rear to cope with the increased load. The body was strengthened in the areas of the boot floor and suspension housings to allow the fitting of Koni telescopic shock absorbers front and rear and a rear anti roll bar fitted - this had been standard on very early Mk1 cars.
The engine was not highly tuned. it's capacity was increased by + 80 boring to 1894cc, the camshaft was the standard MGB grind and the head was re-worked by Downton, the inlet was 1800s with twin 1¾ SU carburettors and the exhaust was special exiting through the rear apron.
The output from this little lot went through a competition clutch to standard gearbox ratios and gave a reliable 100bhp at the lightened flywheel - about 77bhp at the wheels - not much for such a heavy car.
The Diff was 4.1 - again from the MkI and they ran on 13" Minilites shod with 175 x 13" Dunlop SP 44's, or for the Nullarbor in Australia - SP Sports.
A most important mod. for anyone who has tried to corner quickly in an 1800, was the steering rack with a bicep tugging 3.25 to 1 ratio - the standard car MkI car had a 4.4 to 1 ratio - fed through a 16" Mountney wheel.
The interior was fitted out for the 3-man crew and the rear seat could be turned into a bed. A Hydrolastic pump had pride of place on the rear parcel shelf. Some, but not all of the windows were Perspex and the doors, bonnet and boot were aluminium skinned to save a little weight. 26 gallons of fuel in twin tanks filled the boot, so the spare wheels had to go in the only place left - the roof! The finished car with crew, weighed in at around the 2-ton mark
Five cars were prepared by Abingdon, four rally cars and a service car, two other cars were also prepared at the factory for the Red Arrow and the Royal Navy teams.
- Ken Green
Footnote
All the factory 1800's finished and Paddy Hopkirk's car was second, he may even have won if Evan Green had not stopped to pull Andrew Cowan back on to the road, but as the Hillman mechanics helped BMC fix Rauno Aaltonen's car by lending them their welder, and by giving Paddy some 100 octane petrol for the Lataban section (he was faster than the Hunter) the honours are about even.
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More trivia from Ken Green:
Another bit of the jigsaw!!
After crawling over the Hopkirk car on Sunday I contacted John Aley whose old company Aleybars made all the BMC Competition Department's roll bars in the 70s regarding the big clamp that holds the 3 parts of the bar together.
I got this reply about the roll bars he made for the BMC 1800 Marathon cars.
All we need to do now is find some old animal pens with the Alloy clamp!!!! - I wonder if you still can get new ones???
Ken
Subject: Rollover bars
Dear Ken
"The original Aleybar clamps were made from alloy and supplied by Simplex Dairy Equipment as they were a standard part used in tubular animal pens. They were rather ugly being made in two sections held together by three bolts but surprisingly strong. We never had one break. Eventually we replaced them on our non FIA spec bars with a one piece steel clamp which looked better was not so convenient - and probably no stronger.
Hope this helps locate one".
John
Daniel Richmond who was the designer of the 1800 'S' head died recently.
Downtons also supplied a lot of parts to Abingdon for the BMC Rally cars
and did most of the head work.
London Sydney BMC 1800 Trivia
Did you know?
'Gelignite' Jack Murray waterskied on the river Thames past the houses of Parliament before the start of the rally
The R.A.F. Red Arrows BMC 1800 (ORX 663F), had the bottom of the dipstick fall off on night before the start - the mechanics had to remove the engine and split the gearbox from the block to retrieve the end - then put it all back again ready for the start.
The Royal Navy Car (VLM 128G) driven by Phillip Stearns, stalled on the starting ramp - he said it was the because his glasses had steamed up after a good luck kiss from Miss World!
David Corbett (NAM 616G) got to within 40 miles of Belgrade and his engine popped a rod through the block. He had the car shipped home and entered the Monte Carlo Rally instead. - He finished that event!
Tony Fall (SMO 947G) caught up to the car in front on the Sivas to Erzincan stage - (175miles to do in 2hrs. 45min.) they would not move over. He arrived at the next control with all his lights smashed by flying stones.
On the same section the Rootes mechanics let Hopkirk and Fall fill up with 120 octane fuel they had left over after re-fuelling the Hillman Hunters.
Graham White in the Hymac entered BMC 1800(ARA 65G), ended up in hospital after falling down an inspection pit in Sivas and ruptured a kidney. Co-driver David Dunnell followed the rally as far as Bombay then drove the car back to the UK single handed in 10 days
Tehran to Kabul - 1,481 miles in 23hrs. 32min. Rauno Aaltonen (SMO 225G) hit a gully and broke his front suspension, he continued; with a winch from the bumper to the suspension holding it all in place till he got it fixed in Kabul, with a welder borrowed from the Rootes team!
On the same section, Tony Fall hit a pothole at 60 mph and snapped the suspension arm. They removed the bits and got them welded back together by a local blacksmith for the grand sum of 12.5p (25cents).
Kabul - Sairobi via the Lataban Pass - 46 miles in 60mins. No car did it in the time allowed. Roger Clark and Paddy Hopkirk (SMO 226G) both lost 5 mins each.
At Bombay, an Indian mechanic stripped the sump plug on Evan Greens car (SMO 227G). Den Green, the Abingdon Mechanic araldited the plug in place.
In Perth, 'Gelignite' Jack Murray winds up the Europeans with tales of seven feet tall kangaroos and monster Bunyips - the first car to hit a 'roo was his! (ha ha ha).
Marvel Lock to Lake King - 119 miles in 1hr. 59mins. Evan Green lost 2 mins, Paddy Hopkirk lost 14 mins. after bending his steering rack.
Brachina Gorge to Mingary - the rear wheel bearings on Evan Green's car collapse after being over-tightened by enthusiastic mechanics and lost 4.5 hours he was lying 5th.
The Wilson Motor Caravan entered BMC 1800 (VLT 1G) arrived at the finish with almost no brakes and a broken rear radius arm held in place by the anti-roll bar and the bump stop.
An 1800 went off the road on the Sivas - Erzincan section on a bridge it was left with its front wheels dangling in space over the edge. (probably car 21).
BMC 1800 "Works Service Vehicle" - only used as a support vehicle.
This photo is from Bill Price's collection.
Bill was the Abingdon Workshop Manager and later the Competition Manager.
There were two other cars also built at the Abingdon works. One for the Royal Navy VLM 128G (pictured), and the Royal Air Force ORX 663F, but these were not full works cars and were done on a shoestring budget.
One car was built by the apprentices in their spare time.
Car 70 - Wilson's Caravans entry - stopping to help the crashed, Car 67 - Cecil Woodley's Vauxhall Ventora
Evan Green and crew in full Rally mode
RWQ 723F in Afghanistan - The ill-fated Factory survey / test car that 'died' on the survey run near Indore.
Evan Green on the Lataban Pass Afghanistan
(This pic must have been taken on a reccy trip)
Can you spot the give-away sign/s????
Freed of the usual rally minefield of regulations - the Marathon rules boiled down to any two wheel drive car was eligible, with a maximum height stipulation so that the car would fit into the hold of the SS Chusan, the rest was up to you.
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Marcus Chambers quote:
"I rejoined the rally route the next morning at Brachina after we had slept in the car. There had been two sections, Quorn to Moralana Creek, 64 miles in 1hr 17min., described by the organisers as a back road not marked on many maps. It was more like a Special Stage designed for front wheel drive vehicles; and it was there that Evan Green very sportingly stopped and helped the Hillman Hunter crew out of a 6ft. deep ditch which Brian Coyle had got it into. The classic remark made by Green at the time must go down in motoring history. ""Hell, this is motorsport, not war!""
Unfortunately, Green got a crack in the ribs during this incident and felt bad for the rest of the rally."
An 1800 went off the road on the Sivas - Erzincan section on a bridge it was left with its front wheels in space over the edge.
(probably car 21) Hillcrest Motor Co.
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