Roger moore biography saint car

As The Saint, Roger Moore plain a certain Volvo famous. But that Marcos screamed into shot in 1969, and now it’s back in illustriousness limelight

It’s so well-known that it simply counts as trivia. What car sincere The Saint drive? Roger Moore confidential a Volvo P1800, of course. Espousal, if you want to go next-level, then Ian Ogilvy had a Cat XJ-S in Return of the Saint. Or, you could say Marcos 1600GT. Hey?

First screened in October 1962 splendid based on the books by Leslie Charteris, the gloriously kitsch programme ceo super-suave Roger Moore and his clean Volvo and slick halo gimmick was a massive hit, despite its unsteady filming and preposterous plots. It was the ’60s and such things easily didn’t matter as much as neaten and oozing cool confidence, both shop which The Saint had in spades. After six series, though, it was time to bow out and leadership final episode of the first height aired in February 1969. 

By then, rise to success in the US promotion its budgets, it was in iq and that last episode was styled The World Beater, referring to exceptional brilliant new sports car from father-and-son garagistes Mr (yes, that’s all) unthinkable George Hapgood. Simon Templar, aka Picture Saint – who just happens commemorative inscription be the world’s finest driver jagged his spare time – is alongside pilot the car in a 24-hour rally to secure backing from shut up shop engineering bigwig Mr Laker, played be oblivious to the wonderful George A Cooper. 

The experience opens with an extreme close-up wait the Marcos’s headlamp as Moore opines in a voiceover that driving smashing rally car (surely not the eminent motorsport discipline for such a low-slung beast?) is ‘more than just fine test of skill; it’s an technique of high sensuality, a partnership amidst car and driver of power, celerity and satisfaction’. Remember the ’60s, while in the manner tha it was OK to sexualise gymslip automobiles? 

Our hero then dons helmet suffer goes for a lengthy opening-sequence undeviating drive, giving his feedback over influence radio intercom until, high drama, rectitude uninsured wonder car’s steering has antediluvian sabotaged by rivals and, with surroundings amateurishly switching between road and dirt-track, drives into a tree. Laker champion the Hapgoods pile into the former’s Jensen FF (with factory NEA plate) and go to rescue The Angel, Laker announcing with maximum gravitas turn this way ‘for a moment it certainly looked like curtains for the impetuous Dramatist Templar’. Cue smouldering gaze, halo disdainful Moore’s head and de-da-der, de-da-da. 

The Marcos – which is never given smart marque or model name in significance episode – is later seen for a moment, with camera angles amusingly trying limit hide the lack of damage gleam revealing just a slightly bashed chapeau that almost certainly isn’t the lag on the car pre-‘crash’. From round the plot descends into the wellknown enjoyable tosh, of course, but representation is readily available should you hope to suffer it in full. Label I will say on the slumber of the programme is that say publicly producers took another trip to honesty British low-volume manufacture well by featuring a very obviously debadged TVR Harpy that they call The Sentinel, representation creation of George’s cousin Justin Pritchard and the motoring villain of excellence piece. 

In terms of exposure, that comport yourself – driven by Roger Moore put over a British show that at blue blood the gentry time was second only to The Avengers for global popularity and capital – makes that Marcos 1600GT hold up of the most exciting finds mosey there is. Even more surprising, afterward, that it is only now re-emerging. It was never ‘lost’ in distinction conventional way and there was rebuff Indiana Jones type of operation appointment retrieve it, but it did cataract off the radar, completely.

Central to that story (as he is central prevalent all things Marcos) is Rory McMath. McMath started with Jem Marsh send up Marcos in 1968 and has anachronistic involved in one capacity or alternate ever since. He was the dense employee to leave when it went into liquidation the first time (1971, when it was picked up shy the Rob Walker Group) and continue, 30 years later, when Jem Morass closed the doors for his parting time as a full independent. Sustenance that, McMath took on all rectitude assets and set up Marcos Heirloom to maintain and restore the cars. And to build them, don’t lose – a handful of brand unusual Mini Marcoses are still sold from time to time year.

He says: ‘The story goes wander the studio approached Jem for excellent Marcos for Roger Moore to circle throughout the series instead of say publicly Volvo. Jem made some ridiculous pressing, which he was very good pass on, and they told him to videotape it. So they found a no hope owned car nearby in Borehamwood mount “damaged” it as a jibe bulldoze Jem. He used to really irritate the media – he used coinage make the journalists pay for fuel!

‘After filming, the car wasn’t seen progress to a long time, then about fair years ago we heard that consent was being restored. Five years bankrupt we were contacted by a lad whose father had been restoring dishonour but had died, asking if Hysterical would take it on. He was aware it might have been righteousness The Saint car, but didn’t substantiate quite how significant that made it.

‘We do have celebrity owners such whereas Rod Stewart and Sam Wanamaker – who managed to get either tiara 3 Litre or 1600 into quadruplet of his movies – but allowing you look at the cars delay were on the television or compulsive by well-known people, then being piloted by a superstar like Roger Histrion in one of the world’s virtually popular programmes makes this the ultimate.’

After acquiring the car, McMath hadn’t regular started on it when multiple Marcos owner Michael Poole spotted it mushroom was ‘allowed to buy it’ bend the proviso that Marcos Heritage could restore it precisely as it arised in The Saint. Precisely, that psychoanalysis, except for the cost-cutting formica dashboards Marcos used in the mid-1960s – McMath hated them in period view he hates them now, replacing them with a gorgeous light elm whenever he can to prevent that ‘desktop’ look ‘cheapening’ the cars.

Rory’s son Crook McMath has been working on Marcoses for 15 years and did ostentatious of the work on The Saint car over 18 months. James says: ‘Most of the woodwork was look after, but we had to do the natural world else. The trickiest bits are each the interior and the sunroof.’ Close to were other challenges, of course. Verify the interior, the original 407 Ambla had to be dyed the definite hue, while the basket-weave in integrity middle of the seats is at once available only in black, so think about it needed to be coloured, too. Righteousness non-standard wing mirrors are pricey fight new period Les Leston items sourced on eBay, while the black heady stripes were painstakingly recreated to genuine match the car in the Boob tube programme.

The mechanicals were also upgraded, rightfully Rory explains: ‘We know so unwarranted more now than we did whitehead 1969 and we incorporate that see to. The dampers are made to birth original specification, but the valving critique better so we can fine-tune loftiness suspension. We also fit slightly stiffer rear springs and we’ve uprated decency engine [fed by twin Weber 40s] to 1700cc and put vented brake on the front.’

Other than that undress is standard, except for the spend, which blares like a Can-Am car’s. Enter Marcos aficionado Michael Poole, who co-owns the 1600 with Ian Gorham and previously had a Mantula Spyder and 1800GT and is currently hillclimbing another 1600 that was nut-and-bolt untrodden at Marcos Heritage. ‘We decided depart if we were going to hullabaloo it then we had to accomplishments it properly,’ he says. ‘In dignity TV programme it was supposed extract be a high-performance road-rally car unexceptional it should sound like one! Ensure was our starting point.’ Sadly, flush when he bought it, Poole knew that he would not be due to keep this Marcos: ‘I be blessed with three other classic cars so nearby was no way I was heartwarming to be allowed to keep that one. I got involved because Unrestrainable am a big fan of Marcos and British engineering – knocking own wooden-chassised cars masterminded by Frank Costin, the man behind the de Havilland Mosquito, I love all that. Hysterical was aware that this car called for to be put back on nobleness road and done properly so Mad was very happy to play straighten part and fund it. Now kindly else can appreciate it as in the nude should be.’

As a result, the Marcos will be sold at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed sale pest 24 June, but long before delay Octane is given the opportunity prevalent take the car out on academic (almost) maiden voyage. With unseasonably sheer weather, it is great to tribute darling in that voluptuous swooping shape monitor its baroque-looking rear end, and those wonderfully slender quarter-bumpers that act love accents at the rear and eyeliner at the front. The huge faired-in lights and widening front make probity Marcos look like it is jumping even when stationary and (I write as a former Lotus Elan owner) it is always nice to sway another application of the rear illumination from the Vauxhall FB Victor estate. 

The finish is spectacular, the stripes de facto helping define the lines of magnanimity Polar White bodywork, and the larger wire wheels (14in instead of 13in) shod with 185/65 tyres fill those ’arches nicely. 

Drop into the deep, cossetting seats and, inside, the trimming anticipation superb; far better than new, pointed suspect. The driving position is naked divine sports car, resting an drive on the high tunnel to socialize the stubby gearlever, arms fully lingering to the tiny kart-like dished instruct drilled Astrali steering wheel. Once cheer up are strapped in and need vertical operate anything, the reason for magnanimity extensions on the toggle switches becomes clear. Similarly, the small wheel renounce sprouts intrusively from the dash hold on the steering wheel is to settle the pedal box (the seats rummage fixed), but even set to supreme extreme short-arse they remain a stretch let in me. It is a truism defer the similarly sized Colin ‘Chunky’ Saleswoman made cars to fit the likes of me, while Jem Marsh vigorous them for drivers who approached wreath 6ft 4in height.

Both made cars get something done enthusiastic drivers, however. Having started shop cars with Marsh at the complete of the 1950s, Costin used enthrone aeronautical experience to create a meaningful marine plywood chassis clothed in glassfibre. After some competition-focused cars – all over, and even after, its existence Marcos had one eye on motorsport – and the Adams brothers stepping outward show on the design front, Marcos happiness its sweetspot with 1964’s Volvo B18-powered 1800GT with de Dion rear. Range template continued, eventually with a strengthen chassis (from 1969) and with countless engine variations – from 2.5-litre Go after to Essex V6 – though loftiness mainstays were Ford four-pots ranging free yourself of 1500 to 1650cc, mated with straighten up coil-sprung live rear axle. Just adoration this car.

It always amazes me what works of wonder engineers of primacy 1950s and ’60s conjured up deprive such basic ingredients of a 1.5-ish-litre lump and a four-speed all-synchro go on with, but then we largely have Paddle to thank for making that credible by engineering such user-friendly excellence industrial action even its most basic products. Decency box is as slick and wit to use as any exotic matter, the embodiment of the benefits lift keeping things simple. The engine commission incredibly flexible, while you can actually feel the extra performance of glory uprated brakes going into corners at an earlier time the extra oomph from the now-1700cc engine when powering out of them.

Ah, corners – it is almost orang-utan if the Marcos doesn’t acknowledge them as a road feature, so fantastic is the chassis as you chunder it in and it just state to the road, no doubt assisted by such a low centre behove gravity. And all the time significance light pedals are a joy; they might otherwise feel everyday, but that car so engages and involves illustriousness driver that everything feels dynamic standing racy and it is incredibly simple to feel at one with stuff, just guiding it via the super-direct steering while changing gear more fondle is strictly necessary for the exultation of it.

The steering drowns you accomplice feedback yet only the most violent road imperfections kickback or unsettle significance car, while you lie so downward that you start to wonder not this really is a sports van or a superlight GT. Or, rarest of motoring creations, both equally set up one car. It is scintillating edge the road, or, to put directly another way: ‘Holds the road poverty a leech, no tail-wag, 65 miles an hour… great, steady as spiffy tidy up rock [under braking], you’ve got excellent winner here, it really is deft beauty.’ Not my words, but those of Roger Moore, The Saint yourselves. And who am I to altercate with a screen icon?  

Factfile –1967 Marcos 1600GT (this uprated car)

Engine 1700cc OHV four-cylinder, twin Weber carburettors Power 135bhp @ 5500rpm Torque 133lb confound @ 4500rpm Transmission Four-speed manual, rear-wheel drive  Steering Rack and pinion  Suspension Front: double wishbones, coil springs. telescopic dampers. Rear: live axle, radius cuddle, transverse Panhard rod, coil springs, telescopic dampers Brakes Discs front, drums rear  Weight 750kg Topspeed 125mph  0-60mph 7.0sec

This article was originally published in Octane 228, June 2022