If you haven’t ever heard of a Merlyn, we aren’t going to bust your hump about it. Historic road racing fans and racers will know them, as they enjoyed a very interesting history and success racing in a variety of classes around the work. This 1964 model is in amazingly nice condition and would be a riot to drive on any road course in America, but we see ourselves coming down the corkscrew at Laguna Seca flat out in this bad boy.
Merlyn cars were started by Selwyn Hayward and John Lewis in 1960. The first was just supposed to be a fun race car, but because it was so well received they became a production race car that anyone could buy. They continued to built Merlyn’s until 1979 when the MK31 came out. Several issues, and economic factors, resulted in the company shutting down in 1979, but thankfully Colchester Racing Developments has continued to sell parts to keep them up and running.
This isn’t normally the kind of car I look at and want to drive, but something about the front end of this little sucker just makes me love it. And those minilights!
Here is all the info from the seller:
1964 Merlyn MK6A
Chassis Number: 78RS
Lotus/Ford Twin Cam 1600
Hewland MK 9 Gearbox, 5-Speed
Fiberglass Body
This Merlyn #76 was most recently owned by Gary Portcherer of Cincinnati, OH. Portcherer competed with his car in HSR and SVRA vintage events for many years. The car is classified in Group 5 and competes with other under two liter four cylinder sports racers. Mid-Ohio was the track most often raced and vintage records reflect this Merlyn’s competitiveness. Due to the owners recent death, no log books or maintenance records are included although the car was recently serviced by SASCO Sports in Danville, VA.
Overview:
Manningtree, Essex England, is home to CRD Engineering the firm that created wonderful and highly competitive racing cars in the early 1960’s headed by Selwyn Hayward whose innovations were embodied in both sports racers and formula cars. Light, nimble, and well balanced Merlyn cars achieved recognition mostly in the US as the majority of CRD production was exported for SCCA competition.
Merlyn introduced the Mk 6A as a continuation of the Mk 6. Twenty nine total cars were built in this series. These cars were equipped with a variety of engines depending on owner specifications. Today most use Lotus twin cam’s which can dependably produce approximately 180 bhp and achieve speeds in excess of 150 mph. All MK6 cars were equipped with large four wheel Girling Gran Prix disc brakes and thirteen inch magnesium wheels. Independent four wheel suspension with coil over shock absorbers couple with an A arm style front link and the rear uses horizontal control arms. A huge advantage of the Merlyn sports racer is the use of a Hewland five speed gearbox. The body is fiberglass and in race weight the car tips the scales at under 950 pounds.
Jim Clark made the Lotus brand a household name after winning Indy thus launching Lotus cars both competition versions and street cars globally. Not to be outdone, Porsche, Elva, Lola, and Merlyn cars have always been a real and viable part of the sixties era small bore sports racing gaining recognition and the winning SCCA championship series. A Merlyn Mk 6 won DSR and CSR national championship in the American Road Race of Champions.
Dick Barbour Performance
678.897.4494
Collector car financing available at competitive rates
