Highlights

• A labour of love Marlin fastidiously crafted by the current owner 
• Based on BMW 325i mechanicals which have been entirely rebuilt
• Built to a standard that achieved a first time pass of the IVA – a rare achievement

The Appeal

 
The Marlin marque was founded by Paul Morehouse, a former Rolls-Royce apprentice and technology teacher. Morehouse built a number of one-off cars for his own use and enjoyment before being persuaded to put one into production. And so, the first Marlin Sportster was sold in 1979 for the princely sum £655 including VAT. Originally, the Sportster was based around Triumph Herald running gear, later being based around Morris Marina componentry. The distinctive nose cone of the Sportster is thought to be inspired by 1930’s Alfa Romeos.
 
This remarkable example is a million miles from the early Herald based offerings with the current owner having invested hours and hours of love and attention into its creation. Every aspect of this Sportster has been carefully considered, conceived and built. With a BMW 2.5-litre M20B25 straight six engine under the bonnet, this Marlin delivers on its sublime looks and sounds fantastic too. The Marlin Sportster is only now being sold due to the owner’s health restricting his opportunities to enjoy this superb example.
 

The History and Paperwork

• This Marlin is based on a 1986 BMW 325i
• The donor car offered up its silky six-cylinder engine, gearbox and running gear
• Unlike many cars of this ilk, the Marlin sits on its own, very light box section chassis 
• Club record show there’s only 144 sportsters registered, so a relatively rare beast
• The owner acquired the BMW in 2005 and started rebuilding key components shortly after
• The Sportster components were bought from Marlin in April 2009
• Over the next year or so the Marlin was bought to life
• In March 2010 the Marlin Sportster passed its VOSA Individual Approval Certificate (IVA)
• This was a first time pass which is quite unusual given the rigours of the IVA
• Since that time the Sportster has been cherished, enjoyed, developed and refined
• The Sportster is a three time show winner at the annual Marlin Club meet
• The Sportster comes with a huge archive of paperwork
• Just a small sample has been photographed due to the extent of the archive
• The V5 registration document is present
• The current MOT is advisory free and valid until November 2025
• The all-important IVA certificate from 2010 is also present
• A chunky file full of invoices and manifests from during the build in on hand
• As is the VOSA Inspection Manual which details the criteria for an IVA pass
• A large number of photographs from during the build are also included
• BMW E30 3 Series Haynes and Service manuals are present

 

The Condition

• This cherished Marlin Sportster presents beautifully throughout
• The Sportster presents in gleaming black paintwork
• There is just the right amount of brightwork on show, too
• This includes the twin side exhausts, mesh grill, headlamp bowls and windscreen surround
• There is ample delightful detail to drink in here, too, including:
  • Mesh stone guards on headlights and driving lights
  • Sublimely rivetted centrally hinged bonnet
  • Union Jack enamel badges between the engine compartment louvres
  • Three chromed windscreen wipers
  • Deeply chromed, vestigial bumpers front and back
  • Chromed badge bar with period RAC and Marlin badges
  • Chromed, tubular rear luggage rack
• The Sportster sits on a set of 16-inch forged alloy, Image Wheels DB3
• These feature black painted centres with polished alloy rims
• They are centred with mock, alloy twin-eared spinners
• A matching set of Dunlop Sports Maxx tyres are fitted
• These are in a 205/55 configuration
• The condition and quality of the exterior really can’t be faulted
• The Sportster's cabin is every bit the equal of the exterior
• The bucket seats are finished in a crimson hued faux leather
• These are upholstered in vertical, padded box pleats with black piping
• Willans four point harnesses are fitted
• The shaped dashboard fascia is a delight
• This is lightly padded and finished in matching crimson faux leather
• The dashboard is topped with stained mahogany which extends into the door tops
• A full set of white on black ETB quality gauges are fitted
• The larger pair are a speedometer and tachometer
• Four, smaller supplemental gauges accompany these
• Directly ahead of the driver is a bank of tell-tale and warning lights
• These sit behind a lovely alloy, wood rimmed Mota-Lita steering wheel
• Flooring is catered for by a mix of fitted black carpets and textured rubber matting
• A recessed centre console is home to a bank of appealing toggle switches
• Behind the seats is a lockable storage cubby which is surprisingly capacious
• A pair of plugin intercom headsets are pictured and included
• An Autocom Bluetooth module is fitted
• This allows smartphone pairing for music and satellite navigation instructions via headsets
• Again, the interior condition should be considered excellent throughout

The Mechanics

• The Marlin allows for a range of engines and mechanicals to be employed
• In this case the engine is the highly regarded BMW 2.5-litre M20B25 six-cylinder unit
• This features the earlier high compression block with later Motronic 1.3 engine management
• The 325i’s Getrag 260 five speed manual gearbox is also utilised
• This is paired with a Marlin propshaft and BMW 3.64 ratio limited slip differential
• As the accompanying pictures show the engine has been fully rebuilt during the build
• Braking is via 260mm BMW discs, vented at the front, and callipers 
• Opening the wings of the centre hinged bonnet reveals the straight-six
• The condition here is excellent and specially fabricated, bespoke components are noted
• The underside of the Marlin Sportster presents in an equally excellent condition

 

BEFORE YOU BUY