A motoring enthusiast who has spent the past 55 years representing the world-famous Marcos Cars marque has finally hung up his tools.
Marcos Cars consultant Rory MacMath is the longest-serving employee of Marcos Heritage.
The company, based at the Littleton Garage in Semington, specialises in repairing, restoring and selling the classic sports cars and is the only name recognised by insurance companies to carry out repairs to accident-damaged Marcos cars.
The company’s chief executive officer Howard Nash said: “We would like to offer a huge thank you Rory for his loyal years of service
"He will be missed by the Marcos community, customers, owners, and suppliers alike and we wish him well in his retirement.”
Mr McMath will celebrate his 74th birthday later this month. He is married to Sally and live in Southwick together.
Rory’s career with Marcos started in 1968 as an engineer at the Greenland Mills factory in Bradford on Avon, producing five to six wooden chassis cars a week.
Marcos moved to its new premises on the Westbury Trading Estate in 1969/70, and Rory was involved in developing the new metal chassis.
He also ran the service department, looking after many loyal Marcos customers including some very famous owners such singer Rod Stewart, American actor and theatre director Sam Wanamaker, and TV presenter John Noakes from Blue Peter fame to name just a few.
The company fell on bad times during the early 1970s and a receiver was appointed. Rory and his boss Jem Marsh were the last of the employees to leave.
Rory then went on to work with the new owners, the Rob Walker Group based at Corsley, where he continued to run the new service department looking after Marcos customers.
After a year or so, Rory left the Rob Walkers Group, and went back to work with Jem Marsh on a new venture, Jem Marsh Performance Cars, selling and servicing and looking after all things Marcos.
Jem had the opportunity to buy back the assets of the old company and in 1979 the Marcos 3 Litre was relaunched in kit form.
Rory built a new car for the 1982 Earls Court Motor Show, and the car was a huge success with the press and national television.
The company went from strength to strength and the 1980s saw the introduction of the Rover V8 engine, which Rory developed for use on many Marcos models through to 1998.
Rory decided to part ways with the Marcos company in Westbury in 1992 and set up a company acquiring and selling Land Rover parts.
In November 1997, he moved to new premises in Semington, and purchased Marcos Heritage Spares from David Methley where it continues to look after Marcos customers worldwide.
In the year 2000, the old Marcos company collapsed into administration and Marcos Heritage acquired all of the assets, including moulds, tooling and jigs going back in some cases to 1960.
In 2021 Marcos Heritage was purchased by Page Automotive, a company headed by Howard Nash who has bold plans for the marque whilst honouring the heritage of Marcos.
Following Rory’s retirement, the company’s general manager is now Nick Kleiff, who has over 40 years experience in the vintage and classic car industry.
His son James MacMath and his daughter, Emily Davey (nee MacMath), still work with Marcos Heritage, providing continuity, knowledge and loyalty to the company.
Emily said: “I have been working with dad and Marcos since 1997, and James started in the early 2000s, so it was and still is a family concern.”
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