1964 Merlyn Mk4A – Chassis 36RS
FIA HTP to end of 2026 | 2025 Goodwood Revival Entry | Recently rebuilt Craig Beck 1600 Twin-Cam | Fully Race-Ready

*Full Photo Set Coming Soon*

We are delighted to present a Merlyn Mk4A, chassis 36RS. Built in 1964 by Merlyn manufacturers Colchester Racing Developments (CRD) of Essex – which firm is still in existence as a supplier of Merlyn spares – it was exported new to the United States, where it competed in period SCCA events on the West Coast, reportedly under the initial ownership of Bud Kemp. Subsequently it fell out of sight for several decades before reappearing in 2010 as a bare chassis ‘barn find’.

Acquired by British historic race preparer Richard Taylor of Autotune Rishton, 36RS was repatriated to the UK where Taylor undertook a sensitive and correct restoration of the chassis, which included re-panelling in aircraft-spec aluminium and having the car’s identity reconfirmed by Clive Hayward, CRD’s owner and supplier of original Merlyn components. Taylor sourced from CRD a complete new original-specification Mk4 body, uprights, wishbones, and further suspension components to transform the car into a rolling chassis.

Taylor sold this part-restored project to Kent-based club racer Richard Perry, who completed the car’s rebuild to full competition standard over several years, with an appropriate period Lotus-Ford twincam 1600 engine and a Hewland 5-speed gearbox. By 2016, the car had been granted its FIA Historic Technical Passport (valid to the end of 2026),and it made its competitive debut as an historic racer at the 2016 Goodwood Revival in the Madgwick Cup. Perry finished a respectable 13th in heavy rain, after which the car was sold to a collector near Munich who used it solely for test days, and it saw no further racing activity during his ownership.

With only one race meeting under its belt following its rediscovery in 2010 the Merlyn returned to the UK once again in December 2023, with UK import duty paid by the current owner. Recognising the car’s historical significance and competitive potential, the new owner commissioned respected Buckinghamshire-based historic race preparers Michael and Andrew Hibberd to thoroughly review and rebuild the car for active competition. The brief was clear – make it safe, make it reliable, and make it competitive. The Hibberd team, known for their front-running Lotus 23B in the HSCC Guards Trophy for similar sports-racing cars, undertook an exhaustive winter rebuild of the car for the 2024 season.

This revealed a number of significant mechanical and structural issues, which were all corrected to a high standard. These included rectifying a substandard rollover structure, misaligned steering column, unserviceable brakes, fatigued engine components, and poorly mounted pedals and rack. Every item was rebuilt or replaced without compromise.

The 1600cc twin-cam engine was completely rebuilt by Craig Beck Racing in Suffolk at a cost of £17,000, including a new crankshaft, cylinder head, pistons, conrods, oil pump and ancillaries. Dyno-tested at 180bhp, the engine has proven fast and reliable, with only around 10 hours of total track use since the rebuild. The Hewland gearbox was rebuilt by Racing Transmissions at Silverstone, and a spare set of ratios accompanies the car. Once running, the car was properly set up by GSD RaceDyn and is supported by a full report and data file.

Throughout 2024, the car was run and developed jointly by the owner and Andrew Hibberd across four Guards Trophy rounds, culminating in the season finale at Silverstone, where the car matched the pace of the Hibberds’ Lotus 23B – one of the quickest cars in the field. In 2025, the current owner drove the car solo in a further four events. However, at over 70 years of age, he has decided to sell the Merlyn to return to Formula Junior – citing the sheer pace of the Mk4A as beyond what he wishes to manage in 50-minute races.

The car presents today as a highly competitive, exceptionally well-developed example, supported by a full suite of invoices, setup notes, and photographs. It comes with two sets of wheels, a spare period-correct 1600cc engine block, partial body moulds, and has just received new brake pads and tyres. It is fully eligible for a wide range of premier historic series, including the HSCC Guards Trophy, the Masters and Peter Auto sports-racing series, the new Equipe Pre-’66 championship, and of course Goodwood – for which it already holds an entry for the 2025 Revival. A Revival test day has been booked for late August and can be included in the sale.

With a unique European provenance and its original body form, 36RS offers a rare opportunity to acquire a top-level pre-’66 sports-racer, with outstanding preparation and proven pace against some of the best in the field.

Available now with Besley Heritage Ltd: POA