General information

Kit car, construction kit or simply an awesome car?

They have a long tradition in the UK, are loved in the USA and are initially met with scepticism in Germany. We are talking about kit cars here, which usually consist of a fibreglass body with a steel frame underneath and proven mass production technology. So we are basically talking about a car as a kit. That sounds very strange at first for someone who has usually bought a car from a large car manufacturer.

But if we take a closer look, there are some big names among the kit car manufacturers, such as Lotus and Caterham. And, of course, the manufacturers of our Merlins.
At the same time, these cars were not developed completely and down to the last screw, but rather a new car was always built on the basis of an existing car. In the case of the Merlin, this is the Ford Taunus or the identical Ford Cortina. This means that all chassis parts, brakes, engine and gearbox are taken from a donor vehicle. A well-known example of this in Germany is the VW Buggy.
A KitCar is primarily not a car from a kit, but a body of a different-looking car based on a production vehicle.

The Merlins we know are very well maintained by their owners and always kept in good technical condition, as it is simply an enthusiast's vehicle!

A Merlin is simply a great car!!!


"Small things done with great love are better than great things done without love"

Is every Merlin a kit car?

In principle, yes, but the question should perhaps be: Were all Merlins built privately in the garage?
No. Many of the Merlins were built in England by the manufacturer or by the Mohr company in Germany and then sold as a finished vehicle. The price was significantly higher, but you mustn't forget the construction time, which was estimated at around 150 hours. And this time was certainly only achievable by experts. A large number of Merlins were never completed, as there was not enough motivation for such a project. Chassis, transmission and engine were not the problem, but rather things like the exterior and interior of the Merlin. In other words, every moulding, every lamp, every instrument in the cockpit through to the seat and soft top. And many builders spent a lot of time integrating their individually selected details into the Merlin and not just the standard fare from the manufacturer.
Many of the Merlins were also ordered directly from the manufacturer as a finished car, and not as a kit. So the Merlins that are on the road today are either built by real experts or by the manufacturer.

How much did a Merlin cost back then?

Let's take a look at the price list of the Mohr company (German seller) between 1986 and 1990 as an example:
Basic kit: 12,000 DM
In order to get everything from a single source, all the necessary parts (soft top, exhaust, etc.) were also offered for 8,700 DM.

Then there is the technology from a donor vehicle, i.e. axles, engine and add-on parts, gearbox.

So all this adds up to a purchase price of at least DM 22,000, just for the parts!

For comparison: A VW Golf cost DM 16,640 on 1 August 1988 with a 1.3-litre engine in the basic configuration.


"At the traffic lights, I really struggled to keep up with your acceleration."

And how does a Merlin drive?

Indescribable.....
No, seriously. A Merlin is very agile with a dead weight of 850 kg and an engine with roughly 100 hp and accelerates very well. The quote opposite is from a Mercedes convertible driver who tried to follow a Merlin.
So fast on the road, and the driving pleasure is great. From 100 km/h it gets a little windier in the open Merlin. So, the Merlin is not built for travelling at 160 km/h, even if it can easily reach this speed. The performance is ideal for nice and relaxed rides at the weekend.
However, it's funny when you're standing next to an SUV at traffic lights and find yourself at eye level with the SUV's tyres.
And what about a right-hand drive Merlin?
Without any problems. The pedals are arranged identically and shifting with the left-hand drive works intuitively. You have to get used to cornering a little, especially on left-hand bends. There is a tendency to drive too far inwards. A co-driver who gives us a hand on the first few trips is extremely helpful. And then even a right-hand drive is absolutely no problem to drive.

How many repairs does a Merlin have?

A Merlin is very inexpensive to maintain and repair. The advantage of a Merlin is that the body can never rust. Only the frame could rust, but this is quite solid and not thin sheet metal and does not rust through so quickly. In addition, it can be preserved easily and without great effort every few years with suitable agents.

There is rarely anything to repair on the Merlin, the usual maintenance work (oil and oil filter change, valve adjustment) should of course be carried out annually.
The engine and transmission cannot be broken under normal circumstances. Ford engines/transmissions have been installed in many cars for a long time. On the one hand at Ford itself, but also in many Super Sevens from Lotus/Caterham. As a result, all parts are still available, and there are even specialists who specialise only in these engines. Due to the low weight of the vehicle, all brake parts are subject to relatively little stress and last for years. And these spare parts are also still produced new by various manufacturers.



Are you interested in the Merlin?

We'll be happy to help you find it! Just get in touch with us!