Ex-Stirling Moss MGB rally car for sale

History under the hammer

A 1965 MGB roadster driven by Sir Stirling Moss on the Pirelli Classic Marathon in 1989 is up for grabs.

This well-campaigned classic car carries a pre-sale estimate of £30,000, and is being sold from 9-16 November 2023 via Car & Classic.

Here’s its story.

Famous faces

The 1989 Pirelli Classic Marathon was held over 1900 miles, with 77 time controls and seven days of competitive driving.

And Moss wasn’t the only big name on the entry list. Timo Mäkinen (Austin-Healey 3000), Roger Clark (Lotus Cortina), Ove Andersson (Toyota 2000GT) and Paddy Hopkirk (Mini) also took part.

European extravaganza

This was the second running of the Pirelli Classic Marathon, after the event’s debut in 1988.

For ’89 it kicked off in London and took crews across Europe to the finish in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Getting inside

For this, his first Classic Marathon, Moss had American journalist Jean Lindamood beside him on the maps.

The following year, 1990, when the Pirelli Classic Marathon again started in London and finished in Cortina, Moss teamed with a different American, Chuck Shields.

Swapping sides

Ahead of its assault on 1989’s event, this classic MGB was brought back to Britain from California as a dry-state shell and rebuilt at the 1989 MG Show held at Birmingham’s NEC, by marque specialist Brown & Gammons.

This involved converting it from left- to right-hand drive.

Podium placing

The experts built the car to FIA Appendix K specifications and clearly did a great job, because Moss and Lindamood brought it home third overall, first in class.

Today, this MGB roadster goes to auction with its 1989 FIA papers and logbook.

Not to be

After its success in ’89, this car was then also campaigned on the 1990 and 1991 Pirelli Classic Marathons.

Moss, too, contested these events, equalling his first result in 1990 – another third in ’91 would’ve seen him clinch a Gold Cup, but an off-road excursion, which he admitted was his fault, meant an 80th-place finish on that occasion.

Moss’s fourth and final attempt at this rally was in 1992.

Plenty of experience

Indeed, this car was very much more than just a one-hit wonder.

It has twice been entered on both the Coppa D’Italia and the Ypres Rally, as well as the Rally Britannia.

Closer to home

Plus, it was rallied on the Tour Auto between 1993 and 2004, winning its class eight times.

It has also been campaigned on a range of events at national level, from rallying to racing, with the MGCC BCV8, BRDC and more.

Ready to go

The good news is, the winning bidder will get a car that is raring to get stuck into its next competitive adventure.

Between 2021 and 2023 it was the subject of a second rebuild, this time by Chequered Flag Classics and JS Motorsport.

Engine excellence

As part of this work, a new 2.1-litre engine was installed – indeed, £10,000 of the £20,000 spent on its mechanical refresh was on its motor.

This also included fitting a Kent cam and a new Weber carburettor.

In fine fettle

Also during this car’s most recent period of restorative work, its gearbox, brakes and suspension were overhauled.

Today, the odometer at the centre of the Smiths speedometer reads 63,326 and this MGB is ready for more miles to be added to this.

Peerless provenance

Everything to back up this special classic MGB rally car’s provenance is included in the sale.

There’s a record of every event it has contested, a magazine article showing Moss sitting on its roof, plus a DVD of the Pirelli Classic Marathon which features ABH 123C on the cover.

Touching greatness

Of course, owning a car that was driven by the 16-time Grand Prix winner and 1955 Mille Miglia victor Stirling Moss, to name just a few of his many achievements, is a rare opportunity.

Moss passed away on 12 April 2020 and his legend will surely never diminish.

Across the miles

That this car was also campaigned on an early edition of the mould-breaking Pirelli Classic Marathon only ups the ante.

The rally’s chairman, Philip Young, helped bring about a change in historic rallying with events like this, Chris Bruce working with him to devise the Marathon’s route.

Where it all began

The inaugural Pirelli Classic Marathon set off from London’s Tower Bridge on 19 June 1988 and was the first European marathon for cars built prior to 1968 (subject to complying with certain regulations, cars with competition history up to ’74 were permitted, too).

In eight days, this event took in six countries and 2800 miles.

The first of many

From the 95 crews that started that first Classic Marathon, 86 finished.

And it opened the door to more such rallies.

A lasting legacy

The Pirelli Classic Marathon was then held in ’89, when this MGB finished third, then again in 1990, ’91, ’92, ’93…

In fact, it ran every year until 2018, apart from in 1997, 2014, 2016 and 2017, its final (to date) and 27th edition starting and finishing in Greece.

This was despite the founder of both the event and the Endurance Rally Association, Philip Young, passing away in 2015.

Turn it up

So this little classic MG has quite the history.

Want more? Head to YouTube and watch evocative footage of Moss piloting it along the Stelvio Pass on the 1989 Pirelli Classic Marathon.

The clock is ticking

This 1965 MGB roadster is for sale online now at auction site Car & Classic.

The sale runs from 9-16 November 2023 and, as we said earlier, it is anticipated the car will achieve £30,000. You can view the lot and bid here.

We hope the winning bidder helps this car make a return to competition.