HIGHLIGHTS: Bob Morris’ 1979 ATCC championship winner – Rare GMP&A ‘lightweight’ bodyshell – Original, as raced, unrestored, condition – Raced in period by Bob Morris, Derek Bell (UK), Dieter Quester (Germany), Johnny Rutherford (USA), Janet Guthrie (USA), Peter Briggs – Outright ATCC race wins in 1978 & 1979
The best preserved, most genuine and original Touring Car of the period, this 1977 Holden Torana A9X is one of two identical Hatchbacks used by Bob Morris to win the 1979 Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC). In Morris’ skilled hands it also finished second in the 1978 ATCC title chase, scoring outright race wins in both years, making it arguably the most successful Torana A9X of all. It also raced at Bathurst in both 1977 and 1978, in each case with visiting internationals at the wheel.
Importantly, this Torana A9X Hatchback is a genuine GMP&A ‘lightweight’ bodyshell (one of 10 specially built by Holden for racing), and made its debut at the 1977 Bathurst 1000, where it was driven by two American Indycar stars, Johnny Rutherford and Janet Guthrie. The A9X returned to the track in February 1978 at Sandown and was subsequently raced by Morris 12 times across the season, to an ultimate place second in the ATCC of that year, with a win at the Calder round. At Bathurst that year it was driven by Derek Bell (UK) and Dieter Quester (Germany).
In 1979 this car was raced by Morris in the Sydney rounds of the 1979 ATCC and, along with its sister A9X, enabled the Sydneysider to clinch his first (and only) ATCC title. At the Oran Park round, Morris started from pole position, set the fastest lap of the race, and led all 41 laps, to beat home the similar A9Xs of Grice, Brock and John Harvey. Morris also used this car to win that year’s Amaroo Park-based AMSCAR Series.
Subsequently, this storied A9X was bought by WA based car enthusiast, Peter Briggs, who raced the car at Wanneroo Park three times in 1980 exactly as it finished the 1979 season – in ‘Street Car’ events! – before retiring it to his York Motor Museum, where it sat in perfectly preserved condition for 37 years. Purchased at auction in 2017, the ex-Morris Torana A9X underwent a sympathetic mechanical overhaul and since then has returned to the track just once, at the 2019 Phillip Island Historic races, where it celebrated the 40th anniversary of its ATCC win with some demonstration laps in the hands of Bob Morris.
Today this magnificent piece of Australian motor racing history – the genuine article, not a ‘tribute’ or ‘replica’ – is in outstanding original condition, presented ‘as raced’ in period, resplendent in its iconic and original lime green/white/blue livery. It is almost certainly the best-preserved Touring Car of its time, and is one of the most recognisable, legendary and successful racers of this iconic period.
Now open for bidding:
