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weewillie
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another great gone
- Thread starter weewillie
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coldplugs
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Re: another great gone [Pat Moss]
I am really sorry to hear this. Rally drivers of the era were every bit the equal of formula-car drivers and I frequently wonder why they never seemed to be recognized for their skills, at least here in the US.
Pat Moss had some early advantages – her father had great connections (e.g. Alf Francis tuned the Minor she started with) and her brother (Sir) Stirling must have helped a bit – but she was a fierce competitor and deserved every victory.
One rally she ran that has seldom been mentioned in stories about her was the "Liege-Brescia-Liege" rally for small cars in which she drove a Berkeley. She wrote about being able to save time by driving under the bars of railroad crossings, using a block of wood as a jack, and constantly stopping for a cigarette to let the engine cool enough to unseize. Eventually, the clutch failed and they were towed out of Yugoslavia by another Berk.
She wrote an excellent book, "The Story So Far", back in the mid-sixties. I found a copy years ago and imagine it's still available through Abebooks.com or maybe eBay. It's worth reading.
I am really sorry to hear this. Rally drivers of the era were every bit the equal of formula-car drivers and I frequently wonder why they never seemed to be recognized for their skills, at least here in the US.
Pat Moss had some early advantages – her father had great connections (e.g. Alf Francis tuned the Minor she started with) and her brother (Sir) Stirling must have helped a bit – but she was a fierce competitor and deserved every victory.
One rally she ran that has seldom been mentioned in stories about her was the "Liege-Brescia-Liege" rally for small cars in which she drove a Berkeley. She wrote about being able to save time by driving under the bars of railroad crossings, using a block of wood as a jack, and constantly stopping for a cigarette to let the engine cool enough to unseize. Eventually, the clutch failed and they were towed out of Yugoslavia by another Berk.
She wrote an excellent book, "The Story So Far", back in the mid-sixties. I found a copy years ago and imagine it's still available through Abebooks.com or maybe eBay. It's worth reading.
anthony7777
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Re: another great gone [Pat Moss]
they should make more of them, no, not the cars but "ladys" like her.
they should make more of them, no, not the cars but "ladys" like her.
GB1
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Re: another great gone [Pat Moss]
Below is the Obituary from yesterdays Daily Telegraph.
Her services will be held on Friday, so far one of her cars will be there. They are presently trying to get more of her cars to show, if anyone knows where they are, please contact me.
Thanks,
Pat
Pat Moss, sister of stirling, who married Saab ace Erik Carlsson in 1963, was the finest British female rallydriver ever. After winning a treasure hunt in 1954 in her TR2 with her groom, Ann Wisdom, the pair were the only crew to collect both a feather and a worm, they then knocked on doors of motor companies asking for a works drive! Triumph dismissed them out of hand, but at MG Marcus Chambers took them under his wing. Pat drove an MG TF on the RAC Rally, finished 3rd lady.
In 1958, she took a Healey 100-6 to 4th on the Liege Rome Liege, and a Morris Minor she called Granny to 4th on the RAC Rally, the teams highest places on any international event. Then she broke through in 1960 driving a Healey to win outright on the Liege, second on the Alpine Rally, then took the Mini Cooper - a car she dislike for being twitchy, but hey, whats a Healey when on the limit - to first overall in the Tulip Rally of 1962, the first time anyone had won a major event in a Mini. She won the German rally in a Mini Cooper soon after. After switching to the Ford in 1963, she soon quit when the new Lotus twin cam engine was delayed in order to drive for Saab. Drives for Lancia, Renault Alpine and Toyota followed, which allowed her to be a top line rally driver for 20 years. The greatest female driver Britain ever produced, she raced against her brother only once - Sebring with John Sprinzels Sprite Team - and rallied against her brother once, an East African Safari when Stirling co-drove alongside Erik Carlsson.
Stirling and Pat raced against each other as teenagers in horse events, Pat winning the Horse of the Year Show outright, meeting Queen Elizabeth, among other events.
She never slowed down and recently was booked for speeding. She tried to argue her way out of it with a novel excuse...."Officer, you must be blind! Cant you see? I cant have been speeding, Im towing a bloody horse-box."
She was 73, and a number of her cars survive her, along with Erik and showjumping daughter Suzy.
Below is the Obituary from yesterdays Daily Telegraph.
Her services will be held on Friday, so far one of her cars will be there. They are presently trying to get more of her cars to show, if anyone knows where they are, please contact me.
Thanks,
Pat
Pat Moss, sister of stirling, who married Saab ace Erik Carlsson in 1963, was the finest British female rallydriver ever. After winning a treasure hunt in 1954 in her TR2 with her groom, Ann Wisdom, the pair were the only crew to collect both a feather and a worm, they then knocked on doors of motor companies asking for a works drive! Triumph dismissed them out of hand, but at MG Marcus Chambers took them under his wing. Pat drove an MG TF on the RAC Rally, finished 3rd lady.
In 1958, she took a Healey 100-6 to 4th on the Liege Rome Liege, and a Morris Minor she called Granny to 4th on the RAC Rally, the teams highest places on any international event. Then she broke through in 1960 driving a Healey to win outright on the Liege, second on the Alpine Rally, then took the Mini Cooper - a car she dislike for being twitchy, but hey, whats a Healey when on the limit - to first overall in the Tulip Rally of 1962, the first time anyone had won a major event in a Mini. She won the German rally in a Mini Cooper soon after. After switching to the Ford in 1963, she soon quit when the new Lotus twin cam engine was delayed in order to drive for Saab. Drives for Lancia, Renault Alpine and Toyota followed, which allowed her to be a top line rally driver for 20 years. The greatest female driver Britain ever produced, she raced against her brother only once - Sebring with John Sprinzels Sprite Team - and rallied against her brother once, an East African Safari when Stirling co-drove alongside Erik Carlsson.
Stirling and Pat raced against each other as teenagers in horse events, Pat winning the Horse of the Year Show outright, meeting Queen Elizabeth, among other events.
She never slowed down and recently was booked for speeding. She tried to argue her way out of it with a novel excuse...."Officer, you must be blind! Cant you see? I cant have been speeding, Im towing a bloody horse-box."
She was 73, and a number of her cars survive her, along with Erik and showjumping daughter Suzy.