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Bob Morris Holden Torana A9X up for auction

Is this Australia's first $1 million muscle car?

Holden Torana A9X Bob Morris main
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The Holden Torana A9X that Bob Morris drove to the 1979 Australian Touring Car Championship is set to be auctioned in Sydney.

Offered by Mossgreen auctions, the ex-Morris A9X has the potential to be the first Australian muscle car to sell for more than $1 million at auction, with a guiding range between $850,000-$1,050,000.

Bob Morris Holden Torana A9X rearMorris's 1979 ATCC win was particularly special as it came at the expense of Peter Brock and the mighty Holden Dealer Team, who were at the height of their powers at the time. Morris scored four round wins to Brock's three, giving him the title by seven points.

The car also placed second in the 1978 ATCC behind Brock and lined up on the front row of the 1979 Bathurst 1000 before DNFing on lap 95. Morris took victory at Calder Park in 1978 as well as landing podiums at Symmons Plains, Oran Park, Sandown and Lakeside.

Bob Morris Holden Torana A9X interiorHe added to this tally in his 1979 title season with victory at Oran Park, Sandown, Lakeside and Adelaide International Raceway and a further podium at Calder Park.

Purchased by its current owner, Peter Briggs, in 1979, the car was retired from competition in September 1980 and was placed in the York Motor Museum, where it has remained bar a stint at the Fremantle Motor Museum.

Bob Morris Holden Torana A9X BathurstThe car remains in its 1979 livery and is completely original, presented in the condition it was last raced. This is no pristine show car, it bears the scars of a life lived on the racetrack.

Mossgreen's auction of rare collector cars takes place of May 28 at Carriageworks in Sydney.

Scott Newman
Contributor

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