The Surviving (and otherwise) 1968 London - Sydney Marathon Cars
SMO 225G. Morris 1800. First registered to the MG Car Co. on 1/11/68
Rauno Aaltonen / Henry Lidden / Paul Easter's car. Re-registered in Oz as AKO 258, re-painted Blue / White and fitted with a HRG crossflow head and twin Weber carburettors it was used as rallycross car - see test report Australian Motorsports & Automobiles July 1970.
Dismantled to build the X6 rally car 1971, other parts were sold off or scrapped.
SMO 226G. Austin 1800 First registered to the MG Car Co. on 1/11/68
Built for Paddy Hopkirk / Alec Poole / Tony Nash by mechanic Gerald Wiffen.
Second overall on the 1968 London / Sydney Marathon.
Returned to the UK and put on show. Re-built for the Pirelli Classic Marathon by Martin Jubb.
On display in the BHMT Museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England.
SMO 227G. Austin 1800. First registered to the MG Car Co. on 1/11/68
Built for Australians Evan Green, 'Gelignite' Jack Murray & George Shepheard to use on the 1968 London - Sydney Rally. Running as Car 31 they finished 21st overall after being well up with the leaders. Then losing a lot of time replacing a rear suspension arm due to an over-tightened rear wheel bearing failing.
Re-registered in New South Wales Australia as ATF 353. See road test report Sportscar World March 1970 - it was driven by Greg Garrard in the 1969 Southern Cross and Alpine rallies.
Prepared in the Competition Department of Leyland Australia and re-registered as AZN 256 it was used by Ken Tubman, Andre Welinski & Bob McAuley on the 1970 World Cup Rally running as car 32. It was entered as a "Private Entrant" in the World Cup Rally to act as a back up to Evan Green's Triumph 2.5Pi.
It is rumoured that they gave a lift to Prince Michael when his Maxi expired - this is to be confirmed.
The car finished 11th overall. The crew would have finished in the top ten except they lost 3 hours when they stopped to help Andrew Cowan in the Works 2.5 Pi who had suffered a bad smash - for this unselfish act they were given a special award at the finish of the Rally.
This is the second time this car had come to Andrew Cowan's rescue as in the 1968 Marathon, it pulled his ditched Hunter back on to the road. Had this not happened then it is likely that Paddy Hopkirk would have won the event in his Austin 1800, but as Evan Green said at the time "Hell, this is Motorsport not war"!
Sold after the rally and re-registered in Queensland as 668 BMM, the car, still in World Cup trim was displayed at Gilltrap's Museum, Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia.
The car was thought to be SMO 974G and was displayed as such.
If you read Evan Green's book "A Boot Full of Right Arms" he says that his car and Tony Fall's car were used by Ken Tubman on the 1970 World Cup Rally, he says that SMO 974G was the rally car and SMO 227G the service car. This is why the car in Gilltrap's Museum was thought to be SMO 974G.
While there was never any doubt that the car is a genuine London to Sydney Austin 1800, it's real identity did not come to light until 2001. When the chassis numbers were checked against the original vehicle licensing details in the Berkshire County records in the U.K., they were found to match SMO 227G.
This was later reinforced when SMO 974G's chassis number matched the other surviving car.
It is believed that SMO 227G is the only car in the world to have finished both the 1968 London - Sydney Marathon and the 1970 World Cup Rallies.
SMO 227G is now owned by Ken Green (no relation to Evan Green) and was shipped back to the UK.
SMO 974G. Morris 1800. First registered to the MG Car Co. on 1/11/68
Tony Fall / Mike Wood / Brian Culcheth's car. Re-registered in Oz as ATG 520 and used by Andrew Cowan to win the 1969 Southern Cross Rally. It was also used by Ken Tubman as the survey car on the 1970 World Cup rally and sold to John Taylor on return from Mexico, it was still in 1968 spec and was thought to be SMO 225G, re-registered as RTC 333. Rebuilt by John Taylor (Taylor found Tony Fall's name painted under the drivers seat) and used on the 1993 London - Sydney re-run with Australian registration SMO 225G it crashed on the event and was sold, rebuilt and used on the 1998 Round Australia Rally.
It is currently under restoration in Victoria, Australia.
SMO 223G Morris 1800. It was made to be used as a survey car on the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon.
While it shared many of the rally car modifications it was not a full blown Marathon car, it lacked the famous "Roo" bar for example and normal bumpers were fitted instead..
The car left England with Brian Culcheth and Henry Liddon as crew. It followed the Marathon route and part of the task was to check the notes made using the Austin 1800 RMO 723F by Paul Easter, Henry Liddon and Tony Nash. When the car arrived in Delhi it was garaged into a secure compound, then Culcheth and Liddon took a flight home with the precious survey notes.
SMO 223G stayed in Delhi until collected by Evan Green on his way to England. He smothered the car in BMC Australia stickers and the Australian flag was given pride of place on the bonnet as it was on the Rally car. He then travelled the Rally Route in reverse (not gear) from Delhi, including the infamous Khyber and Lataban Passes, to Turin where the car was left at the Motel Agip, which was to be the site of a control on the event.
Several photographs taken by Evan Green himself, an avid photographer, of SMO 223G have been said to be the rally car because they show rally number 31 on the door, however in the picture, the 1800 has bumper bars and no Roo bar - it is definitely the survey car. The Rally numbers may have been put on by Evan Green or later by BMC Australia doctoring the pictures as part of pre-rally publicity. It stayed at the motel until the day of the Rally when Stuart Jackson - a member of the Abingdon parts department drove it back to England. SMO 223G still survives and is still in England. It was not a rally car but a recce/survey car. It never went to Australia and sold in UK for £8000. More info below
ORX 663F The Red Arrows car came back to the UK in a RAF Hercules. Whereabouts is unknown.
VLM 128G Semi works car built by BMC Special Tuning Dept. for the Royal Navy. Came back to the UK, was sold off. Now owned by Adrian Bonner.
NGK 777G - Car 71 The Vantona Everwear car is currently for sale in the UK, they want £15,000 (not AU$).
MTB 150G - Car 77 Now owned by Peter Locks in Surrey UK.
See pics below and another pic on the Austin 1800 site. This car also won the 2004 Historic Monte Carlo Rally driven by Peter and his wife Ann
NAM 616G - Car 16 Driven by David Corbett on the 1968 London - Sydney Marathon (DNF) and the 1969 Monte and driven by Jeremy Rugge-Price on the 1970 London - Mexico Rally. Now owned by Ted Taylor.
Researched by Ken Green - UK (2002) (C)
Photo and story Courtesy Ken Green
On the 23rd. February 2003, the Landcrab Owners Club International were able to get together three of the 1800's that took part in the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon.
Thanks to the BHMT museum we were able to wheel out Paddy Hopkirk's 1800, SMO 226G that came 2nd Overall and picture it with SMO 227G used by Evan Green and MTB 150G used by Bob Eaves. The latter two cars also competed in the 1970 World Cup Rally and are still in use today.
We believe this was the first time these cars have been together since 1968.
On 31st July - 1st August 2004 we celebrated 40 years of the Landcrab at the Nostalgia Show South Cerney Nr Cirencester U.K. See the pics of this Nostalgia Show here.
MTB 150G , owned by Peter Locks is still going strong - above photos were taken in 2003.
Photos courtesy Robert Clayson - twopenny.com
SMO 226G. BMC 1800 First registered to the MG Car Co. on 1/11/1968. Driven by Paddy Hopkirk, Alec Poole and Tony Nash
Second place in the 1968 London - Sydney Marathon.
On display in the British Heritage Motor Transport Museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England.
Photos Courtesy Charlie Donaldson
Behind the wheel of SMO 226G
Photo Courtesy Charlie Donaldson
Under the bonnet of SMO 226G
Photo Courtesy Charlie Donaldson
NAM 616G - in 2004
Photos of NAM 616G courtesy Ken Green
NAM 616G
The car has been owned by Ted Taylor for the last 15 years and has been stripped but not touched.
It has a lot of unusual features that ape the 'works mods' but which have not been done to the same pattern.
It has the extra strengthening to the logtitudinal suspension members and the bars from the top of the suspension alloy casting to the front of the body, but does not have the other BMC works strengthening modifications.
The rear shocks are attached to a semicircular plate welded to the side of the boot and the shock absorber tower is a metal tube bolted to that.
It looks like standard Mini rear shocks were used, the front shocks are Armstrong Adjusterides.
It retains its alloy bonnet and boot lid.
Ted is going to tidy it up ready for the Landcrabs 40th anniversary.
NAM 616G is a sister car to the other privateer cars VLT 1G, NKG 777G, ARA 65G and ODM 999G and was prepared by Janspeed.
Information supplied by Ken Green (c)
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Survivors of the Original 1968 London - Sydney Marathon
VLT 1G car 70, the Wilson's Motor Caravan entry, crewed by Wilson, McDonnell and Taylor, once thought 'lost' has been recently purchased and is in the hands of an owner who is going to restore it.
"This is the eleventh BMC 1800 in the event and the only one that most people thought had disappeared forever."
Apparently, having spoken to all three members of the original crew, the owner has been able to find out that this was one of the private 1800's in the event that was built to `works` specs. It had among other things, the alloy bonnet doors and boot as did most of the privateers including MTB 150G. NAM 616G and UDM 999G.
Check back here for further updates. We'll keep you informed on this important find. We also believe the car participated in the Southern Cross Rally in Australia before being shipped back to the UK. View current pics of VLT 1G.
Information supplied by Roland Proudlock (2004)
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The Works at Abingdon were helpful to private owners and most of the cars were built to the same basic specification as subcontracting was done by Downton and Janspeed but there were a lot of minor differences to suit individual requirements.
Information supplied by Ken Green (2005)
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MTB 150G now known as "Lurch"
This was car no 77, the Big 'N' Cash-Carry entry driven by R. Eaves, J. Vipond and F. Bainbridge and finished 35th. in the 1968 Marathon
Winner of the Historic Monte Carlo Rally - January 2004
SMO 223G was the London-Sydney Rally Car that was 'rolled'. It was purchased by my father Geoff Garside (ex BSA/Rover Service Engineer) - he was also fastest man in Britain in 1964 over a quarter mile at Santa Pod Raceway on his BSA Rocket Goldstar!
I remember as a young boy SMO 223G was covered by a tarpaulin in our back garden.
I'm not sure whether my father sold it (removed plates etc and sold logbook) but the car itself was sent to scrap. I'm sure its identity was sold?
Information supplied by David Garside 2004
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UDM 999G - Car 21was the Hillcrest Motors car built at Hillcrest Motors in Holywell North Wales.
It was white with a black bonnet and wing tops. It retired with a blown engine due to the sumpguard being damaged after first being stuck on a bridge during the Lataban Pass section of the route.
Story and pic courtesy Ken Green (c)
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Tim Kennon's BMC 1800 Marathon Landcrab in Australia, still sporting the original number plate used in the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon.
This photo was taken on 24th April 2006, near Foster on the mid north coast of NSW at yet another round Australia rally.
Photo by Brian Rees, courtesy Ken Green
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This car still survives in Australia. It was car no. 4 in the Marathon and the fourth car of the BMC Team. It was driven by the Fall / Wood / Culcheth team and has the original registration no. SMO 974G and finished in 23rd place in the 1968 Marathon. It was used by Andrew Cowan to win the 1969 Southern Cross Rally and still participates in many rallies in Australia.
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"Tim Kennon from Victoria in Australia entered his ex works Landcrab SMO 974G (used by Tony Fall on the London - Sydney Marathon) in the re-run of the 1953 Redex Trial. It started from Sydney on Sunday 22nd June 2003, went for 29 days and covered about 9,000klm.
The original 1953 event was won by Ken Tubman in a Peugeot. Ken Tubman used my car (SMO 227G now owned by Ken Green UK) to compete in the 1970 World Cup Rally.
The restoration must have cost a fortune as the car was very badly crashed both on the 1993 London - Sydney re-run and the round Australia Rally in 1998."
Ken Green
Photo taken in 2003 outside the old Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.
Photo courtesy Ken Green.
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VLM 128G Semi works car built by BMC Special Tuning Dept. for the Royal Navy. Came back to the UK and was sold off.
Photo taken in 1980
Photo courtesy Ken Green
Tim Kennon's Rally Landcrab still going strong.
Driven by Tim Kennon and Michael Holloway
The car is in fantastic, preserved and healthy condition, not to mention the strong exhaust note! It was driven in the recently completed 2006 Peugeot Round Australia re-run, a re-creation of the 1956 Ampol Round Australia Rally.
I photographed the car at Moss Vale NSW on the last day of the re-run, 21st May 2006.
Story and photo courtesy Rob Turner, Burradoo NSW (near Bowral).
An historic gathering of the 'clan'. Nowhere in the world will you find such a gathering of original rally cars of the same make, let alone in such fantastic condition and still being driven in rallies today - a testament to the marque and its enthusiasts - well done to all of you. Photo taken at Gaydon UK in the summer of 2006.
Photo courtesy Robin Shackleton
Hillcrest Motors pics
UDM 999G returns Home !!! 29 Apr 2007
Mike Jordan (L) who now owns UDM 999G reunited the car with Berwyn Williams (R) who drove the car on the 1968 London Sydney Marathon. Mike took the car to the garage - Hillcrest Motors - where the car had been prepared for the Marathon. Also joining Berwyn were two mechanics who worked on the car and prepared it for the event. They had not seen the car since 1969 when it returned from the Marathon.
Story and pics courtesy Ken Green (c)
