Stirling Moss | FerrariChat

Stirling Moss

Discussion in 'Maserati' started by wbaeumer, Apr 12, 2020.

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  1. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    Mar 4, 2005
    8,826
    Although it seems that nobody here is interested and noticed, ex-Maserati factory driver and motoring legend, Sir Stirling Moss died!

    R.I.P.
     
  2. paineandstewartmerak

    Jan 29, 2011
    2
    Au contraire. The great man very much in my thoughts today. They sure as heck don't make them like that any more. Stirling, your Miglia Mille drive will for ever inspire.

    Stephen
     
  3. emsiegel13

    emsiegel13 Formula Junior
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    Oct 9, 2007
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    I think that because the information just came up on my computer today in the afternoon, I haven't had time to pass on my thoughts but I think everyone knew that he was an extraordinary multitalented driver who would be great in any era and certainly one of the all time greats of the last 100 years. He had the good fortune to drive in an era when the better drivers could and would drive any time and anywhere the offers came up. To be able to make a living in those days, you had to keep active driving whenever the opportunities presented themselvesf. Truly an amazing man behind the wheel of any type of race car.
     
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  4. Angus81

    Angus81 Karting

    Oct 15, 2011
    71
    Hell
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    Angus Young
    I didn't know I was on TWITTER, what a nice way to communicate
    PS : Moss was more a "Multimarques" Driver, not only Maserati :p
     
  5. Merak1974

    Merak1974 Formula 3

    Aug 31, 2009
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    Full Name:
    Gabriel R.G. Benito
    A man with a truly extraordinary racing career, and definitely a multi-marques driver. But, some he did some of his greatest races on Maserati and OSCA cars, including wins with the 250F, 300S, 450S, and Birdcage tipo 60 and 61.

    RIP
     
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  6. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    Mar 4, 2005
    8,826
    Correct. But in total Moss had more races in a Maserati than with any (!) other car!
     
  7. staatsof

    staatsof Nine Time F1 World Champ
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  8. MK1044

    MK1044 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Nov 6, 2011
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    Carmine
    Not true, Walter. There is a thread in Silver about this.
     
  9. staatsof

    staatsof Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Yes ... where no car content is supposed to be ... :p
     
  10. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
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    Apr 22, 2006
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    A few years ago, during Pebble week, I asked him what was his favorite race car ....... he said Mercedes 300SLR. He was driving a Mercedes in the Tour D'Elegance so perhaps he felt obligated to give this response.

    This man sure knew how to live life! RIP.

    Ivan
     
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  11. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    Mar 4, 2005
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    I have to correct myself: he had more races in a Cooper.
     
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  12. italiancars

    italiancars F1 Rookie

    Apr 18, 2004
    3,338
    Hershey, PA
    Spent some time talking and emailing with Moss about attending Le Belle Macchine d’Italia over the years. Unfortunately we could never schedule it due to his commitments yearly for the Goodwood Festival of Speed which was usually around the same time as Le Belle Macchine.

    Of course the conversation would turn to Maseratis, and his love of the 300S as the perfectly balanced Sports Racer and the 250F is just a plain wonderful car. When I mentioned we were planning a 450S reunion his demeanor changed, “I will never get in that car again!”
     
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  13. Angus81

    Angus81 Karting

    Oct 15, 2011
    71
    Hell
    Full Name:
    Angus Young
    Thank you for correcting your statement, everybody can make mistakes :D
    And Yes we do care about MOSS 's death
     
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  14. 3500 GT

    3500 GT Formula 3

    Nov 2, 2008
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    #15 3500 GT, Apr 15, 2020
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 15, 2020
    Image Unavailable, Please Login



    email.sent....long
    ago.l...



    Mr. Moss, thank you so very much for the quick reply on my question about your testing the Maserati 3500 in 1958. I enclosed a photograph from the Maserati web site of you and Sig. Bertocchi on your test, "so long ago". I'm sure you've seen this photo before but I thought it might spark some more memories of your testing of the 3500?

    As a student of history and a passionate 'petrol head', it meant a great deal to me to receive a reply from you. In the best way, you are my link to the wonderful history of Maserati, Fangio and all of your other peers in motor sport which I have never had the pleasure to meet.

    Thank you again, so very much!

    Kindest Regards, Ciao-Ciao!


    Trev Dellinger

    reply


    DEAR TREV, I AM SORRY, BUT IT IS SO LONG AGO, THAT I CANNOT REMEMBER WELL ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU A VALID ANSWER. IN GENERAL THOUGH, MASERATI'S ARE GOOD HANDLING CARS.
    I ALWAYS FELT THAT FERRARI WERE PROBABLY THE BETTER ENGINEERS, BUT MASERATI'S HANDLED BETTER.
    CIAO, SM

    SIR STIRLING MOSS O.B.E.
     
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  15. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    You should get a moderator to delete the address and phone number in your post as Mrs Moss still lives there. Never a good idea to broadcast the details of VIP's.
     
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  16. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    fixed
     
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  17. 3500 GT

    3500 GT Formula 3

    Nov 2, 2008
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    Yes,..I realized that after I posed it. But there is no edit feature after time. - I’m also old and stupid.

    I requested the info deleted.

    ———Mr. Moss and I conversed a few times via email regarding his testing the 3500 GT. He was quite kind with his time and information.

    He did mention that the 3500 could have been tuned to get much more horse power, but lilely customers wouldn't appreciate it...

    All the best to Mr. Moss & family. RIP.
     
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  18. AMLC

    AMLC Formula Junior

    Apr 4, 2009
    597
    Very sad news.

    I have never met him, but I think that, despite everything that he has achieved, he was very down to earth and also liked a joke, like at the start of an interview in 2011 (“My God he’s still alive”) , see the first video.

    He’s also in two videos from 2014 on the official Maserati channel, see the second and third video.








     
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  19. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    My belated Stirling Moss encounters and anecdotes I had not gotten around to posting.

    Tom Clark junior of the Steering wheel Maserati dealership in Fort lauderdale Florida once told me that they lent a Bora to Moss in the seventies so he could take it from Fort Lauderdale to Sebring for the 12 hour weekend, he might have been grand marshall. Anyway he took people for rides in it during the practice days and before the race. Tom jr said he returned the car with totally bald tires and not a drop of fuel:)

    In Monterey 1998 or 2000 I met him with Bill Noon of Symbolic at Concorso italiano, Bill introduced me and we chatted then I asked about the 450S, his answer was priceless: he just made a terrorized face with big eyes and did not say a word:)

    Another year at Monterey, before that, there was a way to sneak in at Pebble Beach onto the green between the two storey room blocks to avoid paying the ridiculous concours ticket price, you just had to lean down to go through a hole in a hedge and as I was doing so going in I and another person coming out stopped just inches short of banging skulls...his was bald...we looked at each other and just laughed, I gave him way and we went on our ways.

    At the Mille Miglia in 1999 I was with American friends in a Ferrari (I was just driving their two wives and kids around) and in Brescia I walked up the line of cars awaiting the evening start (one per minute) and what competitors do in that line is they push the cars with engine off so as to avoid over heating. Amidst all the superb machinery suddenly I see royalty: the Mercedes 1956 Mille Miglia winner with its famous number 722 and...Sir Stirling behind the wheel...with his wife pushing alone! So of course I offer to help which she accepts and we chat away and she is so deeply knowledgeable about racing and is known to have a sense of humor so I jokingly suggested that she should imitate the infamous Denis Jenkinson, the leading journalist who was Moss' co driver that year reading notes from a special roll. The Italians called him the priest because of his long beard so I suggested she wear one for full time warp effect she smiled and she said "Oh yes and imitate his little mannerisms" I think she would have done it had there been time. At dinner with the two wives of my friends -who were by then on the road- I told them the story and...they were shocked that I would suggest such a thing to a lady but this wasn't just any lady it was one who took it well.

    Last one: at Goodwood house in 2009 for the annual International Maserati club meeting (NOT the revival or festival) he was there with his Osca. Yours truly, all excited after having managed to gather 7 Khamsins for some line up photos, noticed he was holding court in front of Goodwood house sitting on his hunting seat so I waited my turn and asked to be introduced then asked him if he had ever driven a Khamsin. His answer killed me:

    "A what?"
    :(:D

    I bet you though if I asked Cozza he would say he probably did drive one during a factory visit (but I think he forgot cars more than the crumpet;-) but far more importantly RIP Sir Stirling, thank you for your contribution to Trident history.
     
  20. 375+

    375+ F1 World Champ
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    Dec 28, 2005
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    I love this!
     
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  21. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    Mar 4, 2005
    8,826
    On behalve of a German Maserati dealer I booked Moss in 2002 (and united him again with his Nürburgring winning 300S, #3059) and again in 2016 for the Penske organization.
    Both times I made a public interview with him about his active Maserati days. Very entertaining!!

    I organized a test drive with him in his much "beloved" 450S in 2003. Asked about his opinion he answered: "This one was really great! But in the 50s this damn thing f**ked me three times!!" (Buenos Aires, Le Mans, Mille Miglia, all in 1957)

    Some years later I met him at Goodwood together with the late Cameron Millar. I asked Cameron: Why did you sell your 450S (#4502)? "Because it made me sh*t in my pants!" Moss could not stop laughing...
    He offered me help for the 1st Edition of my 300S-book. I called him at about 6pm and he replied "Boy, I call back later". He did - at midnight, laughing: "Boy, here I am for you!"

    Moss was not interested at all in any Maserati GT-car from their post-racing aera.


    Great guy and a VERY successful businessman, too...!

    He did a fantastic job for Maserati in their glory days!

    R.I.P. Stirl...!
     
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  22. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    Hi walter, I certainly did not expect him to be interested in the later GT cars, I just wanted to see if he would have an anecdote about ever driving a K (see Bora anecdote in my post) but I did not expect much and there were a lot of people around him that day, so there wasn't time to ask further questions that time, oh well.
     
  23. staatsof

    staatsof Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    I wonder what he thought of the Bora?
     
  24. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    Organize a seance and ask him;-)
     
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