Motorsport legend Allan Moffat battles health, legal issues

Sprint XR8 · 01-09-2019, 06:00 PM

Quote:

MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia - Four-Time Bathurst 1000 winner Alan Moffat, known as 'Mr Ford' for much of his career, is battling health and legal issues in the final days of his life.

Moffat, 79, who took out Bathurst in 1970, 1971, 1973, and 1977 was a great rival of Peter Brock, who won the big race in 1972, 1975, 1978, 1979 and 1980.

According to an exclusive report in The Sunday Telegraph, Fiona Byrne writes that Moffat, who has also won the Sandown 500 six times, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and has been admitted to a special care facility in Melbourne.

As with another Bathurst great Bob Jane, Moffat too is tied up with a legal battle with his family. His estranged partner Susan McCure, according to the 'Telegraph report, is engaged in legal proceedings with Andrew Moffat, the racing driver great's eldest son, over his father's will.

Byrne writes that another motor sport great Larry Perkins, another Bathurst 1000 winner Fred Gibson, and Moffat Senior's day-to-day minder Phil Grant are trying to sort the issues out - and to ensure Alan Moffat's intentions with his will are carried out. It seems there is no will in existence and the court will be left to distribute his assets.

Documents were filed by Perkins, Moffat's administrator, in August asking the court to ensure his (Moffat's) wishes and intentions, if he was of testamentary capacity, would be respected, and form the basis of his will.

While the legal tussle continues, Perkins says his mate is doing well despite his issues.

"He is going downhill but he loves the home where he is now. He is still getting out and about," Perkins told Byrne for The Sunday Telegraph report, published on Sunday 1 September 2019.

"Yes, he is in the toughest race of his life, but we've got the best medical team looking after him," he said. "We're doing everything we can. He is going downhill, but he doesn't have a care in the world."

Last month Alan Moffat was honoured by the creation of a Ford Mustang to mark the 50th anniversary of the car that catapulted him to greatness.

In September last year he became only the fourth motorsport identity to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame alongside Brock and Formula One greats Alan Jones and Sir Jack Brabham.

https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/...h-legal-issues

K.P. · 01-09-2019, 06:08 PM

Sad news indeed. I am very glad Ford created a Mustang to honour him last month. All the best to him and his ongoing health. Who could forget the rivalry between Peter Brock and Alan Moffat? Again, all the best from a Holden descendant.

nstg8a · 01-09-2019, 09:32 PM

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Originally Posted by K.P.

I am very glad Ford created a Mustang to honour him last month. .

Isnt that a tickford thing?

Citroënbender · 01-09-2019, 09:53 PM

It’s good for Mr Moffatt that he has proper friends, between them he’s unlikely to endure the ignominy of institutional “care”. I hope they can keep on until the last breath.

K.P. · 02-09-2019, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Isnt that a tickford thing?

Yes. Someone put an image in here a small while ago. It's a beauty.
https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-new...urst-1-2-57113

XR Martin · 01-09-2019, 06:46 PM

Lesson is to have a will and a Power of Attorney.

XByoot · 01-09-2019, 08:35 PM

Nothing like the smell of death and a will to bring the worst out in people. It’s a bloody disgrace how some people behave in these circumstances. It’s great to hear his old mates are standing by him....now that’s the true mark of a good person in my book

jakkes · 01-09-2019, 10:07 PM

didn't see that coming.... he still seemed so active in the community

Crosshair · 01-09-2019, 10:43 PM

Gutt wrenching news.. I hope he receives the care a national treasure like him deserves.

GTLEGEND · 02-09-2019, 05:26 AM

That's the old 2017 tribute, the latest is the tribute to his 1969 Mustang Transam,

I wonder how this is going to effect the extra $20K for the performance plus edition over the $32K performance addition as that extra $20K gets you the Wilwood brake package along with the Alan Moffat Experience.

I actually thought to myself he did not look too well in the images, but I had just put it down to older in age.

http://www.tickford.com.au/trans-am/

K.P. · 02-09-2019, 08:10 AM

It was 3am and I was fluey, I just put "Alan Moffat Mustang" in a search engine, the Telegraph probably has misreported any new Mustang in his honour. Unless a Ford Australia or Tickford source can prove otherwise. I too thought it was last year even had it in my tribute but edited it out to "last month" to fit the article.

Iain.

K.P. · 02-09-2019, 08:25 AM

Had up a 02/08/19 dated hit but inside was a 2016 promo. Can't find anything on last month. Regardless, sad news indeed and may the legend live long.

K.P. · 02-09-2019, 08:40 AM

I think this is it, production starts next month. Article dated Aug 23, 2019, same car as the Tickford link. Article claims Tickford will only create 100 of the two Tickford Trans-Am versions, the Performance Edition and Performance Plus on a first-come, first-served basis.

http://fordauthority.com/2019/08/the...s-a-60s-racer/

mondeomatureguy · 02-09-2019, 08:01 PM

I was very sad to read about Allan Moffats health problems .

I was a young boy at the age of 13 years old when I saw his Mustang race at Oran Park in Sydney and I followed Allan Moffat till he retired at the age of 50 years old.

He has done so much for Motor Sport in Australia and for Ford also.

**Mechan1k** · 03-09-2019, 07:43 AM

The guy's not dead yet .... and they're already fighting over his will.

Disgraceful

lra · 03-09-2019, 08:49 AM

I get the impression that there is no will, and that is the problem.
I bought a motoring magazine a couple of months ago that briefly mentioned that AM had very little memory of his racings days. He knew his Mustang, but not what he achieved with it.
When your time is up, what is better, a blaze of glory and publicity like Brock, fade away un-noticed like Pete Geoghegan, or bitterly like Bob Jane.
Agree, sad that it has come this.

Citroënbender · 03-09-2019, 09:08 AM

While he’s still alive, that lack of a written will is not the core problem. It’s “lack of testamentary capacity”, any instruction ascribed to him following a medical diagnosis and arguably in a period preceding it, is wide open...

Much as everyone needs a will, they need an advanced care directive written while they’re still compus mentis, and people who absolutely can/will uphold it.

mondeomatureguy · 03-09-2019, 09:48 AM

That was the problem with the Late Peter Brock "The Will"'
He had a will but forgot to sign it and after he died it took to clear the mess up.

mondeomatureguy · 03-09-2019, 09:55 AM

I have to agree with Mechan1k the mans still alive and already there fighting over his will.

They should be ashamed of them selves!

What ever happens Allan Moffat did a lot for motor racing in this country. In 1979 when one of his cars caught alight in the pits on TV "Cams will be happy when on of these cars burnt to the ground what we need is the dry brake system"

What happens a few years later "they get the dry brake system"!

71cop · 03-09-2019, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mondeomatureguy

I have to agree with Mechan1k the mans still alive and already there fighting over his will.

What will ? a quote from the article above, It seems there is no will in existence and the court will be left to distribute his assets.

ford71V8 · 03-09-2019, 10:18 AM

Sad to hear this news obviously, but I am more surprised.
I feel like he has continued to be involved in the sport and promos even until very recently and did not notice a decline other than watching someone get older with the rest of us.

And after only reading his book earlier this year I was reminded of his nature and his hard work to make a go of his passion so to hear he is no longer firing on all cylinders is a shock and upsetting.

Taking things and people for granted - they wont be here forever.
Allan is one of the great ones, initially supported by my father and then myself.
I hope things can be settled and sorted properly without any ugliness.

**PepeLePew** · 03-09-2019, 02:46 PM

The article when read dispassionately would seem to sway the court of public opinion against his long term partner rightly or wrongly...just can't tell whats going on behind closed doors. Seems to be Ms McCure against all the 'good guys' (his first son, good old 'Larry' etc), but makes you wonder what the reality is and what his wishes would likely be....I hope the conclusion is fair and just with due respect to the man himself.

mondeomatureguy · 03-09-2019, 03:15 PM

I did say in 1979 his car caught fire in the pits at Bathurst.

I should have said in 1978 sorry!

mondeomatureguy · 03-09-2019, 04:30 PM

Its very sad when people fight over a will and it happens all the time.
Frank Sinatra had written in his will "if any body fights over my will they don't get a cent"

Moffat had his up n downs like any racing car driver. In 1976 his International Harvester Transporter caught fire at Murray Bridge with his race car in side and all the spare parts also.

The fire was so intense it fused the wheels of the truck to the bitumen road surface. It was John Goss who came to the rescue leant Allan his falcon and Allan won both heats of that race in Adelaide.

In 1989 Allan turned 50 and decided to Retire. Two decades before that at Indianapolis he had seen a past hero lifted into his race car and then have his fire-mangled hands wrapped around the steering wheel where they'd stay until someone prised them loose.

Allan made a promise to himself that after seeing that in Indianapolis it wouldn't be him and he retired at 50 with out any press knowing or anybody making a fuss over him.