1953 MG TD Sport Special Roadster

Since the standard MG TD body was about as aerodynamic as a brick, even when stripped for competition in F-modified class, OSCA and Porsche began taking dead aim at this class. The MG TD became more of a moving chicane than a competitor, so racer Dave Ash and MG TD East Coast importer Inskip Motors set out to prove that the MG TD engine, transmission and brakes could be competitive if clad in a lightweight aluminum body. In the 1950s, those bodies inevitably came from Italy. Enter Rocco Motto and his Carrozzeria Motto used by specials of the era, and his workmanship was remarkable. The chassis maker Gilberto Colombo provided the chassis for two of the three Motto MGs made; the first body was placed on Dave Ash's well-used TD chassis. Motto MGs were raced extensively throughout the Midwest and East Coast, often as a team at places like Watkins Glen, Elkhart Lake, and Marlboro. Two of the MG TD Sport Speciales still survive.

This Motto, campaigned by Fred Allen & Gus Ehrman, finished 5th in class at the 1954 Sebring Race. This car has had the benefit of a full restoration.