1971 Martin BM9/10

Brian Martin, based first in Dagenham, Essex, and later Wakefield, West Yorkshire, built one-off sports-racing cars for his own use as a driver through the 1960s and 1970s. Early models such as the BM5 and BM7 had already established the marque as a serious contender in club-level racing, combining agile chassis with reliable engines to punch well above their weight. The BM9, introduced in 1971, continued this philosophy, designed to compete in club and national-level circuit racing against contemporary rivals including Chevron, Royale, and Mallock Sports cars. Its lightweight, nimble chassis paired with a high-revving four-cylinder engine made it exceptionally competitive in series such as Supersports, Thundersports, and club GT championships.

This particular BM9 has been in the hands of the current owner since 1999, enjoying a long and active racing career. It had been rebodied at some point and became nominally known as a B10 with wider arches, however, when purchased by the current owner the decision was made to reinstate the original profile BM9 bodywork. Over the years it has competed in series including Supersports, Steigenberger, Orwell, Thundersports, as well as the Castle Combe GT Championship, building a documented performance record. The car is powered by a 2.0-litre BDG engine, last rebuilt by Craig Beck in December 2018, and dyno’d at 287bhp, mated to a Ford FG gearbox casing with FT200 internals.

Since the rebuild, the BM9 has competed in just eight race meetings, the last taking place in 2022, and has been meticulously maintained between seasons. It has been routinely started every three months and brought up to temperature, with a water preheat system fitted and included in the sale to ensure mechanical reliability. While the car is not cosmetically pristine, it remains mechanically sound, finishing its most recent race ready for further competition.

The sale includes spare gear ratios, spare wheels, and a full set of body moulds (to be collected from the seller post-sale), offering a prospective owner the tools to maintain, repair or restore the car. Documentation is extensive, with a large history file covering the car from its early years, including period photographs, invoices, dyno sheets, and detailed records of work carried out over the past 25 years. The car has previously had FIA papers, and while it remains unchanged so renewing should theoretically be straightforward, the FIA papers have expired.

The current owner has made the decision to retire from circuit racing and is offering this BM9 to the market for the first time in 26 years. With its proven race pedigree, detailed history, and carefully maintained mechanical specification, this is a rare opportunity to acquire an historic Martin BM9 prepared for continued competition or sympathetic restoration.