After a handful of failed attempts, Petertumble Motorsport is back at work restoring a UMM Trofeu that Carlos Sousa raced with great success in the early 1990s.

The UMM Trofeu was a variant of the UMM Alter, a 4×4 from Portuguese manufacturer União Metalo-Mecânica based on the Cournil that ran the early Paris–Dakar Rallies. Sousa made his debut in one in 1989, competing in the UMM Trophy spec series. After finishing third in the 1990 Portuguese Cross-Country Championship, he won the 1991 title and placed third in the UMM Trophy.

1992 saw Sousa dominate the CPTT season as well as winning the UMM Trophy. He would eventually switch to other cars like a Mitsubishi Pajero, making his Dakar debut in one in 1996.

Sousa’s UMM Trofeu, which had the registration UI-23-86, was eventually abandoned and left in a bad state. When Petertumble acquired the car, both the exterior and interior were coated in rust. The team tried to restore it a handful of times over the years to little success, but decided to try again as a summer project.

Given the state of disrepair it was in, the team has had to completely refurbish and rebuild the body. It’s a slow process, but the team is eager to see it “regain the glory of previous times!!!”

Featured image credit: Petertumble Motorsport