Bruce McLaren

[Steve Holmes]

Bruce would have turned 75 yesterday

Thanks Bry, thats a nice photo.

[Rod Grimwood]

I love this photo of Bruce at Sebring 12 hour 1965 he drove with Ken Miles in a GT40
Note the helmet with a bit of battle scaring.

[Steve Holmes]

Neat photo Rod.

[ERC]

http://www.monza.org.nz/temp/166_01Bruce.jpg

I took this pic at the annual Racing Car Show at Olympia. I think January 1966, but I could be a year out.

On the day Bruce died, I was a Prison officer in the UK. In the prison coach, heading back after a day working at the Old Bailey or the Inner London Quarter Sessions, I saw through the coach windows, the news stand billboards "F1 driver killed at Goodwood". I somehow or other knew there and then it was Bruce.

[Steve Holmes]

Wow, absolutely beautiful photo Ray! Thanks for the link. Looking at the sign on the rear spoiler of the McLaren, its still Oldsmobile powered, so yet to start running the Chevy. The McLarens were running Chevys from the first round of the 1966 Can-Am, they had to do as John Surtees was doing in his Lola, after he'd also switched to the bigger Chevy motor.

[OCTARD-USA]

Here is a photo of Bruce McLaren seated on the grid with friends and crew at Nassau, 1964.




This photo was given to me by Don Breslauer.

Though a few early members of Bruce McLaren Motor Racing have been asked to identify the cast within this photo, the marked up copy below is all that is mutually agreed upon.



A few believe the fellow in position #1 to be Bruce Harre, where a couple others disagree. If there are folks here that believe they can add to the identification of those within the photo, I/we look forward to such feedback.

I do not know if this early McLaren chassis has survived, and if so who that present caretaker might be. If that individual or other folks associated with this car would like a much higher resolution version of the image above, please feel free to reach out in private via this page.

-Chad

[Jerry Entin]

Here is one of Bruce McLaren at Riverside spoofing the Chaparral crew.
Wally Willmott leaning in and Tyler Alexander at the back. That is Teddy Mayer in the front.
This was taken at the Riverside Grand Prix in 1964.
photo: Kirby Guyer

[thunder427]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]14533[/ATTACH]
Here is one of Bruce McLaren at Riverside spoofing the Chaparral crew.
Wally Willmott leaning in and Tyler Alexander at the back. That is Teddy Mayer in the front.
This was taken at the Riverside Grand Prix in 1964.
photo: Kirby Guyer

...check the nose 'art',precursor of things to come !!!................................thunder427/MJ

[David McKinney]

Not an M1A, but the first McLaren. The first M1A wasn't completed till a few months after the Nassau Speed Week
(With thanks to Howden Ganley for pointing out what I should have already known )

[Steve Holmes]

Chad and Jerry, fantastic posts! Thanks so much for sharing these.

[Rod Grimwood]

Thunder, front looks a little GT40 ish.

[John B]

McLaren fans (and let's face it, who isn't!) will be pleased to know that Spark has announced that they are about to produce the following 1:43rd models...

Spark #S1101 : McLaren Elva MK I #47, Mosport USRRC 1964 (Bruce McLaren)

Spark #S1102 : McLaren Elva MK II #4, Mosport Can Am 1966 (Bruce McLaren)

Spark #S1103 : McLaren Elva MK I #5, Nassau Trophy 1964 (Bruce McLaren)

Cheers, John
www.spr-models.co.nz

[David McKinney]

S1102 does look like a McLaren-Elva Mk2 (or McLaren M1B as it was known in the UK)
But S1101 and S1103 are not any type of McLaren-Elva. They are the 1964 McLaren, which was followed by McLaren-Elva Mk1 (or McLaren M1A)

[John B]

S1102 does look like a McLaren-Elva Mk2 (or McLaren M1B as it was known in the UK)
But S1101 and S1103 are not any type of McLaren-Elva. They are the 1964 McLaren, which was followed by McLaren-Elva Mk1 (or McLaren M1A)

Hi David,
Spark produce beautifully hand-crafted, 1:43 resin models, and they are always incredibly accurate. However sometimes, because of the French to Chinese to English translation, the descriptions aren't 100% accurate. I'm sure they will get it right before manufacturing commences.

[jim short]

Hi how about some prices

[John B]

Hi how about some prices

Hi Jim,
The models have not yet been produced, just an announcement from Spark that they will be released in 2013 - hence the images above of the actual car, not the model. All model manufacturers do this - even in their printed catalogues - because announcements of future models are often made more than a year before the actual model is produced.

[Rod Grimwood]

SPECIFICATIONS
Make: McLaren Elva
Model: M1A
Year: 1965
Color: Gold and white
Engine: Chevrolet V8
CC: 5645
Power: 400 bhp
Transmission: ZF 5 speed
Brakes: Girling Discs
Length: 166"
Width: 64"
Height: 51"
Weight: 1828 lbs
Chassis no: 20-01


After a victorious start the decision was made to build the first real McLaren from Bruce's own designs. In September 1964 the new McLaren-Oldsmobile started testing at Goodwood The Mark 1 was a simple space frame design of round and square tubing with light alloy sheeting riveted and bonded to form a stressed and bonded undertray. The Mark 1 was fitted with an Oldsmobile V8 engine, Cooper wheels, uprights and steering arms, and a 4 speed Hewland gearbox. The new car had its racing debut at Mosport Park that September and was the fastest car on the track until a throttle linkage broke incurring a long pit stop which resulted in Bruce's third place finish. The Mark 1 was soon setting records on the American circuits and with the success came requests from other drivers who wanted replicas.
In November 1964 the MA went into production as the McLaren Elva Mark 1. Work began immediately on 24 customer M1As in order to have a car on display at the London Racing Car Show in January 1965.
The M1A in the Mathews Collection is the first of the Elva built cars, chassis 20-01, and is the car that premiered at the London Racing Car Show as the first McLaren customer car the world had ever seen. The car was then bought by John Coombs, a Jaguar dealer in England, for Graham Hill to drive. After the L.A. Times Grand Prix in October 1965, John Coombs sold the car to Jerry Entin, a California racer. The M1A's new owner landed it a part in the movie Spinout, in which Elvis Presley drove the car.

[Rod Grimwood]

SPECIFICATIONS
Make: McLaren Elva
Model: M1B
Year: 1966
Color: Silver
Engine: Chevrolet V8
CC: 6178
Power: 550 bhp
Transmission: Hewland LG 500
Brakes: Girling Discs
Length: 147"
Width: 59"
Height: 35"
Weight: 1850 lbs
Chassis no: 30-12

The M1B was the McLaren team car for 1965 through to 1996, as well as the McLaren Elva customer car for 1966. Elva announced they would be building the M1B in September 1965. It was the second car to be produced by Elva, but the first to be successful for both works and customer drivers, in England and America. Elva produced 28 M1Bs.
The design was based on the M1A, with engineer Robin Herd retaining and revising the frame to make it 20% stronger without gaining any weight. The strength was gained by using larger diameter round and square mild steel tubes stiffened by sheet alloy riveted and bonded to it, forming the undertrays and bulkheads. The M1B body was designed by English motorsport artist Michael Turner. He also created the Team McLaren badge, using an image of the Kiwi, the iconic New Zealand flightless bird. Turner designed the M1B body using very strict guidelines laid down by Bruce, including a rigid set of cross sections and aerodynamic requirements. After the final drawings were made, a model was built for wind tunnel testing to improve lines and streamlining. Much attention was paid to the lift and drag characteristics. The M1B's front end was blunt, shaped like the Penske Zerex, to eliminate the uplift that had been apparent with the more wing-shaped M1A. A clear plexiglass spoiler was also added to the rear of the M1B to help with downforce.

[Rod Grimwood]

SPECIFICATIONS
Make: McLaren Elva
Model: M1C
Year: 1967
Color: Red
Engine: Chevrolet
CC: 6180
Power: 500 bhp
Transmission: Hewland LG
Brakes: Girling Discs
Length: 146"
Width: 66"
Height: 31"
Weight: 1900 lbs
Chassis no: 40-18

Our first McLaren. It gave us the McLaren bug.
The M1C was the last tubular frame chassis car built by Elva as a McLaren customer car. In total, 25 were built and they were sold in the USA as the McLaren-Elva Mark 3. Most of these went on to race in the USRRC and Can-Am championships. The M1C was again based on the space frame design of the M1A and M1B. The M1C was to be the last of the M1s; the McLaren Team had already moved on to the all conquering monocoque M6A.
The M1C was Elva's further development of the M1B with a separate spoiler wing at the rear to replace the airdam. On many of the American M1Cs this spoiler was adjustable to help with setup at the vastly different circuits around the States. The M1C chassis was constructed from large diameter round and square tubing in a space frame form with light alloy sheets riveted and bonded to it, which formed the undertrays and bulkheads. The frame work was strengthened and stiffened from the m1B by additional tubes in the front and rear bays. The body is formed from four reinforced polyester resin sections with side sections housing the Twin 25 gallon rubber fuel cells. The ducting for the brakes, the radiator and oil coolers are all built into the body shape to help with weight saving. The M1Cs were most commonly powered by Chevrolet engines although it was possible to fit the optional Ford or Oldsmobile power units. The whole thing ran on custom made wide McLaren-Elva cast magnesium wheels, 15 inch diameter at both front and rear.

[jim short]

SPECIFICATIONS
Make: McLaren Elva
Model: M1B
Year: 1966
Color: Silver
Engine: Chevrolet V8
CC: 6178
Power: 550 bhp
Transmission: Hewland LG 500
Brakes: Girling Discs
Length: 147"
Width: 59"
Height: 35"
Weight: 1850 lbs
Chassis no: 30-12

The M1B was the McLaren team car for 1965 through to 1996, as well as the McLaren Elva customer car for 1966. Elva announced they would be building the M1B in September 1965. It was the second car to be produced by Elva, but the first to be successful for both works and customer drivers, in England and America. Elva produced 28 M1Bs.
The design was based on the M1A, with engineer Robin Herd retaining and revising the frame to make it 20% stronger without gaining any weight. The strength was gained by using larger diameter round and square mild steel tubes stiffened by sheet alloy riveted and bonded to it, forming the undertrays and bulkheads. The M1B body was designed by English motorsport artist Michael Turner. He also created the Team McLaren badge, using an image of the Kiwi, the iconic New Zealand flightless bird. Turner designed the M1B body using very strict guidelines laid down by Bruce, including a rigid set of cross sections and aerodynamic requirements. After the final drawings were made, a model was built for wind tunnel testing to improve lines and streamlining. Much attention was paid to the lift and drag characteristics. The M1B's front end was blunt, shaped like the Penske Zerex, to eliminate the uplift that had been apparent with the more wing-shaped M1A. A clear plexiglass spoiler was also added to the rear of the M1B to help with downforce.

Rod is this photo of Harrys collection??